Living the Confused Expatriate Life
I've been advised to post an excerpt of my rants here by a few QL followers. So here's an excerpt from my latest rants on my life in Qatar... Enjoy! =)
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Living the Confused Expatriate Life
Part 1 of a Few… Identity
By: Ms. Hala
"However, living this expatriate life comes with a couple of interesting confusions. Maybe I just lived in this wonderful tolerant city that is San Francisco to have to deal with this identity confusion that I’m dealing with now. I’m a Muslim Egyptian American expatriate who talks in a lovely California accent but “looks” and talks Arabic like an Egyptian. Confusing much? Apparently so!
"When I first took on my new job, the grapevines of the office announced there’s an American among them. Aside from the fact that everyone thought the American was getting paid a bazillion dollars (that’s another entry, I promise you!), no one could tell whom the American was. Many didn't realize until I started talking to everyone, introducing myself and getting the question, “Where’s your accent from?”
I reply, “I’m American”.
“Really?”
“Yes, I’m from Calfornia.”
“How long did you live there?”
“Born and raised.”
“Wow…”
“Uh huh…” "
Lol!
Mandi
@Mandilulur
Why/how do u think I learned Spanish? hehehehe
Also amusing is when Arabs come to the US and immediately people start speaking Spanish to them!
MAndi
I've seen something to that extent thing happen in my office with a Canadian Iraqi...The thing is, the poor guys speaks only broken bits of Arabic and his French is better than his English...but he's very Arab looking and he's a practicing Muslim.
Some really do believe he's faking it, other r completely oblivious, they just pop into his office and start blurting out Arabic...the only thing he can do is try not to sweat hehehe.
Mind u I'm a Qatari, and I dress in local attire for work, but I was basically raised in the US, and I speak Spanish and some French, so when him and I r talkin it's a funny sight to see for everybody around the office lol. America have no look, race or color....It's a huge melting pot.
some westerns do not understand the habbits of Qataris and some Qataris think that all westerns are the same.
I personally say:
No not all westerns are the same.
Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed the piece. =)
Super Cool... I feel for your poor friend. A lot of Arab families end up losing Arabic over time when they focus on learning and speaking English. I have several friends just like yours in that situation. I also have non Arabic friends whom are focused on learning Arabic that it's so beautiful to see them speak their native language, English and Arabic!
That's one of the best things about America (especially California), the fact that it's a melting pot, with no look to it. It's just a matter of being able to explain that around here! hehehe
Agree. The US is a total melting pot, increasingly Canada too. UK not so much--lots of races but also lots of racism.
TFS Ms Hala. Enjoyed it.
Thank you! =)
Speedysid... AMEEN to that!
I've seen that happen so many times it stopped being funny. People forget America is a snap shot of the world!
I'm not classifying myself as anything... I'm simply stating facts based on what I've been experiencing in Qatar.
The whole point of my post is that this whole ideology of labelization is an issue here...
And I'm a HERSELF not a HIMSELF... =)
Exactly my point!! LOVE IT!! =)
Ignorance can also be humorous. I was on business trip to the USA . The team had an Asian American. Whilst in a meeting , a local asked him where he went to school because his English was so good. :0)
Awww...what a lovely story! You two must have made a pretty picture indeed =D Actually my American Muslim convert friends experience many such incidents all the time too..specially the ones in niqab. It's funny cos many of these people really don't realize how discriminatory and even racist their questions and assumptions are. They are many times truly ignorant and not meaning to offend!
I went shopping in Muscat with an American friend who happens to be from Iraq. I'm blonde and she wears hijab. When the store clerk asked us where we were from we said, "America!" He replied, "You look like an American" (to me) "and you don't" (to my friend). We put our arms around each other and announced, "This is what America looks like!"
Mandi
Your blog posts are always worth reading..
Qataris are surely amongst the more tolerant Arabs in the GGC (may be, the most!) I just hope that we see a day where there's no unfair discrimination at any level,anywhere!
Thnks for sharing interesting topic.......:)
A very entertaining read. And the story of our lives too! It's like who we are, where we are from and how we look somehow doesn't add up hence the glorious confusions and hilarious questions.
My husband though is specially trialed. No one ever believes he is from Sri lanka..not even Sri Lankans..not even when he speaks in Sinhalese..and sometimes not even when he shows them his passport!
I have been in corporate companies since 1985 with two dozen [ more than 24 ] nationalities put together ..
That is quite natural among a human society.
It seems .. it is more to do with your house hunting .. or being over sensitive or reactive to fellow humans' basic initial queries at the onset.
AMEEN to that man!!
I completely agree with you! It's all about mindsets and stereotypes of some people that believe your husband should look a certain way to the point that even his passport won't prove his identity as a Sri Lankan.
*shaking my head in dismay* hehehe
Yes I agree, there is a lot of bigotry and intolerance here. Don't get me wrong, America has it's many flaws too but at least where I come from, it's much more tolerant and respectful of all the diversity that make it the great city it is.
So far, my nationality has brought me a headache! hehehe
TFS..
Interesting read. I would suggest that whilst tereotypes exist, there is bigotry and intolerance amongst expatriates (both Western and Eastern)as well as Qataris.
My question: Whart is the greatest benefit your American nationality has brought you whilst living in Qatar?