Monday, December 22, 2008

Monday, December 15, 2008

The USA has Obama fever!

Okay many of you did not vote for Obama or didn't vote at all. Well guess what we have a new President and there will be slow changes but they will happen in spite of all our sentiments. I personally campaigned for him and am so proud of the economic reform policies he is working on. We need it and someone in Capitol Hill will be there directing it to the us.. the American people. Latinos are happy too and I can vouch for the thousands perhaps millions of mixed minority votes sent his way.
On my trip to Dubai we had a most wonderful visit to Washington DC. I met the Second Muslim Congressman and his staffers. I also got to see displays of affection for Barack Hussein Obama everywehre. Large welcoming portraits of the President Elect and the feverish aspirations of a district awaiting a new administrator to make workable solutions for a country in dire need of help.
I got caught in the fever aswell. Everyone I met talked about having a send off party for the Bush Administration "End of an ERROR!" and on the opposite end attending Inaugaral balls all over the country. My friend Khadija of Indianopolis is getting a pimped out Abaya tailored for this purpose specifically here in Al Ain. She will proudly dress islamically and look like the first lady herself.
No doubt this country is preparing for a new administration and the excitement is hitting us here as the question on everyones mind is: Will Obama make a good President for the USA and how will his Administration effect foreign policy? I love being a Muslim Latina American!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

My month long journey to UAE

Assalamu alaikum my sisters and brothers
Out of over 200 applicants 20 American women were invited by
the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi to an Intensive Islamic training program
with the intention that we would return home and spread the knowledge.
For more information on this exciting trip www.acmy.org (imam training
program)
I am writing to you from the desert on my quest to further my Islamic
studies. I will be keeping a journal with detailed lessons to bring
back to the states, but here I will attempt to give you some insight
on our exciting cultural exchange and fun activities I will
participate in throughout our month long stay.
In all honesty I feel humbled to be among these amazing women.
The women are activist in their own right and solidly grounded in
their Islam. Each woman would deserve her own chapter to describe what
she brings to the table. Al hamdulilah I feel honored to be among
these good sisters. The sisters are from across America and they are
varied as sunflowers in a garden of roses. Mashallah.
Our first day we were welcomed with a dinner fit for a king at the
Washington Plaza hotel followed by delicious tidbits of our journey
from Zayede house for Cultural Exchange that made the trip possible.
At breakfast the following morning I felt haunted by the ghost of
George Washington, for some reason I kept seeing his face following me
throughout the day. I soon realized I was not halucinating but that
the hotel decoration was based on no other than George himself. There
were hundreds of portraits of George throughout the hallways, suites
and dinning area. I later felt quite justified to take this picture
with old George!