What were your SO's first thoughts of the US?

[Jenn! 918]

Seriously...your husbands have never seen fat ppl? There were plenty of fat ppl in Egypt. I can't imagine that Morocco and Jordan don't have fat ppl, too. Not to be rude or anything but plenty of MENA men have married obese women. I can't believe that word hasn't gotten around about this phenomenon.

Definitely. Wadi and I both agree that Morocco has its fair share of overweight people. Mostly women, I'd say.

Edited July 16, 2007 by jenn3539

[anxious 0]

Seriously...your husbands have never seen fat ppl? There were plenty of fat ppl in Egypt. I can't imagine that Morocco and Jordan don't have fat ppl, too. Not to be rude or anything but plenty of MENA men have married obese women. I can't believe that word hasn't gotten around about this phenomenon.

He has seen fat people, but not the morbidly obese 300 plus pounders here. He literally stopped walking

and was staring with his mouth open until I grabbed him. I don't recall seeing any 3-400 pound women, men, or children in Morocco when I visit either.

It really has a lot to do with our sedimentary lifestyle here. Now they are noticing rising obese Asians. Our country isn't

health conscience as it should be IMO.

[hollyw 0]

My husband is shocked at the obesity in the United States vs other countries and he comments on it at least once a day.

where do you live? Are people from Jordan that skinny?

The other thing is quality of family life here - its pretty bad. As a result, we are planning to move to Jordan to raise children together, God Willing.

Again maybe it's where you are living now. The US is a BIG place and there's so many awesome locations to raise a family. Unless I'm totally missing something here. I love my little town, though it's wicked expensive. The kids are getting a great education and the town really looks out for one another.

Maybe he'll like it once he's here a bit longer.

Agreed... the only place that my husband was blown over by the number of obese people was at Six Flags. I guess it depends on where you live. We live in Boston and, while you see your fare share of overweight people, I wouldn't say it's shocking. I also think there are tons of fabulous places to raise your kids/start a family, you just have to choose wisely.

That being said, I plan on moving back to Paris!

Seriously...your husbands have never seen fat ppl? There were plenty of fat ppl in Egypt. I can't imagine that Morocco and Jordan don't have fat ppl, too. Not to be rude or anything but plenty of MENA men have married obese women. I can't believe that word hasn't gotten around about this phenomenon.

Algeria's got em too!!

I don't think I ever added to this thread when it was started, so I'll comment a little on my husband's first reactions... he was worried that we were living in the woods because in Algeria there are criminals/terrorists that live(d) there. He was surprised that you could buy a 2 liter bottle of coke for $1. He loved the selection of food in the grocery store. He loves getting paid overtime. He was surprised that people were so polite to each other (he had gotten really used to living in Paris). He liked how cheap new balance sneakers were.

[lion_lioness 0]

Geez,

Didn't mean to stir up anything here, just posting my husband's comments. Considering we have an issue in this country with obesity among children on the steady rise compared to other countries (not just Jordan, Morocco and Greece), I didn't think it would be taken harshly. Not to mention, I'm no slim chicken myself lololol. My husband was concerned more with the morbidly obese ppl he has seen. For example in one day in New York, he saw five ppl that had to have weighed well over 300 pounds. I try to explain to him first, this is a big country and you can't compare to Jordan and second fast food is in abundance here and it may not be as common to cook fresh meals at home the way they might back home.

Anyhoo, it was just his first thoughts/comments in his first days here - sorry I posted them and possibly offended anyone.

Edited July 16, 2007 by lion_lioness

[ya falaha! 0]

You didn't stir up anything, Prena. Also, you're not the only one who has commented on this. It's just that I've personally seen some pretty heavy ppl in MENA so I didn't understand how it could be so shocking.

Geez,

Didn't mean to stir up anything here, just posting my husband's comments. Considering we have an issue in this country with obesity among children on the steady rise compared to other countries (not just Jordan, Morocco and Greece), I didn't think it would be taken harshly. Not to mention, I'm no slim chicken myself lololol. My husband was concerned more with the morbidly obese ppl he has seen. For example in one day in New York, he saw five ppl that had to have weighed well over 300 pounds. I try to explain to him first, this is a big country and you can't compare to Jordan and second fast food is in abundance here and it may not be as common to cook fresh meals at home the way they might back home.

Anyhoo, it was just his first thoughts/comments in his first days here - sorry I posted them and possibly offended anyone.

[Ban Hammer 13,484]

He has seen fat people, but not the morbidly obese 300 plus pounders here. He literally stopped walking

and was staring with his mouth open until I grabbed him. I don't recall seeing any 3-400 pound women, men, or children in Morocco when I visit either.

It really has a lot to do with our sedimentary lifestyle here. Now they are noticing rising obese Asians. Our country isn't

health conscience as it should be IMO.

[ya falaha! 0]

Now that is just wrong, Charles!!!

