I first met Camille several months ago at the Sharjah Ladies' Club - the local women's only health and fitness spa and club. We were enrolled in a Pilates class together. Camille is an African American Muslim who is married to an Algerian man and has three adorable and rambunctious children. She has been living in the Emirates for about three years now. Stunningly beautiful with a million dollar smile, her bubbly and vivacious personality make her hilarious and great fun to be around.
She invited me to her belated birthday party (originally born in September, which is the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, she postponed the celebration until November), where I was introduced to several other American ladies who were married to local men and had been living in the Emirates for the past couple of decades.
Initially intimidated by the black abayas that the women were wearing, I was immediately put at ease as they revealed their wild, wacky, and stereotypically loud and funloving, American personalities. The evening turned out to be a blast, ending with Camille standing up and singing the song, "Dare to Love" from the opera, "Carmen Jones." She sang it so beautifully, everyone sat in awed silence, savoring every lyric. When she finished, the whole restaurant gave her a thunderous applause. My birthday's coming up soon, and I told Camille that I am looking forward to having her sing at my party as well.
She invited me to her belated birthday party (originally born in September, which is the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, she postponed the celebration until November), where I was introduced to several other American ladies who were married to local men and had been living in the Emirates for the past couple of decades.
Initially intimidated by the black abayas that the women were wearing, I was immediately put at ease as they revealed their wild, wacky, and stereotypically loud and funloving, American personalities. The evening turned out to be a blast, ending with Camille standing up and singing the song, "Dare to Love" from the opera, "Carmen Jones." She sang it so beautifully, everyone sat in awed silence, savoring every lyric. When she finished, the whole restaurant gave her a thunderous applause. My birthday's coming up soon, and I told Camille that I am looking forward to having her sing at my party as well.
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