You are white european?
Shocking isn't it. Not only do I NOT look arab (okay I MIGHT pass for a syrian or lebanese white arab to someone), but I talk nothing like an arab nor do I have an accent.
Christian elementary, christian high school, sunday masses, sunday school, the whole works.
Oh and one hard thing to grasp. I was actually quite pro-american at one point. Even though I didn't know SHIT about reality, politics or history. Hollywood does magical things to you when you are ignorant.
Oh and yes yes, I believed in ali baba and the forty thieves, magic lamp, magic carpet, angry dog of the desert, etc... etc... etc...
All the popeye racist classics were my view of arabs before actually visiting arab countries.