Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Middle East and North Africa	Young Muslims in Cairo transform the hijab	I like the Spanish-style one from the slideshow. It looks nice and chic. me too. and i also like this style worn by J Lo. i have seen many girls here in Cairo wearing this style but with 2 or 3 different colors weaved together into a big side bun or a bun in the back. i love it and i want to learn how to tie it!! but, my husband frowns upon me wearing it here cause i am not Muslim. he said i can wear it if i want, but he thinks it will draw negative attention. in USA it wouldnt be a big deal. singers like India Arie and Erykah Badu wear scarves and wrap their hair up. and i grew up with many African-American friends who wrap their hair and it always looks so chic. what do you all think? if i were to wear anything it would be in this style or in the spanish style from the slideshow (not the neck-covering style), but do you think that in Cairo, it would be seen as disrespectful?? a blue-eyed Christian American wearing a head wrap : would it be offensive to the Christians or the Muslims, cause i don't want to offend anyone. do you think it would be disrespectful to ask a Muslim girl how to tie them? or does anyone know how to do it and could explain it to me?	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-05-17 00:10:00
Middle East and North Africa	A Broken Journey	I am so proud of you for calling your husband out on his law- and heart-breaking behavior. Good for you. I wanted to say that I have experience with abusive men in 2 different types of situations. The first was physical and verbal abuse, and the second was emotional abuse - he lied, cheated, played with my emotions, etc. Both times it was very hard for me to walk away completely from the relationship. I kept going back time after time. I can only describe it as a guilt cycle and an addiction to drama and/or adrenaline. My family supported me both times, but they grew tired of pleading and reasoning with me. They always offered help and advice when I asked for it, though. The hardest things for me were walking away from something that I felt I had invested time and energy into and stepping outside of my comfort zone with that person- which made me lonely. These were the main reasons I kept going back. Late night phone calls, secret meetings, and lying to my friends and family made me feel like a sneaky teenager again. All the while, I knew that it was wrong, but I continued to throw myself back into the fire. I wanted to change them. I even went to counselling from a priest with one of my exes. But, that didn't help him. I thought that I had all of the answers. He said he was sick and he was not able to show me love the way he wanted to. He wanted to change but he couldn't. He couldn't change by himself, and I thought I was the one that could change him or at least point him in the right direction. After that, I realized that it was all lies. I mean, a person can only do the exact opposite of what they promised you so many times before you realize that they were just words. I wasn't married to either of them, so I can only imagine how complicated your situation is. Although we weren't married, we had properties in eachothers' names and we had bills, responsibilities, etc. that needed to be divided. And, I know the attachments to an abuser are much deeper than that, but our heads get so muddled with the details and the unravelling of what you spent so much time to put together, that even small things make you cringe when you think of the trouble you face when you decide to move on. That was another reason I kept going back. But, overall, it was the COMFORT I was longing for. The only thing that helped me to move on with my life - both times- was distance and keeping myself busy. I stayed as far away as I could from them, and I had relapses believe me, but once I made my mind up to not contact him or see him in person, it was easier. I talked with my friends, and I made it a point not to discuss the future with them, because any decision I was gonna make could possibly upset my friends or family. So, we stuck to talking about my feelings and keeping busy with lunch dates and sleepovers. heheee It sounds so cliche to say that you have to love yourself wholeheartedly before someone will love you back, but it's true. I would like to say that it's true, but it's not as simple as it sounds. And self-love is more than just acknowledging that you are a good person and that you are happy with yourself. It means respect. In the way you view yourself. I think this is what some people were talking about when they mentioned that you lose credibility with your loved ones if you go back and forth with your abuser. I went through years of telling myself "I'm fat, I'm ugly, I'm damaged goods, I'm screwed up in the head, I lied to him before, so maybe I'm reaping what I sowed, It's simpler to just stay together, He only acts up every once in a while" There are millions of these cheap shots that we take at ourselves. All of the things that we tell ourselves when we get depressed or down, they stick with us. And those thoughts and self put-downs are what get projected to the other people in our lives. This is the reason they continue to pound on us. Even if we are not aware of it. Loving ourselves is not just a catchphrase or something we can simply state. We have to live it every day. We