Search
Close
Menu
  • Join Now!
  • Community
    • Foodie Kids
    • Globetrotting parents
    • Mompreneur Series
    • News
    • About
      • Contact
  • Advice
    • Vacation Rental Directories
      • Plum guide Directory
      • VRBO Directory
    • Baby Passport Photo
    • Travel Health and Medical Advice
    • Planning A Trip With A Baby
    • Family Travel Photography
    • Budget
    • Flying with a Baby
    • Baby Jetlag
    • Entertaining Baby on Board
    • Hotel review
    • Travel & Packing Hacks
    • Responsible Travel with Kids
    • Big Adventures w/Little Ones
    • Raising global citizens
    • Staying Zen While traveling with Kids
  • Destinations
    • Vacation rental directories
      • Plum guide Directory
      • VRBO Directory
    • Family Road Trips
    • Train travel
    • Americas
      • California
      • Caribbean
      • Chicago
      • Florida and SE US
      • Hawaii
      • New York and the East Coast
      • Pacific Northwest
      • Latin America
      • Western USA
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Germany & Central Europe
      • Greece and the Balkans
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • London & the UK
      • Paris
      • Reykjavik
      • Spain and Portugal
      • Stockholm
      • The Netherlands
    • Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • Sydney
      • Tokyo
    • Middle East & Africa
      • Middle East
      • Southern Africa
  • Gear
    • Baby Carriers
    • Car seats
    • Compact Travel Strollers
    • Cribs and toddler beds
    • Fly beds
    • Food and feeding gear
    • Luggage
    • Travel accessories
    • Travel Apparel
    • Travel Services
    • Travel Toys & Entertainment
  • Shop
    • Favorite Brands
    • Travel gifts
    • Family Travel Books
  • Join Now!
  • Community
    • Foodie Kids
    • Globetrotting parents
    • Mompreneur Series
    • News
    • About
      • Contact
  • Advice
    • Vacation Rental Directories
      • Plum guide Directory
      • VRBO Directory
    • Baby Passport Photo
    • Travel Health and Medical Advice
    • Planning A Trip With A Baby
    • Family Travel Photography
    • Budget
    • Flying with a Baby
    • Baby Jetlag
    • Entertaining Baby on Board
    • Hotel review
    • Travel & Packing Hacks
    • Responsible Travel with Kids
    • Big Adventures w/Little Ones
    • Raising global citizens
    • Staying Zen While traveling with Kids
  • Destinations
    • Vacation rental directories
      • Plum guide Directory
      • VRBO Directory
    • Family Road Trips
    • Train travel
    • Americas
      • California
      • Caribbean
      • Chicago
      • Florida and SE US
      • Hawaii
      • New York and the East Coast
      • Pacific Northwest
      • Latin America
      • Western USA
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Germany & Central Europe
      • Greece and the Balkans
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • London & the UK
      • Paris
      • Reykjavik
      • Spain and Portugal
      • Stockholm
      • The Netherlands
    • Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • Sydney
      • Tokyo
    • Middle East & Africa
      • Middle East
      • Southern Africa
  • Gear
    • Baby Carriers
    • Car seats
    • Compact Travel Strollers
    • Cribs and toddler beds
    • Fly beds
    • Food and feeding gear
    • Luggage
    • Travel accessories
    • Travel Apparel
    • Travel Services
    • Travel Toys & Entertainment
  • Shop
    • Favorite Brands
    • Travel gifts
    • Family Travel Books
Menu
  • Join Now!
  • Community
    • Foodie Kids
    • Globetrotting parents
    • Mompreneur Series
    • News
    • About
      • Contact
  • Advice
    • Vacation Rental Directories
      • Plum guide Directory
      • VRBO Directory
    • Baby Passport Photo
    • Travel Health and Medical Advice
    • Planning A Trip With A Baby
    • Family Travel Photography
    • Budget
    • Flying with a Baby
    • Baby Jetlag
    • Entertaining Baby on Board
    • Hotel review
    • Travel & Packing Hacks
    • Responsible Travel with Kids
    • Big Adventures w/Little Ones
    • Raising global citizens
    • Staying Zen While traveling with Kids
  • Destinations
    • Vacation rental directories
      • Plum guide Directory
      • VRBO Directory
    • Family Road Trips
    • Train travel
    • Americas
      • California
      • Caribbean
      • Chicago
      • Florida and SE US
      • Hawaii
      • New York and the East Coast
      • Pacific Northwest
      • Latin America
      • Western USA
    • Europe
      • Belgium
      • Germany & Central Europe
      • Greece and the Balkans
      • Ireland
      • Italy
      • London & the UK
      • Paris
      • Reykjavik
      • Spain and Portugal
      • Stockholm
      • The Netherlands
    • Asia
      • Southeast Asia
      • Sydney
      • Tokyo
    • Middle East & Africa
      • Middle East
      • Southern Africa
  • Gear
    • Baby Carriers
    • Car seats
    • Compact Travel Strollers
    • Cribs and toddler beds
    • Fly beds
    • Food and feeding gear
    • Luggage
    • Travel accessories
    • Travel Apparel
    • Travel Services
    • Travel Toys & Entertainment
  • Shop
    • Favorite Brands
    • Travel gifts
    • Family Travel Books
Search
Close
$0.00 0 Cart

Globe-Trotting Mom, Mariam Sanai, Opens Up About Traveling As A Muslim Family

  • By Marley
  • September 3, 2020
  • Reading Time: 3 minutes
  • Please note that the article may contain affiliate links. Bébé Voyage may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
Mariam Sanai talks about traveling as a Muslim family

Family travel can be an enriching and fulfilling experience but it also comes with its own challenges and concerns. Mariam Sanai, a Muslim mom of two based in France, shares her family experience on traveling as a Muslim family, diversity, and what they most like about exploring the world. 

