intercultural communication
“ We need no language to laugh,” said once Janaki Sooriyarachchi a Sri Lankan author.
I come from a Lebanese family. Although I lived my entire life in Beirut, I visited many countries in my life. And every time I travel I get this amazing desire of learning about the new culture in the country I am visiting.
Back to my high school, most of my friends were Lebanese. We shared the same food, the same “ways of living” and of course the same languages.
I say languages with an “s”, because in Lebanon we don’t only talk in Arabic, but Lebanese people mix in one sentence at least. Three languages “ Hi Kifak Ca va?” one of the typical Lebanese sentence that mix English Arabic and French just to say, “Hi how are you?” And this mix of languages is mostly related to Lebanon’s geography at its location that attracted back in the days, a lot of western. I recently moved out to France to continue my studies at Sciences Po.
And today, not only I live with French in a French society, but also with English, Arabs, Asians, and people from all around the world.
With nationalities, that I never thought I could ever meet. Every time I talk to them I travel in my mind to Thailand, to Brazil, to Palestine… We live, we eat, and we drink together:
- “ Oh my God! Are you eating chicken for breakfast?”
- “ Yeah, what is wrong with chicken for breakfast?” Answered my Thai friend.
- “ And is that chili that I am seeing! How can you eat this!”
- “ It is really good! Do you want to try it?” She offered generously.
I accepted her offer with hesitation. However, the idea of having chicken for breakfast, wasn’t that bad after all, and I actually liked it. On the other hand, being here in France changed my lifestyle. Now that I hang out, with people from all around the world, their culture and their way of life influenced me. Before coming here, I had the chance to be in a multicultural high school, I got exposed to other cultures, by learning about
I come from a Lebanese family. Although I lived my entire life in Beirut, I visited many countries in my life. And every time I travel I get this amazing desire of learning about the new culture in the country I am visiting.
Back to my high school, most of my friends were Lebanese. We shared the same food, the same “ways of living” and of course the same languages.
I say languages with an “s”, because in Lebanon we don’t only talk in Arabic, but Lebanese people mix in one sentence at least. Three languages “ Hi Kifak Ca va?” one of the typical Lebanese sentence that mix English Arabic and French just to say, “Hi how are you?” And this mix of languages is mostly related to Lebanon’s geography at its location that attracted back in the days, a lot of western. I recently moved out to France to continue my studies at Sciences Po.
And today, not only I live with French in a French society, but also with English, Arabs, Asians, and people from all around the world.
With nationalities, that I never thought I could ever meet. Every time I talk to them I travel in my mind to Thailand, to Brazil, to Palestine… We live, we eat, and we drink together:
- “ Oh my God! Are you eating chicken for breakfast?”
- “ Yeah, what is wrong with chicken for breakfast?” Answered my Thai friend.
- “ And is that chili that I am seeing! How can you eat this!”
- “ It is really good! Do you want to try it?” She offered generously.
I accepted her offer with hesitation. However, the idea of having chicken for breakfast, wasn’t that bad after all, and I actually liked it. On the other hand, being here in France changed my lifestyle. Now that I hang out, with people from all around the world, their culture and their way of life influenced me. Before coming here, I had the chance to be in a multicultural high school, I got exposed to other cultures, by learning about