You definitely know the basics about Lebanon: Lebanon has 18 religious communities, no deserts, we drive cars not camels. We’re also trilingual, we party, we can ski in the morning then swim in the afternoon blablabla. I’m sure you’ve heard it all. I’m also sure you told all your foreign friends about these awesome clichés. They’re all true obviously! I’m definitely not saying otherwise. And we all love our beautiful Lebanon for all these reasons. But why not add a few more to the list?

Here are a few random things you probably didn’t know about our beautiful Lebanon:

1- There are more than 80 banks in Lebanon

(Actual banks, not just branches obviously).

It’s a huge number for such a small country.

2- Lebanon is the 3^rd most easy-going country when it comes to National Holidays

Lebanon has 16 days of National Holidays a year. Only India and Columbia top Lebanon with 18 National Holidays a year!

The Telegraph ranked the countries according to how many days off they enjoy:

3- The name “Lebanon” appears more than 70 times in the Old Testament

Yes we go way back!

4- Beirut was named “World Book Capital” back in 2009

5- Beirut is compared to a phoenix because it was destroyed and rebuilt 7 times

6- Lebanon is the #1 producer of the publications in the Arab World

We don’t talk about this enough. We should all work together to associate Lebanon to education and culture more than anything else.

There is a saying that says “Egypt writes, Lebanon publishes, Iraq reads”

7- Lebanon was home of the first printing press in the Middle East

The printing press of Deir Mar Antonios in the Valley of the Saints (1585).

Do you know what John F. Kennedy said during his inauguration speech in 1961?
“And so my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.

These words are associated to him while they’re actually Gibran Khalil Gibran’s.

So let’s all work together to spread positive Lebanon-related information. As much as we can. As far as we can.

So JOMO (joy of missing out) has just emerged and it’s getting contagious. With summer here, all we do is party, eat and drink, but sometimes all we really wanna do is ditch, stay home, and catch up on Netflix. But with many groups of friends, especially in Beirut, one cannot ditch a plan without any drama. I mean sure, honesty is key. I wish we could all say “I’m just not feeling it and would rather stay in”- but let’s face it, we all know this answer only ends up with one scenario: you at the party.

So here are six excuses to ditch a plan that were proven to work by scientists and JOMO people like myself.

Just a small tip before you start using this guide: make sure to text not call to avoid the endless trap questions!

1- I went way too hard last night!

You’re hung-over and you can’t even smell/see or hear alcohol. You got back home super late and you cannot pull this one off. Also, try to make the other person feel sorry for your hangover!

2- I have to work tonight – late meeting

And for you to be able to pull this one off, you should live the ‘lie’ right from the beginning – ‘3isha’: which means always complain about how demanding your boss is and how “not close or chill” you guys are so you could sound believable.

3- I have an early workshop/volunteering tomorrow that I signed up for and forgot about.

And if they try to convince you that you’ll be home early, tell them that you cannot risk it anymore as you have already skipped the last one for the same reason.

4- I’m broke – direct and straight to the point.

You can borrow money from your parents ofc but you wanna leave that card for something else and don’t wanna seem too pushy.
Now if they insist on paying this one for you, tell them how uncomfortable it makes you feel. “I also have to fill gas, pay the cab, valet and all that… so it reaaaaaaally is a hassle – but I’ll make it up to you once I get paid!”

5- Oh was that tonight? Omg, I totally forgot about that, I should start using a reminder

And follow it with “And now I am committed to this work/family dinner that there’s no way I can get out of” – or “It’s too late now I’m not even prepared and am already in bed”. UGH. I am supeeeer sorry. I owe you one I promise!”

6.      Remind them of the big party (that has way more value) happening very soon and how you need to pass on this one to be able to attend the next one, together, and have the time of your lives.

Do you ever get the feeling that Facebook is listening to what you’re saying? You’re talking to a friend about something for instance, and then you open Facebook and you get an ad about exactly the thing you were talking about? I get that a lot. Sometimes I even get ads about something I’m thinking about, and not even out loud! Well as it turns out, mind reading is not that far off, as Facebook is getting closer to letting you type with your mind. *GASPS*

More than two years ago, Facebook announced it was working on a silent speech project that would allow to type 100 words per minute straight from the brain, which is 5 times faster than typing from a phone.

