Cinnamon Zone

Ya god knows best.

God knows best :)
Good luck in whatever you wanna do :)

you have a good understanding..One of my cousins (sadily) lived for 30 yrs in Serbia ! yes Serbia ! who commited massacres against Bosnian Muslims, and you know what ??

He said that the Serbians was fare, and he hates Bosnians Muslims...!

For your friend, she's a big liar. She's shallow enough to be bragging about living for less than 3 yrs in the united states. ? !!

Choosing one of the Gulf Arabic countries is the best choice. I spent most of my life in Kuwait, I didn't like it that much, but I can say that it's the most suitable place to live a decent life in. The same goes for UAE.

I think that we shouldn't travel abroad unless it's for higher education degrees, like Master or PhD. Even if you want to work temporarily, it's unnecessary to travel abroad, because the Gulf Arabic pays good (if not more), and you'll be living in a "better" Islamic atmosphere, with many people from your country.

by the way, Im trying to read this word "Oeliwat" ever since I visited your blog! lol ! can you pronounce it for me ! ?

I can totally relate to your experience Ola. I've been living in the US for almost 9 years now. And frankly, I'm not impressed. If it wasn't for what I have established here during this time. I wouldn't have thought twice about going back
But who would I leave my house, business and professional career in my official job that actually got me over here in the first place?
Would I be living the same Quality of life? In these 9 short years I was able to do so much here and back home.
And I have seen the likes of your friend. They spend 6 months here, go back home barely able to speak Arabic (or English, but they insist)

I remember my uncle had a neighbor (a pharmacist) who had this POS System that I've never seen before. But since I was their local guru, they asked me to go fix their issues. So I wanted to help. The guy was like "You speak Arabic". I said Akeed, I don't speak anything but Arabic when I'm around Arab. He was like all these years and you still speak Arabic? I said of course! Needless to say, my uncle's neighbour wasn't very happy about his nephew ;-)
I have so much to share about this subject I really don't know when to stop. But yes, I agree with you, it's very annoying when people come here, spend couple of years and start feeling ashamed of their culture .. it's so sad.

As for your future endeavors. Never limit your options, if you get a good chance (I got one in the US, while I was working in Jordan) I resisted everything about the gulf because I lived there and hated it so much for so many reasons. The least of them was discrimination, we're viewed as crap there, and I wouldn't accept that from anyone even if it was the Emir. Over here, I would stick my finger in any one's eye who would dare say Arab, Muslim or anything discriminatory!
Sorry for the long comment, you gave me a rush of emotions. Thank you

hamede: wa ne3ma bellah, I guess you might have some thoughts onthis subject since you live in the US

Neverland: Thanks dearo!

Abed: Arabic gulf countries still have many proiblems, like those Qwaider mentioned, I can't imagine living there for good, I feel that my social life will be crushed...
As for oeliwat, it is: O for Ola and Eliwat, my family name! :)

Qwaider: I have to thank you for that comment! I shall be glad to hear your other thoughts on this! It's ab argument I can hold in the face of those who brag their American citizinship... You know the thought of working abroad is excitinf, but what I most hate about it estrangement & lonliness...

Exactly Ola. You know it took me 7 years to get my greencard (I didn't go ahead and get married to an American to get it and find people to justify my actions) Nor was the GreenCard given to me by a family member or something. I took it the hard way.
You know what changed when I got it?
Absolutely NOTHING! I still pay taxes that would finance a small country and I still have the Arabic/Islamic heart and still suffer from homesickness!
It's nice to live here, the freedom, the justice (even if it is at the superficial level)
But I'm not impressed with the culture.

I dont know how can anyone leave home and say the new place they migrated to is better then the hometown. My family migrated to this country since 14 yrs ago...but never once i feel happier to be here then to be at my hometown....despite my hometown's refusal to accept Muslims totally as true citizens (since we're deemed as British era-Settlers from Moghul empire)... my family/community is there...those are things money cant buy.Quality of life outstands the materialistic advantage of being in this foreign country.

Afzal: where are you from?

I been in the us for 27 years

got my green card in 1979

love jordan speak arabic all the time in jordan.

I agree with Qwaider.