About Bil3afya بالعافية

Bil3afya can mean two different things. In the Khaliji dialect, it's an expression of gratitude and well wishes. In the Maghrebi dialect, it's an insult condemning the person you're addressing to the fires of hell.

While geography stands as the most obvious separation between the Arabian Peninsula and the Maghreb, skewed misconceptions of the other have made way for misunderstandings and stereotypes that have gone as far as shaping government policies. Bil3afya aims to serve as a bridge between these two regions without employing reductionism or dismissing very present nuances. We do not intend to speak as representatives of our respective regions, but as witnesses with very real experiences.

We have noticed that political and economic interests have grown between these nations. In the past few years, people from the Gulf have increasingly developed a touristic interest, in Morocco specifically. Through media and social networks, the Khalijis displayed their stereotypes towards the cultures and people of the Maghreb. In return, the Maghrebi nations often replied with the "civilizational rhetorics" describing Khalijis as opulent, backward, uneducated, and "Bedouins."

Thus, our blog will be social/cultural/political; we will discuss these cross stereotypes, point out the common grounds, and offer our own readings of the differences. The whole idea is to start a conversation and to expand it beyond stereotypes.

We'd like to give a big thank you to Mehreen Kasana for drawing our header. Thank you Mehreen!

Email: bil3afya@gmail.com | Twitter: @bil3afya