I was 5 years old when we moved to Egypt, so growing up there didn’t seem a problem to me..I didn’t know other place to compare with. Ofcourse going to Lebanon in the summer was the time to wait for the whole year but still. I used to speak Egyptian there, in fact nobody would know I’m Lebanese unless somebody tells them, my Egyptian accent was(and still is) flawless!
So, I didn’t experience any kind of problems! it was very normal and it felt like home..At school, I made great friends, we were a family, you know hanging out with the same friends everyday for several years, the bond becomes stronger than the family blood because you get to choose your friends! I used to love the first day at school just to meet the new people! I’ve always loved company and I never had a problem to blend in ANY kind of groups.
Anyways, years passed by and I’m in an Arabic period in Grade 6. I don’t remember what the teacher was talking about but I remember him saying “And Ofcourse, We all know that Lebanon is being occupied now by Israel…”. I wasn’t shocked by what he said, I was shocked by the whole class’s reaction! It was nothing but a big “BOOOOOOO” accompanied by fingers pointed at me! I can’t describe how it felt! But it was so weird and shocking that I didn’t do anything but smiling! In the very same day, during the recess, I remember bursting into tears on my best friend’s shoulder!
I didn’t cry because of the occupation thing, I didn’t cry because the teacher said that the whole Lebanese soil was occupied and that he was wrong, I did because it was the first time I felt like a stranger, a minority or an intruder! It might sound silly to some (or many) of you but it really hurt!! And I kind of understood what it’s like to love your country and be proud of it!! They loved their country and BOOed and I loved mine and cried!! It was my first time as well to use the terms (in my head) them and me !! I went home that day, didn’t talk about it with anyone, not even my friends the next day!! Actually this is the first time I mention this!!
…to be continued!!
PS: I still consider most of them my friends!! great friends actually!!
7 Comments
Who told you to negate first? :p
But yea being a minority is really so bad.
Waiting for the next.
ممممممم
اكيد موقف مش ظريف و انا اعلم قدر حب اللبنانين خاصة لبلادهم و اشهد انهم الافضل في حبهم و انتمائهم و وعيهم و انا اضرب بكم المثل في هذا دائماً
بس اقولش حاجه تضحك
انا لي صديقة لبنانية اسمها فرح هي من لبنان و عايشه هناك و بتيجي مصر كل فتره لما بتيجي و تبدأ تتعايش مع الجو المصري الاقيها تتكلم مصري من اجساسها انا في بلدها و انها لبنانيه مصريها
عندها اطلب منها ان تعود للبنانيتها لأني أعشق اللكنة اللبنانية
Gohary!! LOL..can’t say more
why are you pessimistic!! You know your country you should know better than that 
يساري

أنا كمان بمصر بحكي مصري
قليل اللي بيسمعني بحكي لبناني
طلعت مش أنا لحالي
I LOVE lebanese accent
well..
i think the moral of the incident is that we “arabs” shouldn’t boo at each other when any of us is in trouble
bas by the way.. arabs don’t boo at each other anymore.. they simply don’t look at all.. ya3ni they ignore..
alla yer7am eyyam l boo. lol
Sarli zaman ma jeet hon .. wallah mghayra ktir osas..
addesh kallafek kollo 3ala ba3do?
Lalloush happy birthday raghm el si3ab el iqlimiyyi wil personaliyyi.
سمر
i guess you’re right..allah yir7am ayyam el boo
amal wallah 3al fadawi heik beseer…
nshallah ykoun happy birthday 
thanks dear