Ramadan Karem

dear brothers, family, friemds, bloggers, readers , and all the muslim in the world, RAMADAN MUBAREK

for the first time in my life, me with my parent in one side, and my brothers with the rest of the family on the other side, fast on different schedules.

Ramadan started in Libya, but not here in my area in the united states, I know it always happen all around the islamic world, but it has different impact when it touch you closely on your close family level, it feel strange and weird, when I took my breakfast on the morning today, I felt as if I am commiting a sin !!!

the picture show the islamic center in our area.

finding this center has a short story, when we landed here I tried to look for some Masjed in the neighborhood, of course by using the help of my best friend here the internet, more specificlly, google map, and it gave me some adresses and the right buses to take me there, I registered some notes and started looking with my father for some of these adresses, and unfortunately, the google map let me down this time, when I tried the first nearest two addrsses, the Masjed wasn't there, one of them was actually a church ( although I write a mosque or islamic center in my research ), and the other was very small, unidentified unclean masjed, that was a little depressing.

As I told you before I used the google map from the first few days, to look for everything, and succeded to reach all the places, coz there is good public transportation in this city, with buses you can reach where ever you want.

Till today I didn't use Taxi at all, and didn't get lost, not yet, sure it will happen , but not yet.

back to my point, with google map, and the use of bus when it is needed, I reached the grocery store, the bank, the university, and nearly every where from the first try, but to the Masjed, I failed in my first try, but then I contacted a cyber friend (KA ) here in the state, and he was kind enough to direct me to this islamic center which appear in the picture (which was taken by my mobile cam), and so my second try was successful, and we found ourselves in one of the biggest islamic center in the area , I felt so proud to see this clear islamic symbol on this land, thank you KA.

that was in my first 10 days, then when I started school, I met some Libyan student, and discovered another islamic center, which will be more near to our new place, which we will move to by the middle of September.

That was my story, for ramadan first, till next time, take care, and

Ramadan Karem

scratches about my trip.

ahhhhh ... finally I am updating, I always wanted to update, but I don't know, I think there is no baraka in time here at all !!!

many funny things happen to anyone who travel to a new place for the first time, I will share some of mine here in this post and in the upcoming posts, but hay people don't make fun of me, I am sure everyone have his share.

Our trip was fine, I was afraid that troubles will arise coz I used the KLM airline, but luckily everything went smooth, and even I can say perfect, we had transit at Amsterdam, and we spent one night in the airport, at a Hotel, which was actualy a luxury stay.

the airport is huge and very well organized, and unexpectedly I didn't got lost in it, I used to get lost in huge places,there were signs every where to direct you.
when I get off the first plane to Schiphol airport, I noticed that most the passengers was heading to fine touch screens, and doing something on the screen, and then leave it, I wondered what they are doing, but I didn't give that much attention, my target was to find the Hotel, coz the reservation we made will be cancelled within an hour, and after I found it, we put our luggage, and went out to discover the place, and I approached that screen, I start to follow the instructions and end up chosing a seat in the next plane, and of course the best seats was already taken, it is good that I could find three seats next to each other, so we will not be scattered in the next long flight, WHY NO BODY TOLD ME ABOUT THIS, THEN I AM A GOOD READED, WHY THAT WASN'T MENTIONED ON THE KLM WEBSITE ??? but Allah was there for me, & inspired me to check the screen out of curiosity, in the right time.

I couldn't imagine that, we would have been in scattered seats if I had not approached that fine touch computer screen in the right time.

the long flight went smooth, I enjoyed the collection of the movies, the music and the games on the private screen , I didn't finish the story I borrowed from my deary missclass, didn't have enough time to finish it actually.

I had some good naps, the food choices was okey, the service in general was nice, and we landed safely.

we finished with the officer at the port of entry, which took some time, but not too long, the officer was funny, he was kind of in hurry coz we landed at lunch time, but he treated us well.

after we finish we collect our luggage ( which was in perfect condition, and nothing lost, although they weren't locked, as the rule prevent us from locking it as we are travelling to the united state ) and we entered the state , I thought it will so bad coz no one is actually waiting for us there, I do have some friends there but they are not close one , then I didn't want to bother anyone, and tried my best from Libya home to make it easier, therfore I had reserved a place at a hotel, and reserved even the car which will take us to the hotel, it is a kind of Taxi but not the regular Taxi, it is a shared ride van from the Shuttle express, I recommend it for any one want a ride, to or from the airport in the united state ( don't know if it is available in all the states ) ,and things went as I arranged, we find the van waiting for us, and it took us to our hotel, and things wasn't bad at all, the other thing which I though will happen , but it didn't is the cultural shock, there was no cultural shock, or there might be one, but in a reverse way, will try to talk about that in my upcoming posts.

just one more thing before I leave, I would like to mention that all those arrangment were accomplished with the help of one new friend of mine, who I want to introduce for all of you.

THE INTERNET

"he" is my closest friend these days, without him I would have definitely get lost.

Hiiiiiii from the Pacific Ocean !!!

.
My head still connected to my trunk!!!
and I can freely move my limbs...
still able to hear the birds...
easily watch my parents...
softly touch the roses...
and smell the breezes...
I am here to announce:
I arrived here safely
and
my soul still imprisoned in my body!!!

elhamdoAllah
p.s.: the pictur is fresh, I just captured it few minutes back.