A study published on Tuesday July 30, 2019 in the journal Nature Communications shows researchers are getting closer to decoding what the mind is thinking. They are working on developing a wearable device that lets people type with their minds by testing epilepsy patients who had electrodes implanted in their brains. Facebook Vice President Andrew Boz tweeted the following message:

Facebook says this technology won’t be available to customers anytime soon though. It is also not the only company interested in linking the human brain to a computer, so one does wonder where we’re going with all of this and what the future holds in terms of technology.

Lebanese Frenchies have their own culture. It’s more of a subculture actually, with many unique characteristics that make its people recognizable within miles away. So whether you’re a Lebanese Frenchie or not, you’ll enjoy this article from your own point of view!

Here’s a bunch of tips to recognize Lebanese Frenchies:

1- They live in Achghafiyeh or Ghabieh

2- Faghaya and Faqgha are their headquarters in summer

3- They have their own vocabulary

« Bro tu vas au BO?”

« Man de quoi tu parles »

4- They punctuate their sentences with Lebanese words

Yaané… éno… hayété…chédd 7alak/chéddé 7alik… bchil/ma bchil

5- Whenever you ask them about their outfits: “c’est pas du Liban”

They are international people of course.

6- Their casual outfit consists of Hollister or Abercrombie & Fitch sweatpants

UGGs are out though (so 2015!)

7- They know the lyrics to all the French songs

From Joe Dassin’s “Oooh Champs Elysées” to Kyo’s “Dernière danse” and Céline Dion’s « Pour que tu m’aimes encore ». You name it. They’ll sing it.

8- Occasional French Night is a thing

They go to French Night every once in a while just for the heck of it (Did anyone else spend his Wednesdays in Métisse a few years back or is it just me??)

9- Annual trip to Paris is also a thing

They go to Paris at least once a year. It’s like a pilgrimage of theirs.

10- Listening to them talk feels like watching TF1 if you’re not a Frenchie yourself

Concentration level: maximal

11- They have very strong opinions about French politics

Even if they’re not actually French.

12- They say “Klété” instead of “tlété” for number three

Not all of them though…

13- They move in packs

Wherever they are, they tend to stick to each other. If you’re an AUB alumni, you know “AUB Frenchies” is a thing.

14- Yet, they get offended if you refer to them as “Frenchie”

Moi ? Jamais !

Like really offended

Hey if you enjoyed this, check out 10 Annoying Things Lebanese People Do When They Travel. You won’t regret it!

If you’re a real F.R.I.E.N.D.S fan, you probably already know all the friends memes out there, but nevertheless, I took the liberty of gathering a few of the things I learned from the series. F.R.I.E.N.D.S is not just about the sarcasm and the laughs. It taught us a lifetime’s worth of lessons about friendship, love, relationships and family.

1- It’s ok not to have a plan

2- It’s also ok to watch TV in a wedding dress

3- Y-O-U-apostrophe-R-E means “you are”. Y-O-U-R means “your”

4- “We were on a break” is never an excuse

5- Friendship can turn into love

6- Love doesn’t always work out the way we expect

7- A chick and a duck make good pets

8- Always say the right name at your wedding

9- Everybody has a lobster

10- Divorced men are not bad men

11- Love can be complicated sometimes

12- How to take advantage of your hotel during vacations

13- How to flirt

14- We all make dating mistakes

15- If you’re passionate about something, go for it

16- Sometimes friends turn into family

If you liked this article, check out 7 lessons I learned from Phoebe Buffay  for a few more laughs 🙂

There’s this whole “blogger” extravaganza that’s been going on for a while now and it’s really confusing for people like me to wrap my head around it. See, Instagram used to be a simple picture and video-sharing platform destined to the average Joe (“Monsieur tout le monde” in French), but it’s transformed into this virtual high-end red carpet-worthy space for people to flaunt movie-like pictures that *seem* so perfect they make you question your mundane existence that looks so plain in comparison.

You can’t post anything on Instagram anymore without thoroughly thinking it through. A few years back, we used to be able to just show up on Instagram with our casual pictures, you know, just like you dress up to go somewhere really familiar. We used to just capture moments, add a filter and post the picture. Smooth.

