So this has been concerning me since last week. In class on Wednesday one of the other students said he wouldn't be present this week because he was going away on a business trip. That actually happens all of the time in the Masters program, what with all of the busy working students. What concerned me is where he's going.

He's going to the States.

Now, I've known this dude since my first semester here, he's an incredibly nice guy. Shoot, I even wrote about him here a year and a half ago, about how some American scientists had genetically engineered pig genes into corn (see GMOs and Muslims).

See, my friend is a very devout Muslim. I mean, in all of my years of studying in groups I never had a a friend take a break from studying to go pray ... until I was in a group with him. (Muslims, as you know, pray five times a day at certain times). In no way was it disruptive, I don't want to give that impression at all. He just said, "I'm going to take five minutes to go pray." I mean shoot, my undergraduate friends spent more time outside in front of the building on cigarette breaks each day then he probably spends praying. Plus it honestly seemed like his concentration was a little more focused when he came back to the group.

But what concerns me is his view of the States.

Now, honestly I don't even know where he's from. I'd guess Lebanon or Palestine, but it could possibly be Syria or Jordan, I guess. I'm always a little reticent to ask people where they're from when I meet them, even though that seems to be the norm here. I guess I don't want people to think that I'm judging them before I know them. Plus I think our president has said some mean words about some of the places where these students are from. Heck, my country has even invaded and bombed a few of these people's homelands. Still are, in some cases.

Plus as one of the few Americans in the program, I sometimes stick out a little. Sometimes by design, sometimes simply because I'm the only native English speaker in the room. I would hate hate hate for anyone to think of me as the "uppity American". I'm a little paranoid about that, actually.

I guess I'm feeling protective of my friend, you know? While this is his first trip to the states, no doubt he's been inundated with images and ideas from America since birth. Everything from sitcoms to movies to celebrities are exported to the far corners of the globe, for better or for worse.

Of course it doesn't help that he's visiting Dallas and New York City on his trip. I've never been to Dallas before, but I kind of picture it as a place populated with clones of the Rich Texan character from the Simpsons. You know, the guy in white cowboy hat and bolo tie who is always pulling out a pair of revolvers and firing them into the air while yelling "Yee Haw!"

That guy.

And then New York City. Hm. I've been there on several occasions, and each time seen things that made me blush. And I lived in Hollywood for six years. I saw some messed up stuff out there.

But New York City is like ... well I was going to say "Mecca for the weirdos" ... but invoking a holy Islamic city might not be the best thing right here. It certainly is a magnet for the freaks, though.

I'm thinking about everything from his prayer schedule to his eating meat that's not halal. And pork! Dude, they sell hot dogs on streetcorners in New York! Don't eat them!

I guess I'm not crazy, I guess I just want him to have an enjoyable time and maybe understand my land a little more. (Not that I really have any claims on Texas ...) And obviously I hope nobody is rude to him because of his religion or home country (whichever one that it is).

So Texas, please don't mess with my buddy. Youse guys in New York, too. He's good people, just like us.