-From what I understand, your parents grew up in Brazil, and you have several

relatives who have been rooted in the country for generations, but you grew up in
Lebanon. What brought your parents back to Lebanon? Why did they decide to raise
you there?
Well, It was actually my dad who moved to Brazil as a little kid. My grandfather had
already been making a living here for years. Since 1920 if Im not mistaken. Now my
dad had just finished his University studies in Europe before he decided to visit
Lebanon. He was thrilled with the reception and found good job opportunities and
decided to stay. At the time Lebanon was in a much better economical situation. He
then married my mom and they had my elder brother. Soon enough, the civil war
broke and they left to Brazil. To them, It was very important for their children to learn
the Arabic language as well as the Lebanese culture. I suppose that was the primary
reason my dad insisted on going back to Lebanon, which they did eventually. And so,
I was born in Beirut.
-What was your relationship with Brazil like growing up? How often did you visit?
Did you feel culturally connected to it through your family, or did you identify
primarily as Lebanese?
Oh, Brazil was definitely a part of my identity growing up. It was fairly common to
hear my parents and brothers speak in Portuguese, you know, especially when they
wanted no one to understand (: I was aware I had uncles and cousins in Brazil and we
did keep a tight contact with them. I remember my mom preparing Brazilian food
every once in a while. I used to listen to Brazilian music. Brazil was a part of me,
although not very solid at the moment. I in particular was the least person of my
family to visit brazil, but I did get to go as a child and twice as a teenager.
-Did your Brazilian roots shape your interaction/relationship with Lebanon at all?
Well, growing up having yet another culture at home definitely broadens your
perspective of things and makes you more open to accept and learn different cultures
and ideas which otherwise would be somewhat harder growing up exposed to one
olny culture.
-When and why did you decide to move to Brazil?
I graduated from the American University of Beirut with a BE in Mechanical
Engineering. It was right after my graduation, in 2008, when my brother (who has
had moved back to Brazil 8 years earlier) suggested the idea of pursuing a masters in
Sao Paulo. I thought it was a great way to deepen my contact and knowledge with the
Brazilian culture.
-What got you interested in aerospace engineering, and why did you decide to pursue
a doctorate in it in Sao Paulo?
I think Aeronautics is one of the few disciplines in engineering that can capture the
imagination of the human mind. Flying has always been a fantasy of people
throughout the centuries. Its very exciting. The decision to go for a masters in Brasil
was influenced by several aspects, those being cultural and professional. USP is the
best university in Latin America and does pretty well on the international level. So it
seemed like an attractive choice. Things worked out fine for me here, I fit in quite
well. Brazilian people are quite friendly I pretty much feel at home. I had made
several good friends by the time I finished my masters and had a Brazilian girlfriend

too. I Also had the opportunity to continue with the same line of research in the Ph.D.
And so, I decided to stay and continue my doctorate studies.
-Whats your favorite part of the discipline? What makes studying it in Brazil
particularly interesting?
My best thing about it is that you feel youre really being part of building the future.
The aeronautical research is always pushing the boundaries of creative ideas and
technology. My research in particular is still conceptual and has not yet reached to
become an applied technology so theres a lot of room for creativity and a lot of
questions to be understood. Brazil is one of the top developing countries and you can
really see this reflected in its intense efforts to invest in research and international
projects. Its a very promising place to be in.
-How would you generally describe student life in Brazil? Are you studying full-time
or do you also work part-time?
Brazil is investing a lot in graduate programs and has been doing much research in
collaboration with American and European universities. There are lots of
opportunities for getting in an exchange program, and as a graduate student you also
get a stipend which is good enough to cover your expenses.
I notice here that undergrads dont seem to have that rush in finishing college as we
tend to do in Lebanon. I think its healthy to take your time and reflect as you grow
and develop through your college major, especially at that young age. You encounter
students from various socio-economic backgrounds and the university offers a big
amalgam for all different ideas. Most undergraduate students live in a big shared
house they call Republica, that would on average accommodate around 7 people.
Currently Im a full time student, however, last year I did take a job as an engineer
alongside the Ph.D. but it was somewhat stressful and a bit tough to cover the
demands of both. I thought it was better to focus on the doctorate.
-Youre pursuing an undergraduate degree in music studies as well that sounds like a
lot to take on! Why did you decide to tackle this degree at the same time?
Music is a passion of mine that I have always wanted to pursue. The doctorate
program is pretty flexible in how you put in your working ours, so its a perfect time
for me to do music.
-Why jazz piano and Brazilian percussion in specific? They seem like rather distinct
styles.
Not really. Brazilian music and Jazz have long been trading and adopting ideas from
each other. Its beautiful how similar sometimes the two countries (brazil and the
USA) seem. If you think about it, theyre both a mix of European and African
cultures. This is evident in music. And to me it seems like Brazil is Americas latin
brother.
-Has Arabic music influenced your practice at all? Do you think there is room for
experimenting with fusions of Arabic and Brazilian music?
I think about it all the time! I only wish I could dedicate my full time to a project like
this. Although Ziad Rahbani did add the bossa nova beat to his repertoire but there are
far more diverse and rich Brazilian genres.
-What do you listen to when youre feeling homesick for Lebanon?

