Stories of Our City

For fine artist Muhammad Abu Aziz, music and art—particularly that of Arabic calligraphy—share an intimate relationship. The Arabic calligrapher’s pen itself is made from the same material as that of the flute. And, so, the role of calligraphy in Muhammad’s eyes ultimately becomes “making rhythms on its own like music.”

Although her collegiate studies initially brought Begum, a native of Turkey, to the United States, love is what ultimately brought her back. As one of only a handful of Turks in a small Texas city, this holistic nutritionist and expectant mother found that breaking out of her comfort zone was eventually the way to home sweet home.

Lucy Waja is a self-described multicultural cocktail who is a big fan of elephants. As a half Indian, half Sudanese native of the cosmopolitan capital of Jordan, a predominantly Arab country, Lucy naturally developed a love for other cultures and a knack for effectively navigating between several of them on a daily basis, being the daughter of a triple citizen of India, Sri Lanka, and Jordan. List...

For Ribal Jafari, a multi-talented twenty-something living in Amman, Jordan, story is everything. As an aspiring filmmaker, Ribal is looking to make his mark in the world by getting his interpretation of the cosmopolitan culture and story of the Middle East onto the big screen. Ultimately, he’s seeking to expand the world’s perspective toward Arabs through the art form of film—one frame at a time.

Many across the Arab world use the fully ripened fruit of the luffa genus of vegetables, of the cucumber family, as a soap sponge. But more than a decade ago, retired copywriter and editor Ibrahim Alfar, of Amman, Jordan, began exploring the application of luffa in other ways.

When Abood Aladham began beatboxing more than a decade ago, he had little knowledge about music in general and the local music scene in Amman, Jordan. Fast-forward 12 years, he's now the host of an Arabic podcast called Wallah Miaow (والله مياو), which currently seeks to spread knowledge about the Arab music world, its artists, and music and art in general.

Whether it’s food or music, Issa Dababneh of Jolly Man Food Company in Amman, Jordan, loves to produce. When the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closed the doors of his restaurant and factory, Issa turned to his first production love—music—and Pandemic Beats was born.

Dance plays a vital role in preserving Circassian culture and customs, as this indigenous people from the North Caucasus have been scattered abroad due to genocide and war in the 19th century. The Highlanders, the dance troupe of the International Circassian Cultural Academy of Amman, Jordan, aims to do just this: preserve its people's rich folklore through fancy footwork.

One of two things likely comes to mind when you hear the word heroin : the infamous narcotic or a woman admired for her courage and bravery. This week's story is one that encompasses both.   Gretchen Courting first started using cocaine when she was only 15 years old. Later, followed a nearly decade-long battle with heroin addiction. Refusing to sugarcoat the many difficulties she faced along the...

When 14-year-old artist Zeina, of Amman, Jordan, was confined inside the walls of her house during the beginning of the global COVID-19 pandemic, she decided to expand her creative canvas by painting on the outdoor walls of her parents’ villa to share her art with passersby and spread positive messages for all to see.

As the world’s second-largest religion, and fastest-growing major religion to boot, Islam and the people who adhere to its tenets are still largely misunderstood worldwide. Sara AlZyoud, a Jordanian university student, relates some of her experiences traveling as a Muslim and some commonly-held stereotypes against her people and region that she encountered along the way. May you be enlightened as...

For many worldwide, the Islamic month of Ramadan is associated only with fasting. But for Sara AlZyoud and other Muslims, this holy month is about intentionally connecting with God and their communities in various ways. Listen as Sara relates how Ramadan is “the epitome of family values” and serves for her as a vehicle for gratitude and sacrifice, as well as a way to keep her grounded in the faith...

Hannah Walker was only five years old when she was first introduced to horseback riding at summer camp. And she immediately fell head over heels for horses. But when a tragic horseback accident occurred, Hannah hit rock bottom, not knowing if she’d ever get back in the saddle again.

