How often do we hear word Islamophobia? It’s something that people discuss at their breakfast and dinner tables, in offices, in gatherings…or perhaps at every nook and corner. The Newspapers and internet is full with the stories of Islamic-west grudges and rivalries that follow. For example, in the Muslim world one can hear cries of death and destruction to America and similarly the US condemning of Muslims for jihad. However, there is another side to coin and that opens a new window for Islam-west relations.

I have witnessed this other side of the coin. However, frankly speaking, I’d no positive views about US earlier when I came here for the studies from my native land in Afghanistan. In spite of the bitter feelings, living with the host family in NC is a new experience altogether and changed my opinion totally within a year.

Earlier I thought everyone is at war with Islam in Iraq and Afghanistan, but to my surprise, I noticed that there are people who really don’t care and there is a great difference in air that blows in NC and Washington. My hosts and neighbors in NC didn’t ever ask who I am and what religion I was. They showed tremendous interest in knowing ‘me as me only’ and not on the bases of nationality or religion. This is the point where from my bitter US perception started changing.

Yes, change in the mindset is needed, however, on both sides and that’s what I share, enjoy, and appreciate while being with my hosts in this corner of US where people welcome everyone – Muslims or otherwise. It was totally a new thing for me to know how American society allows and endorses many different opinions and the keen interest they have shown in knowing my culture. It’s no less than a new awakening for me and to my community that will surely bring greater awareness between people I am living with and native place I belong to.

There are the misconceptions in the Muslim and western world where many, like me in Mideast and Afghanistan, hate US or vice versa. Still, there are lots of people on both sides who don’t think likewise. I’ve friends here from Jordon, Syria, and Turkey who share the same view of their hosts. I have my relatives and friends in Iran and Dubai who are the biggest fans of US and its culture. With this changed mindset, I wanna talk to the European and Arabian Muslims about integration with US. And I firmly believe that America does a better job than Europe. I also challenge Muslim youths on their views of America.

Therefore, there is a firm need for a convincing approach in getting the Americans and Muslims engaged at a grass root level in issues and that matters a lot to the world at large and it’s gonna be a win-win situation for all involved. There is a need to reach out to each other. There is the need for the overall participation. It’ll not only give the positive message to Muslim world but the Muslims will share these experience with the natives of their respective nations. But for that matter, I want the same wind to blow in Washington and NC to swallow grudges – if at large we want to put full stop to the conflict.