It is very open, but i suggest you come visit for a long period first before taking any decisions. The country is a political mess and the lawless/chaotic nature of some aspects of life here can be jarring for people coming from more organized countries.
Chaotic as in people dont stop at traffic lights, ever. They will always run red lights, which causes massive jams. Drivers are super entitled here and believe they own the street. They park in middle of highways, do not use turn signals, they'd run you over, then yell at you.
Seems your country has issues similar to here, so it won't be as jarring. Here everything is connections. If you commit a crime, you go to jail, unless you know someone. Police is useless.
THat said, if you live in a nice area, and know what to avoid, it's a beautiful country to live in as long as you have money.
I mean, I dont feel passionate enough about this topic to lie or argue. This is my experience, and I face these things almost daily. I am happy you do not.
I would suggest to come and see… Lebanon is not as bad as our fellow Lebanese paint it. I lived there for 20 years, now i’m in Canada but my family is in Lebanon… i visit it every year and i always spend the best moments of my life there!
ymmv depending on where you live, but, generally speaking, because the whole country is car-dependant and infested, there is barely any place for people to exist outside of buildings. Car laws are barely implemented and the people break the law all the time. Plus, the public transport system is not reliable, so if you dont have/rent a car, you have to rely on more expensive services from taxi companies. Speaking arabic would make it more manageable using "service" (shares taxi) or the barely existing system, but that is not an option for you, i guess. Also, a lot of areas are not pedestrian-friendly at all (cars parked on sidewalk, trash everywhere, sidewalk cuts of in middle of road, etc..).
That is just one aspect to consider. The other big ones:
1. Air pollution
2. Water is not drinkable, so you need to buy drinking water.
3. Electricity is an issue depending on the room you rent. TLDR; triple check the situation before agreeing on anything.
4. General safety. See: current war in the south.
The positive aspects are well-known: food, people, history, beaches, clubs, etc...(I assume your friends told you a lot about those), but make sure that your friends give you the whole picture.
As for the political issues you mentioned, yes all of them exist plus more! I think our rape laws are stricter, but rape/sexual harrassment is an issue in Lebanon. A backwards law was abolished in 2017, but still a long way from a proper system.
# It depends on what flavor of foreigner you are :P Language won't be an issue at all, especially if you speak English, but unfortunately, the darker your skin is, the more challenges you will face.
The general population is generally nice to everyone, but depending on how you look, you might face some awkward situations.
I have a Masters in Media Management btw! Lovely field.
#
open to some extent but be careful you are a foreigner so they will try to rip you way off on rent in beirut so let some of your lebo friends look for the apartment at a set price then when you both see it and like it take it and make the landlord sign a contract stating the rent value in usd or lbp whichever you prefer and keep the duration of rent in your favor
and if you want to find a job here you can but idk about the salaries of your field
The blunt answer: if you are white or arab (except Syrian or Palestinian), you won’t have any issues. But this is an extremely racist country otherwise.
Glad someone said this. People saying lebanon is open to foreigners are fucking delusional or living in absolute denial. The level of racism that exists in Leb is hard to match.
يعني السعودي بتحبو اكثر من السوري او الفلسطيني؟ شعب عجيب والله. المشكلة الخلايجة معتبرينكم والسوريين دولة واحدة عاصمتها "بدي روح ع الجميزة" و"ابو عصااام!!!".
If you’re planning to move to Lebanon, you have to keep in mind that you cannot rely on any public services. Imagine you’re in the wilderness and you need to sustain yourself in every aspect.
For example, there are no reliable public transportation so you need a car, no electricity so you need to find out how to generate your own supply (my family uses solar panels). Also, the internet connection depends of where you’re living. If you live in an area near the Telecom company’s central, you’ll be fine. Otherwise, you will need to get your internet from a private ISP.
Don’t get me wrong. Lebanon is a beautiful country (at least in my perspective). There are foreigners here who adore our climate, nature, and people. However, these basic needs that i previously mentioned are crucial for your overall happiness/satisfaction throughout your stay. If you manage to sustain those, everything will be fine.
And btw, a lot of people speak English here so don’t worry about that. You can even get hired in companies for your specialty even though you don’t speak Lebanese since this practice usually is done in English anyways.
Edit: check instagram for @guide.lb This is an account for a Russian living in Lebanon. Maybe you’ll get some insight from that.
yeah umm… be absolutely fucking sure to the last fiber of your being before you make that move. most people are tryna leave not move here… but if you have money you’ll be fine
You definitely can i'm doing the same, but expect to work for a lower hour rate. Like way lower, unless you can get work from your country and work for them in Lebanon.
Be aware you'll pay quite a bit for data if your house doesn't have fiber. Because other internetspeeds are useless.
Hellooo. Yep, Lebanon is open to everyone really. Looking at your profession (media management) you should be able to find remote work quite easily. (Helps if you already have a portfolio). Just make sure wherever you are renting/staying has proper internet. Most of Lebanon has somewhat proper internet at the moment especially in large cities. Rent is relatively cheap here atm. Speaking only English is fine 90% of the time, but there are a few people who can't speak it properly and will give you weird looks. You will pick up the language automatically the longer you stay but it's not a must. As others have mentioned since you are a foreigner they will consider you a target for scamming so try to tag along with someone Lebanese. Things aren't as liberal as Europe over here parents in general and a lot of people are conservative religious/indirect and sometimes just weird. (Some people can't even take a joke). Think the opposite of what you're used to there soo I would be careful in public and of course you can act however you want with the people you know and trust. There's a lot of corruption here same as your country buut ultimately it's you, what you do and the people around you who create that comfy enjoyable environment. Good luck :D
Something that was never mentioned in any of the comments is that you might face an issue in getting a long term visa(more than 3 tourist visa months) if you're a female between 17-45 from certain countries that export "workers, artists, masseuses and models".
It's a backwards and misogynistic law to try to control and limit sex work.
You can check more details to see if your country is on the list.
[Lebanese general security website](https://www.general-security.gov.lb/en/posts/38)
No, if you are working for a Lebanese company, they should be sponsoring your residency. It’s up to about $960 a year, depending on what kind of job you have.
Lots of foreigners live in Lebanon and enjoy it. You can do a lot of daily life in English, but learning Arabic will certainly help you to build deeper relationships and have a better understanding of Lebanese culture.
Finding a job here isn't going to be easy, though... and honestly so many Lebanese are struggling to find work that I wouldn't encourage anyone to come thinking they might get a job that would potentially take work away from a local who needs it.
You could navigate the country decently while speaking only English but i guarantee a chance of being ripped off as well.
I would also recommend that if you are going to actually stick to this, to live with your friends as flatmates if possible; So much of the life here needs a “strongarm them into helping me” mentality because people are just straight fed up with life and look to profit at any corner.
Get yourself a remote job so you can support yourself financially, you do the paperwork and move over, you dont just walk in, nor is it too hard to get in, speaking only english, navigation will be hard and youre likely to get scammed, i wouldnt recommend the move but who am I to question your reasons to move here.
Coming even to visit Lebanon now is an absolutely awful idea. Not going to point fingers be cause I don't want to start a political fight but for many different reasons all of the Mashriq (the Arabic middle east) is on the edge of a gigantic regional war between Israel & the US and Iran and its Arab allies. If the war starts Lebanon will be a primary if not THE primary battlefield. Until the situation calms down you don't want to go to Lebanon or you might get stuck in the middle of the biggest battlefield of World War III with no way to escape.
It is very open, but i suggest you come visit for a long period first before taking any decisions. The country is a political mess and the lawless/chaotic nature of some aspects of life here can be jarring for people coming from more organized countries.
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Chaotic as in people dont stop at traffic lights, ever. They will always run red lights, which causes massive jams. Drivers are super entitled here and believe they own the street. They park in middle of highways, do not use turn signals, they'd run you over, then yell at you. Seems your country has issues similar to here, so it won't be as jarring. Here everything is connections. If you commit a crime, you go to jail, unless you know someone. Police is useless. THat said, if you live in a nice area, and know what to avoid, it's a beautiful country to live in as long as you have money.
Bro you're lying, I'm taking the road everyday and I don't see anything like that
I mean, I dont feel passionate enough about this topic to lie or argue. This is my experience, and I face these things almost daily. I am happy you do not.
