ForumTitleContentMemberSexCountryDate/Time
Middle East and North AfricaAfter getting an email from the embassy...
Congrat Jackie - you must be sooooooooo excited!
catknitFemaleIndia2009-04-29 10:59:00
Middle East and North AfricaCAN SOMEONE HELP ME
Hopefully a mod/organizer can merge this thread with yahya's first thread?

Ok - so you filed and got an RFE. You faxed the missing information but it appears USCIS did NOT get that info hooked up to your case. You've only recently found out that they closed your case based on abandonment. You have the receipt from the fax and have your congressman working on re-opening the case for you. Correct so far???

I would wait to see what your congressman says. Having the case be re-opened would be the easiest/best. However, if you need to refile, I would get all updated information, the G325 specifically asked for dated address and work history information. Also, the G325s need to have original signatures. The clock will reset with respect to the 2 year meeting requirement too so if you refile this month you would have had to met since May 2007.

If I were you, I'd wait and see what the congressman's office can tell you. Hopefully that will be resolved quickly. Good luck.


catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-01 19:41:00
Middle East and North AfricaCAN SOMEONE HELP ME
I think we'll need a little more information to help you out:

You filed a K1 in May of 2008...why would you need to refile and what are you planning to refile.

When you talk about "originals" which originals are you speaking of? The entire file? The I129? The G325s? Birth certificate? Pictures?

Did you received an RFE?

The more info we have, the more we can help...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-01 18:33:00
Middle East and North AfricaSunday it is
good.gif good.gif good.gif on Rosetta Stone!

I'm doing Hindi Level 1 and it's amazing what I've picked up and retained. The only down side for me is that I don't have a native speaker with me - I call K and let him hear on speakerphone where I'm stuck. He's even amazed at how much I'm picking up in such a short time - I'm even learning more of the alphabet and syntax this way than with books/websites...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-03 14:42:00
Middle East and North AfricaSpouses going home to visit and coming home different
I'm sure many people in similar situations can attest to what happened with their spouses but the fact that he is so different and in many ways is withdrawing from his "normal" situation in the US raises the flag in my mind that he may be dealing with situational depression - especially if this has been going on for more than a couple of weeks.

Maybe he should talk to someone - a doc he trusts, the imam at your masjid - there are some simple lifestyle changes that could make him start to feel better. And, if he's feeling better, his motivation will increase, he'll become more himself.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-04-28 10:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaShipping to Egypt... How'd you do it?
If you work and your employer has a FedEx account and they allow for you to pay for personal shipping from work - ok that's a TON of assumptions and limits - but I hope you get what I'm saying??? The cost is less thru a commercial account than thru a FedEx box/Kinko's-FedEx store...Not by a ton - but it's cheaper.


catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-05 21:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaAnyone have problems with age gaps in Casa interview
Missy,

Welcome - I'm sure many of the petitioners with Moroccan SOs will be along shortly. They can tell you about their experiences...

One thing about your post that popped out to me was your want to send electronic files - they are not accepted by USCIS or the consulate. I would pick out your favorite pics that show a variety of places, dates [different clothes], and any showing interaction with his family, etc. There is a lot of great information in the K1 forum about what makes the best impact in your initial filing.

Good luck!
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-04 18:05:00
Middle East and North AfricaFor those of you who stayed with your SO for an extended amount of time overseas...
That's exactly what it is - one of the BC/BS - you can buy it in 30 day increments. They do not cover pre-existing conditions however mine is minor and has been under control for years [plus the doc I see to treat it doesn't take insurance anyway].

For a single person, even with a low deductible, it's only $60-ish per month. The coverage is comparable to the insurance I have thru work and will cover emergency situations - which is EXACTLY what I was looking for.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-15 15:56:00
Middle East and North AfricaFor those of you who stayed with your SO for an extended amount of time overseas...
I found tree-falls-on-your-head short term US insurance!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So happy! luv.gif
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-15 14:04:00
Middle East and North AfricaFor those of you who stayed with your SO for an extended amount of time overseas...
I'm actually not looking to be "covered" in India - I know that paying out of pocket there is much more reasonable.

