Stories of Our City

  1. 236: Livin' On a Prayer2025/03/12

    Prayer beads are used by adherents of various religions worldwide, including Muslims. Khalid and his family have been working in the field of making, repairing, and selling prayer beads (misbaha in Arabic) for generations.
  2. 235: Against the Grain2024/07/03

    Like many fellow natives of the historic town of Bethlehem, Khader Shebat practices the trade of olive woodcraft as he seeks to share this artistic and traditional craft from the Holy Land with the world.
  3. 234: The Tea Party2024/05/22

    For Ibrahim Al-Ahlas, owner of Rahaf Tea in Amman, Jordan, tea is more than a beverage—it’s a culture. A culture that he celebrates and shares with both locals and expats alike.
  4. 233: Resculpting History2024/04/05

    Rewriting history is far from a thing of the past. And presently, Bassem Nabeel, a content creator in the Middle East, is putting a new take on the concept by combining his love for both sculpting and history in presenting neutral analysis of historical figures as he sculpts them in stop-motion videos.
  5. 232: A Bright Idea2024/03/04

    It is said that necessity is the mother of invention. Zidane Mitoubssi (Zee-dan Mit-w u b-see) was a newly graduated college student entering a workplace for which he found himself somewhat unprepared. And then he and a friend had a bright idea.
  6. 231: Out of the Ruin2023/11/29

    Beauty is worship, according to Kamal Aldeen Abu Halaweh. And ruin is just an ingredient for making something beautiful.
  7. 230: A New Life Cycle2023/09/20

    For Radwan Hashem, cycling is more than a sport—it’s a lifestyle. After undergoing a series of knee surgeries, the bike became a lifeline for him—as well as a teacher.
  8. 229: Holy Dagger2023/09/07

    As an essential part of their culture, the dagger is sacred among the Bedouin (nomadic) people, according to craftsman Nayif Abu Muhaysin, whose family has been making daggers for four generations. As such, he aims to help continue preserving traditional Bedouin heritage for future generations through his traditional, handmade daggers.
  9. 228: Small World2023/07/19

    Ahmad Adnan Al-Eriqsousi’s love for the historic version of his hometown inspired him to begin to immortalize it through three-dimensional miniature models during his retirement.
  10. 227: Renaissance Girl2023/04/05

    Even at the young age of fourteen, Ghazal Al-Madadha already has quite an extensive acting résumé and began reciting poetry as young as six years old. As a Jordanian national arts ambassador, she aims to empower other girls to make headway in Arab society and culture through the arts and beyond.
  11. 226: Restored: From Corporate to Creative2023/02/22
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  12. 225: 1,001 Signs2023/02/01
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  13. 224: A Cowboy Fantasy2022/12/14

    When Sanad Albokhari was a child, he had two recurring dreams. One was seeing the ocean. The other was living a rustic life—like a cowboy.
  14. 223: El Camino (The Way)2022/11/23
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  15. 222: Sticks & Stones2022/10/19

    Osama Al-Issawi first learned how to work with stone from his father, who was a grouter, during summer breaks in middle school. His craftiness and respect for the environment eventually led Osama to seek to turn other people’s trash into treasure by upcycling various objects—namely cardboard—into works of art and décor.
  16. 221: Hope Floats2022/09/07
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  17. 220: The New Skool2022/04/20
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  18. 219: Music to My Eyes2022/03/30

    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.”
  19. 218: Lone Star Love2022/03/09

    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.
  20. 217: Culture Chameleon2022/02/23
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  21. 216: Frame by Frame2022/01/26
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  22. 215: Soaking Up the Sponge2021/11/17

    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.
  23. 214: Broadcasting Knowledge2021/11/03

    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.
  24. 213: Meats & Beats2021/10/20

    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.
  25. 212: Footwork & Folklore2021/10/06

    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.
  26. 211: From Heroin to Heroine2021/09/22
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  27. 210: These Walls Can Talk2021/09/08

    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.
  28. 209: I Ride Camels2021/05/12
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  29. 208: Opening a Door to Heaven2021/04/28
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  30. 207: Back in the Saddle2021/04/14

    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.
  31. 206: The Walking Paintbrush2021/03/31
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  32. 205: Singing for a Change2021/03/17
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  33. 204: Around the Table2021/03/03
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  34. 203: Spreading Love2021/02/17
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  35. 202: Tales From the Underground2021/02/03
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  36. 201: Mili in Paris2020/12/09
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  37. 200: 200 Stories2020/11/25
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  38. 199: Bottled Up2020/11/11
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  39. 198: Love Without Borders2020/10/21
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  40. 197: 15 Minutes with Fate2020/10/07
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  41. 196: The Lone Luthier2020/09/23
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  42. 195: Everyday Fashion2020/09/09
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  43. 194: Painting Perception2020/08/26
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  44. 193: From A to Boutique2020/06/10

