What is the stupidest thing you have heard because your with a MENA SO ?

[childress_london 3]

I'm heading towards the door to leave and this old Iranian woman stops me and asks me in Farsi if I'm Iranian! I have blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin and NO Iranian features at all. LOL. Maybe she thought I was some kind of Iranian albino. :-P

hehe, laughing at work when I am suppose to be doing financial statements is a little suspicisous...... (shhhhhh).

how are you doing with learning Farsi and how long have you been doing it >?

I started in January. We meet on Friday nights from 7:30 to 10PM. It's a little exhausting after working a ten hour day, but I'm determined. LOL. It's a small class too, about five of us in there. One other girl in there has a Persian husband like me and the others have one parent that's Persian and they never learned the language. They offer four semesters of language class, and after the four semesters you can take a test and use that to get college credit at a University if you want to. We are learning the alphabet too, so I can read some Farsi already. :-) I make flashcards and take them to work and look at them when I have a few minutes here and there.

[teenutty 0]

To consider that if I want to leave my husband to be careful, because muslims commit "honor killings" on the women that try to leave their husbands.

[Y's_habibitk 2]

thats a new one to me nutty

people never cease to amaze me!

Childress,

Im impressed, thats awesome!

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

Well I have a story that's kind of along these lines, but not really. :-P I am learning Farsi at a local Islamic Education Center that is joined with the Iranian Mosque. We do have to wear the Hijab there because it's connected to the mosque, which I have no problem with. I just put it on before I get out of the car. Anyway, one night after class, I'm heading towards the door to leave and this old Iranian woman stops me and asks me in Farsi if I'm Iranian! I have blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin and NO Iranian features at all. LOL. Maybe she thought I was some kind of Iranian albino. :-P

That's not too far fetched though. Some ME women do like to dye their hair lighter. You also have to remember that Persians aren't really arab and Iran is where Aryans come from. The one's that have the arab features are due to the arab conquest of ancient Persia. There are Iranians in mountainous or other isolated areas that were never attacked by arabs and the people there still have the hazel eyes, lighter skin and hair. Several of Hubster's friends are from those areas that were never attacked by arabs. They all have brown hair, paler skin and light hazel eyes.

But the stupid questions/comments do go both ways. A lot of ME people really think that all western women are whores that will cheat on their husbands. Hubster was telling me about being warned about that by some Iranians. But he knows people in the ME do it too, even in places that carry the death penalty for adultery. People there are guilty of all the same vices they just hide it and then claim moral superiority. I've also encountered ME women that get angry when they see a blue-eyed white girl with one of 'their' men...sort of like some black women that can't stand to see a black man with a white woman. I've lived in 5 countries on 3 different continents and traveled to many more countries and I meet stupid people wherever I go.

Edited March 6, 2009 by DieNörglerin

[merijan 0]

Well I have a story that's kind of along these lines, but not really. :-P I am learning Farsi at a local Islamic Education Center that is joined with the Iranian Mosque. We do have to wear the Hijab there because it's connected to the mosque, which I have no problem with. I just put it on before I get out of the car. Anyway, one night after class, I'm heading towards the door to leave and this old Iranian woman stops me and asks me in Farsi if I'm Iranian! I have blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin and NO Iranian features at all. LOL. Maybe she thought I was some kind of Iranian albino. :-P

That's not too far fetched though. Some ME women do like to dye their hair lighter. You also have to remember that Persians aren't really arab and Iran is where Aryans come from. The one's that have the arab features are due to the arab conquest of ancient Persia. There are Iranians in mountainous or other isolated areas that were never attacked by arabs and the people there still have the hazel eyes, lighter skin and hair. Several of Hubster's friends are from those areas that were never attacked by arabs. They all have brown hair, paler skin and light hazel eyes.

But the stupid questions/comments do go both ways. A lot of ME people really think that all western women are whores that will cheat on their husbands. Hubster was telling me about being warned about that by some Iranians. But he knows people in the ME do it too, even in places that carry the death penalty for adultery. People there are guilty of all the same vices they just hide it and then claim moral superiority. I've also encountered ME women that get angry when they see a blue-eyed white girl with one of 'their' men...sort of like some black women that can't stand to see a black man with a white woman. I've lived in 5 countries on 3 different continents and traveled to many more countries and I meet stupid people wherever I go.

you are right , ignorance is worldwide. And also in Pakistan there are some light skinned, blond people in the mountains. the are the Kalash.

