TAXED in Lebanon?!

Hello you, the Tax-payer!

Yes, you the payer of taxes in Lebanon... Have you ever asked yourself where those taxes go to? I mean, everywhere I go I see bad roads, holes everywhere, hospital bills so expensive people are dying, prices rising and taxes becoming ever more present!

So I ask, where are the taxes going?

Are they going into the pockets of certain people through their shadow corporations that take government contracts that are supposed to be open to public bidding wars but instead just quickly given to the official's nephew's best-friend's girlfriend's dog's registered company in the Bahamas? Or something along those lines...

I make no accusations, I make observations on what the Lebanese people are commenting on.

I relay a message I hear every so often...

I bring up this issue because I just got some samples for my business and I was taxed on them... REALLY?!

I do not mind paying the taxes, but when I leave my front door, I do not see where it is all being used. Is it being used for the people?

Other than a few roads being fixed every once in a while (and I mean a LONG while) I don't see much being done...

So tell me Lebanon, the Government of Lebanon to be exact, what are you doing with our hard earned tax money?

I wonder...

C

Graduation was a few days ago! ;)

Hello you, the Students of Life!

As some might have noticed, I have been absent from everything online. Including Skype and not being able to connect with the far. Why? I was teaching!! Yes... Imparting knowledge on the new generation and was that ever FUN!

I never thought that teaching little kids is so taxing on the physical but rewarding on the emotional! I must admit that today being my second day not teaching and I feel something is missing. Those screaming, shouting and cute little devils (said with love of course) will remain as a good reminder of my time in Lebanon.

Someone once told me that we should always teach a class. I see why now! I had already taught English in China before, but teaching Lebanese kids was a completely different story. The Chinese were timid and eager to learn. The Lebanese? No where near timid and just as eager! The result? 3 very energy consuming months but with good rewards. The school was impressed by their levels of improvement and the parents only gave me positive comments.

What I did not expect, however, was how I felt more Lebanese being in a school environment. I am Lebanese, of course, but having spent around 10% of my life in Lebanon, mostly on vacation, I don't know that side of my identity much. In a struggle to find what being Lebanese is and how to be Lebanese and how not to, I found a little of it in French speaking Lebanese trying to learn English! So there was someone like me growing up INSIDE Lebanon!

So, I've graduated from school as my friends so lovingly put it. I've graduated with a new found love for Lebanon through the eyes of the young. It is true that "out of the mouths of babes" come the most surprising accounts. In my case, I found a new part of myself.

So, last Thursday the 1st of March 2012, I graduated into a new found part of me. Here's to the other Students of Life, may you all graduate into new YOUs as well ;)

C

Beirut Ya Beirut!!

Hello you, the Beirut Junkies!

I have been absent for a while and until this morning, I had absolutely no concrete reason as to why. An epiphany hit me when I woke up today: the reason is a city I never knew and never gave a chance, her name is Beirut...

To say I am in love with Beirut is an overstatement. I have always had a certain love/hate - hate to love - love to hate relationship with Beirut. However, it truly is the Phoenix city. I will not bother going into its history, past or recent, but I will say that Beirut is getting a new blood flow.

Beirut is breathing again.

Who or what is this new blood? Simply, it is the YOUNG! It is my generation and the ones surrounding it. In a country where no one moves out from the unbelievable nest Lebanese mothers have so intricately designed unless they get married, travel away or die, this is changing. Look all over the greater Beirut area and you will see the youngsters living with others.

Cohabitation at its best.

Generations are clashing in buildings and buildings are clashing with generations. The Young are pumping a new life into the city and doing a good job at it. Beirut used to present a certain tattered and old vibe to me on all my other trips. Don't get me wrong, I always frequented the hotspots with my generation, but this new wave of young people literally running and running around the city is mind-boggling.

Everywhere you look there are youngsters doing something, creating something, saying something, EXPRESSING SOMETHING! The young are going to clash with the old soon, the question is when.

This new generation is sick of corruption and just wants to BREATHE! We want to run our city.

We are going to run our city.

Forget the city that never sleeps, forget the city of angels, forget all the other cities and focus on Beirut because soon the world will be and not for the usual suspects.

Syria, Iran, Hisbolla, Hariri Legacy, Tuaini Remembrance, International Court Proceedings, etc... They are all SMOKE!! What the powers that be should be worrying about in Lebanon are the young... We are sick of you and yes without us you will be sick, Beirut might fall victim to your pillaging once again, but we are the new blood of this city and we want to protect it fiercely.

We will protect it fiercely from both within and 'with-out'.

To you the oldies, I say watch out, the youngsters have a new drug, its called Beirut.

High on this new city I leave you today, for Beirut here we stay!

C

Car-jack or Hello Joe? A scene in Lebanon's "safety" issue!

Hello you, THE POLICE!!

Yes, the "darak" or police in Lebanon...

This one time in Lebanon, I was out with friends enjoying my time. A friend joins us and tell us an interesting story. This is how it goes:

He was driving to meet us in Pheonecia Intercontinental Hotel, a landmark in Lebanon's scene, and what happens on his way? He witnesses something that is unfortunately becoming a common occurrence in Lebanon... A car-jacking in PUBLIC! At gun point if I may add!!!

