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Todd: So, Rina, now you are Lebanese (Mm-hm) and you grew up in a very small Canadian town. Rina: Oh, yes. Todd: So you really have two cultures. Whats it like growing up with two cultures? Rina: In the beginning it was very hard. My dad was very strict. I wasnt allowed to work. I had to fight to have my first job at 19. Todd: Wow. At 19. Rina: At 19. I wasnt allowed to have a boyfriend. I had to fight for that one two, and I had my first boyfriend at 18. Wasnt allowed to go out. First high school dance was grade 11. So, I hated it in the beginning. I was, but now I appreciate it and I know where my parents were coming from. Todd: So, it this the standard Lebanese family type culture where daughters are not allowed to work? Rina: Ah, yeah, my dad had basically believed that if I went out and worked I would, you know, be hit on by guys. It just wasnt a place for his daughter, and typically before, yeah, women dont work. They stay home. They took care of the kids. They, you know, it was a typical patriarchal society and my dad was very, very strict, and I spent a lot of my childhood pushing away my culture because of that. Todd: And how do you feel about your culture now? Rina: Im very, very proud of it. I love it. Its nice to be different and Im glad I get that chance to do that. Um, the only thing, when I was in Lebanon, it was hard as well because people didnt see me as Canadian, and they didnt see me as Lebanese You know I was, a lot of people didnt talk to me because of it. I went there and a lot of people shunned me basically, so. | 