have to find reasons to want to be with ourselves, so we don't long to be with another. I am still struggling with this issue -on a much smaller scale-, and I think that it is the worst battle that abused women have to face. It' was harder than anything else for me. Realizing your TRUE value and your contribution to this world and to humanity will be the ultimate deciding factor to help you move away from ANYTHING in your life that causes you pain or strife. Once you know it and you live it every day, it will be IMPOSSIBLE to live with someone who abuses you. It will not feel right ever again. But, others CANNOT, i repeat CANNOT make this decision for you. So, the best thing is to focus on the strengths of you and your children. Those things will help you self-describe in a positive light. Don't just talk about respect with your loved ones, DEMAND it and DELIVER it. Don't dream about finding your best friend, BE your best friend. Don't HESITATE- if you study long, you study wrong. Don't JUDGE. Yourself or others. Don't BLAME or accept the BLAME. Do talk about your feelings with others. The more secretive you are, the more alliance you have with your abuser. Do feel free to LOVE. Your heart is so much bigger than the hole your abuser put through it. Do keep all contact to a minimum. It helps. I promise. Be cold if you can. Again, you are brave and you should feel very proud of yourself.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-05-28 13:05:00
Middle East and North Africa	Going to Egypt!!!! Any advice???	Funny you say you never saw rats or roaches in Egypt (Alex)...I saw both (rats near the sea) and lots of the roaches (huge flying ones). Cairo doesn't have the roach problem that Alex does. Condoms are available at most pharmacies but you gotta ask for them and they kinda suck so if you're gonna use them, bring some from here. Carrefour (large Super Walmart type store)and Fathallah Market (in Alex) has peanut butter, loaved bread and American/European chocolates such as Snickers, Hersheys and Cadbury. Many homes do have vacuum cleaners but they're old style. My inlaws have one. I am soooo glad I haven't seen any bugs or roaches. Even when we stayed in Alex and the North Coast for Easter, I didn't see any. I would have scared the shet out of everyone, cause I am terrified of both of those. hehehe I saw some peanut butter -it was one of the not-so common items, as my in-laws had never seen or heard of it - and Snickers and things like that at the Hyper One, but I was wondering if anyone ever found good pastries or cakes. I mean, everything is OK here, but the sweets are lacking in my opinion. I want a good cheesecake or something similar to red velvet cake or peanut butter pie. OMG, I would've killed for a chocolate pecan pie during the holidays. All of the sweets are just so-so. Have any recommendations? I know about Cinnabon, and they are ok, but I need chocolate or at least a cake with some moisture and some frickin ICING. I guess I will have to break down and make my own. And, the pharmacy thing was soo different. I mean, the pharmacies in the US have everything and I thought that the Hyper One or the other big stores would be similar, but they're not. It's kind of like living in a time warp. You have to ask for everything from the pharmacist. It was weird for me, but I'm used to it now. Funny story, I have had all of my wisdom teeth pulled while I have been here, over the course of December/January. And, I had to take pain/anti-inflammatory medicine, which my dentist wrote out for me as injections. So, my FIL had to give me the first shot and to start with, he sprayed my butt/hip area with men's cologne to disinfect it. hahhaaa My husband is beside him, lowering my pants just a tad, and stupid me , I am used to getting a shot in the butt, and leaning over the exam table for the doctor. So, I ask, "Do you want me to bend over a little bit onto the desk?" And, my hsband starts screaming, NONONONONONO. It was so embarassing. So, later, for another shot, my FIL's hands were shaking too badly and he couldn't do it, so they called the pharmacy and one of the guys came to the house to give me the injection. The whole time we were waiting for him to get here, my hsband was saying, DO NOT BEND OVER, DONT BEND OVER, WHATEVER YOU DO, DONT BEND OVER IF YOU BEND OVER, I WILL KILL U-------- HAHHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-03 04:55:00
Middle East and North Africa	Going to Egypt!!!! Any advice???	This is just a list of some things I have seen/observed. It may or may not be things you already know. It's not a good / bad list, just random. Here goes: 1st thing off the plane, you will hear "Welcome to Egypt" a looooot or my favorite, just "Welcome Egypt" Heat/Sun - sunscreen mosdef Pollution - not as much in Alex, though Staring from men, women, kids Laid back / relaxed atmosphere - lazy afternoons/evenings Late nights - all activities go on at all hours - phone calls included Heavy traffic No designated lanes 3 hour drive from Cairo to Alex Fairly frequent power outages - get candles / flashlights Electrical outlets are not US compatible. need the attachment thingy Weekend considered Friday and Saturday Dust/sand everywhere Not a lot of toilet paper, bidets mostly Daily trips to market sometimes for 1 or 2 items Can have anything delivered - prescriptions, fruit, haircuts, etc. Most TV is on a delay, American Idol Season 6 starts this week Coffee with Sheesha is an almost daily experience Some common meats are lamb, pigeon, cow stomach, kababs, In Alex: Coastal breeze is heavenly More tourism in my opinion Things I couldn't find or haven't seen a lot: Plantains Celery Loaved Bread Peanut butter Shower curtains Comparable to USA chocolates/sweets/pies Pond's or other brands of Nose Strips Condoms Vacuum cleaners Electric stoves Microwaves Rats or Roaches ----- thank God. hehe	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-02 11:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	Is it too late to get an interview this June in Cairo?!	