Moving from the Middle East to North America can provide a vast culture shock to incoming university students who were born and raised in oil-rich regions, United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Differences in cultural diversity and the ‘boujee’ way of life can definitely fill former residents with nostalgia of their teenage years. For those of you who’ve lived through this experience, here are 15 signs you grew up in the Middle East.
Although most people have an idea of the geography of the Middle East, some encounters with new people mostly result in you having to say you’re from somewhere only familiar in popular culture. Most of the time though, people who have never been to the region just stare at you in awe.
Fast and Furious 7 (Abu Dhabi) , Mission Impossible 4 (Dubai) , Stars Wars (Abu Dhabi), Transformers (Qatar).
Whether you’re pure blood Arab or an expat who lived in the middle east, it is simply impossible not to add an ‘inshallah’ or ‘yallah’ in your English sentences, regardless if your new North American friends have no idea what you’re saying.
Filipino, Indian, British, Nepalese and so many more. The middle east is quite the melting pot and you can meet someone from somewhere different everyday.
It’s as if some people are seeing rain for the first time.
The AC and fans were such blessings back in the middle east and despite and whole new climate pattern, tradition doesn’t seem to halt.
If you’ve lived in the Middle East long enough, you’ve definitely had a genuine shawarma and simply can’t tolerate the so called ‘shawarma’ served in the west
Middle Eastern police drive in 2037 released cars while Western police are still in 2017.
Most people have never seen below 10 degrees Celsius until they move to North America.
This is usually what you learn and remember the easiest from locals and other dominant nationalities living in the region
25 degrees was winter weather in the middle east.
Shopping malls were the place to be for Middle Eastern youth
An instant friendship is thus established.
The struggle is real. Home really is where the heart is
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