what did your family say?

[Aymerlu 3]

Ay-rab

WHY does the older generation say it like that???? Makes me crazy

[myfellah 0]

They said all the usual stuff. They were wrong. He and I were right I still don't talk to one sister and it's been almost two years. She still believes she knows more about Morocco than my husband

Doreen

[UmmSqueakster 54]

All of the above + uh, why can't he come here and visit you? Well, family dearest, I would love to have him come and hang out in Madison, but you see, the US doesn't give tourist visas to young Middle Eastern men of the muslim persuation.

Now that he's been here (almost a year ), they're trying to warm up to him, but there are still inevitable clashes. *sigh*

[Private 1]

My parents know I do not care about what they think, so they do not even bother. They also asked why did I not send them plane tickets and when I showed them pictures they say I look like I am in love, and they said that he is trying to use me they will F**** him up. Besides my immediate family I have not told a lot of people. My job knows and other people, but I think I am more embrassed than anybody else. (I know this sounds dumb.) However, it has not completely hit me that I am doing this. I also think that in the society that I live it is not considered normal behavoir. But I am trusting Allah and I made salat istarkatra before I made the dicussion so I am just going with it.

[ya falaha! 0]

My family thought it was kinda cute that I was going to meet my internet "buddy"....well not really all that cute...they didn't really say much about it since I was already married and divorced from a dreaded Arab/Muslim and I'm Muslim myself. However, when I came back married....they FREAKED!!!! My father asked if I could "undo" my marriage and my mother said, did you have to marry ANOTHER one of them? Then she started on how I was teaching my children to hate Americans and become terrorists...#######?? Because I married "one" straight from the "old country". I was living with my parents at the time and one of my mother's first words after she was told I married Mohamed was...well HE'S NOT living with US! I moved out about 2 months later and haven't spoken to my family since May. They were lots more nasty than what I wrote here but I don't want to get into it.

[Jenn! 918]

Well, my mom and dad both met Wadi when were together in Italy before I ever visited Morocco. No negative reactions, just some envy that I was getting to have a real "authentic", non-tourist experience in Morocco. In fact, we're hoping to take my mom, step-dad, and sister to Morocco within the next couple of years for a visit.

I'm sure though if I had met him on the internet and decided to go to Morocco to visit him, she would've flipped! But honestly, so would have I, if my daughter were to do the same thing!

ETA: My grandmother did send me a shawl before I went to Morocco. She has the idea that all women must be covered otherwise "something bad" will happen....

Edited September 6, 2006 by jenn3539

[UmmSqueakster 54]

In fact, we're hoping to take my mom, step-dad, and sister to Morocco within the next couple of years for a visit.

I hope that goes better then it did for my family After I trapsied over to Egypt in August of 03 and came back determined to marry Tamer, my mom got this bizare idea in her head that my immediate family would go over and meet his family. Bad idea. I think a lot of it stemmed from them never having traveled to a 3rd world country before, and an already negative mindset before they even stepped foot on Egyptian sand. We've had some really scary family vacation in the past (5 people, 1 van, 3 weeks and several thousand miles on the road usually leads to a few blow outs), but this was by far the worst.

But, if your family is already cool with him, hopefully all will go well

I will say that my lovely grandma has been the best about this whole thing. I lived in the same town as them at the time of my first visit, and spent a ton of time with her and my grandpa, so we're tight. When I told her I was going, she offered to give me a ride to the airport and the only thing she said was to be careful and make sure that I was on bc I my grandma

[doodlebug 3]

In fact, we're hoping to take my mom, step-dad, and sister to Morocco within the next couple of years for a visit.

I hope that goes better then it did for my family After I trapsied over to Egypt in August of 03 and came back determined to marry Tamer, my mom got this bizare idea in her head that my immediate family would go over and meet his family. Bad idea. I think a lot of it stemmed from them never having traveled to a 3rd world country before, and an already negative mindset before they even stepped foot on Egyptian sand. We've had some really scary family vacation in the past (5 people, 1 van, 3 weeks and several thousand miles on the road usually leads to a few blow outs), but this was by far the worst.

But, if your family is already cool with him, hopefully all will go well

I will say that my lovely grandma has been the best about this whole thing. I lived in the same town as them at the time of my first visit, and spent a ton of time with her and my grandpa, so we're tight. When I told her I was going, she offered to give me a ride to the airport and the only thing she said was to be careful and make sure that I was on bc I my grandma

Ok no fair!! You HAVE to tell us at least one story of when they were in Egypt.

