Summary: Growing up in Austria, Tarek Hbeichi, my guest on episode 6, had a pretty tranquil life. Aside from the occasional teasing, Tarek got on fairly well with others in his community. It wasn’t until later in his life he realized that he was being singled out for the way he looked. Tarek moved to the states with his mother, but lost contact with his Palestinian father after an unpleasant divorce. Despite all this, life continued to treat him fairly. When the 9/11 attacks happened, things changed. As suspicions of Muslims and other Arabs increased, Tarek felt he had, in his own words, a “target placed on his back.” These life experiences shaped Tarek and how he views the world. He currently works in Amman, Jordan as a Special Education Teacher.
