Things your SO should bring to the US

[maryandatif 0]

Non-legal things:

• I told Atif to bring the scrub mitt that they use in the Hammam, because I hadn't seen any here--at least not as abrasive as their's.
  
• Work clothes are a must--Atif didn't bring that many clothes with him, and when we went shoping [even @ goodwill] he will not wear any of the "new" clothes to work in.
  
• If they have a favorite coat I would tell him to bring it-Atif had a NICE leather coat when I was there, and I thought he'd bring it with him--NO he didn't. Now he wants to purchase one here and is finding it alot more expensive than he could get there.
  
• Music that they like to listen to
  
• Videos/DVDs of some movies they like in their native language helps also--we have some friends in Charlotte who are from Morocco [now USCs] who gave Atif a couple of movies in Arabic and he actually smiled really big for a couple of hours afterward.
  

Remind your SO the possibility of their phone not working here---Atif brought his SMS card, but so far I don't know if it works here...we haven't had the $$ to purchase a cell phone for him yet.

ALSO talk about how they will keep busy while they wait for work-----ABOUT WORK--try to explain the job seeking process here. That a call after applying for the job is a MUST--Atif still says that "if they want me they will call me..no need for me to call" [sometimes SEVERAL calls are necessary--either they will hire you or ask you to stop calling! ]

One thing I did was get him listed with a Temp agency when he had the EAD--makes things easier-they find him the job and if the company likes him he gets hired.

Mary K.

Edited March 8, 2007 by maryandatif

[Together4ever 1]

The whole work topic has been an extremely bumpy road for us. Moh did NOT understand the cultural differences when it comes to finding, interviewing for, and having a job. He is still struggling a bit. Unfortunately in our situation it was something he had to experience for himself. All the explaining in the world just didn't make sense to him.

Tell your SO to bring a big huge sack of PATIENCE with him and the sincere intention of accepting the fact that things here are much different and what is perceived of as our great "freedoms" from those in the ME/NA may not be as free as they think. Our bureaucracy has left Moh feeling a bit strangled.

[maryandatif 0]

The whole work topic has been an extremely bumpy road for us. Moh did NOT understand the cultural differences when it comes to finding, interviewing for, and having a job. He is still struggling a bit. Unfortunately in our situation it was something he had to experience for himself. All the explaining in the world just didn't make sense to him.

Tell your SO to bring a big huge sack of PATIENCE with him and the sincere intention of accepting the fact that things here are much different and what is perceived of as our great "freedoms" from those in the ME/NA may not be as free as they think. Our bureaucracy has left Moh feeling a bit strangled.

Atif feels the same way, I'm afraid.

Mary K.

[boardashell_2000 0]

Word on the Olives...I have been missin those!

some non-legal things:

while our medicine is pretty much the same, there might be things he likes that he's more familiar with, for example Doliprane is an effervescent form of tylenol, and I haven't been able to find anything like that here. All Eucarbon is an all-natural medicine that would be used in the same way we use pepto bismal.

if you live in a city with a small moroccan population (and no places to buy it), tea and a tajine would be good. Hamid considers the tea in our small shop in San Antonio to be stale.

you gotta have him bring some olives!

That's all I can think of right now!

[amal 4]

clothes..including jackets BUT tell them they can buy new shoes here. they are better quality and more comfortable.

coffees and teas

bisser

olives

music they like

movies in their language

their own toothpaste (ours is a bit strange for them for a while)

try your best to let them know that americas streets are not paved in gold. while it is nice here, it is not as they think and they are going to be disappointed with many aspects of the way of life here. YES calling for a job is a MUST!!

Did I mention clothes? Mine brought only like 2 shirts and a pair of pants...seriously tell them to bring their favorite clothes and some "at home" clothes too.. come stocked.

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