Lily of Libya
A Woman’s Story of Life in an Oilfield Compound Under Colonel Gaddafi’s Regime
by Laureen Muir Heggie

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Adventure often ignites fear, but it’s that risk you take that spreads your wingspan wider. This true story takes place in the North African oilfields of Libya where Laureen, a young Canadian woman, lived as an expatriate from 1990 to 1993. There, she learned to appreciate the tranquil Mediterranean and adapt to the serene lifestyle of the Sahara Desert Arab, Muslim and Bedouin cultures. However, whispering in the calm desert winds, was controversy between the Arab nations and the U.S. Western allies. Also, a civil uprising was brewing in Libya, where the country’s leader Colonel Muammar Al-Gaddafi, who was originally admired by his followers, had developed opposition against him. The Gulf War broke out causing turmoil throughout most Arab nations and Libya had earned a spotlight on the world stage with accusations of terrorist activity. In April 1992, sanctions applied against Libya by the United Nations affected the oil business, travel options and expatriates’ lives. Laureen’s peaceful introduction to the country had been disturbed and negative incidents planted a seed of unease that perhaps her newfound life would not be as wonderful as originally imagined. The isolation and female suppression became a struggle and although the cultural, racial, and gender differences sometimes resulted in comical incidents, more often they led to danger — such as black market activities, sexual assault, dramatic escape attempts and being interrogated at gunpoint. But by experiencing fear and prejudice, this young, naïve woman evolved into a strong, resilient survivor who gained worldly knowledge and was given an incredible story to tell.

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After attending college, Laureen Muir Heggie became a photographer and writer, not only by trade, but by heart, working as a copywriter, editor and photojournalist for a variety of news sources in radio and print media. Highlights were doing the CBC Radio Wildrose program, being a co-founder of Canada’s horse publication Western Horse Review, and in 2004, when she earned a Marketing and Media Award from the American Quarter Horse Association for the magazine article titled Foundation to Future. In 2010, Laureen co-wrote a screenplay called John Ware (optioned by Nomadic Productions) and published a Young Adult novel, Anything but Average in 2015. She is an active member of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta and currently lives on a farm by Raymond, Alberta with husband Robert, and together they have five children.

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Laureen Muir Heggie