Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Middle East and North Africa	Cultural differences and Weddings	QUOTE (TamaraLovesAdam @ Jun 15 2009, 02:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (AlHayatZween @ Jun 15 2009, 11:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (TamaraLovesAdam @ Jun 15 2009, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> There is good, bad and ugly in every country and in every family. This is the truth!! i know... I was thinking about my own family and who is the good, the bad and ugly! lol me, too!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-15 10:09:00
Middle East and North Africa	Cultural differences and Weddings	QUOTE (TamaraLovesAdam @ Jun 15 2009, 02:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> There is good, bad and ugly in every country and in every family. This is the truth!!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-15 10:07:00
Middle East and North Africa	Cultural differences and Weddings	QUOTE (trinket @ Jun 15 2009, 01:44 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I would suck it up too, plus you get to wear nice dresses. Its one time thing, seriously the whole hoopla about wedding is to show case to others, so why not enjoy the good dress, good food and loads of gifts Yes, and if Lebanon is anything like Morocco, you get to wear 2 or 3 really cool dresses! And henna... woo-hoo!!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-15 09:45:00
Middle East and North Africa	Cultural differences and Weddings	Agree with what Milo posted... Family, culture, tradition is huge... Individuality, not so much. While it will be overwhelming and not what you envisioned, you can always do something more your own style when you get back to the US. Plus, it will make for a good story and an adventure. Good luck! hz	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-15 09:43:00
Middle East and North Africa	Maids and Nannies in ME	interesting read... shukran!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-18 09:28:00
Middle East and North Africa	Maids and Nannies in ME	i used to do a lot of housework. Mrs. Clean! Mrs. Clean! then i got tired...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-17 09:37:00
Middle East and North Africa	Maids and Nannies in ME	QUOTE (TamaraLovesAdam @ Jun 17 2009, 01:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (humpkinpumpkin @ Jun 17 2009, 08:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Is it so she'll have more energy in the bedroom? that couldnt be, or else none of the wives would do the housework, bcz the men would make sure it gets done! if it is, then we are getting a maid!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-17 09:05:00
Middle East and North Africa	Maids and Nannies in ME	QUOTE (Sofiyya @ Jun 17 2009, 02:50 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE i want to know. I appreciate that, sis, and I am willing to tell, but in light of how so much of what I reveal about Islamic law brings on contention and anger on the MENA board, please allow me to wait until I get more than one request for the information. I'm so over being viewed as an unwelcome thorn on this board re topics about Islam. Tell tell!!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-17 09:03:00
Middle East and North Africa	Tatoo Discussion	QUOTE (just_Jackie @ Jun 10 2009, 08:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't cover my ears when I hear music and I don't put on blinders when I see Matthew McConoughy's six-pack)	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-10 17:05:00
Middle East and North Africa	Tatoo Discussion	QUOTE (Melly 2 @ Jun 10 2009, 04:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> It seems my way with words isn't always so great, though I always mean things in the best way, when it comes to Islam. I just need to learn a better way to say them. Well shoot, a lot of us could use a lesson in that.... i must have missed the other tattoo discussion.	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-10 11:57:00
Middle East and North Africa	Tatoo Discussion	QUOTE (Melly 2 @ Jun 10 2009, 04:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm glad someone else said it. Last time we had a discussion on tattoos here in the MENA section, I stated it and got bitched at for it. Sorry to hear you got bitched at... Yes, generally not accepted in Islam... Edited by AlHayatZween, 10 June 2009 - 11:52 AM.	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-10 11:51:00
Middle East and North Africa	Tatoo Discussion	Yes, some big ones on my back... Husband & family are not amused, but hey, we only live once! Ooops... sorry, i let the skeletons peep out...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-10 10:56:00
Middle East and North Africa	Islam and Chicken Marsala	QUOTE Best Answer - Chosen by Voters Use apple juice in place of white wines. Use cranberry juice in place of red wines. Thanks! i have been experimenting w/ different recipes! No...no... cooking w/ wine or wine vinegars in our house... But there's definitely ways to adapt recipes. Chicken marsala is one... turkey tetrazzini... give it a shot...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-18 11:43:00
Middle East and North Africa	Are Muslims in America Unfriendly?	QUOTE (AlHayatZween @ Jun 26 2009, 05:46 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> i try to salaam everybody... but not everyone salaams back. i think it varies 50/50, but i do get annoyed sometimes when i get no response. i feel the same way with "hellos" and "good mornings" etc... Sorry, i would like to qualify my statement as well... i don't care if a man doesn't Salaam back (either in the US or in other countries)... i assume it is a hashem thing. But no excuse for the ladies! Hellos & Good mornings--at least in this country--i get annoyed when the person doesn't respond, be it male or female. It doesn't cost anything to be polite!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-26 14:11:00