It’s not the case anymore! Posting on Instagram today feels more like going to a wedding: you need to exhaustively think about every single detail beforehand, it takes a whole day to get dressed and ready, it’s exhausting and most of the time, it’s not even worth the trouble.

Anyway, here’s an obvious sign you’re not a blogger, just an Instagram enthusiast:

You don’t have a blog

You should have a blog.

A blogger is someone who writes on a blog. If you want to call yourself a blogger, you should have a blog. See, just like a surfer needs to have a surf board, a blogger needs to have a blog. If you don’t, then you’re not a “blogger”, just an Instagram enthusiast. Baby you can even call yourself “socialite” or “influencer”. Whatever floats your boat. But blogger’s not it.

I don’t mean to be a hater. It’s just that Instagram has become too much effort. Everyone is trying way too much to look perfect, myself among them. And for what? What’s the point? Sometimes I look at my Instagram profile and wish my life were as cool as it looks online.

We should be able to post pictures of the sky or the waves or our pet or just spontaneous pictures of moments that made us feel happy to be alive.

When was the last time you took a picture, thought it was cute, and just posted it spontaneously?

A few years back I guess. Let’s go back to this, people. Let’s go back to simpler times. Just…let’s…

Did you know Instagram hid the number of “Likes” in several countries to remove pressure? Check out the article. I’d really like to know what people think about all of this…

Former president of Mexico Adolfo López Mateo once said: “Anyone who does not have a Lebanese friend must look for one”. And it’s true! Lebanese are truly awesome people. You won’t find their joie de vivre anywhere else in the world (at least, not in the same way). But, like everybody else, they do have their annoying little habits. Like when they travel for instance. So this article is a bit of a caricature just to put a smile on your face 🙂 Don’t take it too literally!

1- They take a picture of their passport and post it on Instagram

As if the whole country doesn’t already know they’re travelling this week.

You’ve been telling us all about it for weeks, NOUR. 

2- They check in at the VIP lounge

Literally anyone can access the VIP lounge at the airport. It doesn’t cost anything. Please let us all stop pretending we’re fancier than we are because we have access to the VIP lounge. It’s for the average Joe, so can we all get over this together?

3- They brag about their trip before, during, and after

No one cares that you’re travelling to Cyprus, NOUR. It’s not like you’re going to the moon. Been there done that. Build a bridge, and get over it 🙂

4- They post a guided tour of their hotel room

For some reason, you get a detailed guided video tour of their hotel room on their Instagram story. -It’s just too bad music is unavailable in our region otherwise we would have gotten background music to go with the video, you know, for dramatic effect.

5- They also post stories about everything

Literally.

And on all social media platforms no less!

Do you think people want to see your story on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat AND WhatsApp, NOUR? Are you afraid someone might miss it if you don’t broadcast your existence through every means possible?

6- They will broadcast their return

Once they’re back in town, you will know, as will everyone else (obviously).

7- And then come the Throwback Thursdays

You’d expect people to get over themselves once they’re back in town but noooo. They will hit you with the #ThrowbackThursdays like you’ve never been hit before, and they will #MissThis (add sad face emoji) for a very long while. This whole throwback charade will go on for at least a year to come. I’m not sure if it’s until their next trip or until they’ve posted all the pictures they think are “Instagram Material”.

8- They will talk about their shopping sprees

And they’ll tell you all about how everything is cheaper abroad, and how they never go shopping in Lebanon anymore and so on.

You also get a special overdramatic reaction if you tell them you’ve been to Paris but never to Val d’Europe.

9- They will update you on their weight status

This one can go both ways: It’s either they gained weight, or they didn’t because “ akalna w chrebna bass ktiiiir mchina”.

And then they’ll comment on your weight even if they’d seen you the week before, you know, just for the heck of it, and also because why miss an opportunity to be intrusive à la Libanaise!

10- They will consult you on the “Instagramability” of their pictures

“Bnazzela”?

Whatever your answer, they probably already made up their mind on posting it anyway.

Check out 14 Tips to recognize a Lebanese Frenchie for a few more laughs!

