Distant relationship with a Jordanian

Hello
I usually don't like to respond to these kinds of emails, but I feel you are entering into a very precarious situation, and by even writing such a post, you obviously also have your own reservations.  First of all, I will tell you although I am Canadian, I am of Italian heritage, although I don't have the intensity of our culture having lived in UK and Canada my entire life, I can relate as my parents were from the old country.  However all that aside, I would like to say, I think you should think this over very carefully.  No not because you are being criticized by your family, or by anyone else, but because there are distinct differences in our cultures outside the realms of religion, although that aspect itself would have me running for the hills.  I have been in the Middle East for over 6 years now, lived in Lebanon, the UAE, Egypt (Giza), Jordan, Kuwait and have travelled all over it, with the exception of KSA.  Over time you will come to realize that, and I mean no disrespect to anyone, but you will find that Muslim thinking, even outside religion is very different from anywhere else in the world, and I have travelled to many countries.  The intensity, for lack of a better word, of this culture makes the passion of the Italians seem to be a much laid back lifestyle.  What you see expressed by Italians when it comes to soccer (football) for example, is mild in comparison to an everyday reaction to almost any mild situation in the Middle East, even by non-Muslims.  There was an incident once in Lebanon where a simple traffic mishap turned into a country wide explosion of anger and mayhem, this was back in 2010.  I myself married a Lebanese Christian and unfortunately it was a very bad mistake.  A lovely woman, from a wonderful family, but there are many inherent differences that will not surface for a long time.  Furthermore going to live for that period of time in a Muslim country that is going through some rough times you really don't know what to expect.  Maybe your suitor may feel the urge to feel patriotic someday and get involved in something you would never dream of.  I have several very good close friends in Lebanon that are Muslim, but in background only.  They shun their religion and feel that it's stupid and ridiculous at the best of times.  All of them, and I mean all, men and woman alike have stated to me that if they were not Muslim, they would never in a million years entertain the idea of entering into a relationship with a Muslim.  Even their families would rather they left this region and found someone in a country where what is happening here in the MENA region, is not present there.  Love can be blind, and this is coming from a hopeless romantic, but remember, you are in the honeymoon stage of your relationship, everything seems wonderful, what could go wrong, he is such a nice man, yadda yadda yadda.  You may not want to live in Egypt anymore, and he may not be willing to leave, even though he may indicate now that he would.  He may eventually be so pressured by his own family that he will go back on promises he made to you.  This may be a bit of an extreme example, but if you haven't seen this movie, you should watch it, it's a true story, “Not Without My Daughter” starring Sally Field and Alfred Molina.  Either watch the movie or read the book, it's worth it.  imdb.com/title/tt0102555/  Please understand, I am not saying Muslims are bad people, no what I am saying, that they do have a very different fundamental way of thinking.  What may be common sense to you and the rest of the world, may not be to them, and vice versa.
Many may not like or agree with what I have said here, but I am only going by my own experiences.  Go to Canada, there are a lot of good men there…..LOL.  All joking aside, I wish you all the best.

Welcome on board 

And grazie for your contribution, its a really eye opener. Although I am not agree with everything, you made some good points.

Tutti saluti,

Very nicely done.

@ thehussler: to whom you are talking too? 

The OP from this thread is Filastin000 and somehow she doesn't respond on any replies on this tread.

mfasulo55 wrote:

Hello
I usually don't like to respond to these kinds of emails, but I feel you are entering into a very precarious situation, and by even writing such a post, you obviously also have your own reservations.  First of all, I will tell you although I am Canadian, I am of Italian heritage, although I don't have the intensity of our culture having lived in UK and Canada my entire life, I can relate as my parents were from the old country.  However all that aside, I would like to say, I think you should think this over very carefully.  No not because you are being criticized by your family, or by anyone else, but because there are distinct differences in our cultures outside the realms of religion, although that aspect itself would have me running for the hills.  I have been in the Middle East for over 6 years now, lived in Lebanon, the UAE, Egypt (Giza), Jordan, Kuwait and have travelled all over it, with the exception of KSA.  Over time you will come to realize that, and I mean no disrespect to anyone, but you will find that Muslim thinking, even outside religion is very different from anywhere else in the world, and I have travelled to many countries.  The intensity, for lack of a better word, of this culture makes the passion of the Italians seem to be a much laid back lifestyle.  What you see expressed by Italians when it comes to soccer (football) for example, is mild in comparison to an everyday reaction to almost any mild situation in the Middle East, even by non-Muslims.  There was an incident once in Lebanon where a simple traffic mishap turned into a country wide explosion of anger and mayhem, this was back in 2010.  I myself married a Lebanese Christian and unfortunately it was a very bad mistake.  A lovely woman, from a wonderful family, but there are many inherent differences that will not surface for a long time.  Furthermore going to live for that period of time in a Muslim country that is going through some rough times you really don't know what to expect.  Maybe your suitor may feel the urge to feel patriotic someday and get involved in something you would never dream of.  I have several very good close friends in Lebanon that are Muslim, but in background only.  They shun their religion and feel that it's stupid and ridiculous at the best of times.  All of them, and I mean all, men and woman alike have stated to me that if they were not Muslim, they would never in a million years entertain the idea of entering into a relationship with a Muslim.  Even their families would rather they left this region and found someone in a country where what is happening here in the MENA region, is not present there.  Love can be blind, and this is coming from a hopeless romantic, but remember, you are in the honeymoon stage of your relationship, everything seems wonderful, what could go wrong, he is such a nice man, yadda yadda yadda.  You may not want to live in Egypt anymore, and he may not be willing to leave, even though he may indicate now that he would.  He may eventually be so pressured by his own family that he will go back on promises he made to you.  This may be a bit of an extreme example, but if you haven't seen this movie, you should watch it, it's a true story, “Not Without My Daughter” starring Sally Field and Alfred Molina.  Either watch the movie or read the book, it's worth it.  imdb.com/title/tt0102555/  Please understand, I am not saying Muslims are bad people, no what I am saying, that they do have a very different fundamental way of thinking.  What may be common sense to you and the rest of the world, may not be to them, and vice versa.
Many may not like or agree with what I have said here, but I am only going by my own experiences.  Go to Canada, there are a lot of good men there…..LOL.  All joking aside, I wish you all the best.

I disagree with a lot of this, but my post would be removed if I responded (as I guess comments regarding religion & politics is forbidden on this site). But I respect your opinion.

Primadonna wrote:

The OP from this thread is Filastin000 and somehow she doesn't respond on any replies on this tread.

It never happend that any of those who start such subjects respond to them... On the other hand these are the main subjects that really keep this countries blog going...