Remembering French: How Speaking French Changed with Age
How France and I evolved in the 16 years since we crossed paths — not in the same directions.
English Doesn’t Belong to White People
Judging another country’s English as not perfect is at best ignorant, and at worst, racist.
The Joy and Pain of Travelling While Non-white
I’m called lao-wai in China. We’re called agaanib in Egypt and wazungu in East Africa. But even those we’re those things, we’re other people, and we’re ourselves.
A Brief and Interesting History of Hebrew
Hebrew is thousands of years old and yet has evolved into a language that many use as their primary — or only — language. This is its story.
The Zabbaleen: The Unique Story of the “Garbage People” of Cairo
The story of the Zabaleen – “Garbage People” who have for generations been the informal backbone of Cairo’s waste management.
Arabic Coffee: A Complete Guide by Coffee Nerds
An complete guide to Arabic coffee, including the definition of “Arabic coffee”, where to drink Arabic coffee in Egypt and the Middle East, how to make Arabic coffee at home, and an analysis of Arabic vs Turkish coffee. By obsessive coffee lovers.
The Sounds of Cairo: Honking Horns, the Call to Prayer, “Boos Boos” and “Bikya!”
The many sounds of Cairo — traffic, the call to prayer, recycling collectors and the “bos bos” sound.
You and I, just a couple of average Zhous
The questions you have to ask to find common ground between cultures different than yours and your own.
Being and Speaking Chinese
Saying you speak Chinese depends on what kind of Chinese you mean, what language you’re speaking, who you are and who you’re talking to. Saying you ARE Chinese is even more complicated.