When you and your family visit Mecca for Umrah, the Saudi government requires that you do not make private travel plans to enter the country, but secure your visa through a travel agent. Licensed Umrah travel agencies will have an agreement with the Saudi government to distribute visa. For example, if you live in the United States, you can travel through the Dawn Travels travel agency. Fill out or download their Umrah Visa Application at: http://www.dawntravels.com/download-umrah-visa-application.htm. If you live in the UK, you can find a list of approved travel agencies through the Saudi Embassy website at: https://saudiembassyuk.co.uk/. If you're traveling internationally, you need to have a passport. You may need to renew your passport to ensure it will be valid 6 months after the travel date. So, if you're traveling for Umrah at the beginning of March, your passport must be valid through early September. As part of your Umrah visa application, you must submit a full-size color passport photo with a white background. For the Umrah visa application, you must be directly facing the camera. A picture taken from the side, or even from a slight angle, may be rejected. If your existing passport photo fits these criteria, you may not need to take a new photo. Contact the organization through which you obtained your passport (e.g. the Post Office) and ask how to obtain a large, printed copy of the photo. Before you apply for your Umrah visa, you need to purchase your airline tickets. The tickets must be nonrefundable and the purchases should be confirmed. Be sure that the date of departure from Saudi Arabia is within 2 weeks of the date of your arrival. You will need to show your travel itinerary when you submit the Umrah application. This demonstrates to the Saudi government that you will not be in the country for longer than 2 weeks.
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One-sentence summary -- Contact a licensed Umrah travel agent. Obtain a passport that will be valid for 6 months past the travel date. Take a color passport photo that clearly shows your face. Obtain proof of nonrefundable air travel tickets.

If you are stuck without a measuring device, it can be useful to have some visual aids in your head as a reference for the correct amount. Here are some good ones to remember: A teaspoon is about the size of the tip of your finger A tablespoon is about the size of an ice cube 1/4 cup is about the size of a large egg 1/2 cup is about the size of a tennis ball A full cup is about the size of a baseball, an apple or a fist Ideally, you would use your hands as they can be cupped to create a rounded shape. However, this may not be appropriate for sticky liquids. Try to select a transparent vessel that you can easily imagine your visual aid just fitting into. For example, if you are measuring a 1/4 cup, it may be useful to use a tall glass that an egg would just fit into. A wider glass, on the other hand, may be more appropriate for a 1/2 or full cup. This will help you to clearly see the amount being poured. Pour the fluid slowly into your vessel. When you think you may have the right amount, stop and compare it to the size of your visual aid. Make adjustments to the amount in the vessel if necessary. This will make future estimations easier, as it provides you with a point of reference. It is helpful to continue using the same vessels for the certain measurements (e.g. the tall glass again for a 1/4 cup).
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One-sentence summary -- Use an object as a reference point. Choose an appropriate vessel to pour your liquid into. Place your vessel on a flat surface and bring yourself down to eye level. Take a look at the amount of fluid in the vessel and commit it to memory.

Male privilege is the result of the patriarchal system we live in, where men are given more power and privilege than women.[citation needed] This means that as a man, you likely will earn higher wages than women, have a lower risk of sexual assault and sexual violence, and have access to financial and social support that is not extended to women. Because you benefit from male privilege as a man, it is important that you acknowledge this privilege in your discussions with feminists. This concept is also known as "checking your privilege", where you recognize and acknowledge your male privilege before you respond to a woman who is speaking to you or to women that are in a shared space with you. This will allow you to keep in mind where you are coming from in relation to feminism and to be a positive ally to women. As a male feminist, it is important that you focus on active listening to women when they speak. This will show you are aware that women are the leaders in the feminist movement and that you are a supporting player in the movement. Though you may be used to asserting yourself in discussions with others, it is essential that you actively listen to women in discussions on feminism. For example, perhaps you are in a conversation with a woman who identifies as a feminist. She may make a comment about the need for safe spaces for women to meet, talk, and hang out without heterosexual men around. You may feel that segregated spaces for women will feel exclusive to others. Rather than attack her point of view, ask her thoughtful questions about her comment and demonstrate you are actively listening to her. This means making eye contact with her, nodding your head as she speaks, and responding in an active way. For example, you may say, "What I am hearing you say is that safe spaces for women are important in our patriarchal society." If she responds yes to your response, you can then present your argument. However, always check your privilege and acknowledge that you are viewing the situation from a male perspective. This will keep the discussion proactive and honest. It is also important in these discussions to recognize that you do not need to be right or win the argument against a female feminist. Instead, the idea is to foster discussion and communication between men and women in a safe, open way. Your male privilege does not mean you are automatically correct or have the right idea, and it is important that you recognize this during your discussions with women. "Mansplaining" is when a man explains a topic, such feminism, to a woman when she likely already knows and understands the topic. Mansplaining is often done by male politicians when they discuss women's reproductive rights. But it can also occur in common conversation, where a male speaker "mansplains" a feminist concept to a woman or to a group of women in the room. Avoid doing this, as it indicates you are not supporting the feminist movement and are instead trying to assert your male privilege in front of women. You can avoid "mansplaining" by focusing on active listening to other women. Ask, "What do you think of this topic?" or state, "As a man, I am not qualified to talk about this but I look forward to hearing what you have to say." Though sexist jokes or references may seem harmless to you, to women, sexist jokes only reinforce the gap between male privilege and women's rights. Commenting on a woman's physical appearance, such as calling a woman "hot" or sexualizing a woman, is offensive and disrespectful to women. Avoid making sexist jokes around your other guy friends, as this also indicates that it is okay to sexualize women and see them as sexual objects. Doing this works against feminism and the equality of the sexes. Being a feminist as a man is not like gaining entry into an exclusive club. Instead, it requires constant work and acknowledgment of your male privilege. Focus on educating yourself by talking to women who identify as feminists and to other men who are trying to support women as allies.
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One-sentence summary --
Acknowledge your male privilege. Practice active listening when a woman explains her perspective. Do not "mansplain" a feminist concept to a woman. Avoid making sexist jokes or sexist references. Continue to educate yourself through discussions with other feminists.