Not only did they have to leave Lebanon, but Lebanese in Canada have to struggle with quite a bit of living there.
With an estimated 2% of the entire Canadian population having Lebanese descendency, it won’t be surprising that hundreds of thousands of Lebanese can relate to this.
#1 The Cold
This obviously has to be the first point. You can’t simply take the Lebanese out of beach weather, put them in temperatures that can reach -40 degrees, and expect them to be like “oh yeah, no problem.” Well, big problem!
#2 Icy Roads
Of course, with cold temperatures, you get icy roads. It’s not in the human nature of Lebanese people to be able to drive or walk normally on ice. Except, of course, for your parents who had to walk miles and miles in the worst snowy conditions to get to school every day. We all heard that “story” a million times.
#3 Milk Bags
No seriously, whose idea was it to put milk in plastic bags and sell them?! How do they even get the milk inside without making a mess?
The actual awkward part is trying to explain to your friends back home that you have milk in bags.
#4 No REAL Lebanese Food
Although Canada is filled with Lebanese restaurants, it’s almost near impossible to find one serving authentic Lebanese food. Most of the time, there aren’t even Lebanese cooking in their kitchens. (Give it to a Lebanese to know from the first bite!)
#5 Overly Expensive Lebanese Food
Seriously, Lebanese food seems to be some sort of luxury in Canada. $15 for a shawarma sandwich that is basically all lettuce. So $15 for a lettuce sandwich.
#6 People Eat Way Too Fast There
On the note of food, what’s up with people there eating super fast? You sit down to eat and you’re expected to be done eating in 10-15 minutes tops. Forget about the socializing around meals. There are no lunches or dinners where you sit for hours talking about life…
#7 Every Lebanese person you meet thinks you are automatically friends.. and it’s true
Oh yeah, this one. Somehow every Lebanese in Canada you bump into automatically assume you are instant friends and even brothers. The funny part, it’s true.. You do become instant friends. That way you get through all these struggles together.
#8 Somehow you keep meeting random people who are related to you
This is a big Lebanese problem. You think the friend you just met is your new BFF, but turns out they are somehow your cousin or your cousin’s cousin… or from the same village as you back in Lebanon.
#9 Missing the real taste of fruits
This is seriously one of the most underrated struggles. Yes, you are bringing up food again. You will miss the naturally sweet taste of the fruits you used to eat in Lebanon.
Fruits have no taste, at all. You’ll get used (or not) to eat bananas that don’t taste banana, and that apple you force yourself to eat till the end hoping to get to find… the real apple in there. Well, you got the picture.
#10 Missing Almaza
Seriously, this is a struggle. It just is quite impossible to find the Lebanese favorite beer. If you’re lucky, that restaurant in Laval (near Montreal) could still have some but get ready to pay $9 for a bottle.
#11 Language Issue
You never know which language to speak in Canada, English or French. You eventually end up speaking a mix of both with Lebanese, hoping they understand you.
#12 Politics
Lebanese politics is probably more important in Canada than it is in Lebanon. If it isn’t fighting about Lebanese politics, it’s fighting about Canadian politics and about who Lebanese in Canada should vote for, Conservatives or Liberals.
#13 Distance
For some reason, Lebanese people decided to go as far away from Lebanon as they could and they ended up in Canada and Australia. But at least the ones in Australia enjoy the better weather!
In any case, if you want to visit home, you have to spend 14 or so hours and a couple of thousand dollars just to get there.
