You know you're in a MENA relationship when....

[Y's_habibitk 2]

ok, I have a good one....

When people start asking.."sooo...are you gonna have to start wearing that thing on your head?"

[JeanneVictoria 55]

ok, I have a good one....

When people start asking.."sooo...are you gonna have to start wearing that thing on your head?"

[Imua 0]

ok, I have a good one....

When people start asking.."sooo...are you gonna have to start wearing that thing on your head?"

Haha - the whole hijab issue reminds me of this nice Punjabi lady at work who, as soon as she found out I married Govi started asking me 'where's your bindi?' I had been wearing one at home and on the weekends but started wearing little ones to work everyday - no problem, nice to work at a super-liberal college and besides I already wear salwar so no surprise. I draw the line at wearing kumkum(red powder) in my hair part like my MIL except to temple but that too could change once G gets here. Kumkum is very symbolic of marriage in Nepali culture - the act of the groom putting kumkum in the bride's hair is like the Western bride and groom kissing as husband and wife. In Nepal G used to put it on me daily. On the day when I left G gave me a last gift which he told me to unwrap when I got home - it was a kumkum box . He said daily when I put it on to think that he is with me and I do put it on daily -at home - just don't want to go to work looking like I cut my scalp...

ok,

[Staashi 371]

ok, I have a good one....

When people start asking.."sooo...are you gonna have to start wearing that thing on your head?"

Haha - the whole hijab issue reminds me of this nice Punjabi lady at work who, as soon as she found out I married Govi started asking me 'where's your bindi?' I had been wearing one at home and on the weekends but started wearing little ones to work everyday - no problem, nice to work at a super-liberal college and besides I already wear salwar so no surprise. I draw the line at wearing kumkum(red powder) in my hair part like my MIL except to temple but that too could change once G gets here. Kumkum is very symbolic of marriage in Nepali culture - the act of the groom putting kumkum in the bride's hair is like the Western bride and groom kissing as husband and wife. In Nepal G used to put it on me daily. On the day when I left G gave me a last gift which he told me to unwrap when I got home - it was a kumkum box . He said daily when I put it on to think that he is with me and I do put it on daily -at home - just don't want to go to work looking like I cut my scalp...

ok,

Very, very sweet.

[ARALB 0]

a lot of these things sound like they could apply to any man not just MENA men ...

A lot of this stuff could apply to Nepal, especially the bathroom issues, LOL...

I love the Kleenex on the table - in Tibet they use a roll of TP for napkins in restaurants but you don't see it in the bathroom!!!!

Jordan either!-- That's why you keep them in your purse or pocket! Individual wet wipes work just as well, and leave you with that fresh feeling! LOL

[ARALB 0]

When i am referred to "my" your name. When i tried to correct him he asked if i considered myself separate from him , of course not so now i just overlook it. LOL

Actually I really like that part. Knowing that I am his and he is mine... He never has complained when I call him my-Amin, and I always refer to myself as "ur wifey-AmyRose" Just thought that was pretty normal? Maybe I fit in better than I thought with my Palestinian/Jordanian group of in-laws! Gosh I love MY HUSBAND! he he! Just here having fun!

[ARALB 0]

My husband hasn't come here yet, but when he first arrived in Jordan there was a funny experience. He went to Hardees and asked them if they had burgers, lol. They looked at him like he was crazy and said that is the main thing they serve. My husband didn't want to look silly so then he said that he meant what is the good burger to order there. Anyway, it wasn't his fault that he had never seen a hardees before or knew what they serve, but I still find the story funny. Asking if there are any hamburgers at Hardees, lol.

Tell me about your husband in Jordan??? Is he there as part of the "assylum" - I wondered when I saw signs outside the embassy my first trip there this summer??? I am interested to know why it is taking them so long to process you in this case....sorry maybe this is too personal for this thread- message me if you don't mind sharing on a more private scale I just don't get it all..

[Muh and me 18]

Here is one; my oldest song would ask everytime i talked to him, 'did you become muslim yet'?

He'll never learn.

[babynursetobe 0]

Hmmmm......well I certaintly meant no disrespect to anyone. I just thought the post was started to make people laugh and compare situations they have gone through or noticed changed in their lives since becoming involved with their mena SO. Thanks for the clarification.

I totally agree with you Turia! However, I will say this "platy" guy really has no business making assumptions and starting stuff he knows nothing about. After all, the title of this post is "you know you're in a MENA relationship when...."

Ummmmm, I'm not trying to start anything, and I'm not defending Platy because he can stick up for himself, but what he did point out does have some validity around here, you might just not have been around that long to have read it or noticed it yet.

