Embarrassing moments in front of MENA relatives

[S and S 12]

I was watching a comedy movie tonight and it reminded me of something that happened with me and my in-laws. I was talking to my husband on the computer with the camera and microphone. Well, sometimes, when I am bored but I am in the mood for up beat music, I put it on and sing to it. My husband knows this and enjoys watching me and listening to me when I play the music, sing along and sway to the music. There is nothing unusual in this and if you can't share that with your husband then how happy can your marriage be? lol

Not too long after he got to Jordan and reunited with his family I got in one of those moods. For whatever reason he had my camera up, but I couldn't see him. I think his camera wasn't working or something. Anyway, I start singing some song I liked at the time (Chris Brown-With you) and I'm getting into it. He is listening on the computer. The thing I didn't know was he had put me on speaker and let his whole family watch me singing to this song. As it turns out, they are dying laughing at me as I'm singing. I was so horrified, lol. It is not something I would let many people see, much less my in-laws. These were the same people against our marriage and wouldn't even talk to me or my husband for the first 4 months of our marriage. They thought I wouldn't be suitable for their son. Here they were circled around the computer watching me singing and moving along to the music. Oh my God, I was soooo embarassed. Anyway, they got a good laugh out of it and didn't think any less of me for it. They had met me in person and had accepted me a few months before so thank God it just gave them entertainment. No doubt there was probably some "crazy American" comments I didn't hear, but they were cool about it.

Anyway, if anyone else has some funny stories to relate, this is the place to put them.

[Nasturtium 500]

There are a few customs associated with coffee drinking in his area... two of which being swirling the cup and shaking the cup. We went to a post0funeral mourning deal for his uncle together and he told me "do not shake the cup." I thought he meant shake, not swirl. Anyway, was swirling away quite happily until he told me to stop-- that I was wishing them to drink to this occasion always. So it was like "hey! Hope you have permanent sorrow and mourning, cool?"

[S and S 12]

There are a few customs associated with coffee drinking in his area... two of which being swirling the cup and shaking the cup. We went to a post0funeral mourning deal for his uncle together and he told me "do not shake the cup." I thought he meant shake, not swirl. Anyway, was swirling away quite happily until he told me to stop-- that I was wishing them to drink to this occasion always. So it was like "hey! Hope you have permanent sorrow and mourning, cool?"

oh no, I hope they understood you didn't realize.

[Nasturtium 500]

There are a few customs associated with coffee drinking in his area... two of which being swirling the cup and shaking the cup. We went to a post0funeral mourning deal for his uncle together and he told me "do not shake the cup." I thought he meant shake, not swirl. Anyway, was swirling away quite happily until he told me to stop-- that I was wishing them to drink to this occasion always. So it was like "hey! Hope you have permanent sorrow and mourning, cool?"

oh no, I hope they understood you didn't realize.

I don't think anyone was watching me. I got a really good reception. This was during my "getting to know the relatives" phase where was being taken out house to house to try to get them used to the idea of me.

[Meriem_DZ 37]

Most everyone is Algeria has a bootlegged satellite dish. They can get 100's of channels in many different languages. Even a few porno channels. Anyway, Hachemi's family has only one TV and everyone would gather around to watch in the afternoons. Hachemi's father would always hold the remote and when anyone looked like they were about to kiss he would quickly flip the channel, then wait a few minutes and flip it back. On two occasions while I was there, the couple on the movie would act like they were about to kiss and he would flip the channel accidentaly to the porno channel. We would be watching naked people getting it on. He would freak out trying to get the channel changed, but not before we got an eyeful.

Meriem

[*Maureen* 0]

well i have two kids who did a fine job in handling the "embarrassing" moments in front of the in-laws!

i remember when my son (i believe he was 11 at the time) we were all around the table eating from the same dish, and my son was asked, "how come you're not eating?" my son replied, "no thanks, i don't want to catch anybody's germs" i about wanted to die...lol i was so embarrassed, i wanted to find the nearest hole and crawl in it. kids....they say the darndest things....

[Beauty for Ashes 257]

Most everyone is Algeria has a bootlegged satellite dish. They can get 100's of channels in many different languages. Even a few porno channels. Anyway, Hachemi's family has only one TV and everyone would gather around to watch in the afternoons. Hachemi's father would always hold the remote and when anyone looked like they were about to kiss he would quickly flip the channel, then wait a few minutes and flip it back. On two occasions while I was there, the couple on the movie would act like they were about to kiss and he would flip the channel accidentaly to the porno channel. We would be watching naked people getting it on. He would freak out trying to get the channel changed, but not before we got an eyeful.

Meriem

You have to admit the stuff they get for free FAR OUTPACES what we have to pay for LOL

My husband has a hard time understanding I pay with the arabic package and the 300 channel pack cost over 90 a month . Over there its 50 dollars for a completely unlocked satellite with every channel known to man >LOL

[Donna A 4]

the only thing that comes to mind and really isnt too embarassing is my husband was being a smarty pants and asked me in arabic (which of course i dont understand) do u love me in front of his mom and sister so i thought ohhh he must be up to no good so i said No. they started laughing. then he told me what he said....now i know the safest answer is to say "maybe" when he does stuff like that.