My concerns revolve around the fact that I will be returning to the US for 1-2 vacations home and not having any coverage at those times plus the time span between arriving back home [hopefully with a new-husband in tow] and getting settled with new employment or group coverage from grad school.

I've had some insurance people who work with expats say that there are travel policies for non-US resident USCs available in the US [like trip insurance you can get here for vacations]....I haven't a clue how legitimate that is.

And the kicker is I would pay for the coverage if need be because of my assets - it's just that what I want either doesn't exist OR I'm excluded due to a pre-existing condition. I have a sinking feeling I'm going to cobble together COBRA with an evacuation plan.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-14 16:08:00
Middle East and North AfricaFor those of you who stayed with your SO for an extended amount of time overseas...
That's it - I'm going for a Canadian! devil.gif

It's not so much the India part that bugs me - it's the 2 trips back to the US and the interim between moving back and getting on a plan that scares the @$#^ out of me.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-08 18:15:00
Middle East and North AfricaFor those of you who stayed with your SO for an extended amount of time overseas...
I know that some of you spent extended time overseas and that some of the women currently posting are posting from overseas...

What on earth did you do about medical insurance???

I did post this in the DCF forum days ago but no responses...

A bit about my situation - I'm currently employed full time and get medical benefits thru my employer. When I leave my job I'll have the option of COBRA for up to 18 months. The premiums will run about $325/month. I'm planning to be in India 12-14 months [yep about $5k for insurance I may only use 28 days out of 14 months]. Out of those 12-14 months I plan on visiting the US twice [2 weeks each visit]. I'm anticipating attending graduate fulltime and being able to purchase the school provided insurance after arriving back home.

I have enough assets here in the US that I do not want to jeopardize them by being uninsured should something happen during my 2 trips back home or the potential gap between returning and the school plan picking up. [Or - if I don't get into school, having what ever job's plan kick in]...

I've looked into expat insurance and that's how I'm currently leaning but many of those policies exclude the US. One insurance broker said that I can get travel health insurance to the US as long as I'm keeping a residence in India. That sort of makes sense and yet makes me wary...technically I will have 2 residences.

Maybe I'm just overthinking the whole thing - I'm betting some expats go completely without????

I'm in no way worried about paying for healthcare in India - at all - it's the trips home that scare me, one little car accident or whatever can bankrupt just about anyone.

Any insight???
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-08 17:54:00
Middle East and North AfricaThe MENA "Let's discuss religion and our own personal belief" thread
First of all venusfire - you're explanation of 1 person/being/whatever being seen thru many angles and with different names is very valid. Additionally, many Christians [as earlier as their teens] do start to question the how of the Trinity because it is a complex thing. To those interested, I would highly recommend reading Marcus Borg. Some fundementalists get their panties in a wad over his take on the Trinity as well as Jesus and who he historically and spiritually was. But, he makes some great points and valid arguments.

Not to complicate the Trinity - God in parts - is Jesus God argument even more.... devil.gif

One way to look at this is to tease apart the historical Jesus [pre-Easter] with the spiritual Jesus [post-Easter]. For many people understanding and believing the early story of Jesus is easy - he followed the traditional prophet story line. It's the post-Easter Jesus where things start to get a little funky. How I've resolved this in my mind - at least as of today, my beliefs rollercoaster [which is very very normal Leyla smile.gif ]; Jesus pre-Easter was very much a man - an special man - but merely a man. The difference comes post-Easter - he's a vessel for God at that point - flesh filled with God substance [for lack of a better term - again I was taught the water scenario for explaining the Trinity].

Additionally, about the Gospels - yup, not eye witness accounts. Most biblical scholars peg them at least one generation if not more from Jesus' time. John being written even later than Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Keep in mind that those three are considered the synoptic books and are most likely the most "eye witnessy". John's written in a completely voice with a totally different feel.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-07 19:56:00
Middle East and North AfricaThe MENA "Let's discuss religion and our own personal belief" thread
I think for the Muslims in the group explaining the different denominations in the Protestant side of the church falls under similar terrain as the 4 jurists in Islam - the big difference being we slap a specific name over the door. Typically, within a specific denomination, having whichever name it is [Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, etc] means you have a pretty good idea what is going on during services, how the church is run, etc.

