Since I have celebrated 8 years living in the Middle East , I've noticed quite a significant change in myself. I have subconsciously adapted to the culture! So how do you and I know that we're in the process of assimilating Middle East's culture? Here's are 14 in a list.
- You naturally reach out to greet an acquaintance by kissing cheeks to cheeks.
- You instinctively understand how many times you should kiss an acquaintance, a friend and a close friend and know which side of your cheek to offer. (There is no rule for this).
- You start cheering for someone using an intricate whistling sound called ululation. See video clip above.
- You start following the Arabic dubbed tele-novellas (drama series) and Egyptian comedies.
- You start saying "no" non-verbally by simultaneously clicking a sound with your tongue and lifting your eyebrows.
- You stop wearing shorts in public and feel horrified when others wear indecent clothes. That's when your mental mode included the vocabulary "3ab" which means "shame".
- You start introducing yourself as "Um Yusef" or "Abu Yusef" as a respectable title proclaiming that " I am the mother/father of Yusef, my firstborn."
- You start to be cautious of the opposite sex. You've find yourself speaking shortly and uncomfortably with them in public.
- Your English sentence included the word, "slowly-slowly", (Arabic, "shwai shwai") and punctuated with "Inshallah" (God willing).
- You start cleaning the floor with water and a long handle wiper instead of a mop.
- You start liking coffee with cardamom and long for sweet mint tea right after your meal.
- You think it's normal to be taking late lunch at 3pm everyday.
- You start engaging in political conversations and feel the suffering of the Palestinians and refugees in the region.
- You start thinking that you may be a recipient of some revenge or envy.
How about you? What kind of behavior did you adapt while living in the Middle East?
Really? Woh! Hehe. Hope to see you soon Shirley-tsi. Need much prayers. God Bless you so.
ReplyDeleteHope to see you too, Nats! Will remember you in prayers.☝️
ReplyDeletewe've been here just 2 and half months and already got 7 of the 14 @@
ReplyDeleteYou're a quick learner! Bravo aleyki!!!
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