15 People You’ll See Waiting At The Beirut Airport Arrivals Terminal

Have you ever landed in Beirut’s airport? Then you’ve seen at least one of these people.

1. The entire family tree

This family thinks that it is 3ayb not to bring the entire family tree to the airport every time a visitor decides to come to Lebanon. The clan stands together, complete with the grandmother and grandfather, aunts, uncles, distant relatives, and those ‘cousins’ that Lebanese people say are their ‘cousins’ but they’re just really good family friends. You’ll watch poor Ahmad who just came home for Christmas break from his university in England suffer as he has to kiss each person 79 times on each cheek.

2. The estranged lover

This guy is waiting patiently for his other half. While she was away, he realized (after cheating on her multiple times with a series of girls from her day3a,) that she is, in fact, the one for him. He sent her a WhatsApp message at 2 AM last friday telling her “shta2tellek,” with a rose emoji, and ever since then, they’ve been living happily ever through the messaging app.

3. The upside-down-sign-holding driver

He puts no effort in helping his passenger find him. He’s standing in the back of the crowd, with an upside-down sign handing off of one of his hands, as he passionately WhatsApps with the other.

4. The shabeb

Bizir in hand and spitting the shells on the floor, these guys have their hair gelled back and pointy black shoes. One of the members of their Lebanese wolfpack moved to Michigan last year, and this will be his first visit back home – so they’re ready to pick him up and go to A7la 3alam for a welcome back sakra without wasting any time.

5. The girl in heels, full make up, and hair extensions

Ready to step into a nightclub from the 70s, this girl spent an hour getting dressed, but kept last night’s make up on to save time. She’s waiting for her sister. When her sister emerges, you’ll know that they’re sisters because they’re dressed exactly the same, and their hair extensions look like their from the same dead human.

6. The bored driver

Bored off his brains, this driver will spend an hour picking his earwax out with his extra-long pinky nail.

7. The brand new fiancee

He is the living embodiment of the heart-eyed emoji.

8. The restless mother

This mother is already shaking, tearful, with tissues in her hand and trembling with anxiety. She hasn’t seen her daughter in 4 whole days.

9. The reckless toddler

This kid disregards all of the barriers that stop him from wandering around. He’ll stumble past the metal bars, over to the darak and he’ll roll around on the floor so that the passengers coming out have to stumble over him or run him over with their cart. His parents will be sitting on a bench far away, and they’ll rely on the hope that the person their waiting for will recognize the toddler who will eventually lead the way back to the family.

10. The person who doesn’t believe in personal space

If you’re waiting for someone next to this person, you’ll be overwhelmed by their lack of respect for your space. They’ll lean over you, rub their shoulders against you, and you’ll have a very clear perception of the smell of their armpits before you decide to sacrifice your vantage point for your sanity.

11. The mean girls

Dressed to impress, these girls are waiting for their Queen Bee to land so that they can swiftly go to the nearest arguileh spot and fill her in on all the gossip she missed out on.

12. The balloons, flowers, and chocolate-wielding family

This family will have brought all of their four children, an aunt, and a distant relative. Each will be holding a ‘welcome back’ trinket, like a box of chocolates, a series of balloons, and a farm of flowers.

13. The person who’s too cool to wait

This person will not get out of the car. He’ll park his car outside of the arrivals terminal, smoke a pack of cigarettes, and wait for his friend to emerge and find him.

14. The curious man

This guy stands center-stage so that he has a pristine view of each and every person who exits the baggage claim area. He’ll ask every person who walks out, “into min wein jeyeen?” But you’re not sure if he’s even waiting for anyone at all, or if he’s just chilling at the airport to pass the time.

15. The first-timer

This person acts like they’ve never been to an airport before, relying on everyone around them to determine how to act, how to stand, and what to do. They’ll look at every passenger passing by as if it’s their long-lost love, and will confuse everyone around them.