The Emir’s Menzoul | Archives of the American Field Service and AFS Intercultural Programs

When we arrived, The Emir, who spoke French, requested my British Army Issue knife, "to kill a lamb," he said. After we had finished vaccinating, all the men dined royally on lamb and rice, which we ate carefully with the fingers of the right hand. A woman, probably one of his wives, stood quietly in the background.

Later that night, being honored guests, we rolled out our sleeping bags on the ground near the dying embers on the hearth. We shared the menzoul with the Emir’s pet racing camels, seen in the background. I didn’t go to sleep until I saw the camels drop their heads and start to snore.

I never got my knife back. I suspect the Emir knew I would be issued another. I never learned who was the woman standing quietly in the background (top right).

Location: Syrian-Iraqi Desert.