Welcome to Egypt Ramblings!
I am so glad that you're taking this journey with me.
Although I moved around quite a bit while I was growing up, I claim Kentucky as my home state because I graduated from both high school and college there. My parents also still live just outside of Louisville.
I moved to Egypt in 2002 and fell in love with my Egyptian husband there. We were married in 2005 and have lived in Cairo ever since. In November 2009, our son was born and changed our lives forever.
I love the look of wonder that crosses any particular person's face when I tell them that I live in Egypt. Maybe it's just a Kentucky thing. Maybe Gatlinburg is about as exotic a destination some Kentuckians will ever experience.
What's it like to live in Egypt?
Not a simple question and definitely NOT a simple answer.
Quite frankly, it's pretty hard to describe what it's like to live in Egypt. I know it sounds crazy that someone who graduated from my high school not only WENT to Egypt but now LIVES in Egypt. What can I say, I like the shock value of it all.
Now I know that when most people ask that question, that they're probably wanting the *short* version. But it's almost impossible to cram the past few years of my life abroad in Egypt into a 5-minute overview. I'm always left with wanting to say more (and perhaps them wanting me to say less).
Hence the birth of this blog.
Ever felt like you've been waiting all your life for something special to happen to you? That's the way I felt before I got to Egypt. It's as if I was the ugly duckling that moved across the big pond to become a beautiful swan in a very different world.
That's kind of what Egypt means to me. Something about this place has made me feel like a piece of me was here all along. I am more the person I was meant to be by living in Egypt. Maybe we won't be in Egypt forever, but still - for such a time as this - this is right where I know I am supposed to be right now.
Sound like a bit of a romantic, don't I? Well, that's on one of my good days. You can only imagine what goes through my head on a bad day.
Like all blogs, this blog is a work in progress. Every day is a new day. Every day as I learn something new and grow as a person, the blog grows and develops as well. That's what I love about blogging so much.
Here is a little background on the different categories that you'll see here on Egypt Ramblings (and a little insight into the way my mind works):
Inner Ramblings. Any thought that comes to mind, any issue that I have been mulling over, any secret obsession I have, any other random thing I want to discuss or share...these topics may or may not cover my life in Egypt, my perspective on the world, my family, my faith, my favorite things...the list goes on.
Living in Egypt. Insights into my life in Egypt. The goal is to give you a glimpse of what it is like to live in Egypt, from the normal everyday moments to the occasional crazy situations I find myself in.
KY Chronicles. Thoughts about my recent trip to the States from the perspective of an expat returning home to KY to a very different world than the one I live in abroad.
Mama Mondays. A look at my world as an expat mom, trying to raise a family abroad with all the challenges and joys that come along with that.
**NEW** My Cairo Kitchen. Whether it's learning to cook Egyptian food or whippin' up some old American favorites from back home, the process of cooking abroad is always an adventure. Here I will be sharing some personal triumphs and failures from my kitchen in Cairo as well as any other food-related advice I have picked up along the way.
**NEW** The Wonder Years. A series about my first 2 years in Egypt before I met and married my Egyptian husband.
Again, I do hope that you enjoy taking this journey with me. Please feel free to contact me at owene25 AT yahoo DOT com if you have any questions, comments or suggestions.
Thanks again for stopping by!
Y'all come back now, yah hear! (My terrible rendition of a typical Kentucky accent)