Do you ever think to yourself “I have everything: a family who supports me, friends who love me, a career, a social life… So why am I not happy?” Not unhappy in a “I’m sad” kind of way, just… not *completely* happy. Not fulfilled with life regardless of “having everything”. Like something important is missing but you can’t seem to put your finger on it.

I’m not going to hit you with some cheesy truth like “happiness comes from within” (even though I strongly believe that it does), because it won’t be of use to you concretely speaking. The thing is, I have found you can’t wait for happiness to find you. You have to make your own. So I have drafted 10 rules that I (and all the other happy souls of this world) live by religiously.

So here’s what happy people do:

1- They have goals

What are you passionate about? Being wholeheartedly dedicated to something you love is important because it gives you a purpose and keeps you going. So go ahead and dream about your future. And dream big! They say if your dreams don’t scare you, they’re not big enough 😉

2- They avoid social comparison

Comparing yourself to others will only make you miserable. Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side because it’s fake!

If you feel the need to compare yourself to someone, compare yourself to an earlier version of YOU. And make sure you like the person you’ve become.

3- They set clear boundaries

I cannot stress this enough. Happy people set their own boundaries to identify a permissible way for other people to behave towards them. If something doesn’t work for you, say no. Sometimes you have to put yourself first. It doesn’t make you selfish. Don’t let anyone guilt you into doing anything you’re not feeling. Remember “no.” is a complete sentence.

4- They practice kindness

Happy people are kind even to unkind people; They’re the ones who need it the most. Be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud.

5- They learn to forgive

Harboring feelings of hatred is horrible for your well-being. Forgiveness is not a weakness, it’s a strength. It means you’re aware internal peace is more important than your ego. Also, don’t forget to forgive yourself for the unnecessary things you put your body and mind through.

6- They are their own person

I could go on for pages about this one, but basically, just be yourself (everyone else is already taken!). Happy people don’t pretend. They are their own person, and they know it’s enough.

7- They surround themselves with positive people

Happy people don’t have everything. They’re just happy with what they have. And they know how important it is to be around people who are this way too. They say you’re an average of the 5 people you spend the most time with. So be careful who you chill with! It could be affecting you more than you know.

8- They feel their emotions

Feel your feelings. You are allowed to feel the way you feel. Don’t listen to anyone telling you you’re being too emotional or over reacting to something. No one is entitled to tell you how you’re supposed to be feeling. Happy people feel. They don’t repress. So feel away my friends. And feel deeply.

9- They respect their bodies

You are body and soul. Don’t neglect your body. Happy people are at peace with their bodies. They do whatever makes their body feel good, and they own up to it too 😉

(Check out 5 Easy steps to become beach body ready in two weeks for more body positivity)

10- They practice gratitude

Being grateful will bring you a deeper sense of happiness.

And then there are the little day-to-day things that’ll also bring you glimpses of happiness like the first sip of coffee in the morning, or singing along with the radio, or taking a hot bath after a day at the beach, or seeing your ex with someone ugly, or petting your dog, or late night snacks, or hugs …

Whateeeever floats your boat. It really is the little things in life 😉

This is the Lebanon I love, pictured through my lens. Hope you like it!

1- Ain El Mreisseh, Beirut

Most of my leisure time was spent walking on the kornish of Ain El Mreisseh while admiring the beauty of the ocean lightened up by the sun.  This view is too stuning to miss.

2- American University of Beirut (or the world of cats)

AUB is actually the world of cats. I didn’t believe it at first, until I witnessed a huge group of cats in front of AUB’s sea gate. Every cat was unique in its own way, but I got inspired by this one cat, sitting while sticking out its tongue, waiting for me to take its picture.

3- Saida

While walking in the sidon sea castle, I felt the urge to capture this ancient historical site which endured a lot, but remained standing still for eight centuries.

4- Batroun

The sunset in Batroun is one of the most beautiful pieces of art that one can ever witness. The magnificent colors of the horizon increase the beauty  and mystery of the sea.

Even the car window reflected these amazing colors perfectly captured by the lens of my camera.

5- Faraya

Faraya is one of Lebanon’s most famous touristic destination, especially during winter breaks. I went there with my family and spent few days in one of these Chalets.

This street was all covered with pure white snow, a breathtaking view that purified my soul anf inspired me to take this amazing picture.

So, which one is your favorite?