Our case was not on the updated interview schedule, but we got the appointment for June 14th. The case number is STILL not on the schedule, but we did get the email confirmation and the letter by DHL. So, it is possible. Yes that is possible the same thing happened to my fiance. He recieved packet 4 which is the interview letter before they posted his scheduled interview on their website. Congratulation!! on an interview i wish your love all the best at the interview!! AJ1 Thanks. We will be there at 7am on the 14th and since things are speeding up a little in Cairo, I hope we will be travelling soon.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-09 06:41:00
Middle East and North Africa	Is it too late to get an interview this June in Cairo?!	Our case was not on the updated interview schedule, but we got the appointment for June 14th. The case number is STILL not on the schedule, but we did get the email confirmation and the letter by DHL. So, it is possible.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-08 16:38:00
Middle East and North Africa	so confused ?	Hi everybody. I need some help from ppl that already completed form DS-230. I'm not sure what should i put in line 23 in the form DS-230:List below all educational institutions attended? should I put just high school and college or all schools since primery school? I think you should definitely list your high school and any colleges or universities you attended. After that, include as many of your other schools as you can. I agree it's better to be safe by giving them as much information as you can. If you changed schools a lot or if you have a lot of different school names and/or locations, just keep filling out the form until there is no more room. My husband only attended 2 schools in his life. Cairo University & all of his kindergarten-high school was attended at the same place. So, our D-230 was fairly simple for us to fill out.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-24 11:41:00
Middle East and North Africa	Arabic for Non-native Speakers	I know more Egyptian Arabic phrases than Moroccan Arabic since I spend most of my day with an Egyptian(boss). It makes my husband hot under the collar! Please share. If you don't mind. I would like to know new phrases. Do you know how to write them in arabic?	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 18:07:00
Middle East and North Africa	Arabic for Non-native Speakers	My problem with the vowel marks above the letters, it that it is not always the same sound. I can't think up any examples because I'm always confused when I see it. Maybe my problem is the way the books try to help you sound it out by writing it in roman letters - you know how there can be several ways to write an arabic word in roman letters. My other issue with arabic books is there are not enough exercises. And too many words thrown at you in one chapter, and some of them are not used in the exercises. Independant memorization is like walking thru quicksand. It helps me when all the words are used in the exercises. Real immersion is better, being there or talking with native speakers, just picking up words here and there and starting to piece them together. Then maybe using a book to aid understanding small points. BT I have a book that I downloaded from the internet, but my problem is I need to print it out to work really well on the exercises. That will be my next task. Because we don't have a printer at the house, I am always putting it off. The book that I have has a lot of exercises. It really helped me for the first 4 or 5 chapters (until they started taking off the stupid vowel marks, and then I got confused again). If anyone would like a copy of the book to print out for themselves, I can send it to you or put it on a file sharing site. And it's about 10MB in size, which is about the memory size of 2 or 3 songs. Thanks for the stories. My inlaws make a big deal out of me speaking arabic. Even if I have said the word before, every time they hear it they laugh and have to take me from room to room to repeat it. I would have to say immersion is the greatest tool. And, I have picked up on so much here. It has been 8 months of listening, learning, and practicing. I, myself, would just like a boost from an academic approach. Did someone say they could send the tapes or audio? I would like to listen to that if it's possible.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 16:51:00
