I get a number of emails from American women asking advice about their Arab men. Some of the men are Arab but born and raised in America. And don’t ask to look through the one you DO know about… You’ll need to tell him where you’re going, with whom, and approximately how long you expect to be gone. 1-9 above still apply and perhaps seem even more frequent. You’re more than likely going to meet male cousins and maybe a brother or two.
He will ask (or do it without asking) to look through your phone at any given moment. He, on the other hand, will more than likely have more mobile phones than you’re even aware of. If you’re leaving the house without him you’ll be expected to notify him verbally, by text, or a phone call. Regardless of how much fun you think the two of you are having together, he’ll choose spending time with his friends at the drop of a hat. This is the one where he’s mentioned marriage, or at least hinted at it. Don’t get excited, chances are you’re not off to meet mom anytime soon. He’s going to do anything in his power to convince you that sharing a bed is perfectly natural since you’re going to be sharing your life together in the near future. Finally, all men from all cultures are completely different. Don’t write to me telling me that I’m bashing Arab men or the culture. And please, if you have more to add, feel free to email or comment.
This behavior is what keeps most of us wives from asking for very much. And knowing a person will do pretty much anything in the world to make you happy prevents us from wanting to bother them with silly things.
Therefore, Iraqis may refer to hundreds of people as being members of their family.
For Kurdish Iraqis, social organisation is more community orientated than family orientated.
Casual relationships: This is the one where you, the American woman, think you’re dating this really nice Arab guy and it feels like it’s getting serious. He says all the right things but his actions aren’t matching. He still lives with his mom and dad and he’s almost 30.
This comes from not wanting to ‘bother’ a woman with things that might upset her… But since that’s not reality I’ve decided to compile a list in hopes of answering some questions. Spends every night away from his home, doesn’t answer his phone, and finally calls at 6am claiming he was at dewaniya all night. Get used to it, you’re always going to be less important than dewaniya. Having intimate relations with you then either disappearing for a few days… Being intimate with a man before marriage is almost unheard of. He believes you should only look good for him, at home, behind closed doors. So what are some of the biggest cultural differences you should expect to encounter? So a woman who doesn’t abide by this rule is often seen a a woman who has no respect for herself by an Arab man’s standards. Interviews were conducted with three resettlement coordinators from a local VOLAG (voluntary resettlement agency) and a mental health professional from a social service agency serving refugees.Published literature was reviewed and incorporated where indicated.The interests of the family are expected to supersede those of the individual, and loyalty (such as preferential treatment) is shown to fellow family members.