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Disapora and marriage

Last activity 22 March 2017 by American Muslim Sister

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gens78

Hi, I've been in Jordan for a couple of years.  I'm not Jordanian and not married to a Jordanian so I am looking at this as a curious observer. With time of course I am meeting more "stuck expats", who are here because their children have been taken by their husbands and the only way to see their kids is to stay put here.  I am also meeting more and more women who are sometimes born or lived all their lives in America or Europe (maybe they moved when they were really young so have no memories of Jordan) but have somehow married back to Jordan.  This seems so strange to me.  My mum was Italian and I am British.  I remember when I was a child she was keen for me to marry whoever I want as long as he was a decent.  She wanted me to integrate in the UK and even though she spoke to me in Italian at home she was not keen for me to keep one foot in the Italian community so even discouraged me from going to Italian Saturday School. So how do Jordanians live in Europe and America, do they integrate? Are they allowed to marry those they have grown up around? or are they under immense pressure to marry back home, is money exchanged in the process?   So are these marriages arranged? Just curious.

American Muslim Sister

Hello,

I found your message very interesting I read it twice.
My mother is Greek, your story sounds some what similar to hers. Grand-Father spoke Greek to her, they lived in America, and wanted her to marry Greek, actually she didn't marry a Greek. She wanted my sister and I to marry Greeks back in their Greek Islands... It was a cast thing she said. I'm thinking she was a little sorry she didn't marry into the high cast we were born into... lots of money in those marriages.  Of course those marriages are arranged.
Now to address the women you spoke about who  stay in Jordan to see their Children. I'm sure they were advised, before marriage if there was a divorce the father's would retain the children as he could better provide.  I am revert to Islam and am well aware of this ruling in the Sharia law, about the children staying with the father. Still, my heart goes out to anyone who is oppressed.
May you be happy and healthy, God Bless you and your family.. amen.
Fatima

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