1 week living in Saudi Arabia

Today marks 1 week since I have been living here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and there are so many things that I have been amazed about and things that has made me raise an eyebrow...

I think for any Muslim it should be an honor to live in a Muslim country it truly is an amazing experience, for 1. to hear the Athan for every prayer, 2.being able to hear the qur'an being recited throughout the city

 during the prayers is honestly so beautiful and for me so soothing, what better way of keeping the shaytan (satan) away then hearing the words of Allah.  I know that some say well couldn't you have moved to places in America that provided these things? well firstly that I know of there are 1 place that I know of that does the athan out loud and there still being temptation all around you it sometimes makes it difficult. as for me I lived in communities that had a very small Muslim community and very few Muslim friends to communicate with the ones that I did befriend where true Muslim friends who reminded me of Allah....

Some say that you don't need to move to another country in order to be a better Muslim. yes this is true but being in a society around people who will always remind you of Allah and away from temptation it honestly is very beneficial because good behavior and attitude is like the spark of a fire one spark an it catches on to everyone around you. Here in Saudi Arabia there are a lot of things that are not permissible such as Alcohol,Clubs,Pornography,dressing immodestly , even pornography sites are prohibited here, and also no casinos,pork basically everything that Allah (God) has forbidden in all the other religions is not allowed here and honestly its a lot better that way to keep the mind pure and away from the things that can cause corruption and destroy families.

Let me just say this Saudi Arabia is a very young country and growing right before everyone's eyes that lives here. my first impression when I got here was wow this is Saudi Arabia because there are a lot of buildings that are torn down and a lot of buildings being built and this is all over the KSA parts like Riyadh, Al-khobar,Makkah, Dammam where there are a lot of western foreigners are the most developed and cleaned up cities so far, I haven't been to these places yet but I really look forward to it so I guess my expectations of some parts of Saudi Arabia where not at all what I expected, but hey who am I to judge its a young growing country and it takes a lot of polishing to shine the most beautiful Jewel (KSA)...

Some things that have kind of annoyed me is the trash everywhere I know its easier to throw things on the ground but come on guys its not that hard to throw it in the trash, this country is so beautiful and you guys are destroying it by throwing your garbage everywhere.... I visited a city that is close by Abha  called Al-souda beautiful mountain area but once you look down the mountain you see lots of trash and lots of graffiti everywhere, I think this is probably my only critisizm so far while being here, is the littering (throwing garbage on the ground)  it makes me want to start up a clean up crew to help clean up the beautiful kingdom and it maybe very well something that I would really love to do because come on guys Allah gave us a beautiful earth to take care of not destroy...

One of the beautiful things that I have seen here besides the call of prayer and hearing the qur'an in the cities, is how neighbors treat one another... the second night that I was here we had a lot of food and I am always hearing and seeing pictures of lots of food in the trash (not saying it don't happen) and I asked what are you going to do with all of the food? and they said we give it to the neighbors. when we have huge celebrations or large amount of food we share it with others, I thought this was a beautiful thing and one of the ways that Islam has beautified the people and there hearts is by taking care of one another by feeding them and helping them with nothing expected in return and this is the true beauty of Islam, not what you see or think is right about Islam...

When Islam is applied to the daily life in our ways, our talk, our actions then people will see how beautiful Islam and the word of Allah is because Islam truly is a very peaceful religion and it saddens me that so many people believe, and its so unfair to think and believe an image when your not sure or without researching it first it really makes a person ignorant doing this because if people really knew how Islam was and how beautiful the Sharia law is and understanding it then there would be a lot more peace because sharia law is not about killing innocent people, or killing if you don't become Muslim this is not Islam!

My only advise to those who think they know about Islam or Muslims is go to a Muslim country and see for yourself because even myself I had the wrong picture of Islam and Muslim countries and learning about different things has not only opened my mind about the truth but has educated me in the true ways of life and accepting and appreciating what I have and living here in Saudi Arabia for the week that I have spent here so far has taught me just that and I look forward to more...

