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Culture

All our posts on culture: deep-dives into identity, arts, and sports around the world.

Remembering French: How Speaking French Changed with Age
French | Culture | Editorial | France

Remembering French: How Speaking French Changed with Age

ByDana Hooshmand September 23, 2019September 16, 2023

How France and I evolved in the 16 years since we crossed paths — not in the same directions.

Read More Remembering French: How Speaking French Changed with AgeContinue

English Doesn’t Belong to White People
Languages | Culture | Editorial

English Doesn’t Belong to White People

ByDana Hooshmand July 25, 2019September 28, 2021

Judging another country’s English as not perfect is at best ignorant, and at worst, racist.

Read More English Doesn’t Belong to White PeopleContinue

The Joy and Pain of Travelling While Non-white
Editorial | Culture | Travel

The Joy and Pain of Travelling While Non-white

ByDana Hooshmand June 27, 2019July 5, 2023

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.

Read More The Joy and Pain of Travelling While Non-whiteContinue

A Brief and Interesting History of Hebrew
Languages | Culture | Editorial | Hebrew Language Learning

A Brief and Interesting History of Hebrew

ByDana Hooshmand April 15, 2019November 3, 2020

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.

Read More A Brief and Interesting History of HebrewContinue

The Zabbaleen: The Unique Story of the “Garbage People” of Cairo
Egypt | Culture | Editorial | Travel

The Zabbaleen: The Unique Story of the “Garbage People” of Cairo

ByDana Hooshmand April 12, 2019July 4, 2023

The story of the Zabaleen – “Garbage People” who have for generations been the informal backbone of Cairo’s waste management.

Read More The Zabbaleen: The Unique Story of the “Garbage People” of CairoContinue

Arabic Coffee: A Complete Guide by Coffee Nerds
Culture | Egypt | Israel | Jordan

Arabic Coffee: A Complete Guide by Coffee Nerds

ByDana Hooshmand March 30, 2019August 14, 2023

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.

Read More Arabic Coffee: A Complete Guide by Coffee NerdsContinue

The Sounds of Cairo: Honking Horns, the Call to Prayer, “Boos Boos” and “Bikya!”
Travel | Culture | Egypt

The Sounds of Cairo: Honking Horns, the Call to Prayer, “Boos Boos” and “Bikya!”

ByDana Hooshmand February 26, 2019January 31, 2022

The many sounds of Cairo — traffic, the call to prayer, recycling collectors and the “bos bos” sound.

Read More The Sounds of Cairo: Honking Horns, the Call to Prayer, “Boos Boos” and “Bikya!”Continue

The Challenge of Travelling “Like a Local” in Egypt
Editorial | China | Culture | Egypt | Travel

The Challenge of Travelling “Like a Local” in Egypt

ByDana Hooshmand February 25, 2019July 3, 2023

Why we’ll never be truly be local foreigners in Egypt… and that’s OK.

Read More The Challenge of Travelling “Like a Local” in EgyptContinue

You and I, just a couple of average Zhous
Editorial | Culture

You and I, just a couple of average Zhous

ByDana Hooshmand December 13, 2018October 8, 2021

The questions you have to ask to find common ground between cultures different than yours and your own.

Read More You and I, just a couple of average ZhousContinue

Being and Speaking Chinese
China | Culture | Editorial | Taiwan

Being and Speaking Chinese

ByDana Hooshmand December 3, 2018September 28, 2021

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.

Read More Being and Speaking ChineseContinue

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