[Jenn! 918]

In fact, we're hoping to take my mom, step-dad, and sister to Morocco within the next couple of years for a visit.

But, if your family is already cool with him, hopefully all will go well

I hope so too! My mom is a huge fan of traveling, so I think she'll be ok. She already knows exactly what she wants to do and see. I've made sure they know that they will need to stay in the five star hotels. She likes to look for "quaint, little" places when we travel, but I think it's in her best interest to stick to the "touristy" accomodations while in Morocco. We've also made sure that Wadi's family knows that they won't be staying in their home and that they won't be offended by that.

[UmmSqueakster 54]

Ok no fair!! You HAVE to tell us at least one story of when they were in Egypt.

Oh where to begin? Well, complaining non stop about the accomidations, which were a really really really really nice upperclass apartment in the middle of Cairo that cost $50 a night. My husband spent a month trecking around Cairo looking for a good place for them to stay, so they didn't have to shell out $400 bucks a night for 2 rooms at the Hilton. Ok, so you're in a freakin 3rd world country, of course the plumbing isn't going to be up to American standards. You have a toilet, a shower and a sink, what more do you want? Plus, a kitchen with a stove and oven that you don't have to light with a match, beds with matresses not made out of stirophom (sp) and a nice size tv with satalite. And, there's a "Metro" groccery store right down the block, so you can get all your western food because egyptian food isn't good enough for them

It was an overall nightmare that reduced me to a sobbing mess several times during the 10 day excursion.

Edited September 6, 2006 by rahma

[doodlebug 3]

Ok no fair!! You HAVE to tell us at least one story of when they were in Egypt.

Oh where to begin? Well, complaining non stop about the accomidations, which were a really really really really nice upperclass apartment in the middle of Cairo that cost $50 a night. My husband spent a month trecking around Cairo looking for a good place for them to stay, so they didn't have to shell out $400 bucks a night for 2 rooms at the Hilton. Ok, so you're in a freakin 3rd world country, of course the plumbing isn't going to be up to American standards. You have a toilet, a shower and a sink, what more do you want? Plus, a kitchen with a stove and oven that you don't have to light with a match, beds with matresses not made out of stirophom (sp) and a nice size tv with satalite. And, there's a "Metro" groccery store right down the block, so you can get all your western food because egyptian food isn't good enough for them

It was an overall nightmare that reduced me to a sobbing mess several times during the 10 day excursion.

note to self, don't invite the rents. lol

So hold up here...they really do sleep on styrophoam?? I'd have SUCH a bad back!!

Usama is looking for an appartment. Any tips?

[ya falaha! 0]

They don't sleep on styrofoam, lol..rahma was exaggerating They do, however, sleep on extremely hard "mattresses" which aren't mattresses by our standards..they don't have springs in them. I was afraid the first time I sat on my husband's..the first night I arrived in Egypt (I slept in his room and he slept on the couch in the living room until we were married). Surprisingly, I had the best, most relaxing sleep of my life on that hard mattress. They have these big fluffy blankets that are sooo warm and nice for winter. I'm having Mohamed bring one with him when he comes inshallah.

[Veiled Princess 1]

mom: "don't you know they are having a war over there?"

me: "in africa? "

mom: "well in that area"

me: "from across the sea?"

mom: "well whatever, he's going to kidnap you and sell you as a sex slave as soon as your plane lands"

me: "they'll give me back "

[UmmSqueakster 54]

They don't sleep on styrofoam, lol..rahma was exaggerating

Hehe. Actually, in the apartments we've stayed at with just the two of us (middle class-ish), several of the mattresses have been foam, pillows have been foam, icky. No styrafoam, but still, not my idea of a mattress

[Mrs. Forgetful 2]

When I told my mother Adil and I are going to Morocco in February, she freaked out and told me not to go because they do drugs and will treat me bad and he will hit me and I will never come back to the USA. You need to do more research on the country and the culture. blah blah blah

When I told my dad he said the usual, it's a muslim country. When they see you have blond hair and blue eyes, they might kill you for being an american. I showed him a picture of a few of Adils friends who also have blond hair and blue eyes. I also explained how most of the women in Morocco don't cover so I will be ok. Now he's comfortable with it, and I think after meeting Adil's mom he's excited to go to Morocco with us in February.