Dubai: If you are planning on visiting the US, just do it. Contrary to the belief that the US is not a friendly nation, when you first step into this faraway land you will be warmly welcomed by its people.
Despite the rough times the American people have had to face in the past eight years due to the country's foreign policies, they are still optimistic, friendly and gracious with others no matter who they are or where they come from.
They will welcome you into their communities. They will appreciate you and share their views with you. They will also apologise for the mistakes of their governments. Add to that the US has the most colourful, beautiful places on earth to visit, to live and shop. One will like the peaceful, frank and amicable way people over there deal with foreigners.
For a long time Arabs have come to the US to either study or work or have flocked to the country as tourists. The US has a thriving Arab community which merges with American society without any apprehension.
Coexist
If one takes a closer look one will see the peaceful way Muslims and American coexist, and one will discover too that the incidents of September 11 have had no impact on the American people's point of view regarding their relations with Arabs or Muslims, no matter what their government's political position is.
In the US you are allowed your own way of expressing yourself, your religion and your political point of view.
"We celebrate the holy month of Ramadan and Eid at the big mosque in Washington DC," said Ahmad, a Tunisian who has lived with his family in the US for the past 15 years.
Ahmad said that the mosque was old and needed renovating.
"Restoring the mosque was done with the help of two non-Muslim American businessmen," Ahmad told Gulf News. Ahmad said that as Muslims living in America they can practice their religion freely. "Muslims here have great responsibilities to perform. Islam is not just a religion, but a way of life which should be represented in a courteous way," Ahmad said. According to recent studies, there are an estimated six to eight million Muslims in America. The Muslim community in America is made up of people from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and national origins.
There are more than 2,000 mosques, Islamic schools, and Islamic centres in America. Ahmad added that Muslims are spread all over America and are active in all walks of life.
"What I want to say is that the atmosphere here is encouraging and heart-warming," he said.
Arabs in the United States have not distorted their usual lifestyle. It is common to see Muslim women wearing the abaya (long dress that covers the body) and their heads covered with the hijab (head scarf).
According to Nadia, from Saudi Arabia, who studied at Pennsylvania, Americans do understand the purpose of the hijab and they respect those who cover their heads.
"They do not ask me questions about why I am wearing the hijab," she said.
Mohammad and Udai are two young Arab schoolboys in third grade at a private school in Philadelphia. They were on a visit to the Constitution Museum with a group of other schoolchildren.
Mohammad and Udai could stand out among other children with their names, their dark hair and the colour of their skin but this is not the situation.
"I was born here but my father came from Iraq," said Mohammad.
Mohammad said his friends are from all over and he never feels unwelcome among them.
It is interesting to see in different states restaurants serving food from individual Arab countries — there are Arabic restaurants, coffee shops and patisseries. Arabic coffee shops — complete with shisha, are everywhere. Turkish or Arabic coffee is served.
Mahdi from Palestine, who owns a restaurant in downtown San Francisco, told Gulf News that a large number of Arabs come to eat in his restaurant.
"Many Americans too prefer to eat our hummos and falafel dishes," he said
"We serve tabouleh, Baba Ghanoush and the famous Palestinian dish Musakhkhan," he said. Mahdi said that he simply feels at home in America.