Remember, this might be the MENA forum, but people from allover VJ read this forum because it has been widely known that although the MENA ladies can be super tight, they are also the greatest flame throwers against their own. In essence, people on this board can be their own worst enemies. I'm not saying that it is a bad thing to seek comfort amongst those who might have some experience as to what you're going through. Platy didn't have to make any assumptions, because for so long the ladies in this forum have laid it all on the table and shown their cards to all of VJ. The things he brought up are well known around these parts because women have shared them or taken those characteristics upon themselves. It might not be true for all MENA ladies, but for a few they are. Just pay attention, you'll see.

[sereia 0]

I knew from the second I saw the title of this thread it was going to turn into a disaster...

Plenty of those things Platy said are true of plenty of people (HEY a generalization! like the reason this whole thread was made in the first place... to list generalizations!).

[AlHayatZween 2]

ok, I have a good one....

When people start asking.."sooo...are you gonna have to start wearing that thing on your head?"

Yes, i got that one in the beginning...

okay, you know you're in a MENA relationship when:

you find yourself getting into heated debates about Islam and religious history, and there is never any resolution...and your spouse is convinced you just have it all wrong...

until weeks or months later, you overhear him debating with someone else and using your arguments, direct quotes and all!!

:blink:

the sweetness of quiet victory!!

[venusfire503 54]

I knew from the second I saw the title of this thread it was going to turn into a disaster...

Plenty of those things Platy said are true of plenty of people (HEY a generalization! like the reason this whole thread was made in the first place... to list generalizations!).

I'm the one who started this thread, and I've already said the purpose of this was to make people laugh. I guess I didn't realize it was going to "turn into a disaster" because I hope for the best from people. Stupid me.

Have you done research to see how many people those 'generalizations' actually apply to? And even if some of them really DO apply (who gets to decide how many is "plenty"?), was there really a reason to be nasty and call the USCs in the MENA couples "stupid" for pronouncing something wrong - especially in such a hard to pronounce language like Arabic? No one is perfect when learning something new. I can't believe that especially someone married or engaged to someone from another country would criticize someone for their attempts at speaking a new language. Although, maybe Platy doesn't know any other languages other than English. Americans are called stupid because most only know English, but when they try to speak another language, they're still stupid?? I don't

think people who are trying to learn English are stupid or sound stupid. What's wrong with trying to learn a new language anyway?

Other than that one, none of those generalizations apply to me. And I don't care if they apply to others. Why should I?

[Y's_habibitk 2]

ok, I have a good one....

When people start asking.."sooo...are you gonna have to start wearing that thing on your head?"

Yes, i got that one in the beginning...

okay, you know you're in a MENA relationship when:

you find yourself getting into heated debates about Islam and religious history, and there is never any resolution...and your spouse is convinced you just have it all wrong...

until weeks or months later, you overhear him debating with someone else and using your arguments, direct quotes and all!!

:blink:

the sweetness of quiet victory!!

Thats classic

[sereia 0]

Well seeing as you hardly post you probably don't realize that in MENA, posts like these are never usually a good idea. I give you credit for trying though!! Hoping for the best is never bad.

Sorry I don't sit around and do "research" but I have been around VJ a while, other groups, and met plenty of others to know that a lot of the generalizations that he and what everyone else said may or may not be true!

That's why generalizations are lame to begin with. Someone's always going to get pissed off.

Oh well. Carry on. I had a laugh.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

I knew from the second I saw the title of this thread it was going to turn into a disaster...

Plenty of those things Platy said are true of plenty of people (HEY a generalization! like the reason this whole thread was made in the first place... to list generalizations!).

I'm the one who started this thread, and I've already said the purpose of this was to make people laugh. I guess I didn't realize it was going to "turn into a disaster" because I hope for the best from people. Stupid me.

Have you done research to see how many people those 'generalizations' actually apply to? And even if some of them really DO apply (who gets to decide how many is "plenty"?), was there really a reason to be nasty and call the USCs in the MENA couples "stupid" for pronouncing something wrong - especially in such a hard to pronounce language like Arabic? No one is perfect when learning something new. I can't believe that especially someone married or engaged to someone from another country would criticize someone for their attempts at speaking a new language. Although, maybe Platy doesn't know any other languages other than English. Americans are called stupid because most only know English, but when they try to speak another language, they're still stupid?? I don't

think people who are trying to learn English are stupid or sound stupid. What's wrong with trying to learn a new language anyway?

Other than that one, none of those generalizations apply to me. And I don't care if they apply to others. Why should I?

I think it was a cute idea to start the thread!

It is unfourtunate that people find it acceptable for someone to come on a regional thread that does not apply to them, and start sh*t and call people retarded.

Oh well... carry on