Roberto Helou is a new Lebanese YouTuber/vlogger. He started uploading videos on Youtube around a year ago, but his channel is going up fast and his content is original, entertaining, and informative.
With nearly a thousand subscribers so far, Roberto describes his vlogging journey as “trying to find my way in the YouTube game.” With his most recent vlog, however, it seems to us that he didn’t only find his way, but he also reached his destination.
“The Ultimate LEBANON vlog” is easily the best vlog about Lebanon we’ve ever seen. Its description is just as good as the video itself:
“We Lebanese people are the source of some of the problems in Lebanon but also the key to change. We have so much potential to make our country thrive.”
The Ultimate LEBANON vlog
“In one of the darkest times of the Lebanese history, here’s a more positive video that focuses on the amazing but overshadowed side of Lebanon,” That’s how Roberto introduced the video without even knowing that his vlog will turn out the way it did.
It was only after he watched the footage that he realized the importance of the story that he was about to share.
The YouTuber started off by correcting some of the wrong assumptions about Lebanon, its culture, and its people. The most important one being: No, Lebanon is not a desert.
Believe it or not, we move around using vehicles (sometimes even ones we can’t actually afford), but not camels. Most importantly, Lebanon is home to people of all sects and religions and the Lebanese people are peaceful, ambitious, educated, and just love life and having fun.
In Roberto’s own words: “Lebanon defies all expectations. It will surprise you, it will make you wonder, and we will blow your mind.”
The vlogger then announces that he will be showing his foreign friends, Adam and Flo, around Lebanon. Both of his friends are visiting Lebanon for the first time ever, and have no idea what to expect.
Not to anybody’s surprise, Roberto first took his friends to see Beirut, the city of contrasts, as Roberto calls it in the vlog.
The Beirut Adam and Flo saw for the first time, though, is quite different from the Beirut we’ve always known. The tourists saw a “post-apocalyptic” Beirut.
They saw an empty downtown, full of broken glass, anti-governmental graffiti, and barriers. It was empty during the day, and full of protesters in the evenings. The three friends witnessed the good and the bad days of the Lebanese revolution.
Shifting the mood and the scenery, Roberto then took his friends to Our Lady Of Lebanon, known as one of the most peaceful places in Lebanon, with an incredible view of the city and the ocean.
They then made their way to one of the oldest cities in the country: Tyre, south of Lebanon. They visited the famous sea castle where Roberto’s friends got to discover Lebanon’s history.
Next, they went to Souk Saida (Sidon) before checking out the recently discovered ruins. They sought to learn more about the city and the unique sights and knowledge it has to offer.
Going back to Beirut was quite the journey, so the friends grabbed a flag and went down to the street where they got a taste of the craziness. They actually climbed a billboard and witnessed a bank being set on fire.
To cool off from the burning tires… and banks, they went skiing the next day (pun intended). Later, they explored old mansions and ruins around Beirut city.
Finally, they made their way to Anjar in the Bekaa Valley. There, they met some locals and ate some authentic Lebanese bites.
The day after their trip to the Bekaa, they were met by two other foreign friends. Together, they went hiking in the snow-covered Lebanese mountains, and they brought their Lebanese flag with them.
The next morning, they made their way to Byblos. They checked out the fossil exposition and watched the sunset by the sea.
Being by the sea less than 24 hours ago, Roberto’s foreign friends were playing with snow and thus witnessing Lebanon’s most epic miracle.
The vlogger then took his friends to see the Afqa cave and Balou Balaa. And on their last day in Lebanon, the whole group had a classic Lebanese evening, chilling out at Roberto’s aunt’s and eating home-made Manakich.
Roberto, as he mentions in the vlog, got to see Lebanon through his foreign friends’ eyes, and got to love his country all over again. He was just as mesmerized by Lebanon’s beauty.
In the last part of his vlog, Roberto got real about the situation in Lebanon. He left a heartwarming message for his fellow Lebanese, urging them to see that they all deserve better than what they currently have. His vlog is the perfect proof of that.
Unity and change are what we need, according to this Lebanese. What struck Roberto’s friends the most while visiting Lebanon is the “outstanding kindness.”
They were met by kindness, selflessness, and generosity every step of their journey. Lebanon is full of amazing places and sceneries, but what remains the most beautiful thing about Lebanon is its people.
“This is not one of those movies that end with a cheesy message about hope. It’s a reminder that we are the best people in the world.”
This vlog is a must-see. We can see Roberto Helou’s bright future as a content creator right in front of our eyes. It is heartwarming that he chose to do so by embracing his homeland!