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My First Thoughts On The US

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I decided to pretend I am a real travel blogger and just write an article while waiting for my next flight. I have been thinking about quite a few things and decided to blog and share them with you.

As I mentioned before this is my first time in the USA and as a Muslim we were sceptical of actually travelling with all the high security. I have heard horor stories of people who have been stopped for hours and asked questions, thankfully we were lucky as when we arrived it was late at night and they just asked the standard questions. My husband was pulled in and asked few more including how to spell my name, didn’t even know he could actually, but it was all easy and we were in our hotel for some downtime as they say here. The officers were polite and it seems that my impression of America is getting better and better.

It is funny to navigate your way around a country which you think you know from all your friends and movies and I know that as I am heading to DC to see my friend and sister she will make plenty of fun of my ignorance. After all it will be payback time from her time in the UK where I made fun of her. 🙂

Though I must admit I had a shock in the lounge where I had to pay for a coffee, like really? My fellow American bloggers should have said something 🙂 Thanks guys!

What I discovered travelling as a Muslim especially in a country like the USA is to be yourself and give the best example you can of Islam, because what people see on TV is not always the truth. I get a lot of happy looks when I am polite and chatty to Americans who seem to just think, “oh wow Muslims seem OK”. I know we sometimes like to distance ourselves because of all the negativity but this will not help us show the real face of Islam and Muslims. Smiling in Islam is encouraged as it is politeness and travel and mixing with other people, we should not forget this. I don’t think politics or the actions of some brainless people should stop us from travelling around the world including the USA, I am so happy i didn’t stick with the prejudice of “Don’t travel to the USA” immigration will give you hard time. If you have nothing to hide and you know your rights and value then you have nothing to be afraid of in my opinion.

I like the USA so far and I wish I had visited earlier everyone I met are extremely happy and polite people and I haven’t received even one bad look.

Hello America and Happy Travels 🙂

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