Many denominations will splinter off due to a disagreement - whether it be on doctrine or the in and outs of running the church. I think the Alliance Church mutated out of the Presbyterian Church - that the Methodists came from an Anglican tradition...it's all somewhat messy. Generally speaking, the protestant churches are either named for the theologian whose teachings they follow [Lutheran = Luther, Calvinists - Calvin] or some aspect of their doctrine/church running style/divine inspiration [Pentecostals, Presbyterian, Methodists].

Having held numerous offices/taught Sunday school/ etc - I can tell you allllllllll about the polity in the Presbyterian church but to keep it short and so you can see the differences between the Catholic list and the Lutheran list here are the high lights;

Presbyterians do not believe in the transubstaniation. We have what's called the table of fellowship for performing communion - not an alter - we do not believe anything is being sacrificed; all is being done in remembrance of the last supper only. Anyone baptized in the Christian church is welcome to participate. We believe in only 1 baptism - if you switch teams [for lack of a better word] no need to re-baptize. Prebyterians are BIG on grace - BIG - we believe that good/charitable actions in the here and now are nice but only by the grace of God will you go to heaven. We also are huge on predestination. We believe God is all knowing - past, present, future - your path is there and you have free will - but He knows where you're going and what you're doing now, the remainder of today, and tomorrow, and it's all been laid out.

The egg trinity explanation I've never heard before. We were taught with the water phases - steam, liquid water, and ice are all the same substance, just different presentations of the same substance...





catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-05 17:55:00
Middle East and North AfricaWedding celebration details in Cairo for those that want to attend!!!
Wow - AMAZING! I hope it was everything you dream of and more...Congrats!
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-24 15:44:00
Middle East and North AfricaHapppppy FRIDAY!!!
QUOTE (humpkinpumpkin @ Jun 12 2009, 01:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (Nagishkaw @ Jun 12 2009, 09:18 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE
Wings? Is that basketball? As long as the Celtics are out then, Go Wings!!!


Detroit IS hockeytown. As far as basketball, we have the Pistons.



I dont' follow hockey or even basketball. Football (american) and baseball are my sports that I pay attention to. Go Sox! kicking.gif kicking.gif



Good lord where is my mind - I read that as "Go Sex" ...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-12 12:56:00
Middle East and North AfricaGood Morning! It's Saturday!
Amanda - MENA girls [Jackie in particular] would host a slumber party [vj chat room] on the night of the interveiw to keep the expecting/excited/freaked-out/crying one company...even though there are some members out of vacationing [like Terrie and Jackie biggrin.gif ] this weekend...

I'm sure there are others who would love to keep you company!

Heck, it's been quite awhile since there was a slumber party - anyone in????
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-13 15:13:00
Middle East and North AfricaSlumber Party for Amanda !!!
Yay Henna! I was hoping there would be a party - all the best Amanda!
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-13 19:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaCultural differences and Weddings
Oh and I changed my name last night - it is the former Milo!


catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-16 15:46:00
Middle East and North AfricaCultural differences and Weddings
It's funny - it's been night and day different with the MENA family [all the questions, the sisters in law all over every word and etc etc] and the Indian family.

My fiance's family is beyond laid back, no judgements, no questions, just happy that he's happy.

I had a constant barrage of ####### from the MENA family - yelling, screaming, hang up phone calls, hours long lectures on how my beliefs were wrong and begging me not to marry their son...ALL sorts of drama. Oh, nevermind the begging to convert too.

My soon-to-be-inlaws in India are an absolute DREAM compared to what I went thru the first go around.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-16 15:42:00
Middle East and North AfricaCultural differences and Weddings
Aha! The sisters/sisters-in-law are the ones causing issues?

With my first husband, after it was finally accepted that we were marrying, I was invited over for dinner with the whole extended family. One by one, the sisters sat with me to chit-chat. Some questions were rather pointed about my past or my beliefs or my career wants. The sister questioning would get her answer, she'd excuse herself and run into the kitchen where other family members were waiting [including my soon to be mother-in-law] and give them the low down on my answer. Then, a new sister/sister-in-law/cousin would come out with another topic. The next few weeks/months, my answers, reactions, actions, anything I did was dealt with similarly. Sometimes it got back to my then-fiance. Sometimes it didn't.

