Veiled Princess

I posted this in K-1 but wanted to put it here too... this morning I woke up to first a phone call giving me the details of my new job that I'll be starting on Monday inshallah and some good news about the pay for that then this in my email!!! I don't know how much more I can stand today before I fall over!!! I am crying so much this morning!!!!

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The following is the latest information on your case status

Receipt Number:

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status:

This case has been approved. On April 24, 2006, an approval notice was mailed. If 30 days have passed and you have not received this notice, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please speak to an Immigration Information Officer during business hours.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision or advice from USCIS within the projected processing time frame*, please contact the National Customer Service Center.

National Customer Service Center (800) 375-5283.

*The projected processing time frame can be found on the receipt notice that you received from the USCIS.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

Sooooooooooo, what's next? When will we know which embassy we're going through? Will we just get something from the embassy that has received it? And will this website keep updating to tell us where our case is (like if it's at the embassy) or am I done with this site? (USCIS site not VJ of course!)

I woke up this morning to this email....

*** DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS E-MAIL ***

The following is the latest information on your case status

Receipt Number:

Application Type: I129F , PETITION FOR FIANCE(E)

Current Status:

This case has been approved. On April 24, 2006, an approval notice was mailed. If 30 days have passed and you have not received this notice, you may wish to verify or update your address. To update your address, please speak to an Immigration Information Officer during business hours.

If you have questions or concerns about your application or the case status results listed above, or if you have not received a decision or advice from USCIS within the projected processing time frame*, please contact the National Customer Service Center.

National Customer Service Center (800) 375-5283.

*The projected processing time frame can be found on the receipt notice that you received from the USCIS.

*** Please do not respond to this e-mail message.

Sincerely,

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)

I am so HAPPY!!!

What's next?

LOLOL @ "Tell them to talk V-E-R-Y V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y, because you want to write down EVERY WORD."

Hey, i'll try this one next time! I think i might even ask them how you spell out one of the words they'll say..lolol

But u know, i always want to get off the phone with them so bad that i'm not sure i'd want to play around with them..

Here's funny stories.. I had learned how to say "yes" in Indian.. They say "jee".. So one day, when i was living with my family, some indian telemarketer guy called with a heavy accent. So i decided to play around with him.. At the beginning, he spoke "english", but then as soon as i said "jee", he started to speak his language.. And so i decided to increase my "jee's" and i also added excitement to my voice! I didn't know what the hell he was saying, but it was alot of fun just saying "Yesss! JEeeeee, jee! Oh jeeee! Jjeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!" lol

Funny thing is, his excitement was mounting with mine! hahahah

Another time, some other indian guy called us, and my mum picked up. So when she heard he was indian and couldn't understand what he was trying to sell, she just told him straight off "Wrong number!".... So he said "M'am, how do you know its wrong #??" , And so she just flat out said "BEcause i don't know anybody indian!" lololol I don't know what had gotten into my mum that day! lolol

So we go shopping today and as I looked at clothes, it was a challenge to find things for summer that did not show cleavage or be too tight. Dressing modestly and still being stylish is not easy. I have to wear business casual at work so I usually combine a loose jacket with black pants. Today I bought a shorter sleeved jacket so my butt is still covered.

It's the same here... with shirts that have a low cut neckline I usually wear one of my longer hijabs and either arrange it so it comes past that aread or tuck it in the neckline to cover that part. My favorite, simple style is to pin it just under my chind and then tie the ends together in the front... I just leave it hanging that way if the shirt is too low. I have NO luck with pants at all.... I am more than BLESSED in the rear section so no matter what kind of pants I wear they hug my backside.. I just stick with skirts for this reason. I like to wear the summer dresses with a long sleeve shirt and a pair of pants beneath it too. What kind of jackets do you get that you don't burn up in the summer months? I'm supposed to start a new job this week, inshallah, and I really need to get my business casual clothes up to date. Also, working in a business casual environment, how do you wear your hijab (if you wear it at all)?

My husband learned the scariest way about weather warnings here. Every first wednesday of the month we have weather alerts and they sound the sirens, so when that happen he runs out of the house thinking it's an earthquake because that is only time they sound the sirens in his country. So he's standing outside of the house and he noticed nobody else is out and the earth is not moving, so he goes in and calls me at work and ask me what happen. LOL

I told him during the summer months we have tornado warnings and it for severe weather..

too bad u didn't get that on video... that will be a GREAT story for the grandkids one day! I would probably have done the same thing if it would have been me though... if I ever heard a siren going off I would FREAK out!!

I have decided not to go anywhere. I have been a member of VisaJourney since 2003. If our Prophet Mohammed pbuh had turned and ran when faced with adversary, we would not have this great religion of Islam as it is today.

I am staying and if I feel like posting Quran all day and night, so be it. By suggesting I stop will only encourage me to do it more. I don't object to anyone on VJ posting bible passages. We can all learn from each other.

So there, fuzzy kitties for everyone.

Jackie

Jackie, don't go... I completely agree with you. When others here are ragging on things in Islam (in this case particularly the dress code) then we should be expected to respond to those posts. Don't trash talk our ways and then whine about it when we defend it!

