I work with them, eat with them, laugh with them and I hate over generalization and stereotyping so I won’t say that all of the west is ignorant or racist, but I will tell my story and how shocked I was when I learnt about them - throw them!!

The caller said” although the veil irritated some people..yet it was less than she thought it would be…” and this is exactly what I will be talking about- my veil. It, obviously, irritated more than just “some”- it irritated even children!! And for me- it was more than what I expected.  

I was dealing with a lady from the United States of America back in the university days and we were supposed to be going in a business trip to France- Paris. In this very year, France passed a low against the veil and wearing it. This lady approached me and said: “I can’t let you go- not with your veil on” and I said “I could care less. I don’t need to go to France” she was surprised by my decision as this would have been a life time opportunity for me on all scales. 4 months later I register my self in a (Germany and Switzerland) business trip. I thought “this should be fun” all my friends were going and I knew I will have a blast. The summer of 2004 held an eye opening experience for me, though, as I was introduced to Europe during this trip- business wise and culture wise as well.

When the plane took off from the airport in its way to Munich via Amsterdam a lot of the girls with us in the trip (we were 29 students) went to the toilet and took off their head covers and came out with jeans and sleeveless t-shirts. I don’t have a problem with that as long as it is not stamping us as being hypocrites- but it obviously did. The American lady (mentioned above) approached me and said “you wont’ be taking off your veil just like your girl friends did?” and I was like “no- this is not cosmetics or cultural- this is religion”.

We landed in Germany- Munich on the 26^th of May, 2006 at 9:25 a.m. and we all were exhausted. Our guide was insistent to take us to a museum first where we could see all the inventions of the world in one place. Okay, this is nice- but we can’t walk- we were on the air for 9 hours and we need to sleep. But- it sounded like we were talking to our selves. So we went to the museum. We spent there 4 hours- we spent most of the time setting on chairs and sleeping on each other’s shoulders!! We didn’t see a thing. While leaving the museum and walking back to the buss, we had to cross the street. I was walking with one of my male friends and that is when some school kids were crossing the street with us- they were about 7 to 8 years old kids. One of them looked at me and pointed his finger at me and screamed “Turk-Turk”. I stood there looking at him and I actually smiled. I looked at my friend who was in a complete state of shock and said “yalla- let’s go. We will miss the buss”. He smiled at me and we walked to the buss. This was in day #1 for me in Germany.

The second day four of us went to walk and sightsee the city. After several hours of wondering we walked into a café and we asked for hot chocolate- it was freaking cold back in these days. The waiter took the orders from my friends and actually ignored me. One of my friends called her back and told her that she forgot one of us- so she looked at me and then looked at him and asked him “what does she want now”. I thought to my self “okay- this is getting annoying now” she actually refrained from addressing me on the question. But- I decided to go on and enjoy the day.

In one of the field trips- as I mentioned earlier this was a business trip- we went to the Audi cars factory. We were introduced to the factory manager and we were allowed to walk around their car museum. It was amazing until I realized that one of the security guards was walking behind me and following me in every step I take. I looked around to check if they are doing this with all of us- you know we are young and we tend to be destructive sometimes and this is a factory and the Audi museum- but no, it was only me who was followed. One of my girl friends approached me and said “why is he following you- are you planning to steal a car :D” and I was like “I’m wearing a veil”.

We drove to Switzerland after sometime in Germany- and our first stop was Geneva and then Lucerne. Wonderful place- full of Arabs by the way. Everyone respects the “other”. I saw a lot of covered girls in there too. But- the street opinion is totally different than the political party opinion of the country and the picture that is available about us as being terrorists!!

I hold a wathee8a- refugees documentary- as we belong to the refugees of the year of 1948. When we were leaving Switzerland through Zurich airport- we came across the passport checking point. Our refugee passport should be well known to Swiss government- they have the UN- Geneva head court for heavens sake!! But no, when it was my turn to give my passport for the “routine” checking, the police woman looked at me suspiciously. She looked at the passport and at me around 10 times. “Is bad luck going to leave me alone in this trip at all?” I asked my self. The next thing I know is that I have two big bodyguards on my left and right and they are armed! She took the passport and went into a closed room. They opened a new window for the rest of the people behind me so that they don’t stop the passport checking procedure and to give themselves sometime to torture me. So- I was standing there for like 15 minutes and I don’t know what on earth is going on. After 30- 40 minutes the police woman returns and she gives me the passport and yells “NEXT”. The bodyguards leave me and no explanation given.

Can this be human treatment? I guess not. All because I wear a piece of cloth on my head!!! And they claim to be well educated about the world. Hell not.  

I can’t understand why would they be walking naked in the streets protesting against something and everyone should applause for the freedom of expression while we are chased all the time for an extra piece of cloth on our heads. Why would they have the right to stereotype us and criticize us while we can’t even look at them in a way the displease them. Why can’t they admit that people are different and different doesn’t necessarily mean dangerous and scary. We are back to the slavery era people and we can’t stop it from happening.

God be with us as what is coming is even worse.

Regards,

H.