Middle East and North Africa	Are Muslims in America Unfriendly?	i try to salaam everybody... but not everyone salaams back. i think it varies 50/50, but i do get annoyed sometimes when i get no response. i feel the same way with "hellos" and "good mornings" etc...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-26 13:46:00
Middle East and North Africa	Magic Jack	Thanks! So we don't need regular phone service, then?	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-05-20 11:36:00
Middle East and North Africa	Magic Jack	Quick question: Do you actually need phone service as well here in the US? Or do you use the computer as your phone...? i mean to say... you would need a computer connection (dsl or cable), but would you need separate phone service as well?	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-05-20 10:29:00
Middle East and North Africa	Guess its my turn to share my bad news		AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-07-10 12:41:00
Middle East and North Africa	Mail to Morocco	Salaam, i think if you just write Sale you should be fine. regular mail is hit or miss. but if you send it to a place of business or employment, you may have more luck? anything really important, it's worth the extra dollars to send via DHL or FedEx. good luck! hz	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-07-01 09:19:00
Middle East and North Africa	Arab American Demographics	Very cool info... Yes, in the neigborhood i live in now, most of the Arabs are either Jewish or Christian from Syria & Egypt...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-07-16 15:45:00
Middle East and North Africa	I lost my husband today	Henna, I am so shocked and sorry to hear this. You have all our thoughts and our prayers. May Allah guide you.	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2008-07-28 08:48:00
Middle East and North Africa	CASABLANCA INTERVIEW advice...	Well, it sounds like you are good to go. Just make sure she has all her correct paperwork & documents. Pictures help, too! Can't help you much about the certificate... but maybe someone here who has converted there and can help you out more with that one... It's definitely not a "requirement" for US visa...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-15 13:39:00
Middle East and North Africa	CASABLANCA INTERVIEW advice...	Sounds like you have your bases covered... Just try to be prepared as possible. Throw in everything that you can think of as evidence... passport stamps, hotel slips, bus tickets, photos together, etc... You'll probably be over-prepared, but that's the way to do it. Also, did you receive some kind of certificate that you converted? That may be helpful as well... Good luck!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-06-15 09:21:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	QUOTE (doodlebugg @ Aug 20 2009, 12:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> That's a lot of effort for a part time job, and counsel cost $$$$$. My husband's boss told him several times that he hates muslims. He constantly puts him in the section that has the least amount of action in the restaurant and berates him every chance he gets. We won't do a thing because counsel cost $$$$$$ and in the end they'd just find a stupid reason to get rid of him. That's the problem with a lot of these laws. It's great in theory that they're on the books but they're not that enforceable unless you have time, $$$, and another job already lined up. DB, that is terrible & sorry to hear it is so rough. Hope he finds another job soon!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-20 21:55:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	Indeed, Sister Len did some PI work of her own. Many thanks for that! Yes, i agree it's a lot of paperwork to process, and i have no idea of the legal specifics, but will definitely read up on Rebeccajo's websites, just because it would be important to know all that stuff in any event. i think he has the job pending the criminal background check, which they do require of all employees. He interviewed and gave him his state dl and ss card and green card for the I9, because i think they made him fill out the I9 on the spot. i think he gave them everything because he is so super self-conscious (for better or for worse) that people know he's here legally to work. i agree, all the other documents for the background check seems excessive, but i think they do it to check his criminal background in Morocco... same as they would check mine in New Jersey, i guess, if i applied for the same job? Now, i'm just curious to see if their private agency completes criminal background checks in Morocco faster than the State Department. But in any event, thanks for all the good advice. i'll let you know how it goes!