‘Are you sure you want to go to Lebanon? There’s a war there with bombs going off!’
I still vividly remember the Immigration Officer’s face in Nigeria when I showed him my plane ticket to Lebanon. Back in 2012, I traveled to Lebanon-it was supposed to be a simple business trip, but a simple detour led to one of the most fulfilling adventures of my life.
I spent over three weeks in Lebanon- what I experienced there were not the fears that the Immigration Officer tried to project on me, rather, when I arrived in Lebanon, I came to find a clean, beautiful, and serene environment.
I remember taking another detour to the mountains and being astounded by the views at the top. As a Nigerian used to harmattan and heat, I experienced snow for the first time- I even dived into the snow, which was freezing cold, but amazingly beautiful; it felt great!
Being a foodie, I did not miss out on visiting the finest restaurants Lebanon had to offer and experiencing their cuisine, enjoying their vegetables and fresh seafood meals. Lebanon also had a lot of unique beauty shops, which I explored, with the giant malls being one of my favourite parts of my trip.
To sum it up, in Lebanon, I enjoyed the food, culture, entertainment, and excitement. It made it a memorable travel experience for me. I would love to revisit it with my family in the future.
What I learnt from my experience is to not let stereotypes or fears prevent you from living your best life and chasing adventures; you never know what you will find. For me, I found life in Lebanon.