He has seen fat people, but not the morbidly obese 300 plus pounders here. He literally stopped walking

and was staring with his mouth open until I grabbed him. I don't recall seeing any 3-400 pound women, men, or children in Morocco when I visit either.

It really has a lot to do with our sedimentary lifestyle here. Now they are noticing rising obese Asians. Our country isn't

health conscience as it should be IMO.

[Ban Hammer 13,484]

Now that is just wrong, Charles!!!

i stole that one from pedroh

[brnidokiegurl 0]

He has seen fat people, but not the morbidly obese 300 plus pounders here. He literally stopped walking

and was staring with his mouth open until I grabbed him. I don't recall seeing any 3-400 pound women, men, or children in Morocco when I visit either.

It really has a lot to do with our sedimentary lifestyle here. Now they are noticing rising obese Asians. Our country isn't

health conscience as it should be IMO.

Charles, Charles

[sara535 15]

along the lines of the eating and weight as well as first impressions, its not just that we eat too much fast food and pre-packaged foods, we also snack a lot more. Adnan never snacked at home and was a little surprised at the whole thing, but has become quite a fan of his little favorites like cheetos. But the whole food thing is much more healthy there, at least in the families I was around, much more home cooking and fresh foods and everything made from scratch.

[doodlebug 3]

along the lines of the eating and weight as well as first impressions, its not just that we eat too much fast food and pre-packaged foods, we also snack a lot more. Adnan never snacked at home and was a little surprised at the whole thing, but has become quite a fan of his little favorites like cheetos. But the whole food thing is much more healthy there, at least in the families I was around, much more home cooking and fresh foods and everything made from scratch.

Usama snacks all the time on leb which is those sunflower seed looking things BUT the difference is that the leb over there you have to shell by yourself.

I went looking for the kind they have over there when I got back home from my last trip and when I looked and realized that all of our seeds are pre-shelled I immediately thought, "heck no wonder we're all so FAT here!!! we don't even have to shell our own leb!!"

I mean half the fun of that stuff is trying to get the lil buggers outta the shells but if they're already out then you just shovel them into your mouth one after the other and you end up actually eating a LOT more in the same amount of time.

I still don't get the child obesity thing. I mean I've never really stressed health food to my kids, though I do keep as many cut up veggies, etc. in the house as I do junk. I have never said to them, "no, don't eat anymore of that"...whatever *that* is, and yet they've always been just under the average scale when they get weighed in on their physicals. There are like one or two obviously obese kids in each class of their school but the majority are just fine. I guess it depends on the area or something.

[lion_lioness 0]

Doodle forget the fat foods I just looked at your siggy JUST 4 MORE DAYS YEAH!!!!!!

I'd be snacking every 5 minutes with anxiety Are you all packed yet? You must be so excited and God willing he'll be following you home pretty soon.

Edited July 17, 2007 by lion_lioness

[doodlebug 3]

Doodle forget the fat foods I just looked at your siggy JUST 4 MORE DAYS YEAH!!!!!!

I'd be snacking every 5 minutes with anxiety Are you all packed yet? You must be so excited and God willing he'll be following you home pretty soon.

hahaha.

I can't eat!!!!! I shouldn't have bothered dieting the past three months 'cause I can't eat much at all and I keep wanting to hurl every two seconds!!! I eat when I'm sad or happy but not when I'm nervous. lol

[brnidokiegurl 0]

Doodle first enjoy your trip and second another good thing is you have your kids in sports so they stay active....

[palilover 1]

When mine was here, he was surprised about all the obese people.

He also commented on how families are not closer here s they are in Palestine.

He is amazed at how parents no longer support their kids or help them financially in msot cases once they leave the house.

I had to laugh at the "Why do we not buy a bigger house because we are in America with money now" LOL My husband does think money grows on trees here, lol

He thinks credit is not a trap. He thinks credit is all good and fine and helps you do bigger and better things. He is like a little kid....he forgets or does not undrestand there are consequences. (I have a big mess to clean up with him since the other arabs who are bad influences here on him have brainwashed him!!!!)

He is amazed on how even though there is health insurance here, most Americans do not have it and even then, you STILL have to pay for everything.

And on a sadder note, I cannot count the times he commented on how he can walk th estreets at night here and not have curfew. And he how he does not hear gun shots at night like he does in Palestine. (well, ok in certain areas of America, you will hear gun shots at night but it is not from war.....unless you count a bad drug deal as part of a war which I don't).....

Now as far as assimilation is concerned.....you CAN have it both ways. It does help with the culture shock and the non US citizen will be able to feel ab it at home. And who knows, you may meet friends from his culture to help you understand him better. BUT please be forewarned. While we all on VJ I trust are doing things legally, there are many who do not. And you do NOT want them to get a hold of your husband. Those people you cannot trust their intentions and they might fill your SO's head with stupid ideas. Plus they don't undertand anything legally because they have done things illegally. So you have to realize that and kinda keep a watch on who your SO is assosiating with.