[Nothing1234 2]

Well I have a story that's kind of along these lines, but not really. :-P I am learning Farsi at a local Islamic Education Center that is joined with the Iranian Mosque. We do have to wear the Hijab there because it's connected to the mosque, which I have no problem with. I just put it on before I get out of the car. Anyway, one night after class, I'm heading towards the door to leave and this old Iranian woman stops me and asks me in Farsi if I'm Iranian! I have blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin and NO Iranian features at all. LOL. Maybe she thought I was some kind of Iranian albino. :-P

That's not too far fetched though. Some ME women do like to dye their hair lighter. You also have to remember that Persians aren't really arab and Iran is where Aryans come from. The one's that have the arab features are due to the arab conquest of ancient Persia. There are Iranians in mountainous or other isolated areas that were never attacked by arabs and the people there still have the hazel eyes, lighter skin and hair. Several of Hubster's friends are from those areas that were never attacked by arabs. They all have brown hair, paler skin and light hazel eyes.

But the stupid questions/comments do go both ways. A lot of ME people really think that all western women are whores that will cheat on their husbands. Hubster was telling me about being warned about that by some Iranians. But he knows people in the ME do it too, even in places that carry the death penalty for adultery. People there are guilty of all the same vices they just hide it and then claim moral superiority. I've also encountered ME women that get angry when they see a blue-eyed white girl with one of 'their' men...sort of like some black women that can't stand to see a black man with a white woman. I've lived in 5 countries on 3 different continents and traveled to many more countries and I meet stupid people wherever I go.

you are right , ignorance is worldwide. And also in Pakistan there are some light skinned, blond people in the mountains. the are the Kalash.

So very true!

My hubby is Egyptian..he has brown hair w/ red highlights (even his beard too) and hazel eyes. He's often mistaken as Spanish before anyone would guess Arab. Go figure!

[UmmSqueakster 54]

I get both sides - people who assume I'm an arab and people who can't for their life figure out I'm muslim.

I took a cab home from work on Monday. The driver was a sudanese muslim. I chatted with the husband on my cellphone for awhile, which means I used a fair amount of muslim jargon (assalamu alaikum, alhamdulilah, subhanAllah, closing the conversation with la ilaha il Allah). A bit later, I was talking with the cab driver and he's like, where are you from? When I answered Wisconsin, he's like are you muslim????? <---- imagine a lot of confusion and disbelief. Um yes, there are muslims in wisconsin. Your husband is muslim????? Yes, he is. You convert for him????? *sigh*

[childress_london 3]

Well I have a story that's kind of along these lines, but not really. :-P I am learning Farsi at a local Islamic Education Center that is joined with the Iranian Mosque. We do have to wear the Hijab there because it's connected to the mosque, which I have no problem with. I just put it on before I get out of the car. Anyway, one night after class, I'm heading towards the door to leave and this old Iranian woman stops me and asks me in Farsi if I'm Iranian! I have blonde hair, blue eyes, pale skin and NO Iranian features at all. LOL. Maybe she thought I was some kind of Iranian albino. :-P

That's not too far fetched though. Some ME women do like to dye their hair lighter. You also have to remember that Persians aren't really arab and Iran is where Aryans come from. The one's that have the arab features are due to the arab conquest of ancient Persia. There are Iranians in mountainous or other isolated areas that were never attacked by arabs and the people there still have the hazel eyes, lighter skin and hair. Several of Hubster's friends are from those areas that were never attacked by arabs. They all have brown hair, paler skin and light hazel eyes.

But the stupid questions/comments do go both ways. A lot of ME people really think that all western women are whores that will cheat on their husbands. Hubster was telling me about being warned about that by some Iranians. But he knows people in the ME do it too, even in places that carry the death penalty for adultery. People there are guilty of all the same vices they just hide it and then claim moral superiority. I've also encountered ME women that get angry when they see a blue-eyed white girl with one of 'their' men...sort of like some black women that can't stand to see a black man with a white woman. I've lived in 5 countries on 3 different continents and traveled to many more countries and I meet stupid people wherever I go.

