What Rumors/Stereotypes Did your MENA SO hear about American Spouses from MENA Friends, Family, etc?

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Do you know where in Cairo? I know of a GREAT shop in Heliopolis with the nicest stuff, and it's WHOLESALE only... it's actually a "factory" store... Everything is 100% polished cotton and is even wrinkle free! Tasteful designs too (unlike MUCH of Egyptian fashions)... From the looks of El Gouna you can wear shorts.. You can totally be a tourist.... Oops I forgot, you're right, he'll never let you....What dress code does he apply to you????

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Inside

I can wear anything I want.

In Public

He'll let me wear skirts no more than inch or two above my knees and short sleeve shirts but not spaghetti straps or strapless and nothing revealing cleavage. He doesn't mind if I don't cover my hair but all the women in his family do with his immediate family being the most conservative. The women in his extended family is more relaxed and wears it tied behind their neck.

And Heliopolis is where one of his families home is. They built a new one in the 6th of October.

[KHPerfectMatch 1]

Inside

I can wear anything I want.

DUH!!! I assume this is when the house isn't full of guests...

In Public

He'll let me wear skirts no more than inch or two above my knees and short sleeve shirts but not spaghetti straps or strapless and nothing revealing cleavage. He doesn't mind if I don't cover my hair but all the women in his family do with his immediate family being the most conservative. The women in his extended family is more relaxed and wears it tied behind their neck.

And Heliopolis is where one of his families home is. They built a new one in the 6th of October.

Wow he's really liberal! And you wondered why he was shouting... me thinks it had little to do with being overcharged... price wise at least.. ... hehehehehehehe... any skin is a big treat in Egypt..

Well the shop I love is in Heliopolis so I'll get the name and address and send it to you before you leave. Just tell them the short fluffy American woman sent you... But I'd go for peasant skirts and t-shirts with a swimsuit cover up shirt over it... and for heaven sakes cover up those LEGS and ARMS! You'll get skin cancer!

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Inside

I can wear anything I want.

DUH!!! I assume this is when the house isn't full of guests...

Yeah of course. When they come over unexpected I have to hide in the room otherwise.

In Public

He'll let me wear skirts no more than inch or two above my knees and short sleeve shirts but not spaghetti straps or strapless and nothing revealing cleavage. He doesn't mind if I don't cover my hair but all the women in his family do with his immediate family being the most conservative. The women in his extended family is more relaxed and wears it tied behind their neck.

And Heliopolis is where one of his families home is. They built a new one in the 6th of October.

Wow he's really liberal! And you wondered why he was shouting... me thinks it had little to do with being overcharged... price wise at least.. ... hehehehehehehe... any skin is a big treat in Egypt..

Well the shop I love is in Heliopolis so I'll get the name and address and send it to you before you leave. Just tell them the short fluffy American woman sent you... But I'd go for peasant skirts and t-shirts with a swimsuit cover up shirt over it... and for heaven sakes cover up those LEGS and ARMS! You'll get skin cancer!

Peasant skirts and t-shirts sound lovely. What does a swimsuit cover up shirt look like? Waleed doesn't want me going to the beach because of the whole swim suit issue and other men might see me. I think in a resort town it shouldn't matter as much right? I just can't imagine how I could not go swimming at the beach everyday if I'm living in a resort town on the Red Sea with nothing better to do while my Husband is working as the resort town Doctor? We're miles away from Hurghada and any other major city. I want to go running up and down the beach every morning with him at least. I asked him to go with me and he said he would so I hope he does! I have trail shoes special for this!

If I cover those legs and arms I think I may suffer heat stroke. He doesn't recommend bringing any kind of jeans but more like cotton pants.

[sweet_peach 0]

The one thing my husband was told time and time again was to not get attached to me becuase I would never be able to get him a visa to the US. At first he told everyone about us then towards the time when he received his visa he didnt tell anyone becuase he kept hearing the same thing over and over again.

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Olivia, it sounds like living in egypt is going to be awesome for you.!!!!

[amal 4]

lol I just asked my husband and his first response was that nobody gives him advice...he is the one that gives advice...uyggggg ... anyway he says that the old ppl always say to not drink coz alllll Americans drink. and that the women are loose. lol

[Ihavequestions 419]

I feel they should do something over there about those un-married women. They men go and marry, and the women rott away. Not fair at all!

