Al-A’sar: Finding connection as an immigrant in the lonely city

Interesting account, a likely common experience for many communities:

..In that part of the world, cities often have many physical social hubs where people with shared interests tend to gather, and where encounters happen repeatedly and spontaneously, so that relationships can develop naturally. In Beirut, for instance, the coffee shops and bars along Hamra Street have a cultural and social function, too. The same used to be true of downtown Cairo, though things have changed over time because the regime fears any form of social gathering in civic spaces. Back then, if ever I felt bored, I would just head downtown without any plans and wander through city streets, confident that I would run into someone, perhaps at a coffee shop along the way – no itinerary, no prior arrangement, no online-calendar invite needed.

Here in Canada, I find myself needing to schedule a meeting with new friends a week or two in advance just to spend an hour together. I don’t blame them; this is what big cities often do to human relationships. Under the weight of necessity and social pressure, people can turn into rigorously scheduled machines. After all, everyone has daily obligations to fulfill, including work commitments to cover the growing cost of living and household responsibilities – not to mention what is often significant commute times. In this context, free time feels like it’s a privilege. …

Mostafa Al-A’sar is a Toronto-based journalist, writer and human rights defender.

Source: Finding connection as an immigrant in the lonely city