Some of the things that caused concerns were merely misunderstandings on why I did things the way I did them. Those would clear up over time. I was looked at as nuts when I said I didn't put a capful of bleach in the sink when I would wash dishes by hand. EVERYONE in their family did that. It was a big to-do for a while. Or how I folded laundry or the food I would cook or the fact I went to my high school prom or that I'd ever worn a bathing suit at the beach...the list went from the trivial to more important things. What bothered me was that I felt constantly judged. Then I realized that I had nothing to be ashamed of from my past. AND, that their judgement didn't matter to me. Life was much, much easier after that.

The behind-the-back talking will happen. Unless someone is telling your fiance something helpful and objective about - oh say your safety while there, that you really shouldn't wear chartruese, that it's time to up the arabic lessons [I could tell you stories about mixing up words that really REALLY shouldn't be mixed up] - let it slide.

Personally, I would avoid talking about relationship stuff with any in-law. Leave that to your friends and your family. Your side of things will always be the wrong side of things - you won't get objective advice and it will get back to your fiance.

Edited by milo75, 15 June 2009 - 10:46 AM.

catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-15 10:43:00
Middle East and North AfricaCultural differences and Weddings
If there are major financial concerns that may be a valid argument for something smaller and more intimate. You'd have to broach it very, very carefully. No implying that he can't take care of you financially and needing the money for that or that the family doesn't have the money for the wedding - more that in the broad picture you are looking at x, y, z happening and you want to be responsible and let everyone have something they want. It may work.

BUT, don't be surprised if the family still pushes for something big because of the aforementioned want to show friends/family/neighbors/random people on the street that they can host a huge wedding party.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-15 10:14:00
Middle East and North AfricaCultural differences and Weddings
You can look at this a couple of ways:

#1 - Do the big party. Wear the dress, plaster a smile on your face and just grin and bear it. It's just a one time thing.

It may seem like a lot and the fact that you've been there a while [?] you are most likely in the throws of culture shock as well as pre-wedding jitters, etc etc. I get not wanting to be around people you don't know and that it will feel like a gigantic dog and pony show to you. But, it will be a huge step in family diplomacy. You never know when you may need to lean on his family for something...I'd highly suggest not burning any bridges. Even if you think you'll never go back or that he'll never go back - you just don't know what may happen in the future.

Keep in mind that in the US you can have your intimate wedding and reception. Relationships are a matter of compromise/give and take. Sometimes you have to put up with things you both don't like.

#2 - do only the court marriage but be prepared for the backlash.

Family name is huge is the MidEast. HUGE. Did I mention HUGE???? Being the quirky couple that doesn't do what is expected will label you. If the two of you are ok with the backlash, then go with only the court marriage.

About the family wanting him to be with someone else - go to the MENA forum. You'll get support there. But, having been with a MENA man [though born and raised in the US] for 10 years - there were complexities in the family dynamics that can be beyond comprehension to the "typical" american. Warranted or not, in my experience the family feels that there is someone perfect/better/prettier/smarter/richer out there than the woman he's brought home. I'm not sure if that's because they didn't have a hand in choosing the wife or just typical family ego issues "My son [brother/nephew] could do better....". But, after the marriage, those comments dropped significantly - a sort of acceptance was finally bestowed to the relationship. Just think of it has hurdles you need to jump to be together.

catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-15 09:38:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims and Public Displays of Affection
QUOTE (S and S @ Jun 13 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
You know, here in the US (at least in my opinion) no one gets jealous of another couple showing affection. If they show too much affection we may get annoyed, but I have never once thought of jealousy. I may have even been happy that they are so happy. It is hard for me to understand why anyone would rather a husband and wife show no affection and look unhappy together so everyone can feel secure in their misery. My husband and I walked holding hands in Syria and most people didn't do anything, but one old woman gave us really dirty looks for that. In the airport he would kiss my forehead tenderly but not on the lips. Now that he is here we still hold hands, put an arm around each other or have a small, brief kiss.

