“I was born during the Civil War here in Lebanon. I remember spending most of my early childhood underground in shelters, hiding from the bombs. Being outdoors was always considered a dangerous thing. When I was 21, a friend invited me to hike in the mountains. It is hard to explain but coming from war, the feeling of being in the mountains gives me such a sense of freedom. When the 2006 war started, I was 22. I could not handle the stress so I left Beirut and I went to the only place where I felt safe: the mountains. As the years went by I started to climb more and higher mountains. Physically I am not the strongest or the fastest mountaineer but it has always been my passion that has given me strength. In a few days I’ll be flying to Antarctica to climb Mount Vinson. People have told me that I should get married and have children instead. I had to break a lot of walls to get where I am today. I have climbed 26 mountains and I am the first person in my whole family to get their PHD. I want to show that it is possible, as a Lebanese woman to climb each of the seven summits. Some have called it rebellious, I call it following my heart.”
(Beirut, Lebanon)
½ ‘’As a kid I was never allowed to play outside. My parents were always afraid something bad would happen to me. There was not much to do at home but play video games. That is how I developed a gaming addiction. When I turned 12, my dad passed away. Instead of...
