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Tue 5 Apr, 2005 03:09 am
Okay, so this question might be a bit unnecessary at this point because I am leaving, but I need your responses for future reference. I'm dating a guy right now (its going to become long-distance and be relegated to the friendship with slight possibility for more level). But as of the moment, I've been hanging around with his friends a lot. All of them are from Algeria, but most are Kabyle, and their views on women are MUCH different than the Arabs. I think you could safely say that Kabylie is the America of Algeria. However, some are Arabs. We've hung out a few times with his friends, me being the only girl, except occasionally a Kabyle girl, and I brought my American friends one time to make myself more confortable. But he touches my knee in front of them and last night he told me he loved me in front of them. He was a little drunk, and the fact that he was drunk made it even worse, because we were with some Arabs. One of them left the room to go say his evening prayers - needless to say, they don't approve of alcohol. I told him in front of them that I care about him but dont appreciate parading our feelings for the whole world to see. Its different in Occidental cultures, I suppose. Well, I just feel like an object that he's showing off sometimes. Like - hey everybody - look at this beautiful American I snagged. And guess what guys, I am not being a faithful Muslim if you know what I mean. He hasn't said anything, but its just the fact that hes so show-offy in front of his friends that bothers me. Like I said, this relationship is coming to a screeching halt as I approach my return to America. But if this situation were to come up again, how should one react?
No matter from what culture a person comes, each individual has a sense of what it means to be treated with respect. If a guy that you are with does not treat you with the level of respect that you want, you have discussed it with him, and he still does not care about your feelings, dump him.