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zaytoona

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Posts posted by zaytoona

    Morocco - K1 visa denied - Now what? Help!

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    msheesha, we do communicate and in English; otherwise I wouldn't be looking at going for a third visit and to get married. I will be the first to admit that his English has much room for improvement as well as his overall communication. That is why I said we will be working on it. :blush: Any advice is appreciated.

    Zaytoona, if I remember right there wasn't much translating. :blink: The guy was very soft spoken and was even speaking English. We were both trying to figure out what he was saying and just had to go to where he was pointing. hahahaha. Thanks again for staying with me until we figured out my luggage did not arrive with me. :star:

    Yeah, between my Egyptian Arabic and few words in Darija, we made it out alive! I am glad everything went well!

    Morocco - K1 visa denied - Now what? Help!

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    Looking at what people have said on here and other posts we do have things the CO could consider as red flags.

    * weak proof of communication

    * he is a poor farmer

    * I have two kids

    * I am overweight. (there is no age difference, we were born in the same year)

    * his brother is here in the USA and I actually started talking to his sister-in-law before him.

    * maybe number of visits and time. Two visits 14 months apart. 3 weeks and 2.5 weeks each.

    Now our task is to strengthen the communication and the proof. It is in God's hands now.

    Krista, I believe we have met before...on the RAM flight from Amsterdam to Casablanca in July 2009. Your luggage was lost and I had to translate for you. Can this be the same Krista? If so, what a small world and I am very sorry for your denial. I always wondered what happened to you! If you need anything, please let me know!

    AOS APPROVED!

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    Today my hubby and I had our interview in Downtown, Los Angeles for his Adjustment of Status. We were interviewed for about 30-45 minutes in the same room together. Our interviewer was a young Armenian-American man and he was a little intimidating in the beginning but then loosened up in the end and was quite nice! He approved our petition and off we went. Alhamdullilah, we are done for two more years!

    Zaytoona

    How well do you know your MENA S/O?

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    <!--quoteo(post=2732125:date=Mar 12 2009, 02:36 PM:name=allousa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (allousa @ Mar 12 2009, 02:36 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2732125"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=2732104:date=Mar 12 2009, 02:33 PM:name=Astarte)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Astarte @ Mar 12 2009, 02:33 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=2732104"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->LOL @ allousa's comment about collecting stuff to be fixed at a later date. Mine does that, too! He has a box of old computer components and other electronic odds and ends that he plans on tinkering with at an undisclosed date.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I'm tellin' ya now girl....he won't EVER get to it!!!!

    When Hicham got stuck in Morocco and I had to sell the house, I got rid of ALL of that stuff. We have a nicer house now and I've LAID DOWN THE LAW that he's not junkin' up the house with all that ####### this time! <img src="http://www.visajourney.com/forums/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laughing.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laughing.gif" />

    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    HAHAHA it must be a Moroccan thing cuz he does that and so does my dad! It drives me insane <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wacko.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":wacko:" border="0" alt="wacko.gif" />

    Yes, must be a Moroccan thing!

    MENA nicknames

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    Zaytoona, 'm3afen' doesn't mean spoiled.. It means stinky :P

    Oh yeah, U have heard that translation also. I have had people say it means "spoiled", "smelly" "disgusting" and "dirty" so I guess my husband is all of these wrapped into one! I know it's not the nicest nickname but I think it's just TOOO funny! I'm a mean Zaytoona!

    I guess as far as a nickname given to me by my MENA friends/in-laws (from Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, etc.)I will always be known as "Zaytoona". It's been like this fior years. Forget about my real name of Olivia, I will always be a little Arabic olive to them all! :)

    MENA nicknames

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    Hmm.. I call Chrif: Squishy, Baby, Daddy, Honey, Smoochieface, and Specsy.. and he calls me Baby, Cheeks, Mommy, and Freckles ^_^ omg he'd kill me if he knew I posted this :rofl:

    That Moroccan of mine calls me "Moody" or "Moody Camel" or "Baby Moody Camel" or anything that has to do with "Moody". He says he loves when I'm in a bad mood. I call him "M3afen" which means "spoiled" in Arabic. I also call him " Ya Maghrebi!". I guess our terms if endearment are not that endearing....

    But wait!

    I call him "Jelly bean" when I'm in a good mood (go figure) and one time I called him "Baby Beluga" which is after a song about baby beluga whales. So he naturally didn't know what a Baby beluga was so he texted me one day saying "Baby Balloona!" which means basically meant "Baby Baloon". Thanks honey.

    Adjusting to America

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    I would say the Big 3 are;

    1) a job

    2) driver's license

    3) friends outside of you and your family

    Amen, sister. Your list is perfect! My husband had a rough few months but we are fine now. He became very depressed because he has to stay home all day while I'm at work. He feels bad that I am the bread winner right now but I assured him that everything will be fine until he gets his EAD. He has searched for volunteer opportunities but it seems nearly impossible to find something within a close range of our home. I feel really bad for him. I wish there was a significant Moroccan community in Los Angeles. If there was, at least he could meet some new friends and speak his native language. My advice is to be supportive, patient and try to find any activity for your new spouse use to kill time during the day.

    Good luck!

    Zaytoona

    Gift Suggestions (Morocco specific)

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted · Edited by zaytoona

    Hello!