    Since she was a little girl, Rasha Mubideen, of Amman, Jordan, always dreamed of being a fashion designer. But as she grew up and began to pursue her dream, she faced a culture that wasn’t yet as forward-thinking as she was. So, she did what any passionate creative would do: blaze her own trail forward—from A to Boutique.
  45. 192: Home Is Where the Bookstore Is2020/03/18

    Previously, we shared the story of Gaith, a street librarian who sold books from his classic Mercedes to spread reading culture in his native Jordan and to raise money for the first bookstore in his hometown of Madaba. Now, he’s finally fulfilling his dream of living in a bookshop.
  46. 191: Making Music that Feeds the Soul2020/02/13
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  47. 190: Mindset Matters/Forsaking Fast Fashion2019/09/12
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  48. 189: Model Behavior: Life on the Runway2019/08/23
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  49. 188: Freed from Fighting2019/08/10
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  50. 187: Breaking Out2019/05/30

    Alaeddin—yes, like the famed movie character, though pronounced correctly—sprang up from the poverty-stricken streets of Amman, Jordan, to become a successful civil engineer. But something wasn’t right. Though he had a good job, he was thoroughly dissatisfied with the standard nine-to-five lifestyle. So, he turned to the only thing he knew and loved: hip hop.
  51. 186: Young Turks: An Unconventional Love Story2019/04/26
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  52. 185: Pass a Dollar2019/04/11
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  53. 184: Eighty Days Around the World2019/03/14
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  54. 183: Steppin' Up2019/01/31
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  55. 182: Far from Child’s Play: A Child Psychologist Discusses Her Profession2018/12/20
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  56. 181: Carrying On: A South Asian Couple’s Commitment to Fostering2018/10/25
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  57. 180: A Crowded House: Father-Daughter Duo Doing Their Part in Reclaiming Syria’s Lost Generation2018/10/11
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  58. 179: Raising the Bar: Women Redefining Gender Stereotypes in Jordan2018/09/20

    Sarah Abu Shawish (sha-weesh), of Amman, Jordan, is using her love for sports to challenge commonly-held gender stereotypes throughout Arab society and help her country progress toward gender equality.
  59. 178: The Teachable Teacher2018/07/19
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  60. 177: Breakfast in Morocco, Dinner in Istanbul2018/07/05

    Asmae (as-ma), of Ouazzane (Wazan), Morocco, shares how her sojourn in the artsy Moroccan town of Asilah inspired her to become an artist in her own right. A lover of travel and speaker of five languages, she also shares why she moved from her native country to the cosmopolitan metropolis of Istanbul, Turkey, and why she encourages everyone to travel.
  61. 176: The Joy of Singing2018/06/21
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  62. 175: Heart for Africa: From a Big City Nurse in the United States to a Clinical Instructor in the African Countryside2018/06/07
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  63. 174: Sculpting Smiles2018/05/10

    Bassem Nabeel of Amman, Jordan, enjoys creating clay caricatures in hopes of bringing smiles to his customers.
  64. 173: In the Presence of My Enemies2018/04/26
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  65. 172: The Necessity of Art2018/03/29

    Once hailed as ‘the Paris of the Middle East,’ Beirut is a city of contrasts, a cosmopolitan crossroads where East meets West. As such, it is a city that unabashedly embraces art. Retired visual artist and art instructor Mahmoud Safa shares his journey as an artist growing up in this famed artsy city, which began when he was four years old and has taken him around the world.
  66. 171: A Rich House2018/03/15
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  67. 170: The Wedded Wanderers2018/01/25
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  68. 169: Reincarnating Beauty2018/01/11
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  69. 168: Catstantinople: Istanbul's Street Animals2017/12/14
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  70. 167: Crossing Lines: Connecting Cultures Through Slacklining2017/11/30
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  71. 166: Achieving the Impossible: The Science of Slacklining2017/11/16
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  72. 165: Books on the Road (video version)2017/11/02

    After graduating college, Gaith Jann became a successful insurance risk analyst in his native Jordan. But after only a few years he became jaded by the business world, which left him hungering for a more meaningful life. Enter a love for books. Follow Gaith’s journey from a twenty something businessman to an unorthodox street librarian who sells books from his 1974 Mercedes.
  73. 164: Living Light: Connie and the Miracle Babies2017/09/28

    In our previous episode, we shared the story of Cathy Rude and Connie Blokkum, two midwives who collectively started a birthing center in west Houston, Texas, six years ago. This week, hear Connie share more about the privileges of being a midwife, particularly in being able to encourage women in all aspects of their lives, both medically and spiritually.
  74. 163: Labor of Love2017/09/14
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  75. 162: Ballad of an Exodus: A Syrian Rapper's Memoir2017/08/24
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Stories of Our City
http://storiesofourcity.com
Stories of Our City is a worldwide project to cultivate community and understanding by sharing real stories from real people around the globe. We produce these stories to reveal that our everyday experiences with family, love, religion, and culture are often similar to those of others living in cities and villages across the globe. We believe that when we share and celebrate a common humanity we can begin to erase the boundaries and labels that divide us. When we take the time to listen, we can begin to recognize the “other” as the same as us, giving us the foundation for global community.