At home I want my way. This is why I travel; life is less aggravating
when I can
accept that nothing will go as imagined.
In Islamic countries, it's expected that things will go as planned,
insha'Allah. In Arabic, this means 'God willing.' And so, many often
finish their thoughts with “insha'Allah.”
While traveling in Muslim countries, I became quite used to insha'Allah. So,
when I was talking to my local tour guide in Iran and he explained an itinerary
to me, he paused as if to explain the circumstances we may face. I interrupted
and said, “I know, I know: Insha'Allah.” Amin, my guide, looked horrified and
countered, “What do you mean insha'Allah? insha'Allah? insha'Allah for sure!”
God willing, for sure? I learned quickly that the Persians are a self-assured
lot. |