We are all here for the same reason, for help and support in getting our loved ones with us! If you don't want to hear our religious beliefs then don't bring them up! It's very simple.

It's pretty easy to see that when you're dealing with predominately muslim countries that the cultures of those countries will be affected by the majority. Thus, since it is assumed that the conservative dress and behavior of men and women in those countries originated from Islam, it is viewed as an attack on the religion when you make snide comments about "oppressed women" or whatever else.

crazyinegypt--"NEVER would I lower my gaze to anyone. I am women hear me roar!"

It is deffinitely your right to have whatever opinion you choose.

JP--" if you don't agree with something don't respond to it, skip it over completely."Good advice... for ALL of us

Fuzzness--"I've been reading this thread with great interest. maybe i missed a few things on the way.

what exactly is the purpose of the hijab? to hide a woman's beauty so men won't lust at her? what does that say for the man, that he can't control her or if the woman is sexually assaulted it's her fault?

and what about wearing a hijab for the purpose of wanting people to think shes a good girl? is that not the wrong reason for wearing it?"

The reason for wearing it is simple... because it is commanded by God in our religion. His reasons for commanding this may very well be to protect us from the lusts of men but could also have other reasons as well... how about from jealousy? or skin cancer? It is not for us to question WHY we are commanded to do certain things but for us to trust that it is in our best interest and follow the command. And no one is saying if a woman is assaulted that it is her fault... how about avoiding the action in the first place instead of waiting until after the action has occured and then placing blame?

More Advice From Women To Men....

1. The reason why our bras don't always match our underwear is because WE actually change our underwear.

2. The next time you and your buddies joke about armed women in combat, take a poll to see which of you successfully aim at the toilet rim.

3. If we're watching football with you--it's not bonding--it's their butts.

4. Whenever possible, please try to say whatever you have to say after the movie.

5. Please don't drive when you're not driving.

6. Lay off the beans several hours before bedtime.

7. If you were really looking for an honest answer, you wouldn't ask in bed.

8. The next time you joke about female drivers, research the number of accidents caused by rubber-necking mini-skirts.

9. If only women gossip, how do you and your friends keep track of "who's easy"?

10. Stop telling us most male strippers are gay: we don't care.

11. When you're not around, I belch loudly, too.

12. We don't mind if you look in the mirror to check your appearance -- in fact -- please do !!!

13. When you're out with us, please wear "our" favorite outfit rather than "yours" -- the torn jeans and dirty T-Shirt will last longer that way.

14. If you must grunt in reply, please develop a system to indicate a positive vs a negative grunt.

15. Don't insist that we "get off the damn phone" and then not talk to us.

16. Eye contact is best established above our shoulder-level.

17. Cleaning the house is not necessarily "women's work"; besides, most of the "dirt" and clutter is yours anyway.

18. Yes, we know most of the great chefs are men, why is it then you never want to cook?

19. We go to the Ladies Room in groups to talk about you.

20. Yes, we know you can probably beat us arm wrestling; however, very few praises or promotions were gained by arm wrestling the boss.

Mabrook!!!!!! I'm so happy for you!

Mabrook!!! and good luck on the interview!

HI Everyone!

Layla, it looks like you been here a while now and I never talked to you before...have you been to Libya? My husband worked in Libya for 7 months last year and I was too chicken to visit him there. (I had him come out and meet me in Egypt since it was just a bus ride for him) Now that he isn't there and will likely never be again I sometimes wonder if I missed out on a really cool experience.

If you did then so did I because I made Yousuf meet me in Egypt as well

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but I can't see myself visiting any country that does not have a US embassy. It just seems very scary to me.

I have seen pics of Libya and it looks nice though. Honestly it was only the lack of an American embassy that stopped me from going there. I would have loved to meet his family in person and hopefully one day I'll work up the courage (or they'll just open a new embassy and save me the trouble) and go there and meet everyone and see exactly where my habib is coming from

Mabrook!!!!!

Just_waiting I'm sorry if I offended you. It certainly was not my intention. Like honeyblonde said I was "just supporting MY opinion" about it.

"The only issue with this is that there are soooooo many versions of the bible Its not in all of them."

It is in all of the 13 versions I have but I know there are many other versions of the bible

I too get terribly offended when it sounds as if someone is attacking my religion and that is why I respond to such posts.... to defend my faith.

I guess that means we're actually becoming friends since if it was just a bunch of strangers we wouldn't care so much what they thought, right?

I don't want to get into the Hijab wars either. It is personal choice. I spoke at length with a sheikh about this issues and nowhere in the quran is it stated specifically that a woman MUST cover her hair. This was a cultural practice that extended back before the time of Islam. The quran states that women (as well as men) should dress with modesty particularly in public. Because covering the hair was already a cultural practice it eventually became adopted as a public symbol that you were a "good girl".

I do understand its philosophy, I respect it, and I am in no way belittling the use of it. It is not an implement of control or anything else other then what the wearer makes it for themself.