Personally, I believe if someone feels jealous over your happiness in marriage, then it is them who is sinning, not me. I'm hardly going to act distant with my husband to satisfy other people's insecurities. I have been single before and lonely. When I saw others who were happy, it gave me hope rather than making me wish ill on them. This is my take on things. Not exactly Islamic, but what I feel from the heart.

Oh and just to clarify. There should be limits on affection like you shouldn't just make out in public. That is just rude as there is no point in it but to annoy people. Hugging in public is fine though and they do it all the time in the middle east, never understood why it was only taboo when hugging or kissing your own husband.


good.gif As most of you know, I'm not Muslim [though married to one previously and marrying another shortly] - this whole concept was/is/and has been so confusing to me. Why must a person constantly take the responsibility for another's feeling and/or actions?

And, I completely concur with the material items too.



catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-13 15:05:00
Middle East and North AfricaThursday
I live [lived?] in Central NJ. My parents live on the Eastern Shore of VA and that will be my domicile/legal address while living in India.

This Friday night I'm driving down to drop off my car then my father and I will be driving back up Saturday morning. We'll pack the moving truck/van thing mid-day Saturday, turn around, and head back to VA. All in all, I'll be passing thru Dover 3 times in about 24 hours. wacko.gif

Then I have a week with my parents before flying to Delhi on the 28th.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-18 10:22:00
Middle East and North AfricaThursday
Uh-oh! Is there a race in Dover this weekend? I need to drive thru on a pretty tight timeline due to my move??? I REALLY don't want to be sitting in traffic!

ETA - it's the air show weekend, isn't it?????????? Ugh!

Edited by catknit, 18 June 2009 - 09:50 AM.

catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-18 09:50:00
Middle East and North AfricaFriday
34 more minutes left - then no more job wink.gif

9 more days till my flight to Delhi...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-19 15:27:00
Middle East and North AfricaSaturday!
Because I'm shocked....

My returned case just got re-affirmed - in only 5 MONTHS - my congressman's liason quoted 4 years and we were just going to refile DCF...

catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-20 21:11:00
Middle East and North AfricaIslam and Chicken Marsala
QUOTE (Ihavequestions @ Jun 19 2009, 12:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (estadia @ Jun 19 2009, 11:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
one of my elder sisters married a Catholic man, before marriage he promised so many things, even agreed that any children would be taught about Islam, they now have two children she has been forbidden to teach them about Islam at all, the only education they receive about Islam is when they visit our home.
he wont even allow the Quran in his home, states they must all be Catholic.


Shame on him.



She already stated her sister converted to the Catholic faith...I can understand extended family wanting to share their religion, sure - but shame on him???? For what exactly? It's a Catholic family...what do you expect them to do?

Shoe on the other foot - a lot of people have been all over the OP for converting to Islam and not playing by the rules. It's the EXACT same thing reversed.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-19 14:25:00
Middle East and North AfricaIslam and Chicken Marsala
Technically alcohol is yeast excrement. Well, at least from the biochem stand point...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-19 08:52:00
Middle East and North AfricaIslam and Chicken Marsala
Just to re-iterate what everyone else has said - it's between her and God. If she doesn't feel it's appropriate to eat, do NOT force it.

Also, even the USDA has conducted tests - alcohol does NOT burn off completely.

Not to throw fuel onto the fire BUT there is also the concept of intent. If, after sharing some cookies at the movies [for example], you read the label and find there WAS vanilla extract in them - well, was the intent of eating the cookies to become intoxicated??? Nope, it wasn't. To me that's always been a gray area - what should you do in that case? There is no physical way to consume enough alcohol from baked cookies to EVER become intoxicated without first literally choking to death on the cookies....

And, given many Americans lifestyles encompassing processed food, to COMPLETELY avoid any questionable additives, you'll need to cook just about everything from scratch.

Also, as noted, there are "ok" foods that contain minute traces of alcohol. Fruit and fruit juices naturally contain very small amounts. Just how it is. And they are OK - it's how God made them smile.gif .

