Today there is an estimate of 3.7 million Middle Easterners living in the United states. A number of these Arab-Americans are 2nd or 3rd generations who have lived here all their lives. Today I decided to interview an Arab-American about herself and her life in the U.S.
Q: Where are you originally from?
A: I am a mix of Jordanian, Syrian, Kurdish, and Turkish.
Q: How long have you lived in the U.S?
A: I was born and raised here. I have lived here all my life; I am 28 years of age.
Q: What religion do you follow?
A: Islam.
Q: So you wear your Hijab (head scarf) when you go out?
A: Yes I definitely do all the time because my religion tells me to wear it for multiple reasons that are a benefit to me.
Q: Can you tell me what those reasons are?
A: Well, first of all its a protection for me from society to make people judge me for who I am and not for my physical appearance. Second, it teaches me to be modest. Third, it makes me focus on more important things than just my looks, but don't get me wrong I do take care of my appearance but in a very modest fashion.
Q; What reactions do you get when you interact with the public here in America?
A: Well, in the past there wasn't much diversity so people reacted differently towards us covered Muslims. They would stare, whisper to one another, sometimes say hateful things like "go back to you country" or "take that rag off your head", but now in the present time with more diversity in America, I feel that people have changed and have become more open minded. There are still some "ignorant" people, but I don't give them much attention at all, I mean its a free country isn't it? That is what I like about America it is built upon different people from different origins who came here to find freedom.
Q: Do you ever wish to have been raised in the Middle East instead of America?
A: Actually I am going to give this question a yes and a no. No, because I am grateful to be raised in such a great country and to be given a lot of opportunities and freedom to choose who and what I want to become. Yes, because I always wished that I was more fluent in my Arabic language. Honestly, I also felt that I fit in more in the Middle East just due to the fact that I am a covered woman, and in the Middle East it is dominantly a Muslim country.
http://www.journalism.org/analysis_report/arabamerican_population_growth
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