Cultural shock.

In case you don’t know me quite well, I’m pretty an outgoing person. Very social and can’t live without people around me. I really love people :-) .

When I first arrived to the states, I thought it’s going to be quite easy for me to adjust, and the reason was easy; people here are just so simple.

At first, Me and Ibrahim ‘My hommie’  brought my Tabla, sat in front of our dorm, and started making some real music. We danced and got people from all over the place around us to dance with us and to make music with us ‘Patric, Molly, And Corri ’ The first people who were there. I started teaching them how to belly dance. I repeat; “”ME”" teaching people how to belly dance. but hey! I tried!

Anyway, my accent here at first sucked -big time-, I don’t really know why, But the “T” and the “R” sounds a bit funny when I say them.

but now things are going way better, I talk with black folks quite fluently and can understand like 80% of what they say.

I don’t miss a lot of things from back home, But things I miss, I do terribly. I cant tell you what it’s like, I just can tell you how I feel. It feels like a tornado joining a volcano. it hurts, but it grows me stronger. Things I don’t have a clue about keeps me wondering of the point my strength meets my limits, and if I’m ever gonna meet my limits. I will make the box, Live in it, and think outside the box.

In north Alabama, there are a lot of African Americans, I swear to god that when they stand next to me talking I understand “NOTHING!” even when I concentrate and want to understand them -Uh uh- doesnt work!  And a couple of situations happened to me while on campus, A car stopped next to me, and there were a black dude setting in the car, He asked me a question that I really understood NOTHING from, so I said ‘Umm, I’m sorry can you repeat what you said?” so he did, and asked him to repeat it another 2 times, and for the first time in my life, I really felt stupid after he and his friends in the car started laughing and talking to each other about ME while I was there in front of them and didnt understand NOTHING and then they just dove away.

I met some great people, they are christians -Some what religious-, and they are seriously nice to me. I really enjoy being around them, they are open minded. They accept that I believe in a different religion and respect that.

Joey, Is a 28 years old dude, he is quite religious, got a long beard, and a long hair, He works and studies a quite interesting major “Adventure and leadership management”; to be honest with you, I really think this guy is one of the best people I met till this moment. I will give him my Palestinian Hatta -One of the most precious things to my heart- and ask him to be a brother to me. Pretty mch as what Prophet Mohammad did with Al mohajereen and Al ansaar. ولكم في رسول الله أسوة حسنة

I met a girl from an Egyptian roots that has been living in the states her whole life now, Shereen. She’s smart, outrageous and one crazy chick.

And I met Kaylie-Nicol Watts she took me and Ibrahim to her family house, to Anniston , met her mother -Ann, her gramma -Nanni- she cooked us a very yummi chili, and her sister Keslie  -An artist- and her beautiful friend Laureen and the cuz -Zachary-, Kaylie cooked me brownies once, they weren’t terrible . I am glad I met Kaylie. really. one of the best I met so far.

My brother Ibrahim has been there for me in good and bad. He was there for me when I needed him, and he hates Himingway.

My brothers Tim and Yousef. My quitting smoking partners. -Amen.

Amani, and Haleema, the girls in my team. They are just awesome.

Allison, one blond girl, she went to Tunisia for 4-5 months and came back with an outstanding Arabic accent -some kinda very american Arabic accent? Imagine a an american chick talking in Tunisian accent! -yea..!- , connected to a lot of organizations and she takes ‘helping people’ as a passion. I like her sunglasses.

Tori, James, Tess, Danlie, Kendrek “Yo wutup Ko”, My room Mate “Way” and Angela his beautiful Chinese girlfriend, Melissa -The first Native American I meet, She’s a head of one of the tribes in the united states, Training them and keeping their culture-, Shelby, Travis, Ankit, Keyana, Ralph, Arielle, Rebecca , Laura, Fu you,  Beautiful Joy and her adorable kids, Lil mo! , Alison, Kelcy, Amber and lil sushi.

Yaseen, Chrissie, Shimby “Ibrahim’s room mate LOL”, Anas, Yisser, Becky, Kemal, Josh. And the woman at the Gass station.

I am sure I forgot A LOT of names… Please pardon me.

Without meeting all of these guys, I think I would be lonely eating French fries and crying.

I am glad I met you guys. You made my life whole lot easier. :)

P.s If you think that this post is a “kiss ass post, then fuck you too :) “.

Jilani