Growing up in a small town founded by Greek fisherman and spongers, I saw a lot of things that most people in suburbia don’t. It wasn’t uncommon to see lambs tied up in the yards of homes before Easter, because they’d become the centerpiece of a traditional Greek Easter meal. I know all about Epiphany, because it’s a huge event in my hometown, with young men jumping into the waters of the bayou to retrieve a blessed cross. I visited stores where fresh Greek bread and cookies were sold, and old Greek men smoked from a Hookah, or Arghile in the corner of the store.

If you have the opportunity to travel to the Middle East, or a place like Greece, you will no doubt see people gathering around for some hookah smoking and socializing. Just like the British gather at neighborhood pubs, and Americans get together at sports bars, people in the Middle East gather to share stories of their day and relax with the hookah. It’s as common as drinking coffee is in the US! There are hookah cafes where you can select specialty tobacco and relax with a hookah, meet new people, and pass the time. Shisha tobacco flavors are as varied as coffee varieties, and you’ll even find fruit or dessert flavors.

The hookah is growing in popularity here in the US as well, and you can even buy a hookah online!