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weekend in Saudi Arabia

Today was my first weekend in Saudi Arabia, weekends in Saudi Arabia begin from Wednesday to Friday, and normally families will go to the beach to relax or in my case since I'm staying in Abha we went to a city called Al souda (SODA) lol! which is high in the mountains, where they literally touch the clouds... 

let me just say this I love all of you Saudis but wallah you guys are crazy drivers, while driving up the mountain side there where cars passing each other which put them literally on our side of the road that is how crazy they drive I mean I'm sure you guys are good drivers but stay safe I was literally holding my kids back so in case there was an accident I could block them from flying lol!

While in Al Souda we took so many pictures and stopped in several places let me just say  this place is absolutely beautiful, a lot of families come here during the weekend for picnics... our first stop was at the side of a road where there where lots of bamboo let me just say the zoo's have them behind cages for a reason these monkeys where crazy we stopped the car and they all came running to the car and where on top of the hood, I was like omg there gonna get inside the car we rolled the windows up very very quickly, but they are very skid-dish so with the honk of horn or just a swooshing move they ran away, but we threw them some bread and that was pretty entertaining because the bread was still in the bag and they are pretty smart they knew how to open the bag and eat it but wallah they scared the crap out of me...

We drove to this one area of Al-Souda where the mountains where very deep and the clouds where literally on top of you, it was so beautiful  Subhan'allah to be able to touch them and them to blow over you, wallah Allah is the best of creation! From the distance of the mountain top we where at was the palace of one of the princes, Masha'allah it was a huge palace but very beautiful I'm not sure if it was allowed to take pictures of the palace but I did :D I told my husband think they need any extra employees lol!

Today was truly a very happy and fun day I really enjoy the trips I take with my father in law and husband, my father in law is one of the sweetest people I have ever known, he makes me cry though not in a bad way but in a happy mode... Earlier we where gathered around eating our late lunch and he was telling me that he loves me as his own daughter and he loves me like he loves his own daughters and that we are part of his heart, wallah I wanted to cry but all I could do is accept the happy memory moments.

So far my stay in Saudi Arabia even though its been only a week, ( can't believe its been a week already) but wallah I love it here, Saudi Arabia has a lot of developing that is taking place but I assure you that the people are kind, and very welcoming some of the best-est friends and people I have ever met are from here and I think without them my process to adjusting here would be much more difficult and alhumdullilah I am for ever grateful to them <3

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Residency in Saudi Arabia

So I am apply for a residency for here in Saudi Arabia so that way it will be permissible for me to be able to work, little did I know that the process for this major step would be literally traumatizing...

In order to obtain a residence in Saudi Arabia you have to go through a routine checkup where they check for any illness such as TB, malaria etc and also you need at least 3 to 4 pictures for your Icama card which is your proof of residency card you will receive. 

I am in a smaller city in Saudi Arabia called Abha so the clinic that I had went to was a well a clinic ran by donations, lets just say if your in America, or in at least Europe with clean and very well developed medical technology say Alhumdullilah and consider yourself lucky! The things I had to do well they ask for a sample of urine and for some they ask for poop (SHUTTERS) but luckily I didn't  have to do this I only had to do the urine one sorry for the TMI details but anyway that alone was traumatizing!

this is the type of bathroom that I had to use, it was utterly disgusting and it was extremely difficult to do anything in there but alhumdullilah that was the only small part of the traumatization lets just say if this clinic where in America it would have been shut down imeditely for many health care violations, 1. the woman that drew my blood was also using her cell phone and let alone they where using no longer used needles to draw blood and waving it around I mean sheesh what would have happened if someone walked by they would have been jabbed with the needle... and after drawing the blood she squirted my blood in the vile tube an just tossed it in the trash....

this is the old needles that they used that America no longer uses since they changed to the safety syringe... 

I think the bathroom samples and blood drawing where the most tramatizing part of the whole experience, the x-ray part was not as bad other then they didn't want to give me a guard to put on that they normally would do in the US to protect the ovaries but luckily I insisted and explained why and they gradually said ok they probably thought "complicated american girl" lol...I was so happy to get out of that clinic this place kind of reminded me of a clinic you would find in Africa it was that bad I think I probably over sanitized my hands, but in the end the whole experience will be worth it insha'allah so when I finally receive my Icama  (residency Card) I will be able to work here in Saudi Arabia insha'allah!