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-20 21:14:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	QUOTE (chaishai @ Aug 19 2009, 11:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I can tell you as someone who hires - that its a process I have no visibility to - I have never seen anyone fail - we just wait for the all clear and then we can hire. I guess what I am trying to say is the actual boss who would be hiring likely doesn't understand or care about the process, its just corporate bureaucracy. So if he is clean then there is nothing to worry about. Reminds me of college - many major companies in my neighboring city would hire interns and they would all do drug tests and criminal checks. I think this earthy food coop on the college campus did the majority of their sales from selling goldenseal to college kids trying to remove traces of pot from their system lol! Anyway its completely normal and I have to sit around after I find a good candidate and wait a week or so for the background check, its annoying, but I get it. Yeah... my husband also brought up the good point that maybe they just want to double check how he entered the country and make sure there were no red flags. Fair enough... Here's hoping he actually gets the work. Job market is dog eat dog these days.	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-19 19:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	QUOTE (doodlebugg @ Aug 19 2009, 08:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Right, but I was saying if you have LESS than 15 then it's all good? I just don't get why they have to have a limit or a minimum. Discrimination should be illegal regardless of how many employees you have. It does beg the question... And yes, Baton Rouge is very different from New York!! QUOTE (*Len* @ Aug 19 2009, 08:29 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Criminal and credit checks are usual in higher education for pretty much any position. But I have NEVER heard of such an extensive thing. sister ALHayat, PM me the school. Dear Sister Len, sent you a PM... i like your new avatar...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-19 16:53:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	QUOTE (chaishai @ Aug 19 2009, 08:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> my company does external criminal background checks on everyone that we hire. it may seem excessive for a job in a parking garage, however it is a parking garage in a university and it is probably the university policy to do background checks before hires. those background checks would require all of the visa, passports, etc. edited to say that my companies background checks would extend to wherever the applicant lived prior to the US, and is done for immigrants as well as citizens. part of that would be making sure legal to be in the US, legal coming and going, in good standing etc. Thanks, this makes me feel a little bit better. Yes, it is a public university, and they do background checks on all hires. i think they hire a private/external agency to do the checks, it just took me off-guard. i took her his passport & the I-94, and then she said she wanted a copy of the visa, too. i double-checked to make sure she understood he was a permanent resident with legal status and authorization to work. She said she knew, but "they" needed all these things to do the background check. i guess i am just paranoid that every time someone digs into his nebulous file there is a greater chance someone will make a mistake or they'll misinterpret his immigrant status. Anyway, it's done now... Hope they actually hire him! He's having a lot of trouble adjusting down here, so hopefully even a little part-time gig might make him happy until he finds something better... Thanks everybody! Will let you know how it works out...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-19 16:47:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	Indeed, seems a bit much. No they didn't ask for all these documents initially... just the basics we all have to present for the I-9 identity form. i think he had his work permit in his wallet with him, and he gave that to them in addition to the green card and ss card and DL, just as like an extra form of ID. i'm going to give her the I-94 now, and just re-iterate that his is already a permanent resident... i don't know, i'm completely confused. Thanks everybody!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-19 13:05:00
Middle East and North Africa	Suspicious about Background Check	Salaam all! i know it has been a while. we recently moved to Baton Rouge, so i have been out of touch adjusting to the new place and stuff. a quick question & scenario. my husband, who now has his 2-year green card recently applied for a part-time job at the state university down here. they gave him a temporary okay, but they said they would have to do a background check... which is normal. we gave them his green card, working permit, driver's license, social security, and filled out a bunch of papers. fine. two days later they e-mailed him saying they needed him to fill out more forms to do a criminal background check in Morocco through a private agency. is this weird? i've never heard of this. they asked for a copy of his passport & carte national. is this normal for background checks when one already has a green card? in any event, we gave them what they asked for... but then they told us they needed a copy of his I-94 card in his passport. we have given them all the other stuff already, it just seems a bit much... am i just ignorant of what they need to process his papers? this is for a part-time job in a parking lot... i'm going to bring the woman the I-94, but my concern is that all his visa papers & the stamp on the I-94 are expired as he came on a K1 visa over a year ago. we adjusted status, got the green card, did everything we are supposed to do... but what if they think he's out of status? what if they think he's here illegally because they don't understand that he's now a permanent resident? anyone else experienced this? thanks, hz	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-19 12:51:00
