One thing I can do without in Lebanon: The constant probing. The entitlement some people feel, to ask you some downright intrusive questions, questions that may be too personal even for US airport security, I kid you not. The problem is with the way these questions sneak up on you, when you least expect them, BOOM, they come right at you, and you stand there, feeling violated, with no choice but to answer something you just couldn’t imagine sharing with that person. One minute you’re getting your hair washed, before you know it, you’re telling the hairdresser how much you pay for rent a month and your parents don’t mind that you live alone. WTF?
Scenario One:
I am at Gloria Jeans Café in Hamra, paying for my coffee.
Waiter: Would you like a customer loyalty card?
Me: No, Thanks, I don’t come here much.
Waiter: Why Not?
Me: (A bit taken back) because I don’t live in Hamra
Waiter: Where do you live?
Me: (more taken back) Not in Hamra
Waiter: Yes, but where?
Me: Where are you going with this?
Waiter: We have other branches; you can use your card there.
Me: Where are the branches?
Waitor : Where do you live?
Scenario Two:
I am at a friend’s house and her mom just walks in the room
Friend’s Mother: So Ivy, where do you work?
Me: At “X”
Friend’s Mother: Do you like working there?
Me: Very much
Friend’s Mother : How Much to they pay you?
Me: Uhhh , uhh, they pay me enough to get me to go to work everyday ( with a smile)
Friend’s Mother: Yes Dear, how much? I want to know if my little Farah is getting a good deal from her employers.
Scenario Three:
The Cleaning lady in the morning at the office.
Cleaning lady: Good morning Ivy, you look very nice today.
Me: Thank you so much, 3eeyounik il hilween- your eyes are nice
Cleaning Lady: I saw you come out of your boyfriend’s car this morning, he dropped you off?
Me: Umm, yes, he did.
Cleaning Lady: He has a nice car, what does he do?
Me: Umm, he works at X company
Cleaning Lady: Ahh, does he has a good “post”? ( She means position)
Me: He’s a manager.
Cleaning Lady: Wow, and where is his family from?
Me:Beirut
Cleaning Lady: Ahh, ya3ni they are a good family! What does his father do?
Me: I don’t know
Three scenarios. Three awkward situations. The only way to get out of them is to get rude. The people that are asking these questions don’t intend to be rude. They just don’t know any better. So I ask you nicely, Nosy Lebanon, please refrain! Bisoux
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Hahahahaha very nice, I get a lot of those questions especially that I live abroad. France? Wich City? Oh a good comapny? Aha and do they give you a car? Phone? How much do you need to live there? Tab lek men l ekhir adeh 3am yedfa3oulak? How much do u pay for taxes? :p lol oh and btw, how are french girls treating you :p
Don’t remind me!!! 🙁 Today, I had to listen to a one hour speech over why I should get married “before it’s too late” after I answered with a No to the “Are you married?” question..
★★★★★
I was buying my facial soap and make up remover at the pharmacy a couple of days ago.
I ask the pharmacist if they have it, she says yes and goes behind the counter to get it. OUT OF NOWHERE this woman comes and asks me “do you have skin problems” completely shocked I answer “No my dermatologist gave me this brand”…”ah you go to a dermatologist”…..”well yes, I do”….”and why do you want make up remover, do you use make up on your whole face, or just your eyes??
At this point the pharmacist tells me that she doesn’t have my make up remover, so the woman jumps right in, “you know I have a great product for bla bla bla”. I tell her, that I don’t want it, I want to stick to my brand. so she tells me “it’s naturel, don’t be scared”. I KNOW what i’m talking about”..HAHAHA
WTF??? Imagine if I was buying something like birth control pills or something!!!
look at the brightside of it… at least in leb ur not just a number whereas in a metropolis no one konws u even exist…this my friend at the end of the day, allthough annoying, is scientifically proven to reduce stress over time.
Hahahaha we’ve all been through all these scenarios and they crack me up it’s so annoying lol!!! where do u live? what does ur family do? are u a relative of some political face X Y Z? where do u vote? what do u work? where do u work? how much do u get paid?
And as Natasha mentioned the pharmacy scenario happens to me practically every time I enter one I sometimes dread entering a pharmacy hehehe!! akhhh the questions just never ever end it’s like u are in a wind whirl and u can’t escape it!!
LOL @ Little Miss Hashoura.