Middle East and North Africa	Arabic for Non-native Speakers	Yeah, my husband laughs at me too trying to pronounce some of the harder words. But when I go and stay with his family, that is when I really learn so much. I do have a funny story though...my husband has a speach impediment. He pronounces his "r"s funny. Well, all of the Arabic that he has taught me...I pronounce them the same way! So I have a speach impediment too...in ANOTHER LANGUAGE!!!! And as we teach our son, I guess he will have it too!!!!! That sounds so cute! My husband's little brother has a pretty serious speech problem that he was born with (along with other problems, but I don't know the actual medical terms) and I have had to learn some of his *unique* language also. Some examples: he says "daad" for "begad", he says "fe haga la" instead of "mafesh haga", he says " bu tez" that means " abu kersh" (nickname for friend w/big belly hehhe) So, I am learning a language and a half right now. But, I enjoy every minute of it.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 13:04:00
Middle East and North Africa	Arabic for Non-native Speakers	i have a really hard time with that sound too. abdou always laughs at me when i try to pronounce certain words. we have good fun with him teaching me! i hope to be fluent someday as well..but first we're mostly working on him being more fluent in english. Good luck to both of you. It's always fun to learn new things. I think it's humbling, actually. I mean, for both my husband and I, we were both straight A students and never had problems learning anything. But, our egos are brought down a couple of notches when it comes to the other person's language. He knows more English than I Arabic, but we are both learning so much everyday. I can't say 7abibi, 7elwa, efta7, and many, many other words that contain the 7 sound. I wish it was easier. hehe	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 10:31:00
Middle East and North Africa	Arabic for Non-native Speakers	So, I thought I would ask for help from anyone who is learning or has learned Arabic. Some of the things I struggle with are: Pronouncing the ? - the sound doesn't really exist in English, but does anyone have any pointers for learning this sound? The imaginary ? ? ? ? ? ? ? - I mean, I have no trouble using them when I see them, but most of the time, they are not written. Anyone have a trick for memorizing certain words or patterns? All of the different verb tenses - Masc, fem, etc. There are so many different forms of one word, that if I haven't heard the word 100 times, I will more than likely screw it up. Does anyone have any good learning techniques? I guess it's just the nerd in me that wants to be able to read, write, spell, and speak the language. I speak Spanish, and I know that native speakers are pleased if you at least attempt to speak their language. But, I would like to be a good student. Besides, I know that one letter or sound can make ALL the difference between two words. I want to keep my embarassing mistakes to a minimum, and I would love to hear other people's language-learning processes. Nicole ** just a side note about language/Arabic, my name is Niki, but my name was changed when I met my husband because of the naughty word that my name sounds like - I have never been called Nicole before, and I'm still getting used to it **	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 09:59:00
Middle East and North Africa	egyptian arabic words	oops! don't know how i did that previous post, but sorry!!!! i tried to edit it, but it wouldn't let me. here's what i wanted to say: thanks deemabrouk! I think I had read this thread before. It was very interesting. If it's ok, I can add some more Egyptian/Arabic words here. arabayia = car ( in Egypt only I think ) gowa = inside barra = outside safara = embassy 3aiyat = cry momken = can or could mesh momken = could not 2ader = to be able to mosh 2ader (male) mosh 2adra (female) = cannot or not able to delwa2ty / 7alan = now yel3ab = play ensa (to male) ensy (to female) = forget it *like an order to forget* ba3'be3'in / baghbeghin= parrot besour3a = quickly or hurry ta3ala (masc) ta3aly (fem) = Come hena = here sooo....Ta3ala hena bsour3a! = Come here quickly! (spoken to male) Mesh 2adra aaberbesh. = I can't even blink! (said if you're tired and you're female) Metkalemnish! = Don't talk to me! Siebny = Leave me! Mesh 2ader ensa howak = I can't forget your love. anybody wanna add anything???	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 20:21:00
Middle East and North Africa	egyptian arabic words	Bump... I saw someone asking about egyptian words/ phrases... this was a good thread Bump... I saw someone asking about egyptian words/ phrases... this was a good thread	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-06-29 20:01:00
Middle East and North Africa	What to do when ur SO doesnt have first/ last name	AND for the record.. his name isnt Mohamed Mohamed Mohamed Mohamed lol Hmmmm that's a tricky one. My husband has 4 names on his passport, too (the last being a definite family name). On his I94 he only used his first and last. Everything that has come to him regarding immigration only has his first and last name on it. I would say since he has 4 names in his passport use the 4th name as the last name or wait until you file for EAD or AOS and see what name they use. So maybe I'll Just put the 2nd and 3rd together as the middle? like I did before? But I was stumped when there was not a Middle name spot.. it made question if I was doing the right thing hmmm. Well, my husband has 4 names on his passport, too. And we squeezed his 2nd and 3rd names together as a middle name for the petition, and they always send him mail addressed to all 4 names. 2 of his names have only 4 letters each, so I don't think they take up too much space. If they were a little bit longer, it would be harder. We don't have the visa yet, so I don't know how it gets printed up. If they go by your applications or by the passport name. I just try to keep everything the same as the way we started out. I hope they don't start dropping names. He doesn't wanna use his grandfather's name. He doesn't like it.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-03 14:03:00
