1. Lynda commented on July 17, 2009 at 6:06 pm

Slap her!!! God it makes me furious to hear such stories. How stupid can we be!

Grow up.. get a lawyer, save yourself.

2. Masriya commented on July 18, 2009 at 6:32 am

Everytime i hear such stories i go mad. The lack of dignity of some women makes me sick.

First, he never completely divorced her first wife. In muslim religion, a woman can not remarry her ex husband unless she marries and divorces another man. It smells bad, it is not infrequent that families even wives “sacrifice” their man for a few years until they reach their goal (i.e. visa, money scam, etc.)
If the marriage is properly registered in your friend’s country little can be done as the man has the right to have other wives in his original country.
I do not know how she finds the sex “great” with such a bastard… it puts her down to the same level as him.
Disgusting!!!

3. Rhonda commented on July 18, 2009 at 7:37 am

Having just come through on the tail end of a three year marriage with a younger Egyptian man I can understand some of what she is going through. One of the greatest advantages for me was the fact that I have been married before and I don’t think I could ever trust any man no matter the ethnicity or age with the basics of my money. I would never give a man access to my resources. I have been told and told by many Egyptians and Westerners familiar with that culture to be on guard and be warned. As a result I did not share much money, no property and have been able to give it enough time that the marriage ended. I think if I had been forthcoming with funds, it would still be intact. I think all you can do is to keep talking to her. Sharing what you learn with her. Point out some things to her along the way. She is probably not without doubts and she probably keeps all her thoughts to herself about the situation . I knew most people would argue with me or laugh at me and so I just didn’t discuss it. I also didn’t think it was anyone’s business. I think as a friend you can help her by maintaining yourself as a friend. Provide support and a listening ear. If she has doubts they will surface. Be honest with her about how you feel but don’t belabor the point. She does need someone to support her emotionally.

I don’t know how wealthy she is. Maybe in some ways this is worth it to her. I think she should realize that there is a high chance that this man fits a profile of a user and a taker. She needs to keep her guard up and not be surprised if it ends . Mine ended because I wouldn’t become Muslim or move to Egypt. I know in fact that wasn’t really why it ended, but that is what he says. Regardless, it is a painful place for her and you to be. Sometimes we get so upset when older women do the same thing that older men have been doing with younger women all their lives. Of course, sh may be susceptible to this type and could have married the same type here.
Enough from me. Just please understand her as best you an. Love her and support her if u can.

4. amira commented on July 20, 2009 at 4:43 pm

As you already know, the situation is a complete diaster and is only going to get worse the longer it continues. I’m married to an Egyptian, so I’ve heard millions of these stories. The best I can say is that we’re doing okay, more or less, after five years of marriage and endless struggles to overcome cultural misalignments, and ours is by far the most successful Egyptian-non-Egyptian marriage I’ve heard of so far. Even though we have the extra advantage of being the same religion and the fact that I speak Arabic, it’s hard, hard, hard to keep things going well. And that’s in ideal circumstances.

So, in my opinion, you’re right, your friend’s marriage is diasterous, and you’re right that her husband will probably rip her off in any way he can. But it’s also very unlikely that she’ll listen to you if you tell her so. If I were you, I’d concentrate on trying to get her to open a bank account he doesn’t know about and keep steadily putting some money in there; making sure her assets are in her own name only; thinking long-term about what kind of career skills she’d need if she were to end up on her own. You’ll have to re-phrase those suggestions so that she doesn’t get mad, probably, but I think ensuring that she has some resources safely squirrelled away for when the inevitable crash comes is the best way you can help her, for now. That, and, do anything you can to discourage her from having kids. Say that she should wait until the situation with his ex is safely sorted out, or something like that. But the chances of her losing access to her child completely are pretty high, and her husband could use that as leverage to get her to give him every penny she has. At that point the situation becomes just unbearably nightmarish.

Good luck to you and to your friend!

5. NUR commented on July 26, 2009 at 9:37 pm

i am malay-australian, WAS married to an egyptian but am now seperated from him…

younger guy – older woman (foreigner) only means $$$$$ for most egyptian guys, who will enjoy being able to get a visa to anywhere outside of egypt particularly a western country because its so hard and expensive for them to go abroad as well as have a better life at home, all the while making money and sending that money back to his 3 other YOUNGER wives and children in egypt…

egyptian girls are plentiful and beautiful so any skeptic would have to consider why there would be going for an older, wrinklier, menopaused, retired women to take as their life partner? forget the dream of having a summer holiday romance. thats all that it’ll be…

i agree that you’re friend better open up a seperate bank account because egyptian men love controll, especially when it comes to money…i’m glad i opened up mine before i kicked him out