There’s a place they call the Paris of the Middle East. It is the point where East and West collide, a place where all histories meet and many cultures fuse.
You’ll notice the snow-capped mountains curve around you; and, as you turn your head toward the wind you’ll hear the crystal-clear Mediterranean water stroke the rocky shore — a shore that is so ancient, a shore that has a story dating back to the time of the Phoenicians. It is the land that bears many religions, some in peace and some in fury.
This land – Lebanon – is the place I call my second home. I was born and raised in the United States, but grew up speaking Lebanese at home and English at school. I’ve experienced the difficulty of being foreign, as well as the problem of feeling like I don’t truly belong in either country.
My childhood has shaped me into who I am today. I like to call myself international, since I feel like I belong everywhere. I’m also a language freak; my favorite hobby is learning new languages (currently working on Portuguese).
I love studying the world, whether it’s history, geography, cultural studies, languages, politics, etc. That’s why I’m a Global Studies major!
It is a true blessing to have been able to travel as much as I have. Actually, one of my goals is to visit every country on this Earth before the day I die. Some of my experiences abroad include: saving seaturtles in Costa Rica, teaching HIV/AIDS education in South Africa, studying art and Italian in Italy, and teaching English in Lebanon.
Although I love every country for what it is, my two of my favorite will always be South Africa and Lebanon.