Middle East and North Africa	i'm bored	Anybody ever eat Spagetti Squash? I love it.. very good and yes... I will talk to myself You are bored very... this is what i get for a boring No Brainer job Yes. I love spaghetti squash. My mom used to slow bake it and serve it with a creamy alfredo sauce. Thanks for reminding me. I'm putting together a menu of the things my mom has to cook for us when we get home. Things that I want my husband to taste and especially sweets and cakes that we just don't have here in Egypt. You don't have to talk to yourself. I will be more than happy to talk to you. Anything in particular?	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-05 16:47:00
Middle East and North Africa	July 3rd	wow.. its a magical day.. July 22nd!!! Yep! That's one of my best friends' birthday. And it's the day I travelled to Mexico last year to visit her!!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-03 12:01:00
Middle East and North Africa	What... NO monday thread??	LOL check out the pics in Monnik's signature. Have you ever seen the Scorpion King or the Mummy? I thought that was her husband. omg! if you only knew. every time my husband sees that pic, he calls him my husband, too. I swear I blushed so hard when I read this. Thanks. You just made my whole week! Well when I saw that you're living in Egypt until the visa was approved I was like, yeah I would too if that were all mine!!! hmmmmm. Thanks again. I swear I love you without knowing you. hahhaaa Real husband: Imaginary husband (with a shirt on, for once) :	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-02 15:12:00
Middle East and North Africa	What... NO monday thread??	LOL check out the pics in Monnik's signature. Have you ever seen the Scorpion King or the Mummy? I thought that was her husband. omg! if you only knew. every time my husband sees that pic, he calls him my husband, too. I swear I blushed so hard when I read this. Thanks. You just made my whole week!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-02 14:49:00
Middle East and North Africa	What... NO monday thread??	The citadel is nice but it's quick...not much to see. I'd go see the library. I didn't have a chance but would have loved to see it from the inside. Go shopping in Mahatarram (sp?) and el Manshia (sp?). There are many nice cafes and "night clubs" across from the sea. Take a tour of Abu el Abbas el Mursi mosque http://www.touregypt...mursimosque.htm. Go there with your SILs since part of the tour will be in the woman's section. That mosque is near el Manshia so you can go shopping afterwards. Sit in front of the sea in Montaza. It's beautiful. Moh says there's a jewelry museum in Alex but we didn't go. Alex is beautiful and cleaner than Cairo but unfortunately there isn't as much to do there. I agree. There's not much to do except shop, visit cafes, walk, and go to the beach. But, I always feel more free in Alex. There are more females at the outdoor cafes, and it's sooo relaxing there. The citadel was kind of boring, but the view of the sea is nice. There are a lot of vendors outside. I wanted to see the library, too. But we never got around to it. Like you guys, we stay up until 4 or 5 am and then sleep until early afternoon. You probably will not need A/C. We had one fan, and everyone was nice and comfortable. The breeze feels great, but I took about 2 showers per day because it gives you a sticky feeling after walking around for a couple of hours. I know you will love it though , doodle. Here are some pics of Alex and the view from the citadel. @citadel from balcony in Alex cafe Alf Lila We Lila aka 1001 Arabian Nights	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-02 13:43:00
Middle East and North Africa	Funniest Posts/Threads	Yeah. I like reading funny or interesting stories. Here are a couple of funnies for you guys. These are things that my husband has said that make me so glad I have been here in Egypt to experience this whole process! Hmmmm. OK, during the first interview at the embassy when we filed the I-130, we were separated and asked different sets of questions. Which made me very nervous cause we hadn't even practiced. I didn't know that we were gonna be interviewed that day!!! So, I was questioned first- where do we live? how many people live there? who cooks the meals? --- anyway, when it comes his turn, I have to stand back out of hearing range and I see him fidgeting and laughing, and I am about to pass out because I have no idea what's gonna happen......................................... they finally approved the petition. When I asked him what kind of questions they asked, he said some of the same things- what are his favorite foods? when did we meet in person? how did we communicate while I was in USA? So, about the last question, how did we communicate while separated, he told me his answer was.......................*get this*..............."IN ENGLISH!!!" I about fell through the floor. " You have got to be kidding me!!! You really said that?!?! He should've threw the darn phone at you! If it weren't for the glass between you two, he probably would have!!! " He was so lucky that the guy was not in a bad mood!!! Can you believe that? How did you communicate with her? IN ENGLISH! I will never let him live it down. ((and for the record, it wasn't a misunderstanding, he was actually trying to be silly!!!)) ALSO- when I taught my husband the word "faucet", he taught me the word in Egyptian Arabic - "hanafayia" , and it was kind of hard for both of us to remember the word. Until............ that fateful day when we were talking about how normally there are no bidets in american bathrooms, and he says " I can't live without the azz faucet" I thought that was so cute! And now, the word is easier to remember. Lastly, husband's cuteness continues.............. (in my eyes anyway).............when we went to take passport pictures, and he noticed ****cause he's so observant**** that my passport is blue to match my eyes, and his passport is green just like his eyes! Don't you wanna puke? I know you do. It's ok. I almost threw up on that one myself. hahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-11 00:00:00
Middle East and North Africa	waiting it out...for AP	where would i check this? should i call uscis? That sounds good. Send an email or call the embassy. While you are in AP/AR, I don't think it makes much of a difference about your job. It made a difference for us because it is required to issue the visa. We still have AP/AR to look forward to. Not all countries have to have the affidavit in order to issue the visa. But, I believe it's required for Adjusting Status. As long as when you go to adjust status you have had a good job for about 6mos-1year, you should be fine. With a letter from your employer and past tax returns, they will be able to make a decision. Our interviewer said he was making an overall analysis based not just on my previous employment, but on what we would do when we got to the US. I would tell you to take the chance. Because it's definitely worth getting to know your SO in his country! I know there will be consequences when I get back to the states (re:job instability, outdated references, etc) but I have loved it. It might be worth checking into.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-10 23:25:00
Middle East and North Africa	waiting it out...for AP	I would have stayed over there with him for the whole visa process if I could have, but we didn't have a cosponsor, so I needed to have a job for the affidavit of support. I think you should go. Will you be able to get a job quick when you get back so that you're all set for AOS and the I-864? i do not have a co-sponsor but i am pretty confident i can get ANY job when we get back pretty quickly. i'm confused about the requirements though. i know the poverty level, etc...but do i have to show a steady job period for x amount of time? or just on my taxes that i've made over such amount? cuz for this year i've already made well above the poverty level (before my job ended last month) even though i am without a job now. help! Well, I voted yes. Even though neither of the options apply to me. I have been here since our marriage and I am not sure about the requirements in Morocco, but we were rejected at our interview because I didn't have current employment. I met the requirements for the past 3 tax years, but the interview was all about me living in Egypt since November and not having any continuing income. It seems like they are more worried about your current employment than anything else. I would check into the specifics about the income requirements, and definitely try to find a cosponsor as a backup. Sooooooo.......we are in the middle of getting a cosponsor right now. It's not as easy as I thought it would be. My family is all for helping us, but most of them don't qualify (too many kids, dependents, etc.). Our visa problem is a whole different kind of stress. We are not separated, but we still have a black cloud over us right now. If I can't find a cosponsor who qualifies, I will have to go back to USA without my husband to get a job. That is the one thing I never wanted to do. And even if I stay here, it is disheartening to think that I may have to wait one or two years (thanks a lot Cairo Embassy!) to see my nieces again. (they are growing so fast- my niece bawls on the webcam every time she sees me- it's hard) Good Luck to everyone.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-10 21:36:00
Middle East and North Africa	am i losing it or what??	That's understandable to not want to be limited especially during a short visit together. Is it true you are not supposed to smoke during the day either? I heard that. We smoked during our fasting time but we felt guilty about it even though it was allowed. Buuuuuuuuuuuuut, good news: we quit smoking 4 days ago!!!! No more cigarettes. I don't think he will give up the hookah, but we will see.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-12 21:39:00
Middle East and North Africa	am i losing it or what??	Well, we were fasting for the Christian Eid (*i guess it's called. it was so many days for Christmas, so many days for Mary, and I can't remember what all else*) and the rules are basically don't eat anything that comes from life. No eggs, meat, fish, milk, cheese, etc. That sounds simple , but it's really boring. I mean, I usually only eat about 1 meal and one snack per day, so I pretty much go 12 hours without eating. But, the whole NO CHOCOLATE, NO CAPPUCCINO, NO CHEESE thing was killing me. We went to church during all of the big prayers and we had a big feast on Easter night - at midnight! Everyone was soooo tired of eating the same thing every day. It's tradition to stuff yourself like a turkey at the end of the fast. Dee - No. We are not Muslim. I know the rules are different for Ramadan, that's why I wanted to know why it would be hard because I don't know what all you have to cut out. allousa - I'm so sorry about the Rock. Really. I thought about changing it, but can't bring myself to do it. Especially not since doodle said she thought he was my husband! I feel obligated to him now. hehehe I've been floating ever since that day. Is that a food or something? anyhoo I have to make up like 7 or 8 days of fasting before it starts and ain't no way no how I can fast while in Egypt so I guess I should just get used to the heat. Just curious, why can't you fast? Is it because you wanna enjoy the food while in Egypt? No it's because I wanna have sex while I"m in Egypt. Ok. I got it. So, during Ramadan you can't do it even after sundown?	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-12 21:14:00
Middle East and North Africa	am i losing it or what??	Is that a food or something? anyhoo I have to make up like 7 or 8 days of fasting before it starts and ain't no way no how I can fast while in Egypt so I guess I should just get used to the heat. Just curious, why can't you fast? Is it because you wanna enjoy the food while in Egypt? The reason I ask is because we fasted here for 55 days before Easter and it was pretty boring but it was doable. Fasting for us was a little different. We could eat during the day, but the only things we ate were ful, tamaiya, koshary, potatoes, and eggplant. Of course we ate a lot of fruits and vegetables, but everything else was soooooo blah! Especially after 55 days!!! The only thing I really missed was milk. Oh yeah, and I gained about 5 or 10 pounds from all the rice, macaroni, and potatoes.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-12 20:46:00
Middle East and North Africa	egypt phone problems?	I believe all mobiles in Egypt are pay as you go. Moh had never heard of contract plans like we have before I told him about it. Not all phones are prepaid. But, it is the most common and most convenient choice for the majority. My FIL has a contract, billed account. (He gets an itemized bill every month, but it's paid for through CIB where he works, so maybe that's the reason he was able to get it. I'm not sure. ) I don't know how hard it would be to open an account like that or how long you would have to sign a contract for, but it is just as cheap as the prepaid cards. His bill every month is like 80-100LE.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-13 13:11:00
Middle East and North Africa	egypt phone problems?	i have the same prob w/text msgs he receives mine, i dont receive his?? I had that problem before. I don't know why it does that. He used to use MSN and Yahoo to send me messages to my cell phone. Also, there are many free SMS websites for sending msgs to the US. Of course, they would have to be online to send the msg, and many times I know that they might not have access. But that system worked pretty good for us. Sometimes we couldn't send messages or make calls because we didn't have credit, or no internet, or whatever, we used missed call codes. 1 missed call to say I'm thinking about you, 2 missed calls to say I will be online within an hour, and 3 missed calls to say --pick up I actually need to talk to you. These helped us communicate. Instead of sending a msg just to say "I love you. I miss you. etc." 1 missed phone call would do the trick. It saved us money, too. I think the whole reason we started using this system was to save money. He never wanted me to pay for a message. And international messages *received or sent* for me were $0.25. He didn't want me to pay, so he would send them by Yahoo or Verizon and it would come out of my 250 msgs per month. Now, the connection is still a problem for us. We can't communicate with our family sometimes and it gets frustrating when the connection comes and goes and you can only talk for 2 minutes at a time.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-12 17:23:00
Middle East and North Africa	funny expressions	toys Do any of your SOs say feet or foot fingers instead of toes? Both my ex and Moh say that. "Fingers of your feet," yes. Maybe Arabic uses the same word for both. heheee. Yeah. Fingers and toes is the same word in Arabic. Just like in Spanish. Maybe in other languages, too. To distinguish, you can just say fingers of your feet or fingers of your hand. *in both languages, fingers is commonly understood to mean the fingers on your hand - the toes are secondary, they don't have their own name, therefore it becomes fingers of your foot. * Also, in Egyptian Arabic, the word for foot and leg is the same. So, like someone said earlier, any part of your leg or foot is called LEG. My knee hurts=My leg hurts, My calf hurts=My leg hurts, My foot hurts=My leg hurts............................................ it can get confusing.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-13 14:21:00
