Shopping adventures, and more!

Bismillah
So I'm back after a few days of Running around like a crazy person. Sorry It took so long to write, I've been trying to log on but everything was in Arabic and I don't know how to navigate the page unless its translated.
Anywho since I've been here I've been pretty much busy the whole time, and this is without a JOB. Unfortunately my husband had to go back to work, but the good news is that hes only working 8 hours not 12:) Alhumdulillah( All praise due to God for that). So I fell like my body is adjusting now because yesterday I actually had some hunger pains, where as before the thought of anything other then water and maybe an apple, made me sick to my stomach. I really wanted to have an appetite because I remember watching an episode called "No Reservation" with Anthony Bourdain. In the show he venture to a local fast food restaurant called AL Baik. As he observes his food, he questioned everything,(because I guess the shapes of the meat were odd LOL). Never the less he ate it and was totally surprised at how good it was. I remember thinking as my mouth watered profusely " Man I wish I could taste" LOL well unfortunately for me I wasn't feeling to good when we got there. I'm sure there will be several opportunities for me to go experience the food there, and actually enjoy it!
So on another note, lets talk about my first shopping trip. Well before that let me just tell you that I think I suffered from a dozen mini heart attacks on the way. Here, I fell like the skies the limit when it comes to driving reckless LOL. Everyone pretty much does whatever they want LOL, Like making a right hand turn when there in the far left lane, LOL CRAZy! Oh and I don't see why they put those raised circle things (used instead of white lines on the road)when they are clearly ignored by every one. This by far is something that's gonna take me awhile to get use to. I fear for my life and others every time I'm in the car. No it's not because my husband can't drive, its just that I see people do some ridiculous things, and the pedestrians walking seem to be heedless of the danger. People here just walk out in the middle of the street (no cross walk) with oncoming traffic approaching them at speeds over 30 mph, with there hand out, lol ! That won't be me, no-sir-e-bob! I don't cross that street until its clear:)
So after a few minutes which seemed more like an hour we arrive at the mall. Basically we go to a store that is like a super Walmart called Panda. We go and park the car in the parking garage, walk inside, and hop on the escalator. The escalators are like the ones you see at the airport that are straight, instead of stairs its flat and on an incline so when you leave you can take your cart on it, Pretty cool!
Its time to shop! I go get a cart and start in the produce section. Here you have to get all your fruits and veggies then go stand in line and have a person weigh them and tag it for you. An interesting thing I noticed while shopping were all the little kids. Apparently it's acceptable for the little kids to wear skates, heelys in the store while there parents shop. I saw about 5 kids skating around, thinking to myself ..."What happens if they fall and crack their head open" but I guess suing isn't as popular here as it is in the US of A. After hours of shopping at Panda we were out of there.
Shopping at big stores like that are fine, but when we go to the local stores where nothings priced, that's when we run into issues.It's hard being an American in a third world country because it seems like everyone thinks your rich. As soon as they hear my husband and I talking they know that they are more then likely to get over on us. If we don't open our mouths we blend in with the locals, but as soon as we start talking everyone in the store starts to stare, and immediately I feel uncomfortable. This experience has humbled me because now I know how it feels to be in a country and not understand the local language. I remember being in situations where I came in counter with people who didn't know English very well, and I genuinely felt bad for them. Now that I'm here I truly am empathizes with them. I pray that Allah makes it easy for me to learn this language, because there is know way I can live here and not be able to communicate with the locals.
My husband told me something really funny after we left one store. He said that if your in a store and a person needs help they call out "MUHAMMAD" LOL. Although Muhammad is the most popular name in the world (and I'm guessing more then 70 percent of the brothers here are actually named Muhammad)Everyone that works in a store is not named Muhammad. I guess it's the equivalent to saying "excuse me" out loud in a store when you need help. After my husband told me that, I immediately started hearing people call out "Muhammad, Muhammad." and the store personally responding with "naum" which means YES!I think that was pretty cool, I wanted to do it but after I call the person, I can't say much else LOL :}So that's pretty much how our shopping adventures have been thus far. I think I have to learn how to bargain, because here, you can pretty much get the price to go down at least 10%.
Besides shopping for household items and cleaning and organizing my home, I also have plenty of time to reflect. I thank GOD often for giving me this opportunity. Now that I'm here I don't struggle like I use to, to get up for Fajr (early morning prayer, starting around 4am.) And Although some what faint (due to the load AC in my room) I hear the Athan (call to prayer) being called from the masjid (place of worship) right down the street. My heart has become soooo soft, every time I hear it I'm brought to tears. It reminds me of a video I watched on youtube of a British women crying upon hearing it throughout the city. This women was not a Muslim so imagine how she would fell if she was. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yicRgkuhh58. I really think that I'm gonna like it here:)Inshallah (God willing)! Well I'm going back to bed now, I've been up since Fajr!
Write to you soon.
Salam (Peace).