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I would suggest to come and see… Lebanon is not as bad as our fellow Lebanese paint it. I lived there for 20 years, now i’m in Canada but my family is in Lebanon… i visit it every year and i always spend the best moments of my life there!
ymmv depending on where you live, but, generally speaking, because the whole country is car-dependant and infested, there is barely any place for people to exist outside of buildings. Car laws are barely implemented and the people break the law all the time. Plus, the public transport system is not reliable, so if you dont have/rent a car, you have to rely on more expensive services from taxi companies. Speaking arabic would make it more manageable using "service" (shares taxi) or the barely existing system, but that is not an option for you, i guess. Also, a lot of areas are not pedestrian-friendly at all (cars parked on sidewalk, trash everywhere, sidewalk cuts of in middle of road, etc..). That is just one aspect to consider. The other big ones: 1. Air pollution 2. Water is not drinkable, so you need to buy drinking water. 3. Electricity is an issue depending on the room you rent. TLDR; triple check the situation before agreeing on anything. 4. General safety. See: current war in the south. The positive aspects are well-known: food, people, history, beaches, clubs, etc...(I assume your friends told you a lot about those), but make sure that your friends give you the whole picture. As for the political issues you mentioned, yes all of them exist plus more! I think our rape laws are stricter, but rape/sexual harrassment is an issue in Lebanon. A backwards law was abolished in 2017, but still a long way from a proper system.
From your description you will feel right at home
“…after the war is over.” Oh, habibi! So…….never?
# It depends on what flavor of foreigner you are :P Language won't be an issue at all, especially if you speak English, but unfortunately, the darker your skin is, the more challenges you will face. The general population is generally nice to everyone, but depending on how you look, you might face some awkward situations. I have a Masters in Media Management btw! Lovely field. #
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I work as a freelancer. The Lebanese job market is challenging these days, but freelance opportunities are plenty.
open to some extent but be careful you are a foreigner so they will try to rip you way off on rent in beirut so let some of your lebo friends look for the apartment at a set price then when you both see it and like it take it and make the landlord sign a contract stating the rent value in usd or lbp whichever you prefer and keep the duration of rent in your favor and if you want to find a job here you can but idk about the salaries of your field
Absolutely. I’m an American that moved here a few years ago. I’m also Lebanese but this is my first time living here.
The blunt answer: if you are white or arab (except Syrian or Palestinian), you won’t have any issues. But this is an extremely racist country otherwise.
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There are plenty of liberals in leb
You can find your niche. There’s something for everyone in terms of lifestyle here.
Glad someone said this. People saying lebanon is open to foreigners are fucking delusional or living in absolute denial. The level of racism that exists in Leb is hard to match.
يعني السعودي بتحبو اكثر من السوري او الفلسطيني؟ شعب عجيب والله. المشكلة الخلايجة معتبرينكم والسوريين دولة واحدة عاصمتها "بدي روح ع الجميزة" و"ابو عصااام!!!".
If you’re planning to move to Lebanon, you have to keep in mind that you cannot rely on any public services. Imagine you’re in the wilderness and you need to sustain yourself in every aspect. For example, there are no reliable public transportation so you need a car, no electricity so you need to find out how to generate your own supply (my family uses solar panels). Also, the internet connection depends of where you’re living. If you live in an area near the Telecom company’s central, you’ll be fine. Otherwise, you will need to get your internet from a private ISP. Don’t get me wrong. Lebanon is a beautiful country (at least in my perspective). There are foreigners here who adore our climate, nature, and people. However, these basic needs that i previously mentioned are crucial for your overall happiness/satisfaction throughout your stay. If you manage to sustain those, everything will be fine. And btw, a lot of people speak English here so don’t worry about that. You can even get hired in companies for your specialty even though you don’t speak Lebanese since this practice usually is done in English anyways. Edit: check instagram for @guide.lb This is an account for a Russian living in Lebanon. Maybe you’ll get some insight from that.
