Went home for visit...and

[amal 4]

First off, Hi to all the new(er) members of MENA! Welcome!

My hubby had been in the states from December 2005 so he decided it was finally time to go back home for a while. (I don't care who u are...eventually even the hardest person missis their mama).

Anyway... He left on June 29th and will return on August 12th ensha'allah.

Most of u know how he and I have had our ups and downs since his arrival. U also have a fairly good idea of what kind of person he's been...So having said that...This is how his trip has gone so far...

He arrives at the airport to an entourage(sp) of about 100 people. He was traveling with his friend so they weren't all for him..but still..100 ppl..holy cow! He tells me..I now know that after flying, all u want to do is go to sleep and u don't want to talk to ANYONE about ANYTHING until you've bathed, slept, and eaten.

(amal 1 : hubster 0)

Drive from airport to his house...his cheeks are clenching the seat and his fingernails have left permanent indentions in the dashboard. He says "now I know why you were afraid of the driving here. I knew the driving was bad but after being in USA for 4 years, I really am afraid here. I won't even drive"....

(amal 2 : hubster 0 )

Gets home..has to use the bathroom....it kills his back and legs! He has grown accustomed to the American toilets (tyvm) and now realizes that it was not such a great idea to tell me "it's easier to use our toilets rather than the american style...its more natural"... Now he says that he doesn't know how he ever learned to use THEIRS and can't wait to have a nice comfy toilet to use when he gets back! (amal 3 : hubster 0 )

He has met with many people and also met with the hussein club (soccer) bigwigs. this has been a good time for him! He has gone to soccer games and just really had a good time. It's been great to relax and enjoy doing what he used to before he came here.

(amal 3 : hubster 1)

Everybody and their cousin...and their cousins camel ...has been to his home to visit him. Not only that but everybody and their cousin.....and their cousin's camel SMOKES INSIDE THE HOME... He now has expressed much appreciation for the fact that I go outside to smoke and now his chest hurts, eyes burn, feels stinky, etc all the time coz of the constant smoke in his family home.

(amal 4 : hubster 1)

all-in-all he's having a good time but has really seen the difference between Jordan and America now. He is not NEAR as biased as he was before going back. Before ...it was "in jordan, this" and 'in jordan, that" and "this is better in jordan because...." etc. He's now seeing that America's relaxed ways aren't so bad OR wrong. yay me!

(amal 5 : hubster 1)

He has gotten all sorts of small items to bring home like another set of tea glasses/gawa cups , a nice serving tray, some various other things that I've asked for! My next quest will be to convince him that our home is just not complete without an arabic speaking kitten from JOrdan residing in it lol!!!

(tea set, tray, other stuff = amal 20 : hubster's 2) gotta give him props for buying me cool stuff!

He calls me about every day and never fails to message me at night before bed to tell me good night. His morning calls are usually on my way to work and he says he just misses me and wants to say good morning. It feels great to be missed for once.

(amal 20 : hubster's 3) props for makin wifester feel good every day

So. this is how his trip home has been. It's been good for both of us to be away from each other. I mean, seriously...look at the scoreboard-I'm makin out like a bandit LMAOOOO

I hope all of u have a great day!

Amal

[Chica Yeyé 41]

yay sister!! Great to hear from you and to know the trip is being such a success!!!

[Mommy2ZaidnSalma 11]

Amal, I hear this alot from people who go back for the 1st time. I hope your and hubbys relationship only flourishes from here on out

[nurse1967 287]

Amal,

I am very pleased to see that your hubby's visit back home has done nothing but make him appreciate you more. That's awesome!!!

[amal 4]

thank you both. I really hope that his attitude remains in this place coz it's nice to finally have him see where I've been coming from all along.

[Nothing1234 2]

Amal

I'm so happy to hear that. What an amazing gift to have that time apart and only to return to his beautiful family and appreciate you all so much more. You deserve that babes!

HUGS and wishing you more and more blessings from his visit away!

[doodlebugg 10]

That was so funny Amal!!! I"m glad he's opening his eyes a bit but for sure there are pros to being there as well though right? The closeness of the people, the values, etc. Usama is going in the last week of Ramadan inshallah and although I'm sure he'll appreciate the american toilet, the lack of pollution, etc. I think he'll appreciate the other things there as well. Honestly I'm hoping this trip makes him get a very nice place there when we both go back since now he'll know what I'm used to!

[amal 4]

Oh yeah there are definitely good things too. He LOVES the family unity they are sharing! He loves the simplicity (but also hates it)

OHH OHH OHH I FORGOT A COUPLE!!!

