In the airport we met two people named Candy and Andy on the way to Cairo.  This is me with Andy (don't I look cool? I'm the one on the RIGHT!)-->

Local boy tries to blend in with the natives in Mideast

By JEAN BOLDUC
chh@herald-sun.com
933-8883
Chapel Hill Herald
Sunday, November 12, 2000
Final Edition
Front Section
Page 1

The life of skateboards and Pokeman has given way for 9-year-old Max Lewis, in part, to camels and headwraps as Max and his parents, Mark and Julie Lewis of Chapel Hill, continue their trek across the globe.

Photos of Max show him "going native," wearing a traditional Arab headdress to protect his tender blond scalp from the severe desert sun, while his mom maintains her status as an American tourist straddling the camel and saying "cheese" for the camera.

The trip around the world was partly the result of the unexpected death of Julie Lewis' younger brother a year ago. The shock of losing her brother, Tom, caused Lewis to take stock of her life and career. She quit her job with a local HMO, Mark Lewis made arrangements to put his career on hold for a year, and the family planned a 12 month sabbatical around the world.

Now in its fifth month, the trip has been long for the Lewises and they're missing some elements of American life.

"Mark is absolutely crazy without football," Julie Lewis said via e-mail.

Internet messages from friends and family have been a lifeline for the family of three as they stay in each location for a fairly short period of time.

"We really miss our family and friends, and it's great hearing all the jokes and news from home, and it's great to receive all the e-mail," Lewis said.

Max is adjusting to the separation, but it's difficult, his mother said.

Since the family stays at each destination for only a few weeks, Max doesn't enroll in school in the cities they're visiting. For a 9-year-old, school is a whole society.

In obvious ways, Max's world has gotten much bigger by visiting some of the greatest structures and spectacular sites in the world, but he misses hanging out with children in his neighborhood, his parents said. That social aspect has made his world a little smaller.

Still, his mom said that this is adding up to a life lesson in self-reliance.

"Max is growing up and learning a lot about life, culture and carrying his own backpack. We are really proud of him and know that he misses his friends desperately," she said.

Mark and Julie are home-schooling Max along the way, working on math skills daily and developing literacy by having Max keep a journal during the trip.

The Lewises hope to publish a book about their trip after they return, encouraging other families to take time off from their busy lives to travel and help their children learn about other cultures through direct experience.

Max does take opportunities to play with children he meets along the way.

He met a Bedouin boy and had some plain old fun in the sand. Bedouins are nomadic people, many of whom subsist on the milk, meat and dairy products provided by their herds.

While local governments encourage the Bedouins to settle and become more urban, many don't wish to establish homes and continue moving from place to place, often working in seasonal jobs.

As yet, the Lewis family has avoided any major bouts with illness due to their own "nomadic" travels. Julie Lewis reported to friends and family that they had "avoided the famed Egyptian runs" and that everyone is healthy and happy.

The next stop on the journey is Nepal and then on to Thailand, but Lewis said the family may make a short detour into Vietnam.

Check out where Max and his family have traveled in past Where's Max stories, and read some of Max's journal entries. They're all online on The Herald-Sun's Web site at www.heraldsun.com