Why Lebanon?
My mother's side of our family is Lebanese. My siblings and I grew up surrounded by the culture through our relatives and of course, the food. My Sitto (or grandma in Arabic) has lived with us for as long as I can remember. From the time I was little, we grew up listening to her stories and looking at her photo albums. Unfortunately, my mother's parents never taught her how to speak or write in Arabic, but she does know a few common words/phrases which was just about the only part of the language my siblings and I inherited. While we never learned the language, through the precise instruction of my Sitto, we know how to make all kinds of Lebanese food-- although it never tastes quite as amazing as hers. While no one in my immediate family has ever been to Lebanon due to the seemingly never ending conflict, we've always wanted to visit there whenever it is finally safe. Because I didn't know as much as I would have liked to about Lebanon and where my family is from, I chose to do my research project about a conflict that was occuring there.
In the photo above I am making fatar (a traditional Lebanese spinach stuffed pie). It takes several hours to make these so my Sitto, sister, and I make them together. |
This is a picture that my brother took of me on my first dive. This is at thirty feet under water over a coral reef. |
Pictured above is my Jiddo and Sitto (grandma and grandpa). My Jiddo was part of the first generation to come to America from Lebanon, and he spoke Arabic fluently. |
Why the impact of Syrian Refugees on Lebanon's Oceans?
Ever since I was younger, the ocean and the life that inhabits it have fasinated me. From the age of seven I knew that I wanted to be an oceanographer when I grew up. That still holds true to this day and has only strengthened throughout the years especially when I became a scuba diver. When I was fourteen years old, I earned my diving license through Naui which prohibits divers under the age of sixteen to dive deeper than 32 feet (or one atmospheric level). Before my first dive, I was overwhelmed with nervousness. However, the second I entered the world beneath the waves, I was in awe with the array of colors and life that laid before my eyes. Now that I am of the age to hold a full divers license, I have been able to participate in deeper and more interesting dives. Because of the incredible beauty that I experienced first hand, the ocean and the protection/preservation of it became an important issue to me.
Header image borrowed from "worldatlas.com"