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The summer of '57 I tried a waitress gig at a spiffy hotel in Harwichport, Cape Cod (The Snow Inn). In September I entered Ohio Wesleyan University and stayed 2 years, with a major in Sociology. I then transferred to Penn State and joined a sorority (Pi Beta Phi) and an Honorary called "Angel Flight" (the female auxiliary of the campus Air Force ROTC). Little did I know that I would get airsick on my first flight in the small plane. That summer I found an Internship at Jefferson Hospital in the Social Work Dept. This was a good fit for me and the beginning of a rewarding career path.
My first job was at Hahnemann Hospital in Social Services. I loved it there, but was eventually encouraged to try grad school--an idea I fought for several years. Finally I entered Penn School of Social Work. I had my first-year field training there at the University Hospital. Then I received a summer Fellowship in Rehabilitation, awarded by Temple Hospital on their campus. Finally, the second year placement was at Moss Rehabilitation Hospital, in the Children's Unit. All were great learning opportunities.
After earning my Master's Degree I returned to Jefferson and worked there as a supervisor and field instructor. It was during this era that I met my husband John. One day when my car was unwilling to start I called AAA to tow me to the nearest station. When we arrived I saw a nice-looking, smiling young man (wearing a Villanova jacket) who happened to work there part-time fixing cars. He was so pleasant and helpful that I married him several years later!
We had 2 wedding ceremonies: one was held, in English, here in Swarthmore, and another was a week later, in Arabic, in his small village in Lebanon. The latter was officiated by John's grandfather, an Orthodox priest and father of 9 children. The whole village paraded down the street to the wedding!
John had originally come from Lebanon to study Civil Engineering at Villanova. After graduating and working in the States for several years, he decided to try another huge adventure, and took the family to a construction engineering job in…..the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia!! We went for a 2 year assignment, taking our 2 year old son, and stayed for almost 10 years, coming back also with 2 daughters. All three children were born in the States, which meant numerous trips back and forth--a fun 22 hour flight with babies and airport layovers!
Our first overseas assignment was in a remote desert area not then on any map! John and associates, and the Army Corps of Engineers, built "King Khalid Military City". We lived in a yellow trailer and ate in a mess hall, as there were no stores closer than 2 hours away by truck, and it was 140F when I arrived. I was pregnant also, so I got to go back home early (and have a Preemie)!
The second job assignment "in Kingdom" was quite the opposite. We lived outside of Rijadh, the capitol city, in an attractive spacious 2-story row house in a compound with some amenities. John helped build a new airport with a section specially designed for King Fahad, called the Royal Terminal (this was John's own assignment.)
The third and final assignment required another move--this time to Dhahran, a coastal area with easier access to the city and conveniences, as well as to the sea. John was second in command by that time, and life was good but busy. In addition to raising the children I was a substitute teacher in the International School. Yet another airport arose, which, shortly after we came back home for good, was reassigned from travel uses to primary billet housing for our US troops in the first Gulf War! We just got out in time! Our days in the Desert Kingdom were not always easy, but we all did travel a lot and had so many invaluable experiences. Wonderful memories!
Nowadays our son is an MD in his second year of a 5-year surgical training at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown. (His wedding will be the weekend before our reunion!) (Class of '57 tried to choose our date first.) Our older daughter lives in Lewes, DE and sells pharmaceuticals in DE and MD. Our younger daughter is a 2nd year law student at Widener Law School, in Wilmington, DE and lives in Chadds Ford. All three, plus me, are Penn State grads!
I work only occasionally now, but John has changed careers--having had enough of the corporate life--and has created a family restaurant, La Forno, out of the former 7-11 store on Rte. 252 in Media. He made it up as he went along! The hours are too long, but it's very popular. Come and try it, and say Hello, SHS 57.
P.S. This is really so long, and I can begin to see the warning eyes of Mrs. Matthews and Miss Armstrong looking in my direction. Sorry, ladies. You tried your best.