On Wednesday, I got very ill and was vomitting throughout the day. My stomach wasn't able to keep anything down. Throughout the night I was tossing and turning from hunger, but still I was too nauseous to eat anything. My head was also spinning from the lack of food. On Thursday, I was well enough to start eating a little bit...still suffering from a massive headache. Alhamdulillah, Friday...things started looking a lot better.
I've been staying with my husband's aunt and we're very lucky to have somewhere to stay while our residency paper work is being done, Alhamdulillah. I'm truly grateful for it, but I am ready to leave. My husband and I both agree that we can only take staying with family in small doses. This summer we went to visit his uncle and we were ready to go after about three days. I think it may be because they are very different from us. Most of his family (and mine for that matter) isn't very religious and from a social perspective we have a hard time finding common ground. For the most part...touring and eating out is good enough, but after that it gets a little difficult to find environments that make us comfortable and that make them comfortable. For example...we can't sit in their living room with them when they have the television on. They watch things that involve permiscuity, foul language, etc. It's hard for us to sit there and enjoy the conversation with that in our faces. We have tried, though, to invite them to the masjid and on Friday to read Suratul Kahf with their kids...but at the same time we don't want to be too pushy either.
Nonetheless, it's good to have family here, Alhamdulillah. I'm realizing now how important it is to know someone in foreign countries to help you adjust. It makes the biggest difference. They really have helped us understand the dynamics of Dubai, the politics, and the nitty gritty that you can't find online or in tourist pamphlets.
On another note, I've also come to love skype. I've been chatting with my cousins back home more than I used to talk to them while I was there. I also got to talk to my uncle's wife and kids who live in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia. Back home...I barely ever got to speak to them. I knew it existed, but I guess I never felt the need for it since I was surrounded by the most part by family and friends. I've also come to another realization - the importance of staying in touch with everyone. I know we are all busy with work, school, and children...but really that's not an excuse. You never know what can happen and you regret later on that you didn't go to visit that person...you didn't call this person. Every day I think of someone I should have called or visited before I left. Alhamdulillah. Lesson learned. I will do everything now to try to stay in touch through e-mail, skype, phone, and other forms of communication. Another thing to be so grateful of...the many different forms of communication, Alhamdulillah!
Anyways, my husband is leaving for Bahrain tomorrow. He's still supposed to be in training this week, but they put him on a project about education in Bahrain. It's pretty cool. My field...so I'm excited to see what he has to work on. He's going to be gone for the next three days. I'm okay with it right now, Insha'Allah, I remain patient while he's gone. It's going to be difficult because this job will require him to travel for four days of the week. The cool thing is that his company is doing a retreat in May to Ethiopia and spouses are invited. He also got permission to fly me to the locations that he will be staying long term, rather than them flying him back every weekend. In ten months, he will be going to Austria and he wants to take me out there with him. Insha'Allah, it'll be delightful!
I don't know if you've noticed...but I feel as if my style of speaking (or writing shall I say) is being influenced by the British. His cousins (8-9 years old) go to an international school that uses British english. We keep making fun of the way they talk (lovingly of course...we love British accents). I'm beginning to pick it up without thinking now, too. For example...they don't like when I say throwing up...it's too "vulgar" for them. They'd rather I say vomitting. Haha.
Anyways....I'm off for now!
I've been staying with my husband's aunt and we're very lucky to have somewhere to stay while our residency paper work is being done, Alhamdulillah. I'm truly grateful for it, but I am ready to leave. My husband and I both agree that we can only take staying with family in small doses. This summer we went to visit his uncle and we were ready to go after about three days. I think it may be because they are very different from us. Most of his family (and mine for that matter) isn't very religious and from a social perspective we have a hard time finding common ground. For the most part...touring and eating out is good enough, but after that it gets a little difficult to find environments that make us comfortable and that make them comfortable. For example...we can't sit in their living room with them when they have the television on. They watch things that involve permiscuity, foul language, etc. It's hard for us to sit there and enjoy the conversation with that in our faces. We have tried, though, to invite them to the masjid and on Friday to read Suratul Kahf with their kids...but at the same time we don't want to be too pushy either.
Nonetheless, it's good to have family here, Alhamdulillah. I'm realizing now how important it is to know someone in foreign countries to help you adjust. It makes the biggest difference. They really have helped us understand the dynamics of Dubai, the politics, and the nitty gritty that you can't find online or in tourist pamphlets.
On another note, I've also come to love skype. I've been chatting with my cousins back home more than I used to talk to them while I was there. I also got to talk to my uncle's wife and kids who live in Jeddah, Saudia Arabia. Back home...I barely ever got to speak to them. I knew it existed, but I guess I never felt the need for it since I was surrounded by the most part by family and friends. I've also come to another realization - the importance of staying in touch with everyone. I know we are all busy with work, school, and children...but really that's not an excuse. You never know what can happen and you regret later on that you didn't go to visit that person...you didn't call this person. Every day I think of someone I should have called or visited before I left. Alhamdulillah. Lesson learned. I will do everything now to try to stay in touch through e-mail, skype, phone, and other forms of communication. Another thing to be so grateful of...the many different forms of communication, Alhamdulillah!
Anyways, my husband is leaving for Bahrain tomorrow. He's still supposed to be in training this week, but they put him on a project about education in Bahrain. It's pretty cool. My field...so I'm excited to see what he has to work on. He's going to be gone for the next three days. I'm okay with it right now, Insha'Allah, I remain patient while he's gone. It's going to be difficult because this job will require him to travel for four days of the week. The cool thing is that his company is doing a retreat in May to Ethiopia and spouses are invited. He also got permission to fly me to the locations that he will be staying long term, rather than them flying him back every weekend. In ten months, he will be going to Austria and he wants to take me out there with him. Insha'Allah, it'll be delightful!
I don't know if you've noticed...but I feel as if my style of speaking (or writing shall I say) is being influenced by the British. His cousins (8-9 years old) go to an international school that uses British english. We keep making fun of the way they talk (lovingly of course...we love British accents). I'm beginning to pick it up without thinking now, too. For example...they don't like when I say throwing up...it's too "vulgar" for them. They'd rather I say vomitting. Haha.
Anyways....I'm off for now!
Salaam Sabirah,
ReplyDeleteI hope you feel better soon, Insha'Allah!
I totally hear you about how important it is to keep in touch with relatives. I have Skype as well and certainly feel I should put it to more use. Thanks for the reminder. =)
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