The Annual Trek to the Motherland

It is time for the annual trek to the Motherland. 

And just as thousands and thousands of Lebanese flock to Beirut over the summer to reconnect with family, friends and their identity, I am flying to Holland for the summer. School’s out, work is put on hold, instructions on how to feed the cats, dogs, birds and fish are written down, passports have been located and the bags are packed.

A wall I walk by on a daily basis. I always wonder what the garden looks like that is behind it.

I read somewhere the first 12 years of your life are detrimental in the formation of your (cultural) identity. The place where you spent your first 12 years, is where you will always long to be, the place you are nostalgic about, especially as you grow older.  I do not get homesick, but I do get nostalgic. Nostalgia is often mistakes for homesickness, but these are two quite separate afflictions.

And for those Lebanese who cannot make it to Lebanon this year (since it seems most of my readers are Lebanese abroad with a longing for home, according to google.statistics), I will leave you this summer with images from ‘home’.  Tuesdays will feature a random picture of something that reminds me of Beirut, Fridays will bring you a neighborhood ‘dikkaneh’.