Walking through the streets of Lebanon, you can easily see the diversity and influence of different cultures, one of which is the Armenian. 

Despite their rich history and many contributions, Armenians, like other minority groups, are faced with a lot of questions/statements they are tired of hearing. 

Here are just some of them based on the accounts of several Lebanese Armenians we spoke to. 

1. “Oh wow, I didn’t know you could speak Arabic!”

“I really hate it when people assume we don’t know Arabic. I’ve lived in Syria, Egypt, Iraq and now Lebanon. I probably know the language better than half the Lebanese people!" Caroline Bakjejian, a resident of Gemmayze, said. 

"We have more than 100 years of experience in the Middle Eastern region."

2. “Do you prefer Armenia or Lebanon?”

“How about both? We love Lebanon because it’s the country we grew up in and we love Armenia because it’s our homeland! Why do we have to choose? Please don’t assume that we all share the same opinion as Lebanon’s Minister of Tourism >Avadis Kadanian, who said he prefers Armenia. No, just no,” 18-year-old Garod Kambourian said. 

3. “You must love basterma!”

“My husband and I really don’t like basterma and we’re both Armenian. Not all Armenians love basterma, just like not all Lebanese people love tabbouleh. Oh, and believe it or not we don’t eat at Basterma Mano everyday,” Bourj Hammoud resident, Anahid Sislian, told StepFeed. 

4. “I know how to cuss in Armenian”

"Oh wow, what an achievement! You must think you deserve a medal for your multilingual cussing. 

It’s funny, because you can’t even spell half of our words right. But hey, nice try," 29-year-old Raffi Kalajian said. 

5. “Shou btehko bel bet?” ( what language do you use at home?)

“I really don’t think it’s a big deal which language we use at home but Armenian is usually the easiest option for us. I personally don’t care about the language I use as long as my kids remember to wash the dishes and not leave food on the floor,“ Jal El Dib resident, Sasso Hasholian, said. 

6. “Oh you must know Sako from Burj Hammoud, who has a motorcycle!”

"You mean my brother Sako? Or my cousin Sako? Or maybe my grandmother’s son-in-law’s nephew Sako? 

Asking an Armenian about 'Sako' is the equivalent of asking a Muslim about 'Mohammad' or a Christian about 'Michel,' we just know too many," psychology student Alik Vahe Kambourian said. 

7. “You live in Burj Hammoud, right?”

“While it’s true that a large number of Armenians reside in Burj Hammoud, that doesn’t mean we refuse to live elsewhere. We have the freedom to move and live wherever we want, you know, it’s not like we’re held hostage in one place,” Zqaq el blat resident Aram Percudrum Papazian, said.