Called the other day to apologize for trying to make me turn off the ceiling fan!!! From day 1 he always complained that the fan made him sick in summer and was absolutely obselete in winter. Nowwwww he's in mamas house with no air conditioner and is about to die! He has a small fan that he keeps on even tho his mother turns it off every time she walks by. He almost sleeps with 1 eye open coz they wait till he's sleeping and turn it off...then he starts sweating... LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I think it's hillarious!!!! He said he will no longer gripe about my fans and can't wait to feel the cool air moving again.

He said that no matter how many times he explains to them that he's "not dead" and has been in america under constant fans in both summer and winter....they still won't listen. I said to him "are you wondering how I didn't kill u in ur first year here..just due to ur lack of acceptance of my 2nd love in life..my fans" lol

and now he's thirsty a lot. He's used to goin to the fridge, stickin a tall glass in the door and getting fresh filtered and cold water at any given time of day/night. They tell him he drinks too much bahahahhaaaa. He is dying to get an iced tea made by yours truely :D:D *gloat*

oh, and of course sleeping with covers.... He is so hot there that he has started trying to shed the covers while sleeping. they will not allow it and keep covering him up so he "doesn't get sick"....he now says he'll never try to cover me up again lolll

He is having a very good time even with all the "issues'. I wouldn't mind living there myself but A/C would be an absolute MUST....if all we can afford is a tent, then our tent will be the coldest dang tent in the city lol!

and thx to u and nawal too

[AlHayatZween 2]

[morocco4ever 63]

OMG this made me laugh! Keeping score....

My hubby is going back at the end of this month and we have talked about how he is going to feel about things, and yes some of what you discussed.

First he tells me that I drive too slow. I drive 80 in a 65 and that is slow?

He says our meat isn't the same here since it is fresh there. I give him that one, although I really don't taste the difference personally.

When I was there in August I was dying from the heat and humidity and demanded that the fan be turned on. He would accommodate, but he would turn it off his first chance. Well sweety, you are now used to central air, so let's just see how that one goes.

What I feel bad about is that he is having a hard time here finding friends that have similar interests. And his friends there have all shown their true selves, so he is not so interested in seeing friends.

I wish I could go with him, but my work is having 5 mandatory shutdowns through out the year. I can't take those and then take a month off work as well. So we decided that he would go without me this time. I will be curious to see how long it takes (if at all) before he feels home sick for the US. I can't wait to see how he feels about USA vs Morocco then. It might change, it might not, but it will be interesting in the least.

He did tell me that when his sister went for a visit after many years she hated it and couldn't wait to come back here. It could be because her baby had a hard time adjusting, but I'm not sure if that was all of it.

And for my side. Chick flicks and girly time. Cook what I want for dinner, if anything at all. Leisurely swim every weekend, watch what I want on TV. Hey, I am not saying I won't miss him....I will. But I'm just going to make my lemonade with my lemons!

[Cheryl & Medo 3]

funny stuff girls. I just love your storys. And I'm all about that girl time.

[Staashi 371]

Amal! That is wonderful...I love how you won. Enjoy your time alone.

[amal 4]

lol girls!! M4E ur post made me lol hehehe

Yeah hubby is ready to come home. he's been there since jun 29 ... poor thing. I actually feel bad for him (in such a good way lol)

I found it particularly humorous that he is now getting eaten by mosquitoes and nobody else is. I say its coz he's been american-i-fied and is a big baby (that is what i told him) whereas his family is used to it and don't notice it quite as much.

He IS gonna get his teeth worked on while he's there so this is a plus! and he's gained about 10 pounds coz his family force feeds him at LEAST 3 times a day wether he wants to eat or not. For those of u who are wondering why this is a bad thing....my hubster only eats once a day... and even that's a struggle sometimes! so this has been very very good for him

[doodlebugg 10]

I know I'll be a blubbering fool when he leaves but that will be offset by the following luxuries:

eating chinese at LEAST once/week (he hates Chinese food)

having just macaroni for dinner

having just soup for dinner

Since he normally works double shifts on the weekends I get plenty of alone/girl time as it is so I won't be looking forward to that.

Amal did he get sick at all once he got there? I'm wondering if the change in water will make him sick since his system is used to our water.

[JSVP08 3]

wow i love mena stories..... whilst some went through a lot of hardship on adjustment process (like most i think) and come back on.... be a winner for sometime ...... i remember your story AMAL, and am so glad.... ur getting way ahead of the point system ..... i cant wait your hubby to be back to you....i can imagine the sweet success of a waiting happy wifey!

yiippeeee