About Me
I was also surprised to find that many of those stories are not known and are slowly fading away, stories that affected generations of Egyptians to follow in many different ways.
I retired in 2012, and while on visit to Zurich September 2013, the idea of writing this book was born and for the next 18 months I was happily busy reading, researching and writing the book, visiting Switzerland twice for interviews, photos and research until this book was finished.
I made several presentations about this work and as my interest in the subject became known, the stories continued to flow my way. I kept receiving emails and hearing little pieces of memories that were to good not to be shared, so I decided to continue the work through a website that would not only serve to publish whatever I receive, but also to provide an interactive space for all to share and to enhance the social ties between Egypt and Switzerland.
Below is the link for the site
Please note that the site is till under construction; if interested please send me your email to add you to the mailing list.
I wrote two books before in Arabic language, one about payer and another about rules of inheritance in Islam. however, I can not claim that I am a writer, I am not seeking to make a living out of it, I simply enjoy researching and writing. I just hope that you will appreciate my work.
Other then reading and writing, my hobbies are playing bridge and watching good movies, I was a flying instructor but unfortunately recreational flying is not practiced in Alexandria anymore.
I had a good life, graduated from faculty of Science with a major in biology but somehow ended with a successfull banking and financial management career; blessed with a wonderful wife three kids and so far two grand children.
In the midst of all this, I had the opportunity of living in Switzerland on two different occasions, once as a kid with family while my late father was preparing for his doctoral degree which he obtained 1956 from the famous Federal Polytechnic Institute (ETH), in Zurich, and then by myself since 1970 on many occasions with the longest stay being for five years, in the mid 70s.
During those periods and visits I had the opportunity of meeting many Egyptians who made Switzerland their second home as well as many Swiss living permenantly in Egypt. Their stories fascinated me and when I came across a few books about the subject I was surprised to find out that the Swiss where not just present in Egypt since the mid nineteenth century but they had such a great impact and wonderful contributions despite being one of the smallest European communities at the time.