Today I recall the first time I ever saw snow and the first time I experienced real winter. I also tell you about a short period in my life where I lived and had to survive in Tbilisi of Georgia.

To get the TRANSCRIPTS for the stories, join my community here: buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

To support the creation of these stories feel free to buy me a coffee here, https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic.

Ending this episode with a snippet of (Ya Msaafer Wa7dak) by Mohamed Abdel Wahab.

Your vocab for the story:

Talej- snow تَلِج

Abyad- white أبْيَض

Daraja- degree دَرَجَة

El denya leil- the world is night- an expression to say its night time or its dark out. الدِّنْيا ليل

Sahraneen- staying up late سَهْرانين

Wazeefti- my job وَظيفْتي

Matba5- kitchen مَطْبَخ

Roosiyya- Russian روسِيَّة

Kbeera bil 3umur- Big in the age (old) كْبيرَة بِالْعُمُر

Jali- washing dishes جَلي

Batata- Potato بَطاطا

2a2leeha- fry it أقْليها

7asab el talab- according to the order/ as per order حَسَب الطَّلَب

Zabaayen- costumers زَبايِن

Ishaaraat- signs إشارات

Jorji- Georgian جورجي

Mudeer- Manager/ boss مُدير

Eykaffouni- suffice me يْكَفُّوني

Saa7ib- owner صاحِب

Wad3i- my situation وَضْعي

Sama7li- allowed me سَمَحْلي

Bibalaash- for free بِبَلاش

Muqaabil- in return for/ in exchange for مُقابِل

Ghuraf mushtaraka- common rooms غُرَف مُشْتَرَكَة

Mit3awwid- used to مِتْعَوِّد

Wa2teeha- at that time وَقْتيها

Btishbah- looks similar to بْتِشْبَه

Kfaaya- enough كْفاية

Almaani- German ألْماني

Autostop- hitch-hike أوتو سْتوب

Four years ago on the 4th of August, 2020, an explosion erupted at Beirut's harbor. In today's episode I recall that day and my life in Beirut before it. Inexplicable miracles and shocking grief.

To support the creation of these stories you can buy me a coffee here, buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic.

Ending today's episode with a snippet from Ibrahim Maalouf's song "Hashish".

Vocab of today's story:

Ba3atatli- sent me

Mash.had- scene

Mu5eef- scary

Ma sadda2et- didn’t believe

Attamman- to be rest assured

Waa7ad waa7ad- one by one

Saalmeen- safe

Tle3et- got out

Mawqe3- location

Itdammarat- was destroyed

Itsakkar- was closed

5utati- my plans

Wade3- situation

Iqtisaadi- economic

Aswa2- worse

7ajazet- I booked

Tazkara- a ticket

Taaree5- the date of

Tayaraan- airline

Safra- travel

It5ayyalu- imagine

Mu3jizaat- miracles

Eyfassirha- to explain it

Ghaalya- precious

A fateful moment in Rishikesh where mind indeed reigns over body and things that seem impossible happen in miraculous ways.

To buy me a coffee and support this podcast, https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic every week.

Ending this episode with a snippet from the song (Hal 3indaki Shakk?) Do you have a doubt? Performed by Kathem Es Saaher and written by the late poet Nizaar Qabbaani.

Vocab:

Wselet- arrived

Ista2jaret- rented

Ilta2eet feeha- met her

Jiha- side

Mu3aakisa- opposite

Tamaaman- completely

3azamooni- invited me

Astafrigh- throw up

Tasammum- poisoning

Amoot- die

Da3eef- weak

Malyaana- full

El djembe taba3i- my djembe (African drum from Mali)

7amalethum- I carried them

Dahri- my back

Qaasya- harsh

It5ayyalet- imagined

Butu2- slowness

Jeser- Bridge

Itraddadet- I hesitated

Awsaq fiyyo- trust him

Wassalni- delivered me

Ma 2ibil- didn’t accept

Abki- I cry

Atshakkar- I thank

Roz- rice

Laban- yogurt

A story of a dog I met years ago on my last night in Nepal. A mystery that shall remain unsolved.

To get the TRANSCRIPTS for the stories, join my community here: buymeacoffee.com/theshamswayTo buy me a coffee, click here https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamswayDon't forget to subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic every week.

Ending today's episode with a snippet from the song (Ba7ibb el Ba7r - I love the Sea) by Kamilya Jubran.

The vocab for the story:

Sanet el 2ird- the year of the Monkey (according to the Chinese lunar calendar) سَنِة الْقِرْد

Kam osbou3- a few weeks كَم أُسْبوع

Bizzabet- exactly بالزَّبِط

S.heret- I stayed up late سْهِرِت

Ala77i2- to catch ألَحِّق

3atma- dark عَتْمَة

Kahraba- electricity كَهْرَبا

Ma2too3a- cut مَقْطوعَة

Emsakkara- closed مْسَكَّرَة

Itwattaret- I got nervous اتْوَتَّرِت

Sakraneen- drunk سَكْرانين

2albi- my heart قَلْبي

Eydo2- it beat يْدُق

Ad3i- I pray أدْعي

Yi7meeni- he protects me يِحْميني

Majmoo3et klaab- a group of dogs مَجْموعِة كْلاب

Tarak- he left تَرَك

Yirkod- he runs يِرْكُض

Yuhjum- he attacks يِهْجُم

Nat- he jumped نَط

Yil7as- he licked يِلْحَس

3awwa- he barked عَوَّى

7aaris sha5si- private body guard حارِس شَخْصي

Wassalni- delivered me وَصَّلْني

Bissalaama- safely بِالسَّلامَة

I5tafa- disappeared اخْتَفى

3alatool- immediately عَلَطول

Malak- Angel مَلَك

I continue this week by sharing more from my life and the unforgettable memories that I have collected over the years. Today’s story is special to me. About an encounter with a human angel that appeared at a crucial moment in my life. Told in the first person.

Subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic. To buy me a coffee, https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Ending the episode with a snippet from Julia Boutros's song, Ya Osas (Oh Stories)

Vocab:

My morning coffee- 2ahwity el sabaa7iyya

She runsaway- btuhrob

It reminded me- zakkarni

Airport- mataar

I ranaway- harabet

Behind me- waraay

Her hair is white- sha3erha abyad

I thank her- batshakkarha

I wear it- balbiso

Freedom- 7urriyya

I answer her- bajaawibha

Honesty- saraa7a

She is moved- btit2assar

She holds- btimsik

She promises me- btiw3edni

From now on- min hown ou raayi7

I don’t believe- ana ma basaddi2

My luck- 7azzi

I hug her- ba7donha

A sign- ishaara

Today's episode is told in the first person as I share with you a little about my life these days.

To get the TRANSCRIPTS for the stories, join my community here: buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic. To buy me a coffee, https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Ending today's episode with a snippet from a classic Egyption song- Inn Raa7 Minnek Ya 3een, If he went away from you oh eyes. By Shadia.

The vocab for today:

Annoyed- mitdaay2a مِتْدايْقَة

It consoles me- beywaaseeni بِيْواسيني

It calms me- beyhaddeeni بِيْهَدِّيني

Session- jalsa جَلَْسَة

Drowning- gharaq غَرَق

Isolation- in3izaal إنْعِزال

Aspects- jawaanib جَوانِب

Positive- eejaabiyya إيجابِيَّة

Negative- salbiyya سَلْبِيَّة

To focus- rakkiz رَكِّز

Optimistic- mitfaa2la مِتْفائْلَة

Poetry- shi3er شِعِر

Novels- riwayaat رِوايات

Journals- muthakkaraat مُذَكَّرات

Tv series- musalsal مُسَلْسَل

Moving/ stirring- mu2assir مُؤَثِّر

Depression- ikti2aab إكْتِئاب

Social life- 7aya ijtimaa3iyya حًياة إجْتِماعِيَّة

Doesn’t last- ma beydoom ما بِيْدوم

Get inspired from- inlihim minno إنْلِهِم مِنُّه

I choose to share with you today a piece of news I had seen recently along with my thoughts about the rising racism and fascism around the world.

Ending the episode with a snippet from a favorite song of mine- Ana Mosh Kafer- I am not faithless- by Ziad Rahbani. Scroll down for some of the lyrics translated below.

To buy me a coffee, https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Subscribe and follow for more stories in Arabic every week.

The vocab for the story:

They are chatting- 3am eydardishu

Holding- maasek

A knife- sikkeena

He threatens them- beyhaddidhum

Forbidden- mamnoo3

The police- el shurta

Drunk- sakraan

Racism- el 3unsuriyya

Fascism- el faashiya

It is rising- 3am tizdaad

Brotherhood- u5uwwa

Hospitable- midyaafeen

They treat me- bey3aamlooni

Violence- 3unuf

Refugees- laaji2een

Humans- bashar

To provide- waffir

The system- el nizaam

Song's intro lyrics:

Ana mish kaafir bas el joo3 kaafir- I am not faithless but hunger is.

Ana mish kaafir bas el marad kaafir- I am not faithless but sickness is.

Ana mish kaafir bas el fa2er kaafir, wil zell kaafir- I am not faithless but poverty and humiliation are.

Ana mish kaafir lakin shu ba3millik iza ijtama3u fiyye kil el ishya el kaafre- I am not faithless but what do you want me to do about it if all the makings of faithlessness manifest within me?

Today I want to share with you an overall summery of my trip to India back when I was 19 years old.

Told in the past tense.

Ending the story with a snippet of a favorite classic of mine (Lamma Bada Yatathanna)- When he appeared walking with a swinging gate. Performed by the enchanting voice of Lena Chamamyan.

To get the TRANSCRIPTS for the stories, join my community here: buymeacoffee.com/theshamswayDon’t forget to subscribe and follow for more stories every week. If you would like to support the creation of these stories feel free to buy me a coffee here, https://buymeacoffee.com/theshamsway

Here is your vocab for the story:

Tower- burj بُرْج

To stay up- is.har إسْهَر

To play an instrument- i3zif إعْزِف

Intending- naawya ناوْيَة

I hesitated- itraddadet إتْرَدَّدِت

I was dazzled- inbaharet إنْبَهَرِت

Couch- kanabaaya كَنَبايَة

I settled down- istaqarreet إسْتَقَرِّيت

Annoys me- byiz3ijni بْيِزْعِجْني

Rude- weqe7 وِقِح

I fell in love- ingharamet إنْغَرَمِت