Since I’ve decided to write this post about Lebanon, I had no choice but to write it in English, so my once-upon-a-time Lebanese flatmate Darine could read it:-)

Lebanesation

Before I went to Dubai I knew some facts about Lebanon, but all in all, my knowledge about that particular area was pretty slim. I knew that Lebanon was somewhere in the Middle east, but I would have never guessed that it was a Mediterranean country. I knew that Arabic was spoken over there, but I didn’t have a clue that Lebanon has a huge Christian population. After some time in Dubai, and after a constant exposure to a Lebanese „enclave“ I had no choice, but to embrace their culture :-) 

 

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„Look at your room, it’s like Beirut! “

When I was a kid,  my room was usually in a complete chaos (well, there's not much of a difference now), my mum would furiously step into my room and she would say something like: „Look at your room, it’s like Beirut! “ . Not that my mum has ever been to Beirut, just the fact that  during those years the Civil War in Lebanon  was always in breaking news, and bombed Beirut made it to my mum's "proverb". A decade later war happened in my own country, so my mum could have used many of the cities in ex Yugoslavia for this unfortunate comparison.

 

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“Hey, this is London, not Lebanon.”

Have you seen a London based, Gay Ritchie's movie „Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” ? I remember one scene from that movie when one of the guys is trying to buy a weapon from a gun dealer, he is describing the type of gun he would  like to buy (it’s some kind of supersonic gun, can’t remember which one), a stock for that gun is non existing in UK, a gun dealer has  never sold anything like that before, and he is answering to his potencial custmer   : “Hey, this is London, not Lebanon.” :-))))  For me this sentece was hilarious, probably it wouldn't have been, if I were happen to be Lebanese :-)

 

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Favorite Lebanese quote : "Ski and swim at the same time."

After some time in Dubai, the first thing you learn is what all Lebanese kids learn at school, that Lebanon is a beautiful country where you can ski and swim at the same time. You probably wonder how that is possible.  I believe it is, but only in May, and maybe April. Next thing you learn is that most of the Lebanese guys are quite good looking, a bit short, but still good looking, and very flirtatious.  Just to make an example on this, I’m standing at the customs buying visa for Lebanon ( yes citizens of Serbia do need visa to enter Lebanon), and a customs guy  is asking me who am I visiting, my answer is simple: „A friend.“. His next questions  is : „He or she?“, I’m saying it’s she, he adds something like: „Nice, can we meet up for a coffee or something.“ :-)))) So that’s how  flirtatious they are, and now imagine that  ten times magnified between Lebanese male population in Dubai :-)))  Lebanese guys (some sleazy ones) even created an expression: „Have you been Lebanized?“ (Meaning if you had a Lebanese boyfriend).

 

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National heritage

I found myself couple of times envious at the way that Lebanese community talks about their home country. A part from “Ski and swim” sentence, you can hear about Mediterranean coast, bars, nightclubs, Phoenicians, tabouleh, ect, ect. One thing I have to tell you, you’ll find no other nation that proud of their national heritage.  Well, along the way I’ve probably lost perception what my country is (with constant change of boarders), and what are the facts that I should be proud of, so I’m pleasantly surprised when I encounter that sort of patriotism.

 

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Parts

A Christian part of Lebanon reminds me a lot of our area and our mentality, Serbian and Montenegrin. Maybe even more Montenegrin, since we are talking about coastal country in both cases. Show offs, gel in the hair, night clubs, no money in the bank but an expensive phone and can’t-afford-car are must haves. A Muslim part of Lebanon, reminded me of Morocco (or something simillar). It sort of strange experience, hardcore Catholic /Orthodox eparchy with churches spread trough out the landscape on one side  and a strong „Hezbollah“ order on the other side. Even mentality, between these two parts it’s very different. That's a  country flirting with law, war and order, all familiar to me :-)                                                                                           

 

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Lebanese

What can I say more about Lebanese? In general, they are high achievers; they would always stream to be some kind of managers, actually any kind of managers :-) They are no strangers to a plastic surgery, especially not to a nose job :-)  But most of all, if you have them as friends , they are simply irreplaceable, and I was fortunate enough to have one :-)

 

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Some fact (chosen by me) you might want to know about Lebanon:

Baalbek- temple ruins of Roman period

photo : Phoenician alphabet- came from Byblos (Jbail), dates back to 1000 BC.

 

Demographics of Lebanon-  I find this one impressive, 18 religious groups, total population around 4 million,maybe because  it took us far less to have couple of war years:-)   

 

photo : Knafeh  – a sort of Lebanese cheesecake.

 

photo: Baba ganoush – a tasty, aubergine based, spread (my favourite !)

 

photo : Hummus - a spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas,I've put a youtube link, in case somebody really wants to know how to make it.

Za'atar- a sort of sauce made from dried herbs.

Lebanese_Civil__(1975-1990) - if you don't feel like reading this huge article, you can simply ask some of your Lebanese friends to give you quick guidelines what was happening during these 15 years.

Zaatarwzeit. - a Lebanese must try fast food

Khalil Gibran - a Lebanese poet

Nancy Ajram - a Lebanese singer and one of the biggest hits during my Dxb time "Ah w nos" :-)

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