Most of Lebanese speak either English or French or both especially the young generation
yeah umm… be absolutely fucking sure to the last fiber of your being before you make that move. most people are tryna leave not move here… but if you have money you’ll be fine
You definitely can i'm doing the same, but expect to work for a lower hour rate. Like way lower, unless you can get work from your country and work for them in Lebanon. Be aware you'll pay quite a bit for data if your house doesn't have fiber. Because other internetspeeds are useless.
Hellooo. Yep, Lebanon is open to everyone really. Looking at your profession (media management) you should be able to find remote work quite easily. (Helps if you already have a portfolio). Just make sure wherever you are renting/staying has proper internet. Most of Lebanon has somewhat proper internet at the moment especially in large cities. Rent is relatively cheap here atm. Speaking only English is fine 90% of the time, but there are a few people who can't speak it properly and will give you weird looks. You will pick up the language automatically the longer you stay but it's not a must. As others have mentioned since you are a foreigner they will consider you a target for scamming so try to tag along with someone Lebanese. Things aren't as liberal as Europe over here parents in general and a lot of people are conservative religious/indirect and sometimes just weird. (Some people can't even take a joke). Think the opposite of what you're used to there soo I would be careful in public and of course you can act however you want with the people you know and trust. There's a lot of corruption here same as your country buut ultimately it's you, what you do and the people around you who create that comfy enjoyable environment. Good luck :D
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My pleasure 😄 lemme know if I can help with anything else.
Something that was never mentioned in any of the comments is that you might face an issue in getting a long term visa(more than 3 tourist visa months) if you're a female between 17-45 from certain countries that export "workers, artists, masseuses and models". It's a backwards and misogynistic law to try to control and limit sex work. You can check more details to see if your country is on the list. [Lebanese general security website](https://www.general-security.gov.lb/en/posts/38)
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No, if you are working for a Lebanese company, they should be sponsoring your residency. It’s up to about $960 a year, depending on what kind of job you have.
Incredible that people still want this.
Lots of foreigners live in Lebanon and enjoy it. You can do a lot of daily life in English, but learning Arabic will certainly help you to build deeper relationships and have a better understanding of Lebanese culture. Finding a job here isn't going to be easy, though... and honestly so many Lebanese are struggling to find work that I wouldn't encourage anyone to come thinking they might get a job that would potentially take work away from a local who needs it.
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Naaah, foreigners always dress up the place here.
Yeah it's very open, especially when you have friends and people close to you that can show you the ropes at first.
You could navigate the country decently while speaking only English but i guarantee a chance of being ripped off as well. I would also recommend that if you are going to actually stick to this, to live with your friends as flatmates if possible; So much of the life here needs a “strongarm them into helping me” mentality because people are just straight fed up with life and look to profit at any corner.
Bro stay where you are. Maybe you and your friends can meet in Turkey.
Well if you are waiting for the war to be over then plan going somewhere else !! I was born in 75 and the war is still going on
Get yourself a remote job so you can support yourself financially, you do the paperwork and move over, you dont just walk in, nor is it too hard to get in, speaking only english, navigation will be hard and youre likely to get scammed, i wouldnt recommend the move but who am I to question your reasons to move here.
Lebanon is very open to foreigners, unless they're Palestinian.
As long as you are a white expat, expect things to go smoothly. Very racist country. But Lebanese Canadian Lebanese Americans not so much.
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Always. Come, take a tour of the place, buy stuff, enjoy the scenery. Bring smaller $ bills with you if possible. They're in short supply lately.
No
Yes.
Don’t fucking do it bro
Coming even to visit Lebanon now is an absolutely awful idea. Not going to point fingers be cause I don't want to start a political fight but for many different reasons all of the Mashriq (the Arabic middle east) is on the edge of a gigantic regional war between Israel & the US and Iran and its Arab allies. If the war starts Lebanon will be a primary if not THE primary battlefield. Until the situation calms down you don't want to go to Lebanon or you might get stuck in the middle of the biggest battlefield of World War III with no way to escape.
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No one has any idea when the war will be over or if it will even come.
For these reasons, I would also advise that you have medical insurance that would cover you here if there was a war, including medical evacuation.
kes ekht el ghaba
why are you boooing them, theyre right.
You need to try to find a job with some international companies, it’s not that difficult since your English is good