Being Imprisoned in Bahrain, Teaching Windsurfing in Barbados as an Anti-Colonial Gesture, and the Role of Poetry in Arab Culture with Zein El-Amine (Ep 201)

Hear how growing up amid war and political imprisonment transformed his consciousness and shaped his path as a writer. ============================ Get the Monday Minute my weekly email with 3 personal recs for travel, culture, and living beyond borders you can read in 60 seconds. ============================ ON THIS EPISODE Zein El-Amine talks about growing up in Lebanon at the start of the Lebanese civil war and tells the story of being trapped between two warring factions in Beirut at 12 years old.   He then opens up about his time attending high school in Bahrain and college in Saudi Arabia. Zein shares the story of going off to play tennis one day in Bahrain and being arrested as a suspected member of Shīʿa terrorist cell planning a coup.  He describes his experience being put into the Shīʿa political wing of the prison, who he met there, how his parents feared he might be executed, and how this experience fundamentally changed his political consciousness.  Next, Zein tells a story about going down to Barbados on vacation from Saudi Arabia, running out of money, and teaming up with locals to teach windsurfing to British tourists as an anti-colonial gesture.  He then reads the poem he wrote about the Barbados experience.   Next, Zein talks about his path to becoming a writer and a literature professor. He explains the significance of poetry in Arab culture and also reflects on the value, impact and crucial importance of travel. → Full show notes with direct links to everything discussed are available here. ============================ FIND YOUR NEXT EPISODE Explore The Maverick Show Starter Packs — some of my favorite conversations curated by theme so you can easily find the episodes that match your interests. ============================ FREE RESOURCES FOR YOU See my Top 10 Travel Apps See my Top 10 Books that Shaped the Way I Travel See my 7 Keys For Building A Remote Business (Even in a space that’s not traditionally virtual) Watch my Video Training on Stylish Minimalist Packing so you can join #TeamCarryOn See the Travel Gear I Use and Recommend See How I Produce The Maverick Show Podcast (The equipment, services & vendors I use) ============================ ENJOYING THE SHOW? Follow The Maverick Show on Instagram and DM Matt to continue the conversation Please leave a rating and review — it really helps the show and I read each one personally Support the show by buying me a coffee — espressos help me produce significantly better podcast episodes!