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Newly married, Chris and Susanna Naylor set off for a new life in the Arab world - living first in Kuwait, then Jordan and finally Lebanon.
In a region never far from the news, they discovered their expectations - of war, terrorism, desert sand dunes, men in white robes and veiled women, camels and Kalashnikovs, indeed their own reasons for being there - were to be constantly challenged. As they found out, the reality bore little resemblance to their pre-conceptions.
Postcards from the Middle East is a tale of love from one family's experiences: a story of work, schooling, friendships, worship and shared family life, lived out in precious communities against a back drop of world-changing events and spectacular scenery. The Naylors had never experienced such hospitality, danger, wildlife spectacles or snow before they moved to the Middle East. Their story provides a multi-coloured window on an extraordinary and rapidly changing Arab world.
Contents
Map of Lebanon 8
Acknowledgments 9
A Note on Transliteration of Arabic to English Text 10
Introduction: To Picnic or Not to Picnic? 11
Chapter 1: The Middle East and Back Again 21
Chapter 2: The Keys to the House: The Arabic Language 39
Chapter 3: Lebanon After the Civil War 55
Chapter 4: A History Told in Stone 71
Chapter 5: Grounded in the Valley 87
Chapter 6: Mission Impossible 101
Chapter 7: “Salaam Alaykum and Merry Christmas and Thanks Be to God” 115
Chapter 8: How I Got a Gun 125
Chapter 9: Crossing Cultures 141
Chapter 10: The Day the World Changed 153
Chapter 11: Myths, Legends, and Superstitions 165
Chapter 12: Valentine’s Day 181
Chapter 13: A Summer War 193
Chapter 14: The Final Departure 209
Chapter 15: A New Country 219
Appendix 231
The Naylor Family and the Middle East Timeline 237
Suggested Reading 239
Last Word… 240