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Home is where the heart is...

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Home really is where the heart is, in my case with my family...

 My husbands family I have to say are the most sweetest kindest people I have ever met masha'allah, my husbands mother who has had some and still has some major health issues due to 2 kidney transplants I have never seen anyone as strong as she having a positive outlook on the life and such a kind hearted person that loves Allah and everyone else for the sake of Allah, I could not imagine how anyone could not ever like this kind soul....every time I want to help out in the kitchen she always insist that I go sit and go relax but I want her to relax because of her health problems she sometimes gets edema in her feet and can only eat some foods other wise she would be very sick, miskeen wallah so I try to help her out the best way that I can....

As for my father in law wallah you have no idea how good it feels to have a father that says your my daughter and beautiful, my husband had lost my phone so we thought he did but we forgot he gave it to me earlier in the day so he was searching searching and finally in the end he told me search in your purse, I told him it's not in there but I'll look and his father was there too and sure enough my phone was there in my purse wallah I felt so embarrassed and his father jokingly took off his igal an pretended that he was going to hit me but instead you are my beautiful daughter, wallahi I wanted to cry because it is something I have not heard in such a long time but we all had a good laugh wallah I love him and my mother in law very much masha'allah and really look forward to creating happy memories...

Today we had people come over for a dinner they invited some relatives and but before there arrival his sister which is my husbands younger sister she is as well as her other sister are the sweetest young ladies I have met I am more then happy to call them my sisters, anyway before our guest arrived she helped with my makeup and masha'allah she did such a good job that I looked totally different but I absolutely love how that they have welcomed me into there family and treated me as if I am a part of the family, I still have well 2 more that I haven't met my husband has 2 brothers and 3 sisters, I met his older brother at the airport who was kind enough to tell me "welcome to the family" this was very touching and heart warming to hear, and his older sister I really look forward to meeting her....

The dinner with the invited family I think went rather well masha'allah a couple of his relative spoke English so I was not completely out of the loop of things, but when it came to the dinner time masha'allah the food was so delicious lamb with rice which was different colors of orange and yellow, I can't remember the name of it but it was so delicious, I was concerned that they where going to throw the rest of the food away because that's what I always hear but they share it with the neighbors, or friends which I found such a beautiful thing to do and very generous...

My husbands family are very kind and loving people I am so happy that there grandparents love them so much and are enjoying them and they have so much fun together, and for me I get to have some free time at last so woohoo for that lol.

overall I don't think I have felt this content in a very long time, I know that there are some things I will need to adjust to but I think insha'allah within time that I will get the swing of things and I will be very happy, do I miss home? of course I love my family but really I love it here and I am for ever grateful to Allah for making it possible for me to live here....

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First Impressions of KSA

My first impressions of KSA so far its only been 2 days since I have been here so there will be plenty of time to be impressed, I have seen a lot of interesting things and tried some new foods... my first day went to the Mall of Arabia it was very nice masha'allah very big and the restaurants inside seemed so very relaxed  each area has its family section and then section for the males which apparently they are allowed to smoke that is something we are not allowed to do at all is smoke in the malls or the restaurants or even within 100 feet of the restaurant, or mall...I finally was able to try Al Baik, which is a place kind of like KFC (Kentucky fried chicken) but Al Baik should I say 10000000x's better then KFC the skin has this flavoring to it and the chicken it's self is so juicy and delicious and the garlic sauce let's just say I could eat that and the chicken by it's self, I'm getting hungry as I'm talking about this so time to change topic lol....

let me not forget to mention the difference of the American Airports and Saudi Arabia Airports in America we are so used to the little tunnel thing connected to the airplane to get onto and to get off our flight, well "haha" not in Saudi Arabia we had to walk down a long flight of stairs to get off our plane and then on to a shuttle bus to the actual airport and went through the security screening where I had to put my fingerprints and take a picture the poor guy had to explain to me 100 times probably on what to do lol and lets not talk about the picture my hijab was a bad hijab day and I couldn't fix it right away so they got a good shot of hijabi gone bad lol...

