Visiting the United States...

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Visiting the United States...
abc
08/13/01 at 01:12:05
Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah
This weekend inshaAllah I'll be going for a little trip to the U.S. (San Francisco and Houston to be specific)This visit will be my first to any western, predominantly non-muslim country. So, my question is: what tips/pointers/advice would u give a person (especially a muslimah) who has lived most of life in an arab muslim country and going for the first time to the US?
Of course I have a general idea of what its like there but its mostly like second hand experience that I got from my brother (who lives in CA)and tv/books/newspapers.
Many of you'll most probably grew up in the US, but for those of you who came at a later age, what was your first impression(s) of the place? Any interesting experiences??:)

My bro told me that in ten months of his staying in SF, he has not seen any woman in jilbab so can't say what reactions we'll get when ppl see three jilbabi women together (mother, sister and me) . I have no intention of discarding my jilbab but I want to brace myself for any "hey look, martians from outer space" kind of stares LOL. I don't know the amount of stares hijabi women in America get but back home in India, even with a sizable muslim population, we always get weird looks.

Also, does anyone know some easy remedy for motion sickness?? Anti-nausea pills, has anyone tried them, do they help?

wassalam
Re: Visiting the United States...
jannah
08/13/01 at 01:17:04
wlm,
abc hijab here draws looks everywhere.. so if anyone looks at you strange just ignore it inshallah.. look confident at all times and be with someone wherever u go and u should be fine... as for anti nausea pills they do work.. you just have to time them well.. look for dramamine or dramamine like products...
Re: Visiting the United States...
Kashif
08/13/01 at 02:59:54
Or come to London! There are so many niqabi, hijabi, jilbabees here that no one casts a second look at them!
NS
Re: Visiting the United States...
Mona
08/13/01 at 10:21:59
wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatu Allah wa Barakatuh,

Hey ABC, so you're escaping the luvly summer in Kuwait, eh? We heard from my uncle that the mercury has climbed to the 50's C several times this summer (that's about 122 F for the americans here).

Insha'Allah your concerns are valid, but I wanted to reassure you that things are not as bad. We came to Toronto 11 years ago, and I don't recall too many weird looks. I was lost half of the time and wouldn't have noticed anyways! But, if it happens that you get one or a coupla strange comments, you are better off being a duck and letting it slide off your back :)  Mostly you'll hear "aren't you hot like that?" but that's all, to which you may reply "not hotter than someone in a 3-piece suit!"  [i.e. referring to business men dressed formally].

Sooo, looking and acting confidently is the key as jannah mentioned. Make lots of dua for your travel experience to be smooth and easy, because insha'Allah this really helps.

Another suggestion for anti-nausia medication is gravol (dimenhydrinate), it should be sold in Kuwait.

Have a safe trip insha'Allah.

Wassalam
Re: Visiting the United States...
abc
08/16/01 at 00:04:05
Assalamu alaikum

YES..I'm definitely looking forward to some good weahter inshaAllah. It's been SO hot here lately. Alhumdulillah for airconditioners :)Buuutt..just as we were begining to accept the high temperature, the humidity hit 80%!! So its hot and humid and we're living in a sauna :)but that's good news for the dates :) errr..I mean the eating types..they ripen better in this weather.

Thanks for the tips Jannah and Mona..Jazakumullah khairan :)

Kashif bro..I'd love to visit England..maybe nexttime inshaAllah..However, we do have a three hour transit in London..how much is the distance from Heathrow to Gatwick?

Wassalamu alaikum

Re: Visiting the United States...
Arsalan
08/16/01 at 00:44:11
[slm]

Umm ... Houston is not exactly a cool place (temperature wise)!  Nowadays, the temperature dwindles between 95 and 105 during the afternoons, and lower 80s at night time.
Re: Visiting the United States...
jaihoon
08/16/01 at 04:23:14
Masha Allah! It takes the 'faith of ibrahim' to live as a Muslim in midst of the 'fire-like culture of Namrud' !

May Alah bless the Muslims of west.
htown..
princess
08/20/01 at 12:51:29
as'salaamualikum ;-D

[quote]Umm ... Houston is not exactly a cool place (temperature wise)![/quote]

hahahah..nice save :)

abc..when r u coming to houston? it's a great city, [i]if[/i] u love to eat :) i live here! (plz, control the excitement..:)) thought i'd let u know :) feamanAllah ;-D
Re: Visiting the United States...
abc
08/23/01 at 14:28:28
Assalamualaikum wa rahmatullah
[quote]when r u coming to houston? [/quote]

That question is a wee bit late.:) We came back from Houston two days ago and am now sittin at a computer in sunny but cool CA :)
Houston was only slightly warm..nothing compared to where we came from ..to me, the weather didnt really matter, the beautiful scenery around more than made  up for it... I must say, the part of
houston we visited really is very scenic...or it maybe that living in a desert for so long has got to me ! :)

[quote]
if u love to eat [/quote]
yeah..i wish we couldve found more decent places to eat..i didnt particularly relish the subway sandwiches and that sabzi in soem place called moghuls. I wish I'd seen bhaloos post on the top zabiha restaurants earlier...we mustve crossed westheimer like 20 times in two days..but missed the restaurant there :(
do tell me about the places to eat, however ..it'll be useful for my sister who's staying there for a year at least

It was a pleasant surprise to see quite a few muslim women in hijab..well at least more than I expected to see :)

All in all, I loved this brief visit :)

wassalam

hota hai..
princess
08/23/01 at 18:28:56
as'salaamualikum ;-D

oh well..@ least we can help ur sister :) what part of town is she living in..? if i know that, i can tell u about the resturants in the area and places to go, and things like that :) i'm glad u enjoyed ur trip..ahh, i really dunno where the beautiful scenery was @, lekin, i'm glad u saw it :) feamanAllah ;-D  
Re: Visiting the United States...
abc
08/25/01 at 11:59:11
Assalamu alaikum
Princess..by beautiful scnenery i didn't mean mountains and streams..but it's just that it was a wonderful change to see everything clothed in lush green and tall trees everywhere...and even a few ponds :)
my sister is going to the univ of houston at clearlake....that's besides the Space centre..

wassalam


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