MEZRAB STORYTELLING

For most of us in Mezrab, English is a second language we use to connect quickly with each other. However, it's often the unique flavors that each of us adds to the language that really makes the connection. Asya shared with us her experience of falling in love while attending school in Türkiye. It'll probably resonate with you, not simply because she tells it in English, but mostly becaus...

Rasha is Palestinian with an Israeli passport. Her family's story is one of displacement ever since her grandmother was expelled by the Israeli army from her village during the Nakba of 1948. What does being at home mean when you are a refugee in your own homeland? Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your u...

Every week, Mezrab welcomes hundreds of immigrants who came to The Netherlands by choice or by necessity to make a new home. The person writing this (AKA me) is one of them. Especially in these times, it's cool to hear a native Dutch person relating to our experience as fishes out of water. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories wi...

When Irina discovered her house had been broken into and her possessions stolen, it initially seemed like a terrible crisis. Yet, when you're making a new country your home, the tough moments often reveal the blessings in our lives. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your understanding of this frustrating...

Have you ever had a crush on a historical figure? Imagine being able to have a coffee with Napoleon, or exploring the countryside with Joan of Arc, or having a long conversation with Alan Turing. Farnoosh confesses her historical crush is Princess Taj, the jewel of Persia. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate yo...

Every once in a while, we have a night in Mezrab called Off the Page, where we tell stories inspired by books. Violeta took a creative twist on the assignment, offering a scathing review about a book her boyfriend gifted her, which she hated thoroughly. Enjoy this cautionary tale on the art of selecting the right book as a gift. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct...

The best starting point for any project is the moment it begins. Picture this: you're on your way to a job interview at a senior retirement home. Suddenly, you find yourself surrounded by a group of seniors, all eagerly expecting to be entertained. Sounds like the promising start of an incredible project, doesn't it? Well, it's also the start of a fantastic story. Despite our strong di...

Discovering our own voice and identity is a long journey for many of us. However, some people are exploring uncharted territory when it comes to understanding themselves as something that society has yet to recognize. This path is not without its difficulties, but the rewards are plenty. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. W...

For the party crowd, it's a dazzling whirl of dance beats and wild fun. For the cultural connoisseurs, it's a vibrant splash of diversity. But for Ash, Eurovision is the backdrop to a story that redefines what an open relationship is. Crank up the volume. This is the rhythm of that peculiar night. Despite our strong distaste of this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our...

What's in a word? What we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet. Sometimes the only thing standing between two lovers is the specific name of that bond. As if the word 'gay' was anything else than a random assembly of sounds, changing nothing on the nature of love. If we could only shed our fear of certain words, imagine the multitude of joys that would unfold before us....

There's a Bible verse that says something like "be patient in tribulation". However, when the specific tribulation is breaking your genitalia, the Bible says: "No one who is emasculated or has his male organ cut off shall enter the assembly of the Lord." It's definitely hard to be a good catholic. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we...

What is love? We've been asking ourselves that question for thousands of years. Some of us thought that Haddaway's song would provide an answer, but nothing. Let me try one: Love is something too vast for arms' reach, yet it fits within a hug. Not bad, I would say, but I'm biased. If you want a better answer, check out this story. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's...

Many of the stories that are told at Mezrab could easily be turned into TV pilots. Although we are still trying to scratch the surface of television industry, sometimes we have a story that already got picked up on the small screen, and we get the opportunity to hear the protagonist's first hand account. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share...

Two fearless teenagers dare to dive into a cave, craving to uncover its secrets. What lay hidden in the depths is a dramatic rite of passage. Despite our distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your understanding of this frustrating compromise.

Sometimes, the sum of a person's efforts over the years converge at the moment when a form was filled out or not. The story of Sinead attempting to enroll in university is a reflection of the ancestral struggle of human beings against bureaucracy. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your understanding of th...

Did you know that before Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train", people already met each other on trains? Yeah, reality came first, but now it seems as though such encounters belong to works of fiction. If you're looking for a story that could fit into the rom-com, dark comedy, or adult genres (or in all three combined), then you should check out Marijn's. Despite our strong dist...

As Freudians love saying, if you want to understand the feelings of a lactose-intolerant towards ice cream, you should examine their relationship with their parents. Jennifer's story portrays the many flavors of a challenging relationship. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your understanding of this frust...

Being a rebel is something you learn at home. Fer was 7 when he discovered the taste of revolution, by rejecting the taste of beetroot. Perhaps one day, songs will be sung about the children who stand up for their culinary preferences. Despite our strong distate for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your understanding of this frustrating co...

The fight for freedom, being who you are, and your right to seek happiness in the way you want transcends borders. This is the story of Naomi. She is alive, free, and happy. But she had to fight for it. Her story is one of survival.

This story has all the elements of an Oscar-winning movie - unwavering commitment to the right values, heroic endurance amidst suffering, and a love story set during World War II. However, what makes this story better than a movie is that it is narrated by Erwin, the very son of a couple of true heroes. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our s...

If survival is your main goal, then fear is a good advisor. However, since we hanged our spears of hunter-gatherers, maybe it would be nice to cool it off with the fearful advice. Don't get me wrong—the world can still be quite dangerous... But isn't that part of what makes life so thrilling? Let's hear what Armina (or her alter-ego, Alarmina) has to say about this. Despite our strong...

In the beginning was the Word, but Lara believes that that word was probably a lie. It was time that someone defended this fundamental sin, without which storytelling would be meaningless. Buckle up for a collection of 'true' stories from a professional liar. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stories widely. We appreciate your und...

All of us have experienced shame at some point. It's such a painful feeling that some people wince at the mere thought of it. How cruel it is to be ashamed of enjoying ourselves, and how beautifully Danni can turn a lesson in pain. Check Danni's show at Amsterdam Fringe in September! https://amsterdamfringefestival.nl/the-red-shoes-2/ Despite our strong distaste for this platform's cor...

Great slice-of-life stories are much like icebergs, revealing just a tiny portion of the underlying drama. The best ones barely hint at the threat of tragedy if the plot veers toward the abyss. In this episode, Irina gifts us a masterclass in suspense beneath the guise of a bittersweet coming-of-age. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our stor...

There's this fable about Thales of Miletus, who fell into a ditch because he was walking while gazing at stars. At times, it seems like artists can make the same mistake. Margo illustrates this beautifully as she recounts the time she staged an artistic performance in Amsterdam´s Red Light District. Despite our strong distaste for this platform's corporate conduct, we use it to share our s...