Finally the day has come!
Dropped Meagan off at the airport yet again, and made it back up to FoCo just in time to make cupcakes with Tasneem for mosque. With hijab intact, and cupcakes decorated-we went.

I found the mosque to be a serene place. The men acted just as expected, and the women the same. I learned that I should not keep eye contact with a Muslim man during conversation, and that I should not engage in conversation with a man unless having a clear purpose. I also learned that tattoos are haram, forbidden, and those who get a tattoo or piercing have a curse upon them. Unless of course you get the tattoo or piercing before converting, in which case your shahada makes those bad deeds go away. I talked to H about all of this, he said this is a very conservative understanding of Islam.
I also listened and watched the prayer take place. I could literally fall asleep on the floors-they are so comfortable. After questions and observation time we all gathered to eat. The food was delicious-I could definitely eat Middle Eastern food every day of my life. The desert table consisted of traditional Middle Eastern deserts....and then there was my neon frosted cupcakes. Metaphor for the actual situation? I think so.
I don't know how to necessarily present myself in a respectful and warm manner towards a pious Muslim man. That is a skill I want to acquire before moving to Iraq. The majority of my Muslim friends are young, less religious, more modern than the men I experienced at the mosque. I wonder if that was all a front they put on. Like the way I used to act when I attended my strict Presbyterian church...

Is it so wrong that I want to be friends? How do I even cross into that realm with religious Muslim men? Is that even a reasonable request?

I plan on going to the mosque again with Tasneem to learn more, and gain social experiences.