When you started learning Arabic, you probably didn’t think much about the long-term benefits of learning the language. Most likely, you were just happy that you’re able to ask where the bathroom is in Beirut or ask for directions to your business conference in Cairo. However, the benefits of being bilingual go far deeper than that. Today we’re going to discuss how you can improve...
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Finding people playing card games in the Arab world these days is as ubiquitous as finding falafel stands; in other words, they’re everywhere. Arabs adopted their love of playing cards from the Chinese. They are believed to have invented them around the Tang Dynasty in the 9th century A.D. It happened when the daughter of Emperor Yizong of Tang, Princess Tongchang, was seen playing the "leaf...
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Every culture around the world has its own form of music that all ages of that culture enjoy it. The Arab culture is no different. As in other cultures, Arabic music unifies the people living the Arabic speaking countries of the Middle East. Arabic music is really like no other music from any other culture. It’s not like music from neighboring Turkish or Persian cultures,...
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In the United States in 2018, culinary experts from all over America were hyping Moroccan food as the next “up-and-coming cuisine”. Four out of 10 consumers had an interest in the kingdom’s savory dishes. However, what Western chefs were touting as the latest fad in food was really nothing new to Moroccans. They had already been “trending” the blend of irresistible flavors and beautifully textured...
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Located in the UAE, the city of Dubai has grown into one of the most glamorous cities in the world. It competes with such fashion capitals as New York, Paris, and Milan in recent years. You will see supermodels and ordinary citizens walking the streets of Dubai in their haute couture clothing and designer shoes and accessories. However, among all the glamour of Dubai, you’ll...
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Lebanese culture is the by-product of the ethnic and religious diversity of its population influenced by the conquerors. Some of these would be the Romans, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks and most recently, the French. Due to the latter, Beirut earned the nickname “the Paris of the Middle East” before returning back to the Arabs. All of this cultural history has had an influence on, among...
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Late in 2019, Saudi Arabia announced new visas that will be available from 49 countries around the world. Also, it give the go-ahead to implement new dress code regulations. So, if you’re planning on doing business in the KSA in the future, what should you wear? Well, don’t worry because we’ve got you covered from head to toe on the subject in today’s article. Western Business Dress...
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Kuwait as a country is a dichotomy. It is a small emirate that sits in one of the driest and most inhospitable deserts in the world. Yet, its coastline on Kuwait Bay has one of the deepest harbors in the Persian Gulf. In Kuwait City, you’ll find both Western liberalism and Islamic culture. You'll see high-rise buildings and luxurious hotels next to stunning mosques and...
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Many foreigners who arrive in Bahrain are amazed at how well-dressed Bahrainis can be. Even if just going to the supermarket where men can be found in their crisp, freshly ironed, white dishdashas and gutras. Women are equally immaculately dressed in their abayas. These are beautifully embroidered in beautiful patterns around the neckline, along their sleeves, and their heads and faces generally uncovered. Being an Islamic nation, Bahrain culture...
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Oman is a wonderful country. As a tourist, your journeys will lead you across its gorgeous deserts and through its bustling city streets. All the while you’ll see the wonderful Omani people. You will see the women in their embroidered abayas and the men in their long white dishdashas smiling kindly as you drive by. Indeed, you’ll find traditional Omani dress both as intriguing and as...
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