Yes, this is true, but I don't think I've ever seen an Iranian quite as "white" as me! LOL. I too have lived all over the world and yes, people are people no matter where you go. We really are the same when you get right down to it!

[Der Bücherwurm 1]

So very true!

My hubby is Egyptian..he has brown hair w/ red highlights (even his beard too) and hazel eyes. He's often mistaken as Spanish before anyone would guess Arab. Go figure!

I've seen some strange looking albinoish arabs with red hair before. It really stood out once seeing a redhaired little girl with a bunch of dark skinned, black haired relatives. Albinos can look a little creepy to me. Maybe I watch too many horror films.

[Nothing1234 2]

So very true!

My hubby is Egyptian..he has brown hair w/ red highlights (even his beard too) and hazel eyes. He's often mistaken as Spanish before anyone would guess Arab. Go figure!

I've seen some strange looking albinoish arabs with red hair before. It really stood out once seeing a redhaired little girl with a bunch of dark skinned, black haired relatives. Albinos can look a little creepy to me. Maybe I watch too many horror films.

Our daughter (in pics below) has red hair like her dad but not as brown as his and blue/green eyes. Her hair is not brown (slightly highlighted that way) but I think as she gets older it will get darker. I think anyone who looks different than the norm can sometimes creep us out...but I always think what if that were my sister or child and how they feel being different as well. I'm very sensitive about stuff like that.

Then again...I wonder how I look among my dark skinned, black/brown haired relatives...(i know people think I'm adopted ) ...

[Ahmed N Cheryl 0]

I heard it all too from my friends and family especially when I was preparing for my first trip to Egypt.

They said be careful he may not let you come back (LOL I am here and now he is too)

He is allowed to have more than one wife(Noone in his family has more than one wife....noone)

you have to be submissive to be married to him (I am the furtherest from being submissive...my sister laughed and said I would like to see anyone try to Make Cheryl do anything)

you have to convert to muslim (Was never mentioned...I am Christian and he is Muslim> We respect eachothers religion)

My Aunt sent me an email with alot of quotes about Muslims and how they cannot make make good US citizens.

My dad said promise me you will not convert (he treats ahmed great)

My co-workers only asks how old he is when they met him....otherwise they are very kind to him and me about him and have made no comments. They even show interest in Arabic language. They heard me speak to a Patient who was from Iran in Arabic one day and since then I have taught them several words.

My sister and him get along really good they are always joking around.

Guess I am blessed to not have had to deal with the ignorant comments.

[Ahmed N Cheryl 0]

Oh I forgot.....when we were fillling out paperwork at our biometrics there was not a place for middle eastern so the officer told us to put caucasian or white.

There just is not an option for him other than that on applications. Most have Caucasian(White), Africian American, Native American, Hispanic and Asian.

But we had one place tell us he is not Caucasian.....I simply said well he is not African American or any of the others so if you do not want us to chose Caucasian add a place for Middle Eastern or Other. We chose the one that fits him best. They simply said leave it as is. But they did not hire him either. LOL

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

Adam had to fill out paperwork to see the eye doc. When it listed the usual Caucasian, African American, Pacific Islander, Asian or OTHER ... we filled in middle Eastern/Arab I wondered if they actually read what we wrote in the blank

[Y's_habibitk 2]

most demographic frms I see that have the "race" boxes say "caucasian" and then (white,eupropean,middle eastern/arab decent) so there

P.S-

albinos have a lack of color ...i.e- white hair with red eyes

sorry, i just had to correct that

Im sensitive about that kinda stuff too. not everyone fits neatly in a box

Edited March 7, 2009 by Lisa wa Yazied

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

most demographic frms I see that have the "race" boxes say "caucasian" and then (white,eupropean,middle eastern/arab decent) so there

P.S-

albinos have a lack of color ...i.e- white hair with red eyes

sorry, i just had to correct that

Im sensitive about that kinda stuff too. not everyone fits neatly in a box

I have never seen that before on any paper work ever filled out.