I was expecting for Jeddah to be a little bit more crowded when I arrived but I arrived on a Thursday, which is considered a weekend here in Saudi Arabia Thursdays and Fridays are there weekends, and some of the areas in Jeddah are still in a development some buildings are torn down and some are very nice and some are little well I guess in America terms would be the a little rough looking but the area was considered a pretty safe neighborhood. overall the apartment I stayed at was very nice the different sections the "Male section" and "female sections" and the female servant is something that I found interesting even though I know its very common here to have one I just never had seen one lol I sound like a true "foreigner"...

The first days in Abha I was blown away with the weather on how different it was in Jeddah, Jeddah was in the 80's which is considered there "winter" and here in Abha which is a mountain area it was nice and breezy and cool like around the 60's...

 meeting my husband's family at the airport it was only his Father, and his older brother and uncle his father masha'allah such a sweet person, and his brother seemed very kind too was very nice of him to tell me "welcome to the family" was a very comforting I guess is the word to use it was such a sweet moment honestly meeting his family they are some of the most sweetest most kind people I have ever met his sisters have already literally put the "niqab" on me to see how I look and gave it to me saying insha'allah you will wear it lol, hopefully within time I will but at this point I'm not ready to. when it came to the meal time I really wanted to help but I was in-forced to go sit and relax since I had such a long flight meal time when it came to the time to eat It reminded me of lions in a way because the female lion kills the meal and the males eat first then after the males the women eat second I'm not sure if this is how it is in all the families but I found it very fascinating.

I think one of the best things so far being in Saudi Arabia is being able to live Islam on how it's supposed to be lived, by the men and the women respecting each other and not mingling, to praying our daily prayers on time hearing the ecama (call of prayer) is so beautiful my father in law is one of those that does the call of prayer very beautiful masha'allah,I still have a lot to get used to, from learning the Saudi currency...I know some of you are probably thinking why couldn't you apply Islam in America, well it's just really not the same it really isn't I have a lot of adjusting to do but honestly I do not regret my coming here I really look forward to growing and learning and being among the Saudi people and learning there lifestyle some people think that it was an a phase I was going through or just a need for attention from Saudis but really its not that at all I really love the Saudi people they have impacted me to the point to want to live with them and that is very big for me and really a dream come true Alhumdullilah 100 times Alhumdullilah!!! <3

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Departure to KSA (kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

Departing to Saudi Arabia has always been a dream but the actual departure was honestly a nightmare..

Leaving Iowa was a pain in the bum while checking our bags into the airport I had to sit in the car which your not supposed to park at the airport where you drop people off or pick there was a police officer that kept coming around and yelling at me because we where in the same spot for to long, like seriously? we where not in any ones way I don't see the big deal but that's regulations I guess...

we had to fly with United Airlines before we actually connected to our main airlines which is "Saudi Airlines" we had a total of 6 bags we where supposed to pay only 300.00 but ended up paying 500.00, after checking all of our bags in we had  to literally run after security check and my pat down it didn't help that we had a million carry on bags note: don't carry on more then a couple carry on bags if you don't need to it's a pain in the bum, but as soon as arrived to the gate and finally got situated in our seats it was finally relaxing. we where supposed to stay on our airplane we got onto going to Washington DC but we had to stop in Chicago and found out we had to actually change our plane "SIGH" alhumdullilah we had a few minutes to relax before getting onto that plane I was utterly tired but was more eagerer to get to DC and get on to the plane for KSA...

arriving to Washington DC I was just happy to get there even though we had to go from one side of the airport to the other I was so tired that we had to sit down for like a half hour before going to our gate, let me tell ya I got a good workout that day lifting and pulling things and walking I'm hoping I burned off some weight lol... after our long 6 hour lay over in DC we walked to our gate I seen the Saudi Arabian Airlines plane and a huge smile came to my face I was just over joyed that finally my dream is becoming a reality but it was a nightmare before it became a happy reality... the Saudi Arabian Airlines had told us that my daughter who is 17 months old didn't have a ticket which she did but they didn't see her in the system until my husband showed them the ticket number, and then when it came to loading the plane they had to verify our bags on where it would go to wallahi I was so annoyed and tensed honestly I wanted to hit a wall but alhumdullilah once we got onto the plane I was able to finally relax well I kind of relaxed.... 