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

I have many..i lived there for a year so they piled up, but one that stands out..

I brought like 10 old navy flip flops there, and i wore them in the house everyday, well i dont know if anyone else can vouch but old navy flip flops have NO tread on the bottom, so its very easy to slip and slide when wet...well his sisters were all cooking dinner, and i decided to help, i was peeling potatoes and walked to the sink to rinse them, and WEEEEE i flew like 10 feet in the air and landed smack dab on my #######, it hurt SOOO bad, to the point where i wanted to cry, and EVERYONE was busting up laughing at me...i literally couldnt walk for like 3 days..it was sooo embarrasing..

oh one more...they decided to cook a baby lamb in the oven in the kitchen, well I hate the smell of meat cooking, and the smoke the oven was letting off was nuts...the stench started to make me sick, so i went in the back yard cuz i didnt want anyone to know it was making me naseuos..lo and behold i started to puke, BAD, and as i was done, i look up and see all his sisters and mom staring at me out the window..sofyan and i left after that and went OUT for dinner.

[S and S 12]

I have many..i lived there for a year so they piled up, but one that stands out..

I brought like 10 old navy flip flops there, and i wore them in the house everyday, well i dont know if anyone else can vouch but old navy flip flops have NO tread on the bottom, so its very easy to slip and slide when wet...well his sisters were all cooking dinner, and i decided to help, i was peeling potatoes and walked to the sink to rinse them, and WEEEEE i flew like 10 feet in the air and landed smack dab on my #######, it hurt SOOO bad, to the point where i wanted to cry, and EVERYONE was busting up laughing at me...i literally couldnt walk for like 3 days..it was sooo embarrasing..

oh one more...they decided to cook a baby lamb in the oven in the kitchen, well I hate the smell of meat cooking, and the smoke the oven was letting off was nuts...the stench started to make me sick, so i went in the back yard cuz i didnt want anyone to know it was making me naseuos..lo and behold i started to puke, BAD, and as i was done, i look up and see all his sisters and mom staring at me out the window..sofyan and i left after that and went OUT for dinner.

oh, that really had to suck when you fell. Did anyone at least ask if you are alright? Its funny to see people fall that way, but I've seen people really get hurt when landing on their butt.

Sorry the meat bothers you. My aunt and uncle lived in Egypt for a couple years back in the late 70s/early 80s. My uncle was in the air force and was stationed at the embassy. Anyway, my aunt is a wonderful cook, but she cannot handle the site of the carcasses. It really makes her sick. So she worked out a deal with one of the butchers to bring the meat she needed to her. I guess she would call or send a note to him, tell him exactly what she needed and then he would cut it and bag it up and send it to her. Then she just paid the guy who delivered it, lol.

My aunt has many other stories about Egypt. I'm glad she can at least relate to living in the middle east, lol.

[Nothing1234 2]

Mine had to do with losing my luggage. I lost my luggage and the airline said about 1 to 5 days till they could deliver it. WTH!

So as the days passed by, I had just enough underwear to last me 2 days (i always carry on but not enough for 5 days). So I was set on hand washing so that they didn't have to keep washing my panties...lol. Well his sister and mother come in the room which I was staying and tell me that his sister has a draw full of new panties some w/ tags still so go help myself to a few. Thinking okay, great, I will do it later. NO, they want me to come with them now...hmmm, okay. As I go toward his sisters room his mother is still following us. I'm thinking can't his sister and I handle this task alone. LOL . His sister opens the draw and in my mind (even though she's young) I imagining "grandma panties". WRONG...there were strings,thongs, some w/ little flashy things on them...OMG! His mother is staring straight at me. I'm dying...what do I pick? My mind is racing...thong (she's going to think I'm a hussy... ) What do I pick, What do I pick...I just kept browsing thru the draw pretending that I couldn't decide. I think that was the longest 5 minutes of my life.

Finally his sister said "Don't be shy take as many as you want. Here these are cute" His sister reaches in and grabs a handful of thongs and handed them to me.

[S and S 12]

Mine had to do with losing my luggage. I lost my luggage and the airline said about 1 to 5 days till they could deliver it. WTH!

So as the days passed by, I had just enough underwear to last me 2 days (i always carry on but not enough for 5 days). So I was set on hand washing so that they didn't have to keep washing my panties...lol. Well his sister and mother come in the room which I was staying and tell me that his sister has a draw full of new panties some w/ tags still so go help myself to a few. Thinking okay, great, I will do it later. NO, they want me to come with them now...hmmm, okay. As I go toward his sisters room his mother is still following us. I'm thinking can't his sister and I handle this task alone. LOL . His sister opens the draw and in my mind (even though she's young) I imagining "grandma panties". WRONG...there were strings,thongs, some w/ little flashy things on them...OMG! His mother is staring straight at me. I'm dying...what do I pick? My mind is racing...thong (she's going to think I'm a hussy... ) What do I pick, What do I pick...I just kept browsing thru the draw pretending that I couldn't decide. I think that was the longest 5 minutes of my life.

