Friday, July 22, 2011

impressions #11 - a conversation about relationships


(The picture has nothing to do with my post. It's just a building I saw alongside the highway, an interesting blend of traditional and modern. Environmentally it's a good strategy for shading to reduce the heat load on the building, while still allowing the cooling benefits of breezes)

I was chatting with one of my younger colleagues recently, an Egyptian fellow of about 28. We were talking about the future, things we'd like to do, places to go. I mentioned that my long term plan, after completing my work with the company, was to return to France where I have a home, and live there.

He got excited and said how much he loved France. When he was 20 he moved there for a year to study.

"I met a French girl. We wanted to get married. But when I told my father he forced me to come home. He told me, "I didn't send you to France to find a French girl.". I haven't been back since."

He is married now, to an Egyptian girl. He has a daughter of 3 years old.

Everything is under control.

5 comments:

  1. That's a very nice looking building. I like the blend of traditional and modern. It seems fitting.

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  2. I wonder how Dad "forced" him. We give power to our authorities.

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  3. When you live in a society where this is normal then social ostracism is a very powerful disincentive.

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