Listomania
Lama Hajj

10 Things Lebanese Have To Explain To Out-Of-Towners

Let’s get a few things straight!

1. Your tiny errand/paperwork will end up consuming weeks of your life.

Efficiency is not our strong suit.

2. Yes, cigarettes are super cheap

I often see out-of-towners stockpiling Marlboro Lights like they’re going to run away, you can relax, $2 cigarettes are (sadly) here to stay.

3. Not everyone is politically affiliated.

And it’s quite offensive for you to assume that we are.

4. Don’t make assumptions about our personal lives either.

Lebanese people, like all people, have different lifestyles. We’re not all religious just like we’re not all party-animals – do not assume or generalize.

5. Nobody puts corn in their man’ouche

Just because your local man’ouche maker has a tub of corn sitting there, does not mean it belongs on a zaatar man’ouche.

6. Beirut isn’t that dangerous.

It really isn’t. It’s mostly safe to walk around late, too.

7. That smell? Garbage.

And sometimes pee!

8. Don’t give us your political opinion.

Please.

9. We tend to run a little behind schedule.

So if you’re meeting your Lebanese friend for lunch, you may want to take your time.

10. Don’t be smug.

I know, I know. It can be interesting to discover and dissect what you deem to be the ‘third world’ – but chill out with the oriental tendencies and try not to fetishize poverty.