Ahh lets see I actually dont necessarily listen to Lebanese music when Im
homesick. I think its because I wasnt only exposed to Lebanese music growing up in
Beirut. But anyway, of the Lebanese music I listen to is Rima khcheick, Toufick
farroukh, Ibrahim Maaluf, Dhafer Youssef, to name a few. And of course old folkloric
songs have their special moments as well.
-Have any Arab-Brazilian musicians influenced your own musical practice at all?
-Where do you practice your music and how often? Tell us about some of the jam
sessions and workshops you participate in.
Now that Im doing the music program I try to practice a little everyday. There are
some pianos at the department that I can doodle on sometimes but mostly I study on
keyboard at home.
Brazilians are very musical people. You would expect to find a couple of instruments
(especially percussion instruments) at any Brazilian household and everyone doodles
a little bit on this and that. Its not uncommon for a group of people to just get together
and jam to different Brazilian rhythms. Everybody picks up an instrument (varying
from a drum to knives and forks) and then swipes with someone else. It seems so
natural. And they sound good! Its a wonderful energy.
Now the workshops I participate in (usually covering Brazilian instrumental music)
tend to be more formal and organized nevertheless soulful.
-Why did you choose to settle in Sao Carlos?
The University of So Paulo (USP )has several campuses, across the state of So
Paulo and the department of Aeronautical engineering happens to be in So Carlos.
-Does it have a sizable Arab population? If so, is there a sense of community among
its members?
Oh there are a lot of Lebanese and syrian descendants here. Many of which have
preserved some traditions, basically the food and some customs. Unfortunately their
knowledge of the Arabic language is almost always limited to only some words.
-Walk us through a typical day in your life in the city.
Well, I reserve my mornings for Ph.D. studies. I usually work from USP or a coffee
shop depending on my mood. I have lunch and then some coffee with friends
downtown before I head to the music department to attend class. The music major I
do is in another university, the Federal University of So Carlos, but its pretty close
too. Perhaps another quick coffee in between classes. After that I either go to yoga
class or I go swimming. I leave my music practicing for late night.
-Do you find the Arab presence in Sao Paulo/Brazil palpable? How does it manifest?
Where do you notice it most often?
Oh definitely. The Lebanese/Syrian community has always been a very active
member of the society and has made a very distinct and significant mark here. One of
the most famous hospitals in brazil is called Srio-libans (the Syrian-Lebanese
hospital). Several governors of Sao Paulo were descendant of Lebanese families. That
should give you an idea about the presence and accomplishments of the Arab
community here. During the last 15 years or so, a new wave of Arab immigrants
started coming. Most of them work in commerce and have opened their store be it

selling food or clothes or electronics. Today theres a specific street in So Paulo

where you could easily hear the Arabic language being spoken by the venders.
-Any memorable experiences/anecdotes related to being Arab in Brazil?
They have a sandwich here which the call Beirut (the only reason for the name that I
can think of is that the sandwich is made with Arabic bread). And so it happens that
most people here are not aware that its a Brazilian invention and you could definitely
expect upon meeting a new person to be asked the question: is there Beirut in Beirut?
To most Brazilians, it seems that all Arabs are the same and the Middle East is just
one big blob. Anyway, if youre an arab you would probably be called Turco. Its
interesting because Turco actually means Turkish! You see the first Arab immigrants
in the late 1800s came to Brasil carrying an Ottoman passport, which explains the
denomination. This has been perpetuated until the present day.
-Where do you go/what do you do when youre feeling nostalgic for Lebanon?
Theres a little Lebanese restaurant here that I go to so to satisfy my longing for
Lebanese food. That would usually quench my nostalgia and hold me till my next
visit to Lebanon. But other than that, as I mentioned earlier, I call some friends and
family, watch Lebanese TV online or listen to Arabic music. Hearing and speaking
Arabic is sometimes almost therapeutic. Ah, theres a street here in So Carlos called
Avenida Republica do Lbano, meaning the republic of Lebanon Street. I sometimes
drive there just to see the plaque. It puts a smile on my face.
-Any favorite Lebanese-Brazilian hybrid dishes?
Ah you see, Kibbe and Sfeeha were so loved by the Brazilians that they almost made
them their own. You can find them at any food stand or bakery. Of course they dont
come out exactly the same as the original, but hey its better than nothing, right?
-What does the term Arab-Brazilian mean to you? Do you feel like Arabs in Brazil
have a distinct identity/sub-culture?
Well, the term Lebanese-Brazilian in particular has gained more meaning personally.
You know, Brazil is the country with the most Lebanese descendants. I feel like Im
being part of this diaspora that has started over a century ago. Of course the
conditions that led me to brazil are different today than a 100 years ago but being here
makes me closer to understand the consciousness of the early Lebanese immigrants.
Its a poetic picture for me, especially that my grandfather was one of these
immigrants.
Although most descendants identify themselves as being Brazilian, they have not
forgotten their Arab roots and do still preserve some traditions and are proud with
their origins.
-Do you see yourself sticking around in Brazil for the near future? If no, how come
and where do you see yourself going?
Yes. I have at least 3 years left of both the Ph.D. and the music program. Maybe I go
somewhere in Europe for a semester or two as an exchange student; it would be
interesting to get to know yet another culture. But in general I think Ill be staying
here for some years to come, and maybe more.

-What language do you use the most in your day-to-day life English, Arabic or
Portuguese? Which language are you most comfortable with, and has this always been
the case?
It is unlikely to use English around here aside from technical academic purposes. You
really would have to learn Portuguese to communicate effectively with people.
Growing up in a multilingual country as Lebanon definitely makes learning another
language easier. Besides there are a lot of common Latin rooted words with English
and French. I am pretty comfortable with my Portuguese today, I sometimes even
express myself better in it that in Arabic or English which have both been my primary
languages growing up in Beirut.