your fiance/husband's first night in america...

[Sofiyya 1,687]

oooooo word-a-day calendars...i never woulda thought of that...good suggestion

How about having a space set up in the house that is just for him? where he can be alone for whatever reasons.. he can put his pictures there, or pray, or read, or whatever reason. I know they need to just be alone with their own things sometimes.

Good idea! My husband has a den waiting at our US home already furnished with a large screen tv and a desk, laptop, printer, chair, sofa, quibla, artwork, the works. As I've put it together, I've shown him what I bought and gotten a thumbs up or thumbs down. Insha'allah, he will get to use it all soon!

Here's another suggestion that I can't take credit for: Let your SO answer the phone. Encourage this. They can learn alot about your family and friends that way! I like it!

Edited February 9, 2007 by Green-eyed girl

[jordanianprincess 0]

I really don't plan on doing anything for him the first day/night, except bring some coffee to the airport. He won't be staying with me anyway since we are not married. I am planning to take about 7 or 8 days off of work though to spend with him and show him around.

[Ban Hammer 13,348]

Another poster suggested this to me in a pm and said I could pass it along. For his wife, he got a NYT crossword calendar. It helps strengthen her already good vocabulary. I think it's a good idea, and a word a day calendar is another suggestion.

something nessa did to understand spoken english better is we watch movies with subtitles. she can read and write english just fine, just understanding some of the accents (like southern) fly by her at times.

[amal 4]

I wish I had room to give him his own space...but there just aren't enough rooms in my home. That is one thing I've heard him say he wants when we move (and he's said it more than once)...

[babybunny 2]

I wish I had room to give him his own space...but there just aren't enough rooms in my home. That is one thing I've heard him say he wants when we move (and he's said it more than once)...

we have a 2 bedroom apartment. one of the rooms is an office. so if Javed wants alone time he can go in there and chill out..unless I am in there chilling then he has to take a number and wait.lol

[lion_lioness 0]

Doodle - I like Lala - sounds like a rapper's girl's name though......

lololol

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Answering the phone of course but how do you explain all the junk calls from people trying to sell him things? i will probably come home and he bought a new swimming pool, more credit cards, and better insurance ha

[amal 4]

Even after a year here, if Noor answers the phone and it is someone he doesn't understand, he will give me the phone. If I'm not home, he tells them to call back and talk to his wife. I have tried and tried to teach him to say "we aren't interested" and hang up but he just isn't comfortable saying that yet...

[brnidokiegurl 0]

I can see that, because he is a friendly type person can see him now wanting to talk back to the people, or on the other hand the pre recorded ones, that should be interesting also

[amal 4]

I can see that, because he is a friendly type person can see him now wanting to talk back to the people, or on the other hand the pre recorded ones, that should be interesting also

hahaha yeah... one day noor picked up the phone and sat there for what seemed like forever...occasionally he would say...."uhh..ye..mm..i think...." then he finally handed me the phone and said..they won't let me talk.. can you talk to them..... it was a recording for "better and more affordable health insurance"..I hung up the phone and told him it was a recording... He gave me the "i'm confused and what the he11" look and i told him..next time, just hang up... lol

[natty bumppo 297]

Answering the phone of course but how do you explain all the junk calls from people trying to sell him things? i will probably come home and he bought a new swimming pool, more credit cards, and better insurance ha

We've already had this experience ... only the telemarketer was looking for her

First call she told them to call back ... second call I got it and let her hear how to be polite, firm, and request them not to call again and to repeat what I just stated

[brnidokiegurl 0]

i can see it happening, because he does pride himself in manners and will not want to just hang up on anyone

[Sofiyya 1,687]

You guys need to get yourselves on the no call list.

[Together4ever 1]

Another poster suggested this to me in a pm and said I could pass it along. For his wife, he got a NYT crossword calendar. It helps strengthen her already good vocabulary. I think it's a good idea, and a word a day calendar is another suggestion.

something nessa did to understand spoken english better is we watch movies with subtitles. she can read and write english just fine, just understanding some of the accents (like southern) fly by her at times.

Mohammed and I used to do that too, regarding the subtitles. Its how I picked up some Arabic as well, flipping the circumstances and me reading the English subtitles of Egyptian movies when I was in Egypt. He's taken a position where he works with the public (poor dude) and finds the Kentucky drawl a bit difficult to understand. He's becoming better about telling people "excuse me, but would you repeat that more slowly please." He's had a few patrons use that against him, but people generally will oblige him and then conversations break out around "where are you from.... oh my god Egypt!... did you see the pyramids???" Pfft. I also think the suggestion of encouraging your SO to answer the phone is a good one. I did this too from day one. The phone rang the next morning and I asked if he would mind answering it since it was his home now. (He is a telemarketers worst nightmare, btw. He asks them a million questions until they hang up on him. Hahahaha.) Just gotta plunge in and go...

[natty bumppo 297]

You guys need to get yourselves on the no call list.

That's where I'm going. Three years without these calls ... then continental sells her contact info (contact info for a US visitor) ... geez