Introducing America: A Guide For You

By Tarek Hussein and Mike McMullen

We decided to write about the topic of introducing this country to you. You have made a great choice. You chose to come here, and I believe you have made a great first step towards achieving better things in your life. You have to be ready and responsible for the consequences. You can have a great and wonderful life if you understand the environment in which you live. This is very important because you are coming from a different culture with traditions and habits that might be different from traditions and habits in this country. We're not asking you to change; in fact, we are encouraging you to keep your identity, but you always need to seek improvement in everything you do or plan to do. That includes learning how to integrate into the society in which you have chosen to live.

We wrote this book as a resource to guide newly arriving immigrants to the United States.

We used straightforward language and a simple format so that everyone can easily find, interpret, and understand the information. We hope you will find it informative, resourceful, and a joy to read. To give you insight, we will provide the information we have gained while living in the United States.

If you read this book and try to use it in your daily life, you will avoid many consequences that might cost you more than you think. Do not try to figure out everything on your own. You might wrongly understand an issue because of differences in cultures. Discussing the issue with many different people will help you learn many perspectives and may help you understand the issue better. I hope to provide you a positive perspective and some understanding of how to go about solving some of the challenges you may face coming to a new country. So, to successfully find your way in American society, I encourage you to use this book to become familiar with the ways of living in the United States.

• Language: English
• Publisher: eBookIt.com
• Release date: Feb 14, 2018
• ISBN: 9780999879306

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank their family members for participating in this effort and being patient throughout this process.

The authors would also like to thank Ivy McMullen, Angela Miller-Mooring, and Chelsea Graham for their assistance on editing and research, and Yara Attia for the cover page art.

Dedications

We dedicate this humble effort to write this book to every individual who resides in the U.S. and does not get the chance to understand the society he/she lives in.

This book is also dedicated to all those who are willing to come to the States either for a visit or to consider it home.

Mike McMullen

I dedicate this book to my wife, Katie, and daughters, Ivy and Maya.

Tarek Hussein

I dedicate this book to my parents, wife, Seham, my children, Asmaa, Mariam, Sarah, and Mohamed, and my lovely grandchildren, Hedayah, Eesa, and Nour. I’d like to dedicate this effort to my inspiring professor who taught me how to be a hard working individual, Dr. Ebtesam Khattab.

About Dr. Tarek Hussein

Tarek came to this country on March 3, 1992 from Cairo, Egypt. He used to be an lecturer in the School of Physical Therapy, Cairo University, Egypt. From day one he decided to be an American. It was a great challenge for him and his family. He graduated with a Ph.D. degree in physical therapy from Texas Women’s University, Houston in June 1999. Also, he graduated with a Master’s degree in Sociology from University of Houston-Clear Lake in May 2015. His study of Sociology helps him to understand the environment and be a better citizen. He is currently an Adjunct Sociology Professor at UHCL. He is introducing American society to the reader in a simple way, so you don’t have to learn from your own mistakes, but from someone else’s mistakes. He is very active in the community building bridges between the Muslim community and other faith communities. He is also active with the civil right advocacy group promoting justice for all.

About Dr. Mike McMullen

Mike McMullen is a professor of Sociology and Cross Cultural Studies at the University of Houston-Clear Lake in Houston, Texas. He received his doctorate from Emory University (Atlanta, Georgia). He is the author of The Bahá'í: The Religious Construction of a Global Identity was published by Rutgers University Press, and The Bahá’ís of America: The Growth and Change of a Religious Movement by New York University Press. His areas of interest include the sociology of religion, the Middle East, organizational development and change, and conflict resolution and mediation. Dr. McMullen spent a year living in Cairo, Egypt as a Fulbright Scholar, teaching at American University in Cairo during the 2009-2010 academic years. He is currently working on a book on the history of conflict resolution in the United States. Dr. McMullen is also active in community issues, serving on the Board of Directors of Interfaith Caring Ministries and the Center for the Healing of Racism.

Introduction

Dear Reader,

We decided to write about the topic of introducing this country to you. You have made a great choice. You chose to come here, and I believe you have made a great first step towards achieving better things in your life. You have to be ready and responsible for the consequences. You can have a great and wonderful life if you understand the environment in which you live. This is very important because you are coming from a different culture with traditions and habits that might be different from traditions and habits in this country. We’re not asking you to change; in fact, we are encouraging you to keep your identity, but you always need to seek improvement in everything you do or plan to do. That includes learning how to integrate into the society in which you have chosen to live.

To make this easier for you, simply know the country in which you choose to live. American people, in general, are welcoming people and love to get to know others, but at times when the economy is not strong, you should expect that some people will look at you suspiciously if you are here to work. These people may believe you are taking someone else’s job, and this could create a sense of uneasiness. However, take the initiative, introduce yourself to others, and get to know your workmates and neighbors. This might not be an easy task, but give it your best effort as the first step and always remember you can to represent a positive image of your home country, culture, and religion. You will not force others to like you, but you can at least earn their respect through your actions.