Q. Could you tell us a little about you and your family?

A.  We are a Muslim family of four, two children, an almost five-year-old boy, and a two-year-old daughter. We are currently based in the south of France for the year, but the American Midwest is home. My husband and I are both ethnically Indian and we both grew up in Saudi Arabia. Growing up as third-culture kids, travel has always been a part of our lives. 

Q. What goes through your head when choosing a travel destination? Does race, religion, or sexual orientation affect how you choose your travel destination?

A.  We don’t necessarily consider race, religion, or sexual orientation when planning for travel destinations, but it is always most comfortable when we find ourselves amidst diversity. There is also definitely a degree of mental ease when our chosen destination is primarily a Muslim one. Although we venture into all kinds of territories, the comfort of blending in is undeniable. 

 

Q.What are the things you love most about traveling with your family?

A. We love so many things about traveling! New experiences, building memories, meeting people, breaking from the mundane, and spending time together as a family without the pressure of work and schedules. We are fortunate that our children seem to enjoy traveling as much as we do. 

 

Q. What have been surprisingly positive experiences?

A. I am always pleasantly surprised by how much kindness we receive from strangers because we have little children in tow. Whether it’s helping with a stroller, thoughtful accommodations at restaurants, or just people looking out for your kid on the street. No matter race or religion, the turmoil accompanying parenting seems to be an unspoken universal language! And the innocence of children too, I suppose. 

Q. What kind of challenges do you face when traveling as a Muslim family?

A.  One of the things that always feels like an unreasonable burden is the responsibility to represent an entire race or religion. When we travel, we tend to be hyper-aware of the fact that we are Muslim and that people can easily generalize any of our actions or attitudes to our entire religion. Finding ourselves in the position of teaching others about our communities through representation can at times feel not only challenging, but also daunting. 

Less complicated, but another challenge nonetheless is finding suitable food. We don’t eat pork, we don’t drink alcohol, and mostly eat vegetarian or seafood. Added to that, we love good food!  

 

Q. Have you talked to your child/children about how racial injustice could affect your travels? How do you prepare your child/children for it?

A. We have lots of conversations about race and injustices in general. Although we are often the minority, we are still very privileged. Thus, the focus tends to be on injustices to others. 

We have had some instances where my four-year-old feels somewhat bullied at playgrounds for looking different and/or not speaking a language, but validating his feelings in those situations and elaborating on differences always helps him feel more empowered.  

We also always encourage our children to look out for one another and stay together. 

 

Q. Is there anything you would like to add?

A. Traveling with young children can be intimidating and oftentimes downright difficult but it has truly been priceless for our family. This is true whether it’s a transatlantic trip to build and maintain bonds with family, living abroad for a year and experiencing an entirely different way of life, or just taking a vacation in whatever way we can and making those memories together. It’s such an enjoyable way to both learn and teach, not just for yourselves and your children but to the global community. 

 

 

 

You may also like these articles from Bébé Voyage:

Honoring Culture and the Environment on your Trip to Hawai’i

Living Abroad: Maika Schneider Shares Her Experience About Living In Virginia Beach, USA

Pad Thai, Stir Fried Chicken Rice Noodles From Thailand: Delicious Recipes From Around The World!

  • muslim
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest
Marley

Marley

Marley (They/Them/Their) is the Editor-in-Chief for Bébé Voyage. Marley is an avid traveler, food lover and parent to one kiddo. They hold a BA in English Literature and a Diploma in Freelance and Feature Writing with the London School of Journalism. You can find out more about Marley at www.mconte.com
All Posts »
Become a member
PrevPreviousTake A Tour Around Stratford-Upon-Avon With Bébé Voyage Ambassador Charlotte Rawstorne
NextUnderstanding And Coping With Childhood AnxietyNext

JOIN THE CLUB

DISCOVER ALL THE BENEFITS OF OUR MULTIPLE LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP
sIGN UP NOW
Cool

Login

 
 
Forgot Password

Globe-Trotting Mom, Mariam Sanai, Opens Up About Traveling As A Muslim Family

Info
  • Contact
  • About
  • Media Appearances
  • Contact
  • About
  • Media Appearances
Blog
  • Community
  • Family Travel Gear
  • Community
  • Family Travel Gear
Connect with Bébé Voyage
Facebook-square Instagram Pinterest Twitter At
Search
© COPYRIGHT BEBE VOYAGE, LLC 2023
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions