Eman Ghandour: On being not Kiwi enough, not Arab enough

"You don't feel Kiwi enough for the Kiwis, but you don't feel Arab enough for the Arabs." Eman Ghandour was 10 when her family moved from Jordan to Dunedin. Growing up, she tried to get her "ratio" to 50/50 Kiwi and Arab, and it kept landing at 80/20. While at Otago Uni she lived as a Kiwi with her friends, then came home to Arab Muslim parents and a constant sense of guilt. Her mid-20s, she says, were the worst years. In 2021 she started a group chat for young ethnic women who were feeling the same pull. That chat became the Khawat Network, Arabic for sisterhood, and it's now 300 strong. This week on Take It From Us, Eman talks to Kent about the depression that came with years of trying to fit in, and what young women in her community need from a therapist. We'd love to hear from you. Send us a text or a voicemail by clicking here. If you need support, here are helpful links, phone numbers and resources: https://ember.org.nz/resources/in-a-crisis Kent Johns is a health coach, broadcaster and motivational speaker. Visit his website here.