Middle East and North Africa	Congratulations Deemabrouk	I'm not sure if his phone will have service in Italy. My FIL has service when he's in Cyprus. I don't know if that means anything or not. Also, do you or anyone else know if the phones are compatible from Egypt to USA? We are thinking about selling his phone before we leave if we won't be able to use it there. I don't know if it will work or not.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-12 20:58:00
Middle East and North Africa	Congratulations Deemabrouk	Congratulations dee! Is he gonna talk to you during any layovers? On my way here, I had a 6 hour layover in Amsterdam. I wanted so badly to go and explore even if it was for 1 hour. I mean, when was I gonna be in Amsterdam again? But he was terrified! Anything could happen and I would miss my flight, I would get lost, I would get mugged. hehehe So, I sat at the Computer station and talked to him on MSN for about an hour. Same ol same ol. But it made him feel better. Good Luck! And, Friday the 13th is not unlucky! Our 8 month anniversary is today (tomorrow for u guys) and its a greaaaaaat day! I know we will have many of those Friday the 13th anniversaries over the years. And, now you will have that day to celebrate in the future so it can't ever be unlucky!!!!!	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-12 18:38:00
Middle East and North Africa	MENA: What is playing on your iPod?	ok who is alisia from lebanon and how do you spell that um kuthea chick from egypt? i just got a request to download some of their stuff. Alissa is a singer. I think I have a couple of songs by her. If not, I can give you the links. When I was in the states, I couldn't download some of my favorite songs from the Arabic music websites because I didn't have an Egyptian IP address. Now, I do!! Om Kalthoum is probably the most common spelling. But, Om can be spelled Um and Kalthoum can be Kalthum or Kalthom. We have a ton of her songs, and the files are about as big as a video file cause her songs are 50 minutes long. haha found her	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 17:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	MENA: What is playing on your iPod?	anyone have the el jassmy song Bahebek wahshteeny that would be willing to share? love that song....	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 17:29:00
Middle East and North Africa	MENA: What is playing on your iPod?	ok who is alisia from lebanon and how do you spell that um kuthea chick from egypt? i just got a request to download some of their stuff. Alissa is a singer. I think I have a couple of songs by her. If not, I can give you the links. When I was in the states, I couldn't download some of my favorite songs from the Arabic music websites because I didn't have an Egyptian IP address. Now, I do!! Om Kalthoum is probably the most common spelling. But, Om can be spelled Um and Kalthoum can be Kalthum or Kalthom. We have a ton of her songs, and the files are about as big as a video file cause her songs are 50 minutes long. haha	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 17:21:00
Middle East and North Africa	MENA: What is playing on your iPod?	Is there a site other than itunes that sells his songs? Itunes are not compatible with my mp3 player and walmart.com only sells one of his songs as does yahoo music. I want to get tamally maak. I can send you the song. Or I can upload it to a file sharing website and give you the link and you can download it from there. Whichever one you like. ATTN: melinda - im looking right now for the bahebak wahestiny song. let you know when i find it. i can do the same thing for that song	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 15:59:00
Middle East and North Africa	MENA: What is playing on your iPod?	Hey, has anybody heard the new Amr Diab?? We downloaded about 10 or 15 new songs from him the other day. He has a new album out. Here is a link to a preview of them, some of the songs on this vid suck, but 3 or 4 of them are becoming steady favorites.	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-14 23:30:00
Middle East and North Africa	MENA: What is playing on your iPod?	I just love Tamer Hosni. Have you heard his remixes with Shereen Houb? Great chemistry there! And his Nour 3eini is much better then Amr Diab's in my opinion I watched this video today!! Tamer- Noor 3eini	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-14 22:16:00
Middle East and North Africa	Something special for allousa!	I have something special for allousa. Does anybody wanna guess what it is? Ok so no joke, is THAT your husband this time? *ahem* No, that is not. He is Tamer Hosny. I thought I would post less revealing pics. real pics of hubby are here Oh my. Thank you. Jackie I second that, Jackie. Thank you allousa. Those pics are officially added to my repitoire *sp* . hehe	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 16:42:00
Middle East and North Africa	Something special for allousa!	Sure. Nobody wants to play. Or maybe everyone's asleep. I will play by myself then. I will post a clue/hint after she comes online (even though she's too smart to need one ) Is my boredom showing? **quickly lowers dress to cover exposed boredom and/or silliness**	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 03:41:00
Middle East and North Africa	Something special for allousa!	I have something special for allousa. Does anybody wanna guess what it is?	monnik	Not Telling	Egypt	2007-07-15 02:01:00