The German author has, herself, been married to an Egyptian for more than forty years. Today she lives in Alexandria, Egypt, for most of the year. Her encounters with other foreign women were the trigger for her book. Fifteen women told the very personal story of their lives and Annelies Ismail collected them and wrote them down with her daughter Mona Gabriel.
In the 1960s, some of these women followed their husbands 'blindly' into a foreign country, where they had to learn a new language (Arabic) and face the challenges of living in a foreign culture. Often they had to overcome financial difficulties, sometimes even survive intrigues. All of these families have prevailed and have found their own way.
The experiences of the women with the people in Egypt, with their hospitality and their attitude toward women, perceptions of Egyptian politics and manners, from their present perspective, are as varied as the women themselves, but there is one conclusion: "Of course, it was not easy, but in general it has been an enrichment," say the fifteen women who openly talk of their lives. The story of the author is included.
The book also contains the most popular recipes for Egyptian cuisine.
translated from German by Alana and Harald Bordewieck
edited by Susan LeVangia and Suzanne Abdel-Aal