The Flight to Saudi Arabia....was well not bad even though my daughter vomited on me 2 times the first time I washed my hijab in the bathroom sink using the anti bacterial hand soap and cleaning my daughter the whole entire time she nursed and was very whinny I think if it wasn't for that it would have been much more relaxing because she didn't want to even want to eat anything and I was to scared to give her anything...all though the trip was good the food was decent and the flight attendants where very helpful to my daughters throwing up to any thing that we needed so my overall experience on the plane with the Saudi Arabian airlines was very good....

Arriving to KSA I was so excited as we got closer the dreams of arriving where becoming a reality I was super excited to finally get off the airplane but was shocked at the weather in Jeddah  because my husband told me that it was supposed to be in the 50-to 60's and it turned out to be in the 80-to 90's which happens to be the temperature for there winter it was actually nice to meet old friends again it made my arrival here a little bit more relaxing and able to adjust more, but I have so much to learn and look forward to it insha'allah!!!

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The last day in Iowa

It is 12/05/2012, 9:57pm the night before we fly to Saudi Arabia, the last days here or day here in Iowa was honestly really bitter sweet.

Tomorrow will defiantly be the emotional day for me, 1. I am leaving my family all behind and I will miss them all well some of them very much! 2. America is the only place I have ever lived even though I have traveled state to state while living here and only visiting 2 countries Canada and Mexico Canada I really don't count as a different country because its so much like America and as for Mexico well I went there 20 something years ago  and both of these countries are completely opposite of Saudi Arabia different life style, culture, religion I'm used to the religion part been Muslim for 10 years now Alhumdullilah, but never have lived in a Muslim country. Since I have been Muslim I have been fascinated with Saudi Arabia the people, culture, lifestyle now that I'm married into it sometimes I ask myself what the heck was I thinking...but the day that I have been waiting for since then is finally here....

everything has been really hectic packing bags, weighing bags, taking things out of the bags to get them to weigh the right weight to be able to fly "ugh" talk about the back pain I wish I could visit my chiropractor one last time because I know it will be a long time until I get a proper adjustment...Today we visited our favorite restaurant "Red Robin" that we have been to so many times we have grown pretty fawn of the staff that work there for there excellent service the manager who is a very kind person he would always bring the kids little mandarin oranges well tonight  was bitter sweet the manager paid for our meal making it a bittersweet visit but they got a good tip in return but we will stay in touch insha'allah and send a post card.

I will really miss my family especially my mom I love her very much and it breaks my heart that she cries over me but don't worry mom, I will be fine! I know that some of my family hope I do not like it there so I come back but who knows Insha'allah (If God Willing) maybe I will love it, maybe I hate it but ether way I think its always nice to hope the best for someone even though we don't like there choices.... I know my family loves me and I love them all very much too yes even the ones that have completely ignored me calling it "tough love" no matter what I will love them all and hope insha'allah they will at least be happy for me for the fact that I am happy and living my life maybe not the way they planned but happy because for once in my life I am happy....

My last words before I head to bed for the night to friends or family struggling with life  I know some of you wonder what your purpose you have in life or think you don't have anything going for you.... well everyone has a purpose in life that is why God put you here and God will test the ones that he loves.... 

So my words of advice and inspirational input: 

"Find something you love so much that you have passion for and dream about once you find that hold on to it and run with it and keep going until you reach your finally destination in life in where you want to be in life, and do not worry what others will say or think there will always be people around you who are jealous because they can't or don't have the courage to go for what they want so be happy for yourself you deserve it and don't worry what others say or think if it makes you happy and makes you feel good about yourself and mostly important God would be happy with you then you have found your place then after that you live your life for God, because without out God in the center of everything nothing is possible Prayer is key and just because God does not give you what you want just remember God has another plan to get you where you need to be"....

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