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<\/p>\nN.B This post was originally published in November 2015.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s kind of hard to talk about what you will miss about Lebanon when your newsfeed is flooding with photos of Lebanon, well\u2026flooding with garbage. It\u2019s difficult to genuinely miss being in a place with such strife and day-to-day tensions, especially at a time like this. I don\u2019t think this particularly means that you\u2019re a traitor to your country or that you don\u2019t want to help. It\u2019s just more difficult.<\/p>\n
Still, there are things you cannot have anywhere else. There will always be that itch only Lebanon can scratch, whether it\u2019s culturally, historically, or geographically. So here are a few of those things.<\/big><\/p>\n
1. People congratulating you on showering<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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Na3eeman<\/i>. There\u2019s just no equivalent in other languages. When I step out of the shower and my roommate just ignores my new state of being, I must say I am a little disappointed. When I get a new haircut and no one congratulates me on my freshness, I miss my home. Still, when I try to translate this phrase to foreigners, it\u2019s always entertaining.<\/big><\/p>\n
2. The smell of mana2eesh<\/i> in the morning<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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They say smell is the sense most connected to memory. And when I smell fresh zaatar in the morning, I know it\u2019s true. Don\u2019t get me wrong, I\u2019m a sucker for some English bacon and scrambled eggs, but just wait until you are without fresh zaatar and dough for a daily man\u2019ouche, you\u2019ll feel the void.<\/big><\/p>\n
3. Road rage<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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Don\u2019t get me wrong, it\u2019s great to have working traffic laws, bike lanes and all. But I still experience some sort of culture shock when I travel abroad and cars actually stop for me at cross-walks. And that cross-walks exist! After a while, you sort of miss hearing one taxi driver yell colorful curse words at another. The excitement of wondering what they might be angry about, there\u2019s nothing quite so Lebanese.<\/big><\/p>\n
4. Easy access to medication<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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While there may be some drawbacks to this, I have to say that this is one of the greatest things Lebanon has offered me. When I developed strep throat in a foreign country and had to go through the whole \u201cprescription for antibiotics\u201d thing, I kind of missed my pharmacy buddies back in Beirut. Plus, things can be super bureaucratic abroad. And why does my root canal have to cost $1,000?<\/big><\/p>\n
5. Cheap beauty-care\/grooming<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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Guess how much a manicure is in Europe? A bikini wax? I\u2019ll give you a hint. A lot.<\/b> You almost have to choose between grooming yourself and getting your groceries. And that is not a pleasant choice for anyone. In Lebanon, you never go hairy or polish-less again. You can have it all.<\/big><\/p>\n
6. Delivery\u2026everything<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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This is not a thing everywhere. You cannot call the dikkene<\/i> to send you a pack of cigarettes and a phone recharge card. You cannot always call for McDonald\u2019s after midnight. There sure as hell aren\u2019t too many other places you can order an argileh to your doorstep. And if you\u2019re not an arguile person, you will be when you realize you can\u2019t have it.<\/big><\/p>\n
7. Healthy food<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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Mediterranean food, and specifically Lebanese, is the best food in the world. There is no comparison. There is nothing like some fattoush or ma2ane2<\/i> dripping in pomegranate molasses, or hummos that is fresh and does not come in a plastic container from Tesco\u2019s. Don\u2019t get me wrong, I love me some Currywurst and pad Thai is great. But a Lebanese mezze satisfies all my Lebanese tastebuds in a way I\u2019ll never feel guilty about.<\/big><\/p>\n
8. Those damn Lebanese people<\/b><\/big><\/big><\/p>\n
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The truth is, they are the best thing about Lebanon. I\u2019ve heard people say time and time again, if they could just transport their favourite Lebanese friends or family members from abroad, they would be a lot happier. I\u2019m not going to go the total cliched route and go on and on about resilience and chaos, but there is something about a Lebanese person that is unique. I couldn\u2019t put my finger on it (it\u2019s the humor, the hospitality, the energy), but I know it when I see it.<\/big> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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