Conversation from yesterday's taxi ride (my side of the conversation translated from Arabic to English)
T: Do you mind if I ask you a question?
M: No, you're welcome to go ahead.
T: Where are you from?
M: America.
T: Oh, I love America. It is the best place in the world. I love Americans.
... conversation about his family in Cairo and his degree in commerce from a university in Cairo...
M: Why do you like America so much?
T: It's because of the economics.
M: What exactly do you mean by that? (I had just read about the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac the day before!)
T: If you work hard in America, you get rewarded with a lot of money. If you work hard here, you get nothing. We work too hard here.
... finally, he starts speaking in Arabic ...
T: But, Americans hate Arabs.
M: Do you really believe that? Do you think I'd be here if that were true?
T: America will never give me a chance.
M: Then, how can you like America?
T: Because of the system whatever you put in you get out.
... we talk about his desire to start a family and how he needs a dowry before he can marry... but given the choice between a marriage today or a free 1 way ticket to America, there's no question, he's off to America
I wasn't going to post this conversation, but I saw this article in the New York Times about the "widespread mistrust of the United States and the belief among Arabs and Muslims that the United States has a prejudice against them." My conversation in the taxi seemed timely.
