BEYOND BEIRUT
[www.beyondbeirut.wordpress.com]
Briefly describe the evolution of your blog.
I wanted to challenge myself to write something every single day while documenting being a 20-something in Beirut. I never intended for the focus to be getting married but somehow the blog has evolved into that because I'm also engaged and getting a house together and planning a wedding. So the blog ended up being a mix of my insights on so many topics that anyone in Lebanon can relate to.
How did you first decide to launch?
I launched Beyond Beirut earlier this year through social media, with my friends and family being the main audience. The purpose was to give them a chance to know what was going on in my life and how the planning was coming along. The idea had been in the back of my mind for some time so when I launched it, I had never felt happier.
What makes your content unique in your opinion?
My content is very personal. I don't filter out my emotions or thoughts or water down my experiences. A lot of my content is about how I feel about myself and my relationship with my fiancé, I might be considered as over-sharing at some point, but I write the posts as though I'm writing my diary. I’m also focused a lot on the wedding process and wanting to break the tradition at this point.
What motivates you to keep going with your blogging after all this time?
Some day in the future I will want to look back at this period in my life and the blog will be there to remind me what events I encountered and how I felt. That's what truly makes me hit publish every single day. My fiancé’s support is a huge motivating factor as well- I could never do it without him. And the chance to interact with so many different people from all around the world.