And I believe - and maybe some of our Indonesian Muslims can shed some light on the - soy sauce [though fermented and containing some alcohol] has been deemed by some as ok [it's part of the natural process of preserving foods or something similar? at least that was the logic I read once in a food industry journal - it wasn't completely accepted by the masses though]. Once upon a time I worked in a regulatory department in food processing and dealt with the Koshering Unions and some halal consultancy firms [which are few and far between in the US]. Questions do come up whether or not a single part per billion can change the religious status of items...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-18 09:35:00
Middle East and North AfricaAre Muslims in America Unfriendly?
About the speaking a 2nd language in front of a non-speaker. Even though I never said anything I was hurt and found the practice super rude with my former inlaws. Everyone spoke decent English [the former parents-in-law were immigrants, my ex and his siblings were born and raised in the US].

After a while, I thought about it a bit more and the fact of the matter is that in their family they spoke Arabic. It was only during these occasional [maybe once every couple of weeks] that everyone would get together for dinner. Instead of getting all ruffled about what may be being said around me I figured a couple hours every 20 days [or whatever] for all of them to feel like home and family was really home and family - not some modified subtitled dinner for the one who doesn't speak Arabic.

I will temper this by saying I felt much, much, much more at ease after getting a run down on the Arabic for name calling - no need to have catknit and the s word in the same sentence, thank you yes.gif .

The absolute opposite of this was my former father-in-law's declaration that I could never learn Arabic because I had no Arab blood. My response questioning what do non-Arab Muslims do about that was met with - well...and a whole bunch of back peddling. Some Arabs do have major superiority issues...


catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-27 22:06:00
Middle East and North AfricaI need more education on halal foods
I don't have any resources on me currently but I know that with yogurt the fermentation pathway is to get from lactose to lactic acid. Yeasts are typically not used, bacteria are. Yeasts definitely use a metabolic pathway that creates ethyl alcohol. Is there an intermediate step for bacteria that passes thru EtOH? I don't recall. One major marker would be the lack of bubbling in the process. That to me dictates a process that should be EtOH free...but I fully admit to shooting from the hip on that answer. As to whether you could run a sample thru say a GC or HPLC [machines used to determine chemical components of an item] and get some amount of alcohol??? Possibly, but it would be super small amounts I'd venture to guess.

From the religious stand point, as was once explained to me by a consultant in the halalification in the processed food industry [ok, ok I made that word up] - and I don't know which school he abided by - if the alcohol was naturally present [ie, super small amounts of alcohol present in ripe bananas right off the tree] it was ok. I'd think yogurt would easily fall under that umbrella for what little may be present.

As for bread, I couldn't even venture to guess since the yeast is intentionally added [but not for the alcohol producing aspect]...
catknitFemaleIndia2009-08-07 05:18:00
Middle East and North AfricaI need more education on halal foods
An extract may contain alcohol. As mentioned, there are very few products on the market from manufacturer's dedicated to halal rules.

I was a food scientist who worked for the largest flavor company in the world - yes, there can be ethyl alcohol in an extract but not all extracts contain alcohol. As a matter of fact, you can walk into your local Trader Joe's and pick up Alcohol Free Vanilla Extract. So, if you see something marked as halal with an extract listed, it isn't a contradiction.

I really wish there was a more accessible and freely recognized halal marking system, similar to the kosher marking system. But, getting that done will be rough due to "secret" formula and costs. At least 10 years ago, one of the koshering unions I worked for charged $10,000 per item to be supervised. That company had 100s of kosher products - the math HAS to work out for a food manufacturing to put out that kind of money.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-08-06 11:57:00
Middle East and North AfricaI need more education on halal foods
There was a thread about this not too long ago here:

http://www.visajourn...h...06&hl=halal

The Reader's Digest version of that thread:

Some say kosher can be used for meats - it's debatable based on school of thought.

Read labels as much as you can.

Labels sometimes need to be translated - there were some websites listed that can help.


