Arab relationships are completely different than anything I've ever experienced before. It's like dating a really moody girl that can't make up her mind to dump you or not. It can be very on again, off again. I've been trying to get ahold of a buddy of mine for several weeks. Its been hit and miss. I've texted him and no response. If I saw him on the street we would talk, but it was always really hurried. I'd call him and see what he would be up too, but he would say tomorrow would be better to talk. When tomorrow came I wouldn't be able to get ahold of him. Unbelievable!
So today I wasn't feeling well, but I messaged him to see what he was up too. We then get a call from a friend in the states who says she will have to call us back around 6:30. At six I get a call from my buddy and he says that he and his wife are on the way over to see us! We are completely running around crazy trying to clean the living room, when the doorbell rings and in walks MaMa. She is wanting to talk about getting our hot water heater fixed and about the weather and all sorts of other stuff. Then there is a knock on the door and guess what? It's my buddy and his wife. So they sit down and talk with MaMa and then the phone call comes, so Bethany runs in to take that call and I am in the living room with the Arabs.
What's the problem? Well, in Arab culture, the person in front of you is always the most important. If the phone rings, its not important. If you were on your way out to visit someone else, don't worry about it. If you feel like crap, suck it up. But this call was really important, so B had to take it. So I had to serve coffee and small talk and try to make many apologies and other niceties when you completely screw up culturally.
I love it! It’s been a Valentine's to remember. So we messed up that visit, better luck next time.
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