A Young Egyptian Writes Pen-Pal Letters To An American Girl

(EGYPTIAN PENPAL LETTERS). An archive of a dozen letters from a young Egyptian, Hassan Hafez Adb el Bari, to an American woman named Ruth O’Donnell. They range from 1938 to 1946 and state in part: ALS. 2pg. 7” x 9”. August 25, 1938. Cairo. An autograph letter signed “Hassan Hafez Abd el Bari”: “…On November 14 I shall be sixteen years of age. Schools in Egypt are: four years in primary schools; 5 years in secondary schools (high schools); after that the pupil goes in any faculty which he prefers…Our family had spent this summer in our farm but I spent it in Cairo…”. The letter is in fine condition, ALS. 2pg. 7” x 9”. September 8, 1938. Cairo. An autograph letter signed “Hassan”: “Our government will spend on the Egyptian part of New York Hair 250,000 Egyptian pound. The building will be like the Ancient Egyptian buildings. I think that you know that Cairo is the capital of our country. Cairo is the eighth city in large in all the world. You find in Egypt all means of transport: trains, aeroplanes, tramways, busses and at last ships in the Nile. All the cultivated lands in Egypt is watered by the Nile. The Nile is the second river in all the world. You find in Egypt also all sorts of amusement: cinemas, theatres and dancing halls. In towns the people wear suits and fezes are their heads covers In villages the farmers wear galabias (a galabia is like a log shirt).” The letter is in fine condition. ALS. 2pg. 7” x 9”. December 18, 1938. Cairo. An autograph letter signed “Hassan”: “The people in Egypt are happy with the new Princess. Our King had called her ‘Feryual.’ In Egypt we have no Christmas because we are Moslems In Egypt we have our own feasts Every year we have two feasts: the small feast which last 3 days and it come in November. The big feast which lasts 4 days and it comes in February. So the Egyptian children do not know anything about Christmas. Arabic is our native language. We study English as just a subject in school. We do not have no dances connected with our school. We also have in our school a good orchestra which plays in the ceremonies. The winter in Egypt in few days is some cold The other days of is the winter are rather cold nor hot This good weather in winter attracts the tourists from all the world to Egypt. Thy summer is generally hot but ecept I the ports as Alexandria and Port Said.” The letter is in fine condition. ALS. 3pg. 7” x 9”. April 11, 1939. No place. An autograph letter signed “Hassan”: “April 11, 1939. Last days were very hot because of the Khamasin. The Khamasin are dusty winds which come from the desert toward Egypt in this part of the year and it says for 50 days. I wish to tell you something about Egypt for there are many people in Europe and America seem not to know anything about Egypt. There are some rude tourists who come to Egypt and take a photograph of a clean beggar or something else and send it to their countries to be published in the newspapers over this title "one of the richest people in Egypt. I do not know why do these people do such a work. I want to tell you that Egypt is like any of the modern countries in the World, and that Cairo is one of the finest Capitals in the World and it is the eighth big city ifwe counted New York. Trams motor cars & aeroplanes are found in Egypt. Cinemas theatres, & music halls are scattered in Cairo and the large cities. One of the large Zoos in the World is found in Egypt (Cairo) Our Zoo is full of many and different animals and birds which cannot be found in other countries. Public gardens are also found in many part of every city and we have our Nile which is enough to have a look at its beautiful sights at sunset. Schools with their different kinds are opened inEgypt to every sort of people Our University contains many faculties and they are not less than those I the other countries. Daily, weekly and monthly newspapers and magazines can be bought cheaply in Egypt. The modern machines are used in many places I Egypt to help th farmers in their work for Egypt is a big agriculture country. So you see that the Egyptian Nation is like any other one.” The letter is in fine condition. ALS. 3pg. 5” x 8”. July 19, 1939. Cairo. An autograph letter signed “Hassan”: “I am going to tell you a small bit about what you asked me for I have many works. In Egypt the people or the families are separated to three parts like any other country. 1.. The high life families In these families the girls and women sit with the men anywhere and do every thing with them. In these families the man marry the girl he chooses & whom he loved. 2. The poor families who are in the opposite direction of the lastfor they see that the girl who sis and talks with a man who is not a relative to her is impolite an the man in these families marry the girl chose by his father or mother and it perhaps may be a girl he did not see before. 3. The middle life families between 1 and 2 are separated to two parts a. The first part do as no. 1 do and I am or my family is of this part. B. The second part do as no. 2 do.” The letter is in purple ink and in fine condition. ALS. 2pg. 6” x 7”. December 16, 1942. Giza. An autograph letter signed “Hassan”: “First I must apologize for not writing to you, since about 3 years, but it is not my fault, it is the war, it is that mad man called Hitler. I thought that the sea way is closed between America & Egypt except for military purposes, but few days ago a friend tolled me that letters could be sent.” The letter has a toning box and is in very good condition. ALS. 3pg. 8” x 10”. April 1, 1945. No place. An autograph letter signed “Hassan”: “About snow in Egypt there are no parts in our country cold enough for snow. About American movies I try to see as much of them as I can. Now, I go once a week to the cinema, during the holiday I go thrice or thrice (sometimes) a week. I have seen Princess Droke" it is a nice one. Three days ago I have been to the Metro theatre, the film was ‘Speech of Moskow’ it was not bad. I think will have a nice attraction in two weeks at most & that is Patty Grable in Pin up Girl...You wonder to what extent the people in Egypt speak English & I answer that only the educated people speak that language. We study it as a subject in primary and secondary schools, we study French also in secondary schools. All the study & lectures in the following faculties are in English: Faculty of Engineering, Medicine and Science. Other faculties in the University uses the Arabic Language. The reason is that all reference books for the above mentioned three faculties are in English. Last January we had our half year holiday & our faculty made up a scientific journey (for the B. Sc. Degree students only) from the top of our country to its bottom. It lasted for 15 days. We began with Alexandria & the neighboring cities then we went to upper Egypt, we visited Luxor where we say the marvelous remains & antiquettes of the Ancient Egyptians...We visited Aswam where we saw the Aswam Dam, it is a very large structure, its length about 2 Kms with 180 openings. When war is over we hope to generate electricity for the water flow at that dam.” The letter is in fine condition.