So what does he do? Call the police (look at the attached pic for proof) like a good samaritan should! Here is their response:

"Eh mna3rif! Hayda 7arameh siyarat ma3roof!"

In English: "Yeah we know! He's a well known car thief."

Welcome to Lebanon! Thank you for "Protecting and Serving" us...

So here's to you, THE POLICE! I raise my Vodka glass to you while I party in Lebanon! The country of contradiction where we all feel safe!

I feel safe here. Do you?

C
Sent via my BlackBerry® smartphone from Alfa

UPDATE: My friend later said that maybe, just maybe, the police officer that answered the phone meant that the man with the gun was arresting a well known car thief... Unlikely...

DIRECTION: this one time in... Lebanon

Hello you, the Wandering!

So, after a little thinking and research I've found that Lebanon has enough material to poke my nose into...

What will happen? I'll probably get hired because of my story telling talents or shot for them.

Let's wait and see!

For now, the Wanderers, let there be 'This One Time In... Lebanon'...

C

To Zoom in or Zoom out, That is the Question.

Hello you, the Bloggified,

Here's the thing, I was having dinner with a good friend of mine that is a fan of my blog too. He had one comment about it though (other than my being a rambler! hehe).

He said "Why don't you just concentrate on one issue?" "What does Lebanon have to do with China?"

i.e. What he meant is that I need to focus on one theme and go from there.

Now I love my friends, and take their opinion into serious consideration since I know that real friends always speak their mind to better mine :)

Here is why I am writing about everything that comes to mind:

a. We live in a global village. i.e. I do not see what is wrong about blogging with China in mind in one post and Lebanon in the other, maybe even other international issues. We are no longer just citizens of state, we are constantly and rapidly becoming citizens of the Earth.

b. We are, as I have said a million times in this blog, a generation of highly educated individuals. I have taken it upon myself in this blog to push the limits and ask my generation to take that education of their's and use it in a constant debate and sharing. Read, comment, agree or better yet, Disagree with me! Converse, debate and discuss, is what I want to happen. The issue? Whatever comes to mind or is happening to me. A professor of mine once gave me great advice, he said "Write what you know." I am.

c. I am in Limbo. I am part of Generation Limbo and this is my creative outlet. Simple.

So, to you, the Bloggified, I say BLOG to your heart's content! I am...

C

Of my ears, I tear: Of Lebanon's unregulated prices.

UPDATE: Got a response from MTV Lebanon, thank you for taking the time to read this. Here is the response from @jyad:

"@ChadiNassar @mtvlebanon you are right, it was not dealt with correctly, will convey the message"

Here is the link to the tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/jyad/status/127132986373193729

Hello you, the Hungry!

By hungry I mean literally in need of food! I am FURIOUS because of something that happened on a TV show yesterday on MTV Lebanon. The irony of it all is that I was having my lunch at the time...

As the Lebanese that live in Lebanon know, prices here are out of this world expensive. The price of eggs has apparently DOUBLED in the past couple of weeks! Yes, x 2! And the media is a buzz about it. Proposing solutions left and right and giving their observations and interviewing those god forsaken politicians and this and that... BLAH BLAH BLAH!

Back to MTV Lebanon. The show: Al Hal Enna. The issue: HOW DARE YOU?!?!

I usually stumble upon this show because my mum puts it on while she is doing other stuff, and as many mothers in Lebanon, she agrees with all the complaints. Then the issue of the recent strikes in Lebanon comes on the show, and a lady caller (yes, she was a LADY and not just a woman) calls and says something that made my parents and I tear and get very frustrated with the situation.

This woman was an elderly woman that called and complained that "Where is the government?" She said. Where is the justice when she and her four children (probably even a husband) has to go to bed without dinner last night, and as the viewer understood every other night. And then she was abruptly CUT OFF. What does the presenter who's name I won't even look up because I have lost ALL respect for her say?

"I agree and sympathise with you, we call out to all the people out there that can afford it to come out and donate food baskets for the poor" or something along those lines.

SHOCK!! Shock was the response of my parents and I. SHOCK!!!!

This LADY was there asking the government to take action and REGULATE prices. She was NOT BEGGING FOR FOOD. No where in her phone call, in her sad and disheartened voice did she ever ask for a handout! NO WHERE!

How dare this woman that is there to represent the people assume that the poor want hand outs? We are a nation, YES A NATION, of proud Lebanese that would rather work and live our lives in DIGNITY.

OFFER A HANDOUT?!

OUTRAGE!!! That is where I am at!

I tried to call the show at 04-444 444 a million times and give that woman, yes WOMAN, a piece of my mind and tell her that instead of suggesting a food basket that is nothing more than a temporary solution to the problem, why not call out to the politicians at that particular moment and DEMAND, yes demand and not ask, for regulating prices in Lebanon.

We are one of the oldest countries to be established on this earth, even mentioned in the Bible around 80 times! Shame on you Al Hal Enna, shame...

I went hungry yesterday because I could no longer eat properly after I heard that woman, but I do not pity her, I pity the nation that is hiding behind its politician's greed and injustice.

To you the politicians of Lebanon I say this:


You are here to serve the PEOPLE, not only yourselves. 
You are here to serve the LEBANESE people, not only your sects. 
You are here to serve LEBANON!!

I hope that you, the Hungry will go hungry no longer soon.
As for I? I now hunger for JUSTICE in LEBANON!

C