On August 10th, at 9 pm, I had my fifth conversation partner meeting. This meeting was after Eid Al-Adha. Therefore, we discussed the reasons Muslims celebrate Eid Al-Adha and what they usually do to celebrate. Before going to FSU, I had not had many encounters with Muslim individuals since I lived in a mostly Christian area. I was not even aware of this holiday. It was interesting to learn that Eid Al-Adha is usually celebrated by sacrificing an animal and eating it with family. Mohammad told me that his family would usually pick out a sheep. Since he was not in Saudi Arabia, he was not able to celebrate in the way that he would with his family. Instead, he went to Tampa, where he was surprised to find a significant Muslim community as compared to Tallahassee. He mentioned how he felt like he was back in Saudi Arabia when he went to Tampa. We also talked about different tourist locations in Tampa and Miami and how a person's identity affects their interactions with others and one's self-view. Mohammad expressed how he is extremely proud of being Muslim, therefore, when he gets islamophobic comments he does not get too bothered by it. Overall, this session was a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about Muslim culture.
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