Joe has been behind the wheel of the bus inherited from his father since he was 18. (Credit: Yara Sarkis - montage Céline Bejjani/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Six years after the start of Lebanon's economic collapse, and with the war between Hezbollah and Israel devastating part of the country since October 2023, L’Orient-Le Jour met with Lebanese people from different backgrounds to understand how they have had to reinvent their daily lives and future plans in order to adapt to the country’s new economic standards — if not simply to survive.At every stop, the same ritual: a hand offers 100,000 or 150,000 Lebanese lira (LL,) about $1.10 or $1.60, depending on the distance traveled. Joe drops the bills into a plastic cup set next to his seat. Over the course of the day, the cup slowly fills up. It’s the only indicator of what this bus driver will have earned by tonight.With a driver’s license in hand since 18, the now 30-something climbs behind the wheel of the orange and blue bus he...
Six years after the start of Lebanon's economic collapse, and with the war between Hezbollah and Israel devastating part of the country since October 2023, L’Orient-Le Jour met with Lebanese people from different backgrounds to understand how they have had to reinvent their daily lives and future plans in order to adapt to the country’s new economic standards — if not simply to survive.At every stop, the same ritual: a hand offers 100,000 or 150,000 Lebanese lira (LL,) about $1.10 or $1.60, depending on the distance traveled. Joe drops the bills into a plastic cup set next to his seat. Over the course of the day, the cup slowly fills up. It’s the only indicator of what this bus driver will have earned by tonight.With a driver’s license in hand since 18, the now 30-something climbs behind the wheel of the orange and blue bus...