After the Gulf War, I was working as a computer consultant when my company was offered a position in Kuwait which was perfect for me.
My initial reaction was that I had no desire to go and work in a place where women were treated as second-class citizens; after all, I had the usual stereotypical images about women in a place like Kuwait.
The manager on location assured me that the working environment was professional and that there were many bright women in the organization, including those who would be my supervisor and manager. I eventually decided to take the contract for one year, thinking it would be an adventure.
My new male and female colleagues were always friendly and respectful towards me, and it was the only environment I'd ever worked in where I saw no evidence of sexual harassment or discrimination. The women working with me were university graduates and very assertive, and most wore Islamic dress.
At the time, I knew little about Islam; and I'm embarrassed to say now that I considered it a backward religion which would only appeal to the ignorant masses. As I slowly realized that the stereotypes I had brought with me were all wrong, I became curious about the religion itself.
I got some books and began reading them on my own. Over and over again, I was surprised at what I found - and perhaps more by what I didn't find.
I found a belief system which was rational and uncluttered, and I didn't find the terrorism or oppression of women that I had expected.
I was struck by the scientific accuracy of the Koran, demonstrated by statements which describe scientific phenomena that weren't discovered until recently. I learned that the Islamic world had made major contributions to scientific knowledge and was the seat of civilization and learning while Europe was in the Dark Ages.
I was impressed that the Koran had never been changed over the years, so that the Koran we read today (in its original Arabic) is exactly the same as that revealed 1,400 years ago. I was surprised to find out that Islam had the same roots as Judaism and Christianity, and that Muslims believed in the same Prophets, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them).
I became convinced that the Koran must have been a message from God, but it took me a while to actually accept Islam. And although I understood the purpose and the benefits of Islamic dress, I couldn't imagine wearing it myself until I attended a Ramadan dinner at an organization for English-speaking Muslim women where I met dozens of Western women who had converted to Islam, and who felt proud to dress that way.
On the day that I decided I was ready officially to declare my Islamic faith, I asked a friend to help me do so. There is actually no requirement to say this publicly, or to get any kind of certificate; the declaration of faith is simply a matter of testifying that there is no god but Allah (the same God worshipped by Christians and Jews), and that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was his Messenger.
When we returned to the office, I just went back to my desk, but my friend informed everyone, and I received congratulations from wellwishers for the rest of the day. That evening, the same friend invited me to her aunt's house and - with only a few hours notice - her mother, sisters, aunts, and cousins (whom I'd never met before) had a party for me, complete with gifts of Koran, prayer dresses, gold, etc. Over the next days and weeks, I received dozens of gifts from friends and acquaintances.
It took me several weeks to build up the courage to wear the hijab (Islamic headscarf), but I found it liberating in a way that I hadn't expected. I was worried when I travelled to the US wearing the hijab soon after becoming Muslim, but I needn't have been.
Everywhere I went, I was greeted by other Muslims with the Islamic greeting "Assalaamu alaikum" (Peace be upon you). I felt welcomed as a part of the worldwide Muslim community, and the hijab was what made that possible.
Now it is Ramadan and I can say I looked forward to this month during which we not only fast, but increase our worship and recharge ourselves spiritually. We read the Koran and engage in extra prayers during the night. We visit friends and relatives and give charity . . . and our thoughts and prayers are more than ever with Muslim brothers and sisters around the world who are suffering.
After Ramadan has come to an end, and we celebrate the Eid holiday, our challenge is to keep up this intensity of worship for the rest of the year.
Ann Ronayne is an Irish-American who lives in Kuwait with her husband and four sons