Lebanese bloggers meeting in New York
As is the case when Lebanese people in Lebanon and abroad meet, our little gathering was nothing short of eventful. I think it is safe for me to think that Lebanese people immediately click. We might not all share views on current events, share backgrounds or even love of Arak but we all relate to each other on many levels. During the July war I had the chance to meet a lot of Lebanese who live in nyc. While back then we focused on the mission at hand and related to each other on a humane level, the post war encounters with Lebanese people had been just for fun and laughter and sharing common memories and common culture. Strictly a la Libanaise, we want to forget and live. Even the most opinionated and most politically oriented among us did not venture into talks about the war and the after math. When we are out for fun we mean business.
In the course of meeting, trying to remember all the names and linking them mentally to all the blogs, sharing imported cigarettes and imported stories, sharing smiles and cabs and tips to dancing to sharing childhood memories over Falafel we again realize the common denominator that will always bring us together. For as long as we’ve lived in shelters as kids where we played with the neighbors’ kids, as long as we jump from joy dancing to raje3 yit3ammar Libnan, as long as we have Zeina we na77oul and Fairuz in our collective memories, we all carry a piece of home within us and we all speak the same language, may that be in French, Arabic, English or even Phoenician.
I still think Lebanese people are the easiest people to talk to. I think they’re the most personable people one can meet and i was very glad to get yet another affirmation of that out of this meeting.
As is the case when Lebanese people in Lebanon and abroad meet, our little gathering was nothing short of eventful. I think it is safe for me to think that Lebanese people immediately click. We might not all share views on current events, share backgrounds or even love of Arak but we all relate to each other on many levels. During the July war I had the chance to meet a lot of Lebanese who live in nyc. While back then we focused on the mission at hand and related to each other on a humane level, the post war encounters with Lebanese people had been just for fun and laughter and sharing common memories and common culture. Strictly a la Libanaise, we want to forget and live. Even the most opinionated and most politically oriented among us did not venture into talks about the war and the after math. When we are out for fun we mean business.
In the course of meeting, trying to remember all the names and linking them mentally to all the blogs, sharing imported cigarettes and imported stories, sharing smiles and cabs and tips to dancing to sharing childhood memories over Falafel we again realize the common denominator that will always bring us together. For as long as we’ve lived in shelters as kids where we played with the neighbors’ kids, as long as we jump from joy dancing to raje3 yit3ammar Libnan, as long as we have Zeina we na77oul and Fairuz in our collective memories, we all carry a piece of home within us and we all speak the same language, may that be in French, Arabic, English or even Phoenician.
I still think Lebanese people are the easiest people to talk to. I think they’re the most personable people one can meet and i was very glad to get yet another affirmation of that out of this meeting.
And read more from our wonderful encyclopedic gitanes legeres here.
And here's another version by Jooj, very nostalgic here.
Another one from Hashem with a nice gift in it! here.
And it seems Maya is the only one who managed to post pictures ... of the drinks..
15 comments:
long live lebanon, the lebanese spirit, mirvat la petite fee, the good old(new) friends..and to more meetings and serious fun..
hayete you were the life of the night. i still can't get over how funny you and maya are and i'm so happy you encouraged them to stay for as long as we did. we could've danced some more bass yalla next time :)
hey, why isnt that report on LBF ! I know Ash is preparing his version, bass mish mishkleh, allah ykatter min amthelkon :p
did i say im soooo jealous? a 3asfoura told me it was a lot of fun ;)
were any israelis invited?
lirun,
a lebanese meeting. "strictly a la libanaise".... why would israelis be invited???????
we did have alot of fun...and it was so nice to see us all click despite the differences...
eve, i will after ashraf's post
lirun we'll have a small table for an israeli occupation the next time.
Yeah.. Im jealous too :)
Mirvat. thank you again for the meeting and for the recap... that dinner/night/dawn was awesome... you are absolutely right: it is weird and amazing how we all easily clicked... i guess there is hope for our country!
Eve: your 3asfoura is adorable! ya ret kente ma3na! :)
i had so much fun.. arch is right it was truly wonderful.
eve 3an jadd el 3asfoura cracked us up! yalla one day we'll all meet :) maybe soon..
Mirvat, thank you for the report :)
I liked the "strictly a la libanaise, we want to forget and live" wel "we all speak the same language, may that be in French, Arabic, English or even Phoenician." Well said! Thanks again, this is great.
pssst, Mar, I'm jalous too, bass ma 7abbeyt oul shi lol
nice meeting u Mirvat. Enshallah next one is in Beirut. I am sure we can give the bloggers there some tips as to how a blogger meeting should be like ;). T3allamo t3allamo.
It was wonderful night. Thanks for everything.
thanks coco, nshallah next time you'll be with us
jooj it was very nice meeting you too. i loved the passage you wrote. yes nshallah areeban bi beirut, they need us :)
thank you all for a great night!
Mirvat, good organizing skills. thank you.
It was great meeting all of you my friends. I will cherish this night forever.
thanks _z
it was great meeting you too.
khalas we'll do a canada meeting next.. as soon as i have a visa.. and a passport..
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