Friends of our MENA SOs

[doodlebugg 10]

My biggest worry is that I'll come home to a house full of men to cook for. I'm gonna nip that one in the bud before he makes any friends. lol.I'm not too worried, he's a likeable guy and very easy to talk to.

LOL, good luck with that! That has died down a bit in our house, but the first Ramadan Wadi was here, for example, I was quite often cooking for 6+ hungry guys. Don't get me wrong - it was fun and all - but I'm glad that usually happens only during Ramadan, and less frequently as well as the years have gone by.

Wadi is a very sociable guy and has a lot of friends. Only a few really good friends though. I think the network here in Boston is quite strong - all of the Moroccans, for example, seem to be acquainted - for better or worse.

Sounds like you are a great cook, Jenn. We have friends and relatives all over USA. So my wife is fine here.

Hey simple maybe you can hook up with my husband too! lol. I'll have to take him to a mosque near your way.

[Jenn! 918]

My biggest worry is that I'll come home to a house full of men to cook for. I'm gonna nip that one in the bud before he makes any friends. lol.I'm not too worried, he's a likeable guy and very easy to talk to.

LOL, good luck with that! That has died down a bit in our house, but the first Ramadan Wadi was here, for example, I was quite often cooking for 6+ hungry guys. Don't get me wrong - it was fun and all - but I'm glad that usually happens only during Ramadan, and less frequently as well as the years have gone by.

Wadi is a very sociable guy and has a lot of friends. Only a few really good friends though. I think the network here in Boston is quite strong - all of the Moroccans, for example, seem to be acquainted - for better or worse.

Sounds like you are a great cook, Jenn. We have friends and relatives all over USA. So my wife is fine here.

Thanks! I do love entertaining, but I HATE cleaning up! LOL

[ya falaha! 0]

Yemenis are really weird about segregating sexes even when it comes to eating dinner. So, it was partially by choice (nothing to contribute) and partially because that's what was expected of me. In a traditional Yemeni home when male guests visit, the women stay in a completely separate room where the men are unable to see or even hear them speak. It's way strict.

My ex used to invite guys over last minute and I'd be stuck in the kitchen to eat dinner alone.

I don't understand - did you have to eat in the kitchen alone or did you do that by choice because everyone was speaking arabic?

Oh yes, definitely. Your girls should never have to feel uncomfortable in their own home. I have a feeling that a room full of Arabic speaking strangers would not make them feel terribly comfy.

Honestly, besides the job thing, my husband has had bad luck with Arabs here. He's so much more relaxed with American friends like he doesn't have to put up a front like he does with Arabs. Like I said in my previous post, he does keep some contact with a couple Arab guys basically to have someone speak Arabic with. I'd like to say the American friends are teaching him things but it's the other way around, lol. He's been teaching them Arabic slang and expressions.

Bridget, if your husband is anything like mine you won't have to worry about a house full of guys to cook for. Moh's is very conscious about not springing dinner guests and such on me. My ex used to invite guys over last minute and I'd be stuck in the kitchen to eat dinner alone. Moh's really good about not putting me in uncomfortable situations like being stuck in the middle of a room of Arabic speakers where I'd just be sitting alone with nothing to contribute. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that.

Yeah and I'm hoping he definitely would never think of doing it when the girls are with us out of protective feelings for them. That is something I will put my foot down on, though I'm not sure it will be a problem. I don't want them feeling shy in their own home.

Edited April 3, 2008 by moody

[Meriem_DZ 37]

When Hachemi first came here, he didnt know anyone. If someone said something to him, he would look at me and let me answer. He was very shy about talking to people. Now a year and a half later, I cant get him to shut up. lol. Like after he first came when we where at my son's soccer games, he just sat there quietly with me. All the other men kinda congregated together, yelled for the team, talked and laughed. I kinda felt bad cause he wasnt a part of it. Now......he is the loudest one yelling for the team and he will stand with the guys talking and laughing. I was watching him this past weekend at my son's soccer games and it makes me proud that he has friends and acquaintances. My son's coach is Algerian, they are not like best friends, but they do call and visit each other some. There is a Tunisian guy and his American wife that are our very good friends. There is one other Algerian here that Hachemi met, but he does not have good character and he doesnt like him. Neither does the Tunisian or the my son's coach. This is a very small town. So not many Arabs or Muslims around. Our Mosque is about 45 minutes drive from here near the University. We dont get to go often, but Hachemi has made some friends from there that he keeps in contact by phone. There is one Algerian that is an assistant professor, that he really likes. I did not try to push Hachemi to make friends. He just slowly built up his confidence and got out there on his own just meeting people. It will come. You just need to have patience.

Meriem

[Jenn! 918]

Yemenis are really weird about segregating sexes even when it comes to eating dinner. So, it was partially by choice (nothing to contribute) and partially because that's what was expected of me. In a traditional Yemeni home when male guests visit, the women stay in a completely separate room where the men are unable to see or even hear them speak. It's way strict.

My ex used to invite guys over last minute and I'd be stuck in the kitchen to eat dinner alone.

I don't understand - did you have to eat in the kitchen alone or did you do that by choice because everyone was speaking arabic?

Oh, I see. Yeah, that would be the pits. If I'm gonna be cooking, you can be damn sure that I'm gonna be eating with the rest of them!

Also, I get the last shpekie, thank you very much!

[a1angied 0]

my husband is very outgoing and he met his closest friend at his ESL class, they work together and he is a very nice man from Maraccoo and they find that the Arbic they speack is different so the speak most of the time in English. They also went to the Mosque together and have met a few nice men and I have been introduced to a few. I have met my husband friends wife once but for whatever reason that was it and wel live in the same town.

My husband and I spend almost every weekend with the man that is like a father to me and now us. We go do things all the time. I live in Central California so we travel all around the state on weekend trips or day trips.

I was worried before he came that it would be hard for him but as soon as he was here I found out that he is a social person and makes friends so very fast. At work he talks to alot of men and he enjoys their company and meeting new people.

[*Maureen* 0]

Yemenis are really weird about segregating sexes even when it comes to eating dinner. So, it was partially by choice (nothing to contribute) and partially because that's what was expected of me. In a traditional Yemeni home when male guests visit, the women stay in a completely separate room where the men are unable to see or even hear them speak. It's way strict.

My ex used to invite guys over last minute and I'd be stuck in the kitchen to eat dinner alone.

I don't understand - did you have to eat in the kitchen alone or did you do that by choice because everyone was speaking arabic?

Oh, I see. Yeah, that would be the pits. If I'm gonna be cooking, you can be damn sure that I'm gonna be eating with the rest of them!

Also, I get the last shpekie, thank you very much!

I think I would have said, oh what a shame, i wish you would have told me friends were coming over cause i made plans already, it's girls night out tonight, sorry

[Nutty 2]

Kinda hard to come to America with that attitude.

I think your fiance may be prejudiced against Americans. How is that different to Americans not liking or wanting to associate with Mulsims?

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

I found an Arabic Baptist Church for my hubster to attend. There are families from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq & Israel there. The service is all in Arabic and so is the singing. Afterwards we go downstairs and have fellowship with some coffee and cake. At that time they speak in english and arabic. Its hard for me to sit in for the preaching and singing when its all in Arabic but then its for him to enjoy and listen and in time I will eventually learn.

Its only once a week and he already made friends with several of the guys. Sometimes the guys come over to visit with Adam while Im working and sometimes they are there when I am home. Sometimes he will go visit them at their house. I feel bad bcz I havent yet explored too many middle eastern dishes to share with them when they come here. I havent had much time to get him to meet many of my American guy friends ... just a gf or 2 and he gets along with them fine.