Where's the glut of unmarried - as in never married - women in Egypt? I live here and I don't see it. In fact, I know of exactly ONE woman who is close to approaching spinsterhood. On the other hand, unmarried men are everywhere. Why? Because they can't afford to marry. It's expensive for a man to marry. Women? Not so much.

My apologies to the poster who said she'd "never deny" another wife, but it did make me giggle a little bit because women here know the ground rules for a man to take another wife: He has to have a reason (she has a nasty disposition, they have problems in the bedroom, she won't give him children); he doesn't get to do it because he wants to and, technically, wife number one is supposed to give her permission and her blessings. Furthermore, if wife number one has a choice (an education, an income of her own), she won't accept another wife. Now, does that mean husband doesn't run off and do it anyway and tell wife number one to deal with it or leave? Sure, it happens. Does that mean husbands don't sneak another wife and number one finds out because someone sees them together or she gets pregnant and he has to spill the beans. Yes, that happens, too. But are mulitple wives seen as a right or are they the norm? Uh, no. For the most part, these men are too broke to afford another family.

[Ihavequestions 419]

If I cover those legs and arms I think I may suffer heat stroke. He doesn't recommend bringing any kind of jeans but more like cotton pants.

Oh, Olivia, you're going to kill yourself with the heat. DO NOT, whatever you do, DO NOT bring jeans planning to wear them in the summer because the heavy denim fabric will be hot and exhausting. Actually, if I were you I would bring just a couple changes of clothes and plan to buy a wardrobe here. Once you change your American dollars into Egyptian pounds, you will see how far your money will go. For summer, wear SKIRTS and to protect yourself from the prying eyes, and wear skirts that scrape the ground. Besides, they're cooler if you choose your fabrics carefully. Your jeans will be what you will want for winter because it gets COLD here and you won't want to buy them here (they're expensive and icky). Hang onto some of your US currency for winter clothes. Leather coats and boots (sorry PETA people) are very inexpensive to buy.

[Imua 0]

Since you will be there during the summer why not wear cotton salwar kameez? You can buy them on eBay from India, have them custom tailored(you provide measurements) and they will send them to you.

[Nothing1234 2]

Olivia...you will have a blast. If you check out some of my pics on facebook, I have summer pics up from spending summers there. It is HELLA HOT! I did wear a bathing suit on the beaches only with a matching bathing suit skirt. I pretty much wear whatever I want (that you'd typically wear here in the US) but with Carina underneath. They have awesome body suits to wear under your Western clothing. Looks awesome...leggings and bodysuit shirts/tshirts. Don't settle for cheaper versions, they stink and do not last as long after tons of washings!

[~Jackie~ 30]

Ok, I totally thought I had nothing to contribute but JUST today my husband said something that made me ROTFLMAO!

He had dinner with his friend Fady last night and his friend asked him if it was true that ALL american women want sex EVERY night

[Berber Mama 5]

Ok, I totally thought I had nothing to contribute but JUST today my husband said something that made me ROTFLMAO!

He had dinner with his friend Fady last night and his friend asked him if it was true that ALL american women want sex EVERY night

Did your husband let him know that this isn't a misconception?

[brnidokiegurl 0]

not related really but now Ahmed is on this kick of saying I GOTCHA, first time i heard him say this i thought what in the ... so i went on with him and said you got what.....he stops and thinks, i think this means i understand you, right? He said he heard in a movie ha, on another note i definately let him know that the above is a definate MIS conception, i think its more these MENA men that want this, like its written in stone somewhere that says EVERY NITE< EVERY NITE

[~PalmTreeGurl~ 154]

I regretted wearing jeans the first time I was there. It was killer hot. The first visit I wore long coulottes, cargo pants and some jeans. 2nd time there, I brought long capris, long skirts and knee length shorts. I felt better in the capris and knee length shorts. Went swimming both times and wore the same thing both times. A sleeveless tshirt and shorts. Kinda felt naked surrounded by women in full hijabs in the water, but at the same time, I dress how I dress here in the USA. It was still modest to me. But walking to the beach from the flat, I wore long shorts and just took them off when I got to the water.