British native Christine Brisley is a self-proclaimed painting addict who can't imagine a life without painting. She considers herself very blessed by a God-given talent which became her livelihood and took her around London, throughout England, and across the world. When tragedy struck, Christine came to America on a month-long walkabout, or visit, with only 400 dollars. Never intending to stay,...

The global coronavirus pandemic that began in 2019 has taken a lot away from many worldwide. And it continues to ravage and shake the world. But for Katie Norregaard, COVID-19 also provided a once-in-a-lifetime chance to break free from routine, affording her the opportunity to combine her passions for children, music, and social change into one online music education platform for kids: Miss Katie...

In episode 198 from last season, Jocette (jō-set), an American expat living in Turkey, talked about her life there and her cross-cultural marriage to Salih (sä-lee). She is back again and this time dives into her lifelong love affair with food—a  passion so deep that she even studied the subject at the graduate level. For Jocette, food is more than just the taste. It’s the people and the culture b...

Lance G. Newman II, aka Mr. SpreadLove, of Louisville, Ky., is a self-described renaissance man—and he has the quality, diversified artistic product to back up that assessment. But as his moniker indicates, Mr. SpreadLove is committed to more than simply dispersing his art among the masses; he is devoted to passing on a living legacy of spreading positivity and love through poetry (as well as othe...

The long-inhabited city of Amman boasts many historical and cultural gems of the Middle East, one being the famed citadel. But hidden within the mainly monotone cast of this desert cityscape lie many modern, colorful gems from the emerging generations imprinted on the city’s winding walls. Alaeddin Rahmeh, a member of the local hip hop community and founder of Underground Amman Tour, makes it his...

Mili and her husband, Deep, are passionate about traveling, new cuisine, and culture. Their shared love of travel is in fact one of the things that brought them together and helps keep their love alive. In this episode, as Mili recounts their latest adventure of an international move, it’s obvious she never forgets to pack her sense of humor. Mili’s contagious laughter reminds us that if we will l...

Stories of our City was started in August 2009 in Beirut and has grown to include real stories from real people in 38 cities and towns on four continents from around the world. We do this in an effort to cultivate community and understanding cross-culturally. This current episode is extra special as it marks our 200th episode. But instead of simply sharing the story of how Stories of Our City was...

Though the country of Jordan may not be internationally known for its environmental initiatives and green living, one citizen is doing all he can to turn the tide. What began as a one-off project for Therwah Abdelhaq to transform a glass bottle into a piece of art for a contest turned into an ongoing green initiative called T Bottle, which has redeemed an estimated 20,000 bottles from the landfill...

Welcome to Stories of Our City! This week's story comes from Izmir, Turkey.    Jocette's (jō-set) story is a story that crosses continents and cultures and reminds us of the beautiful work and gift that marriage can be. Listen as Jocette, an American expat in Turkey, shares the challenges of a cross-cultural marriage with her husband, Salih (sä-lee), as well as the joy of creating a new culture to...

Have you ever had an identity crisis? Or a crisis of faith? For Harriet Dodea, her journey to find answers started with a move to a foreign country and a subsequent chance encounter with a stranger on the way to the bus station one day. This life-changing experience challenged her to wrestle through some deep heart questions and discover herself and her true identity. Now a few years later, having...

In the early 90s, guitars were hard to come by in Jordan’s capital of Amman. But instead of bemoaning the problem, local music aficionado Muhammad Khaier Al-Kukhun decided to be part of the solution—he made his own. Now nearly 30 years later, as the only known luthier, or guitar maker, in all of Jordan and one of merely a known few in the Middle East at large, Muhammad seeks to establish in his MK...

From growing up in a small town where entering the world of fashion wasn’t even on her radar screen to becoming a fashion designer in one of the largest cities in the world, Canadian-born Megan Mummery is living proof that dreams can come true—even dreams you didn’t even know you had! With her OhSevenDays women’s wear brand based in Istanbul, Megan seeks to make unique everyday staple wear that is...