Ok prepare yourselves I'm quoting from the Quran again but it'll even out after I quote from the bible later in this post

24.31 And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty ....

Ok just_waiting, read the bolded part and think about this... in that time the jewish and christian woman already wore veils over their heads (it wasn't until more recently that they stopped this act) so this verse is going one step further and telling us (muslim women... all others can disregard) that we should pull the veils that are already over our heads around our bodies to cover our bosoms/chest. I hope that makes sense and clarifies that it is required to cover your hair in Islam.

JP, it does state in the Bible in Corithians that one's head should be covered upon entering and praying in the church. I can find it for you if you'd like. But off the hijab, head dress, etc. subject, 4 more months till my husband has interview date. Hate to see time move so fast since time in a way is valuable since we are all getting older, but I want my HUSBAND!

Ok well to chruch yes, but on a daily basis no. I'm actually supposed to wear one in my church as well but no one does it anymore. My friend is Assyrian and she has to wear it, they actually have spare scarves at the enterence of the church incase you forgot yours.

JP, bare with me and you'll understand why a woman covering her head is required in Christianity at all times ok?

(1Co 11:5) But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.

(1Co 11:6) For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.

Ok notice in the above verses it is a requirement for a woman to cover her head at any time she is praying or prophesying. I don't really understand the point of making it a requirement to prophesy since fortunetelling is forbidden in the bible but that's another poste for another day

Anyway, back to the point... it does not specify in a church it says "that prayeth". Also some people like to translate this verse to mean that her hair is what covers her head but that's why I posted the verse after it so I could point out that not having your head covered is the same as being shaved... it also says that IF you don't cover your head you should shave your hair off... therefore it is obvious that it's not talking about covering your head with your hair since if you weren't doing that then you would already be shaved and this would be a moot point.

Next verse...

(Rom 12:12) Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

In another translation that last part is translated as "at all times given to prayer" which means a christian is supposed to be in a constant state of prayer.

Well, if you're in a constant state of prayer and supposed to have your hair covered to pray then it stands to reason that your hair should ALWAYS be covered

Anyway I think this is where ainfante might have been coming from.

I would also like to point out that the veil is mentioned in the bible in both OT and NT and it is pretty safe to assume that "hijab" was started by the jews and later the christians and then passed down to the muslims.

Have a safe and happy trip!!!! I'm glad you get to spend so much time with your man... though I have to admit I am more than a little jealous I wish I could afford to fly to see Yousuf again sometime soon. I am starting a new job next week that pays OK so maybe I'll be able to visit him again after some time if he's not already here by then, inshallah. Anyway, have a great time!!!!

ummm.... my name is Layla or more appopriately ليلي

Just Kidding...

Thanks for the apology honeyblonde but it was not necessary... I think I already explained why I posted from the Quran and to whom it was directed. I am well aware that not everyone here is muslim

I do agree with vanillabean that it seems that anyone who has a more conservative view gets "disagreements" hoisted at them rather freely.

Iceyspots????? Why were you laughing at the Libyan flag????

Brother Dean and I were talking about it too...

Sister Welshcookie.... PLEASE CHANGE IT!!! I have thumb prints all over my screen from trying to squash it, and brother dean used up a whole can of bug spray!!!!

You are driving us crazy!!!

That thing looks HUGE on my screen... I wouldn't dare try to squash anything that big!!! Tried to shoo it away on a different thread though

Nice topic I found it so interesting the way that people just continuously learn about different things.

One of the first thing my husband had to explain to me was kinda silly. It was our first weekend together here and neither one of us felt like cooking so I said "Why don't we just call McDonald, I want fish filet" His reaction was "Honey, it's not like back home" LOL That's my first of many lesson that McDonald doesn't deliver in the States. I was so used of just picking up the phone and have just about everything deliver.

Also the measurement things kinda confuse me at first especially since I'm so used of using metrics. Now I keep a measurement charts of just about everything by the fridge. That helps a lot!

Thanks God my husband always try his best to answer all my "Why's, How's" questions coz he knows sometimes I ask too much questions and won't stop until I understand it. He will do the same too tho' like asking me questions what this or that mean in my native language

I had the oposite reaction to this very thing in Egypt... to think we could just pick up the phone and have McDonalds or any other fast food delivered was a trip to me.... that and the fact that none of those restaurants had drive thrus!!!

I also cant figure out why the tax isnt already considered into the main price you see on the shelves. I've been here 4 years and still ask WHY at least once a week!!!!

OK this is like the tenth time I've seen this mentioned in this thread so here comes "the dumb American".... Do they do that in other countries?????? Add it in to the price on the shelf I mean?????

Hmm.. I didnt really get it, but yeah Okay lol

It's OK... I read it to someone today and had to explain it step by step to them so you're not the only one ...

"Why are people so stupid???" I find myself asking this question a LOT

you can't fix stupid

I love Ron White "Tater Salad"

Congrats!!! I got a job this week too!!! must be the week for it!

no different than seeing the parking lot of the food stamp office lined with mercedes and bmw's