Middle East and North Africa	Went home for visit...and		AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-07-16 15:21:00
Middle East and North Africa	Trash in Morocco	QUOTE (doodlebugg @ Aug 19 2009, 05:03 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (SGroovy @ Aug 19 2009, 12:48 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> bla bla bla moroccan this moroccan that! muslim this muslim that! fed up with this #######... get a grip!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-19 17:00:00
Middle East and North Africa	ARE MOROCCAN MARRIAGES RECOGNIZED & LEGAL IN U.S.A. ???	QUOTE (jomegared @ Aug 31 2009, 06:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yeah, I think we are just going to do a civil here when she gets here to satisfy the visa requirements and then go to Morocco next summer to satisfy the Moroccan requirements. Ugh....so complicated, lol. Thanks! Yeah, it can be quite a runaround... If you find out any new info from the consulate or elsewhere, please let us know!! In the meantime, enjoy & good luck!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-09-01 22:54:00
Middle East and North Africa	ARE MOROCCAN MARRIAGES RECOGNIZED & LEGAL IN U.S.A. ???	QUOTE (jomegared @ Aug 29 2009, 11:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Sofiyya @ Aug 29 2009, 03:59 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Oh, PS. I see that she is planning to come to the US to marry you, but you have already started the K1. Be very careful. If she comes on a tourist visa, and marries you while here, and you still have a K1 outstanding, that could very well cause problems for you in the immigration process later. Yeah we know. We both decided that she would not attempt coming on a tourist visa. We want to do everything by the book, and we are going to wait for the K1 to complete before she attempts to come. Also that is why I was posting here, to see if anyone has had a marriage performed by an adoul in the US and it carried over to be legally recognized in Morocco. None yet however. Yes, we have been dealing with this for months. The rules have recently changed and are still unclear to me. If you have a civil marriage here in the US, in order for it to be recognized in Morocco, you must also be married either in a mosque or with two Muslim witnesses. You send your civil US marriage certificate, along with whatever you get from the mosque to the consulate to be notarized. i can't remember, but either you or the consulate then forwards (or you can bring them if you are traveling) these documents to Morocco for the marriage to be recognized over there as well. The consulate no longer recognizes marriages. The documents have to be sent to Morocco to be processed. i'm a little sketchy as to how it all works, but this is the information i was last given when i asked the consulate in the spring. If anyone has any new info, please share.... If i had to do it all over again, i probably would have gotten my marriage license from the state of NY, then gotten married in a mosque here, and then had the officiate send the marriage license to city hall to get the US marriage certificate, and then send all of the above to the consulate for notarization. Because we didn't do this, we are going to try and do what you suggested and carry all our documents over to Morocco when we travel and try our luck there... but i have no idea if it will work... Good luck!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-30 10:47:00
Middle East and North Africa	Martiniolive is now "Olive~"	Olive is cool.	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-09-05 09:41:00
Middle East and North Africa	In-law probs	QUOTE (Sofiyya @ Sep 14 2009, 07:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm surprised that she was able to leave the UAE to come to you, but not at all surprised that her family will do anything to force her back. We discussed this before, Denny, and I warned you that she was being reckless in light of the laws there. The UAE will never recognize her marriage to a non-Muslim, and, if she goes back, she may likely be in danger. You need a human rights lawyer who is specifly knowledgable with the UAE to get asylum for her. I doubt you can fix this any other way. Unfortunately, she may still be in danger here,too. Agreed. So sorry to hear about your situation, but it sounds pretty dangerous. A human rights lawyer may be the way to go...	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-09-15 21:59:00
Middle East and North Africa	Ramadan 2009	!!????? ??????? ????	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-08-22 08:41:00
Middle East and North Africa	Wow ! No Interview ! Removal Complete !		AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-10-06 00:04:00
Middle East and North Africa	Questions Questions Questions in the Interview!	QUOTE (JeanneVictoria @ Sep 13 2009, 03:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I don't think it's so much of asking "trick" questions. It is knowing if you have a bona fide relationship. If you have a true relationship, then questions shouldn't be difficult for you or your SO to answer. Agreed. i don't think there are trick questions, but if you and your SO have any notable red flags--i.e., a large difference in age; or you've previously petitioned for someone in Morocco--just be prepared to talk openly and honestly about them.	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-09-14 09:14:00
Middle East and North Africa	Questions Questions Questions in the Interview!	Shoot, there is a big long list of practice questions somewhere in this forum, but i can't find them......... Good luck!	AlHayatZween	Not Telling	Morocco	2009-09-13 10:28:00