Growing up in a Lebanese family is difficult, growing up in a big family is ever harder.
You find yourself constantly looking for missing socks, fighting with your siblings over food and attention, and well, just feeling like a member of a soccer team.
If you grew up in a YUGE Lebanese family, here are a few things you will definitely relate to:
1. You are constantly reminded that you look like this or that sibling (some will even be surprised by the resemblance)
As if being told your father or mother “bez2ik/bez2itik baze2" is not bad enough; this situation is a classic.
You will try to deny it by it won’t work.
When ”Yeeeees, I know!” becomes too tedious a response, a sarcastic “ka ena ekhwe” should do.
2. You inherit stuff (lots and lots of used stuff) from toys to school books to clothes
Over the years, you will find that a lot of your siblings’ stuff will be passed down to you. It's an inevitable rite of passage, some may say.
3. You are given a number and identified as your sibling’s sibling
As though comparing your family to a soccer team isn't mind-numbing enough, some will actually take it to the next level and even assign you a number.
4. You know what “tabekh bel desset” means
Aside from buying everything in large quantities, the whole cooking system is based on a cook-freeze-unfreeze cycle because let’s face it, your mom is not Chef Antoine.
5. Your mom calls you by your brother or sister’s name
This one is unavoidable. You will sometimes be called by your brother/sister/cousin/friend/neighbor’s name before she actually gets it right.
6. You can hit your siblings all you want at home but out in the world you are one unbeatable team
Some rules need not be spoken. While it is perfectly fine to beat the hell out of your siblings at home, once strangers get in the way, it goes without saying that you will all act as one against that common enemy.
All for one, one for all!
7. You always find your clothes in someone's closet and the struggle for kalset is real
Once your clothes are "bil ghasil," you won't be seeing them again (or wearing them) at least for a very long time. And no matter how many pairs of socks you buy, you will almost always find yourself short.
8. You can NEVER, NEVER watch TV in peace
Everyone commenting on what is happening bil mousalsal or the movie and your siblings (especially younger ones) asking questions about what is happening is seriously the stuff of nightmares.
9. You talk loudly, you laugh loudly, you live loudly
LOUD is a lifestyle. If you’re arguing, if you’re telling stories or even if you’re singing, you MUST be loud to be heard.
This will usually lead to friends or onlookers asking you to please lower your voice when speaking. You'll probably get a few dirty looks from strangers too!