Finally his sister said "Don't be shy take as many as you want. Here these are cute" His sister reaches in and grabs a handful of thongs and handed them to me.

Nothing worse than being without your luggage when traveling. Not sure what I would have done in the underwear dilema. Especially since I can't stand to wear thongs, lol (not knocking anyone who does, I just feel very uncomfortable in them).

[Nothing1234 2]

I just wanted to leave the room or melt into the ground...either worked. Granny panties, thongs....just let me leave! LOL

Mine had to do with losing my luggage. I lost my luggage and the airline said about 1 to 5 days till they could deliver it. WTH!

So as the days passed by, I had just enough underwear to last me 2 days (i always carry on but not enough for 5 days). So I was set on hand washing so that they didn't have to keep washing my panties...lol. Well his sister and mother come in the room which I was staying and tell me that his sister has a draw full of new panties some w/ tags still so go help myself to a few. Thinking okay, great, I will do it later. NO, they want me to come with them now...hmmm, okay. As I go toward his sisters room his mother is still following us. I'm thinking can't his sister and I handle this task alone. LOL . His sister opens the draw and in my mind (even though she's young) I imagining "grandma panties". WRONG...there were strings,thongs, some w/ little flashy things on them...OMG! His mother is staring straight at me. I'm dying...what do I pick? My mind is racing...thong (she's going to think I'm a hussy... ) What do I pick, What do I pick...I just kept browsing thru the draw pretending that I couldn't decide. I think that was the longest 5 minutes of my life.

Finally his sister said "Don't be shy take as many as you want. Here these are cute" His sister reaches in and grabs a handful of thongs and handed them to me.

Nothing worse than being without your luggage when traveling. Not sure what I would have done in the underwear dilema. Especially since I can't stand to wear thongs, lol (not knocking anyone who does, I just feel very uncomfortable in them).

[S and S 12]

I just wanted to leave the room or melt into the ground...either worked. Granny panties, thongs....just let me leave! LOL

Mine had to do with losing my luggage. I lost my luggage and the airline said about 1 to 5 days till they could deliver it. WTH!

So as the days passed by, I had just enough underwear to last me 2 days (i always carry on but not enough for 5 days). So I was set on hand washing so that they didn't have to keep washing my panties...lol. Well his sister and mother come in the room which I was staying and tell me that his sister has a draw full of new panties some w/ tags still so go help myself to a few. Thinking okay, great, I will do it later. NO, they want me to come with them now...hmmm, okay. As I go toward his sisters room his mother is still following us. I'm thinking can't his sister and I handle this task alone. LOL . His sister opens the draw and in my mind (even though she's young) I imagining "grandma panties". WRONG...there were strings,thongs, some w/ little flashy things on them...OMG! His mother is staring straight at me. I'm dying...what do I pick? My mind is racing...thong (she's going to think I'm a hussy... ) What do I pick, What do I pick...I just kept browsing thru the draw pretending that I couldn't decide. I think that was the longest 5 minutes of my life.

Finally his sister said "Don't be shy take as many as you want. Here these are cute" His sister reaches in and grabs a handful of thongs and handed them to me.

Nothing worse than being without your luggage when traveling. Not sure what I would have done in the underwear dilema. Especially since I can't stand to wear thongs, lol (not knocking anyone who does, I just feel very uncomfortable in them).

lol, I can imagine.

The second night after I arrived my MIL and two SILs went to Mecca Mall in Amman. There was one huge store we went into and were looking at various shirts and things when my MIL walks up with a nightie and asks me if I like it. Now, remember until two days before she wouldn't even speak to me and now she was wanting to buy lingerie for me to wear for her son? I was so shocked that I couldn't speak. Smart woman, I swear I saw in her eyes that she knew she suprised me. I told her it was nice not knowing what else to say. Then they all dragged me over to the lingerie and helped me look at different nighties. Eventually I relaxed enough to pick one. It was a nice one and I still like it, but I will never forget when I first saw my MIL bring it up to me, lol.

[Sandrila 1]

well me, being the very involved wife that I am and wanting so much to learn the language and impress my new family

I would try to remember how to say coffee in arabic and point to it

i would try to tell his very innocent mother that "this is coffee"

and i think i am saying coffee when really i end up saying something very vulgar...like balls or F&*#ing ....lol

omg at times I would venture to say something and look to my husband only to have his eyes wide open and laughing to himself....like "omg, no she didnt just say that!"

he'll say ..."baby, just better not to try and say it at all, cuz you just can't say it"

Edited September 8, 2008 by sandrila