To be honest I wouldn't want to live in a Muslim country. I lived in Algeria and Somalia and I felt that as a woman and a Christian I had fewer rights than the people around me. I also felt that sometimes people were disrespectful with me or discriminated against me because I am Christian and female.
I want to practice my religion freely and to be able to move freely and find professional opportunities, and I think that's a difficult in many Muslim countries, especially if they are more traditional and their legal system is partially based on sharia.
Afaf, I did move to a Muslim country for two years and it was a wonderful experience. While it was difficult because I was a single American female, the country I moved to was less relaxed with restrictions on women, so I was able to travel, work, and live quite comfortably. Being an American accustomed to such freedoms, it would be difficult for me to move to a country where my voice is not respected (which is not all Muslim countries, but some that I believe are less developed). I think many Americans that live in Muslim countries go there for work and only live and socialize with other expatriates which denies them the valuable lesson of learning community with another culture. I loved my time living in a Muslim country and would do it again; however, it would have to be one where my open heart, mind, and gender are respected.
Hello Afaf,
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I wouldn't want to live in a Muslim country. I lived in Algeria and Somalia and I felt that as a woman and a Christian I had fewer rights than the people around me. I also felt that sometimes people were disrespectful with me or discriminated against me because I am Christian and female.
I want to practice my religion freely and to be able to move freely and find professional opportunities, and I think that's a difficult in many Muslim countries, especially if they are more traditional and their legal system is partially based on sharia.
Alison
Rwanda
Afaf, I did move to a Muslim country for two years and it was a wonderful experience. While it was difficult because I was a single American female, the country I moved to was less relaxed with restrictions on women, so I was able to travel, work, and live quite comfortably. Being an American accustomed to such freedoms, it would be difficult for me to move to a country where my voice is not respected (which is not all Muslim countries, but some that I believe are less developed). I think many Americans that live in Muslim countries go there for work and only live and socialize with other expatriates which denies them the valuable lesson of learning community with another culture. I loved my time living in a Muslim country and would do it again; however, it would have to be one where my open heart, mind, and gender are respected.
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