What I've done in my house before [for my ex]:

We used grocery store meat that he washed unless by dumb luck we were near a halal butcher over the weekends.
We avoided all gelatin, glycerin [not listed as soy based], stearates
We used foods listed as kosher as a guideline for packaged foods [like frozen meals, canned soups, mac and cheese] especially if listed as parve [meaning no meat or dairy products]
We didn't avoid medications if needed even if gelatin was listed
No alcohol, no extracts
We ate out frequently, my ex didn't care if pork was served at the restaurants but couldn't be in what he ordered

That is what worked for my ex - it's a very personal thing. You may want to broach it with your husband and see what his feelings are about this situation...

catknitFemaleIndia2009-02-10 22:03:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
QUOTE (100% Al Ahly Fan @ Jun 17 2009, 12:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
QUOTE (catknit @ Jun 17 2009, 09:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>
It's neither a documentary nor should be used for legitimate religious discussion BUT....

Watch the first season of Little Mosque on the Praire from CBC - you can watch it on youtube.

One of the first episodes in the first session [maybe episode 2 or 3] is about a barrier in Mercy's new mosque.

Being from Canada, of course the barrier is from an old hockey rink, there's a big to do between the female members and the male members...



One of my favorite shows! I'm so glad Rayan didn't marry JJ tongue.gif


Me too!!!!!!!!! I thought she'd be the one calling it off. Can't wait for the new season.

I'm hoping that when they remake it here [which they are supposed to in the next year or so] it's half decent.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-17 12:45:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
It's neither a documentary nor should be used for legitimate religious discussion BUT....

Watch the first season of Little Mosque on the Praire from CBC - you can watch it on youtube.

One of the first episodes in the first session [maybe episode 2 or 3] is about a barrier in Mercy's new mosque.

Being from Canada, of course the barrier is from an old hockey rink, there's a big to do between the female members and the male members...


catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-17 09:49:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
How many times total did he mention? With the ex, we always did 7...but all in regular water with only the dog clothes alone [didn't want to cross-contaminate non-touched clothes]. Big old pain in the backside - stayed away from dogs like the plague just to avoid the laundry.
catknitFemaleIndia2009-06-13 22:29:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
blink.gif double wow
catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-16 15:19:00
Middle East and North AfricaMuslims
I stumbled across this article today and it seems it may fit in with your current discussion....

E Pluribis Islam?
The fragile promise of Muslim diversity.

By Irshad Manji | Newsweek Web Exclusive
Apr 30, 2009

"At a recent event in India, I asked Pakistan's former president, Pervez Musharraf, whether he would support his country's tireless human-rights activists. He invited me to pose a different question. I didn't.

"Sit down!" the retired Army general then ordered.

Things probably won't get that tense when Pakistan's current president, Asif Ali Zardari, visits Barack Obama next week. But maybe they should, given the Taliban's growing reach and Zardari's plunging credibility. The two presidents will be joined by a third, Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, a religious "moderate" who routinely barters away the rights of women and minorities to warlords and mullahs.

As a reform-minded Muslim, I admit that these guys make the notion of diversity in my faith look laughable. Their track records underscore why we have to venture beyond geopolitical hotspots to fathom the future of progressive Islam.

A year ago, I traveled to Indonesia during Kartini Days. That's when almost 300 million people, most of them Muslim, pay tribute to an early 20th-century Indonesian feminist named Kartini. Although a controversial figure—too revolutionary for some, not radical enough for others—the nationwide affection that I witnessed for her rivals the respect I observe each April in the U.S. for Martin Luther King Jr.

I arrived in Jakarta to launch my book and film, both of which call on Muslims to embrace human rights and freedom of conscience for all. Hundreds of students showed up, ranging from transsexuals to Islamists. They spoke their minds. They disagreed. In between the verbal sparring, guitarists strummed, poets recited and dancers kicked up their Javanese heels. Nobody downplayed their conflicts; instead, they treated dispute as a necessity of democracy. Everybody left safely—including the most vocal transsexual, who proudly announced that after her surgery, she fought for the right to wear a headscarf. She won. My uncovered head spun at the layers of nuance being expressed.

For all its promise, exemplified by last week's national elections favoring secular parties, Indonesia nonetheless flirts with peril. In only 10 years, Islamism has gone from being a joke to a force. Once an authoritarian state whose military quashed any inconvenient element, Indonesia introduced democratic reforms a decade ago. Since then, a free press has emerged. So has political Islam..."

http://www.newsweek....d/195490/page/1



catknitFemaleIndia2009-05-01 10:21:00