    One thing my husband's friends and family LOVED was chocolate! I brought them Hawaiian macadamia nut chocolates and See's candies. I think they were fighting for them until the last piece was eaten. MENA cultures LOVE sweets because they are eaten with tea and coffee when guests comes over. Also, rather than giving individuals a box of chocolate, you can give a box or two per family to save some bucks. You can never go wrong with a box of chocolate :)

    Zaytoona

    Ramadan & overbearing WASP family

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    Anyway, Zaytoona, I really enjoyed hearing your story, and although I know this must be SUCH a painful situation for you, I am impressed that you can put a bit of a humorous spin on it! I feel a lot in common with what you and Meghan have said, and I've prayed for family harmony for both of you and will continue to do so. God willing, we'll all get through this and reach a day, someday!, when we can all practice our faiths openly and have our husbands and family love each other. Happy Ramadan!

    You know, I definitely have to put some serious comedy into this matter because I try to stay away from what is negative. Remember, things can always be worse. My mom and I both have a great sense of humor and we are both loud, so I think this was the best way to handle this situation for me. No matter what my mom thinks, I still express extreme love an gratitude towards her. I think the biggest thing my mom worries about is that she will lose her daughter. My husband seems to be a big threat to her right now and so did Islam. Time will only tell. Just have faith. :)

    Zaytoona

    I haven't posted in a while...but this thread really caught my attention...

    I have to say that I'm quite ashamed we are in the 21st century and some people are so opinionated that they want to impose their own views on others even though it's unrelated to the subject of discussion!

    Meghan started the thread to ask for advice from people who have been through a SIMILAR experience (with fasting Ramadan). She did not ask to know how a Christian family would act to their daughter marrying a Muslim man, nor she asked to hear a story about 'the ground-zero mosque'. Nobody is fit to speak for a whole religious group, sect, race, nationality, etc. Every individual should speak for him/herself and out of personal experience. Also, the collected articles and stories that are irrelevant to what the OP has asked shows deep shallowness and a need to take their whole depression out of an unsuccessful experience on a whole culture or a religion which is not right.

    Meghan, I have no advice for you more than, stand up for yourself and your personal choice. Your family is an important part of your life there's no doubt, but they will not live YOUR life for YOU. There's a difference between respecting your family's feelings and letting them interfere with your choices in life. It is their right that they should know what you have decided, and it is your job to convince them you have made the right decision and that you are happy.

    Good luck and I hope your family comes around and becomes more accepting of your choice! (F)

    Aya, you're such a sweetheart!

    Ramadan & overbearing WASP family

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    Asalaam Alaikom my brothers and sisters,

    Ramadan Mubarak to all and I hope your fasting is going well.

    I converted in to Islam in September 2005 and by far this was the best decision I have ever made. Alhamdullilah! I met some Muslim friends at work and they taught me a lot about Islam before I converted and from the beginning my my has been upset. I told my mom within a few weeks of converting and she felt heartbroken. True, she does not practice any particular religion but she did take my brother and I to church growing up. My mom gave me comments like "Islam oppresses women", "Muslim men beat their wives and locks them at home", "You will have no future", and so on. This is coming from a woman who has traveled the world and has a few Muslim friends. Sure, Islam is okay, but not work her daughter. Well, I have always been kind of defiant so I basically told my mom "I'm Muslim, it's my choice, and I will never change this for ANYone."

    She didn't like that very much but she has gotten better over the years. Every time I would pray she would look at me in disgust because she didn't like that I was wearing a veil. I told her that nuns, orthodox Jews and the Virgin Mary covered up so what's wrong with me doing the same? I also told her "Aren't you glad I'm not addicted to crack and roaming the streets of Hollywood as a prostitute?" She knows my life could be a lot worse and I remind her all the time. She didn't like that I was fasting but I told her to leave me alone and that I was going to fast no matter what. Oh, and every time she sends me an article about an honor killing or some negative propaganda about Islam, I certainly counterattack with the positive article and/or documentary about Islam.

    I think what pissed my mom off the most was when I married a Muslim man. She said in one last plea the other day "Why couldn't you have married an AMERICAN Muslim man?" So she went from "Don't be Muslim" to "Don't get married to a Muslim" to "Don't get married to a Muslim man unless he's American". You know, other than the fact that my mom refuses to meet my husband, I think we are making progress here!

    Meghan, hang in there and I am very proud you are fasting. If you want to wait until your fiance gets here then it's fine. Only you will know when you're ready.

    Zaytoona

    P.s. My brother converted to become a Jehovah's Witness last year and so did her sister (living in the same house as her) so I think we are becoming quite the family. I think my mom is occupied with dealing with that right now. She has one Jehovah's Witness as a child and one Muslim. Poor mama doesn't know what to do with herself..... :)

    Possible MENA issue at the consulate?

    in Middle East and North Africa

    Posted

    My family may just be crazy enough to say something outrageous to the embassy which may give us more grief.

    How likely would it be that the embassy calls my family? Even if my family does say something negative about our relationship, I am 24 years old and old enough to make a decision about who I want to marry, so why should it matter? Or could this be grounds for cancelling the visa?

    Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks. :blush:

    Hi Meghan,

    I apologize for your worries. I know this must be aggravating. I had the exact same thoughts as you did regarding the whole family issue. To put it lightly, if my mom could deport my husband off into another galaxy, she would do it in a heartbeat. Yes, presumingly that's her Louisianan blood coming out with true colors. I was so afraid the consulate might call my mother because I read an review where someone actually DID, to confirm information. This was from Casa so I think they are a little extreme and I highly doubt happen to you. That case had a lot of red flags and it sounds like you have a solid relationship and shouldn't worry.Just think, your amor will be coming home to you soon.

    God bless, Meghan. I will pray for you two.

    Zaytoona

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