Clash Of Cultures

3. Who Am I?

Noor

After the fiasco with my name, I had to play catch up through most of the morning activities. I reached late for the group orientation, someone had changed my name from Noor to Nora in the badge office's records and then my access to the medical records would not work.

It was 12:30 by the time I reached the lunch area. I put down my stuff, and walked over to the table with several piles of boxed lunches. As a practicing Muslim I tried to eat halal meat only or stick to vegetarian and fish options. To my dismay the only boxes left were beef and ham.

My facial expression must have given me away because a young woman hurried towards me and asked me if I had any dietary restrictions.

"Yes, I eat mostly vegetarian" (I have learned that this is the simplest response to a question about dietary restrictions. Trying to explain what halal meats are and why I prefer them is just too complicated for strangers)

"Gosh, I am so sorry that we are all out. Let me just call the cafeteria and see what options they have and I'll have them bring over a salad or something". The young women scurried off.

While I stood there looking like a deer in front of headlights, Allison from the GME office walked over to me. "Kate is working on your lunch. Give her a few minutes and she'll have it sorted out", she said with a smile.

"You know one of our senior residents is also a Muslim, or at least pretends to be when it suits him", she said with a chuckle. "He says he doesn't have pork products but I swear I've seen him eat a pepperoni pizza. And the boy loves his beer!"

Oh lovely! The only other Muslim in this place is not really a Muslim.

Allison continued, "Let me introduce you to him. He will be showing your group around the hospital after lunch"

"Be careful though, he can charm you in to doing anything", she said with a wink.

Since there still wasn't any sign of food that I could eat, and because I was now mildly intrigued by this 'Muslim' resident I followed Allison across the room.

As we approached the last table in the huge conference room, I could see a group of people, who I assumed were the residents, in white coats with stethoscopes dangling around their necks. Allison tapped the shoulder of a man whose back was towards us.

As he turned to look at us my heart may have skipped a beat. With his chiseled face, thick ruffled hair, soft brown eyes and a smile that created the most adorable dimples, he could have easily been a hero in a Bollywood movie.

As I looked on mesmerized, I felt a squeeze on my arm. "Hey Noor, you ok?" Allison asked with a slightly amused smile.

"Umm...yes totally fine. Sorry...its been a long day and I am hungry! I think my brain short circuited for a second"  I laughed, trying to excuse my staring spell.

The other residents pretended to carry on eating and ignore what just happened, but I could see them giggling away in the background. I felt my ears burning and I silently cursed myself for putting my hair up in a ponytail today.

Allison went on, "Salman, I wanted to introduce you to Noor. She just moved here from the same country you are from".

Salman's eyes narrowed at that last sentence. "Actually, my parents immigrated from Pakistan a long time ago. I was born and raised here in the US", he said curtly.

Seeming to ignore the irritation in Salman's voice, Allison continued, "Oh thats right, I keep forgetting. I shouldn't tbough....you speak perfect English with no accent at all!"