I live in the Detroit area, where we have the largest population of people from the Middle East outside of the Middle East.
Some of my observations are:
1. The women get liberated within a generation. They come here and like the freedom. Once they see that most of us walk around uncovered without getting raped, they realize how stupid that whole thing is. I eat at ME restaurants frequently-they are family businesses, and the women work there with the men. The women are not totally covered-they cover their hair, and wear modest clothes. Some of the younger ones wear jeans and don't even wear the hijab.
2. They are family-centered people, which is something we can share with them. Their businesses are family-centered, and they will help young adults in the family get set up with their own store or restaurant.
There's a woman who comes to the community center who still wears the hijab, but she works out in the gymn wearing sweats. She doesn't go swimming, though, yet she puts her little girls in swimsuits and watches them swim. People adapt to the culture they live in, for the most part.
I just want the foot baths to become an american tradition. I like the idea of being able to soak my feet oin bubbling hot water at all my stops in my daily routine.









