Study abroad in Beirut is a game changer. Almost everything that makes up life in Beirut for international students will play into the most inevitable feature of studying abroad: culture shock. Our understanding of the world is shaped by the culture we grew up in, and when we spend time in a new and different culture, our perceptions are disrupted. Disruptions are okay. Surprises can be wonderful. Both will always be around, on every path, just as smoke surrounds fire.