August 15, 2012 9 pm Beirut time, 11 a.m. Seattle time
Arrived last night at 6 pm, and met by a crowd of ACS staff at the exit!
The flight to Frankfurt was long, could have been uneventful, except that I befriended a lovely Turkish woman, Lale ("Yah-Lay"), who was on her way back to Istanbul. Right away I knew that I'd met someone really special. I felt comfortable and happy around her, like I do with my long term friends! She had been visiting her daughter's family; daughter who teaches Math at UW, son-in-law who works for Microsoft. Lale was gracious, loving, and excited to know that Karen and I are meeting in Istanbul for March spring break. "It's nice temperature in March; you will have so much to see! We Must keep in touch! Do you have Facebook? " I friended Lale on Facebook! She is a retired teacher who taught English at a French school in Istanbul, and feels like I've known her all my life. Yes, writing about this makes me weep for joy.
Assault to my senses: let me describe what I see, hear, and smell. You wanted to know!
The Smell? hot and acrid, of diesel from constant traffic. The Sea is near, and I walked along it on the Corniche today, but the heat and humidity are so high, that I didn't SMELL it, not like the salt water at home. Very strange to see, but not to smell the water. The Sea is beautiful,powerful, and so blue. It wraps itself around Beirut, which juts out into it, like an arrowhead. There are no waves, but surges. I will get into it soon! PROMISE! Amazing rock formation, the Pigeon Rocks, which we sat next to in a shady restaurant today for lunch.
What was lunch? Hummus; delicious and creamy! We ate a mint salad with peppers and tiny spinach leaves. Fresh and tasty. We ate lemony cut up potatoes, also good, piquant. Lemons grow like crazy around here, I was told by Shelly. She's a kindergarten teacher whom I met at airport last night, here for her second year, LOVES Beirut, and said she'd be happy to marry a Lebanese man. She helped me get set up in my 4th floor apt, as she lives on 2nd floor. She has a busy social life; leaves for dinner, and returns after 3 a.m., just like the Lebanese who live for their evenings, esp now during Ramadan, as they can't eat OR drink anything from dawn to sunset. Shelly tells us the men won't even swallow their own spit during the day!! The restaurant we ate lunch at was virtually empty, but waiter told us it's hopping at night.
Hearing: always honking. Lebanese drivers use their horn like a break pedal, or accelerator, "Beep beep! Beep beep!" when they drive by, it's Beep or Beep Beep. Actually, now that I understand it a little better, it's kind of a friendly thing. They want you to know they are passing, so it's their way of saying, I'm coming, be careful. There are no lines drawn on the streets, which are narrow and winding. I see no speed limit or street signs clearly posted. The only rules seem to be, Slow down as you pass someone, Speed up when you don't. They are at it ALL NIGHT long! Other sounds? I heard a single bird today. There are no trees near by, so this one was on a rooftop. Where are all the birds? Prayer time, 5 X a day, is sung over loud speakers that permeate the entire city. EVERYONE is included. The music is haunting, even eerie at 4 a.m.; men's voices warbling up and down arabic scales. It is actually kind of calming. They are talking to God. How can you feel alone? It seems like a time to give thanks, so that's what I do. Shelly tells me that in time, I will not even notice it. Other sounds are loud music, esp at night, and shouting, children crying or screaming, or laughing. There are lots of child sounds through the day. And of course, Arabic is spoken everywhere. You get used accustomed to not knowing what people are saying; there's no eavesdropping! With so much to take in, that's okay for me.
Seeing: dilapidated buildings that appear tired but well used, everywhere. There are some nicer, more modern buildings too, with plants on their balconies. Many are faded, with cracks and broken parts. All are built of concrete, like mine. The walls here are solid concrete, so I have to find a way to attach hooks or use putty for attaching pictures. Makes sense, since they don't have trees. We are going to see an ancient cedar forest with ACS (American Community School) this weekend. They have planned some optional field trips for us, and I plan to go on every one! We're going to see the Jeita Grotto, and Byblos (word Bible is said to come from this town!) on Saturday. I'm excited to get out for sightseeing. As you walk you MUST watch your step! The sidewalks are a melange of materials, from tiny tiles, to asphalt or concrete, like a patchwork quilt, but not as orderly. There are cracks, holes, and uneven surfaces at every step. Roads are a patchwork too, with potholes or broken dividers falling down. Drivers know how to avoid them, or bottom out. We must have a dip down below, because I hear the big crunch when drivers hit it wrong. How they drive on these roads is a miracle! Most of these drivers are really good, considering the obstacles. One other thing, as we walked to the Sea side restaurant, we passed a tank with a soldier in camo sitting on top, big gun. Shelly told us that we are NOT allowed to take pictures of police (who carry machine guns) or soldiers. However, the soldier was cute and smiled at us when we said Hi!
Feeling: I have been feeling weepy since arrival. There were tears of relief when we landed, arriving at last! There were tears of despair when black soot ran down the drain after I stepped into the shower this morning. That prompted a quick mop up inside and out. The smells of diesel come into my room at night. I couldn't sleep. The air conditioning is not working, so I've had to open the sliding doors to encourage some air movement. It's very hot, with New Jersey humidity. These are physical discomforts that are not easy to take in. I'm told that MOST people here have no air conditioning! Random electrical outages are daily. We understand that we will lose power for 3 hours every day. You just don't know when! Must have a back up plan! Luckily, this apt building has a good generator. WHEW and Thank God for that.
We took a walk to the school today, after our lunch next to Pigeon Rocks. The kindly and efficient Ibrahim Bedeir, was there and seriously took notes, made phone calls, and told us that our problem with AC would be solved tomorrow. There IS Christmas in August. Getting some cooler air in here will definitely reduce one aspect of this sensual assault. KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT THEY CAN FIX IT! Freon, anyone?
Is that enough for now? Sorry, but I must go on! I must add here that the people are so very respectful and kind. They are friendly and helpful. When I look at the faces of the honkers, I can see that they only mean to be careful. It's really amazing to be jolted by something like all the honking, and then to find out that it's for a good reason. It's just a different normal. With roads like these, they have to warn others of their approach. When was the last time you honked your horn?
One more thing, we went into two grocery stores today.
Found Haggen Daz ice cream in one(!) in the little pints, $7 apiece. What a job to get that delivered! On the other hand, there are fresh vegies in baskets for buying too. The veggies looked gray to me, like everything that sits outside too long. However, these come in from farms outside the city. I need to take a closer look, and try some rinsing and cooking. Lucy, PE teacher is new. She was on our walk. She has taught all over the world. Charlene came in from Portland at 4 am was also on our walk. She too has taught all over the world, but esp suffered from the heat. She has such a positive attitude, and was okay with weepy me! I don't know how long the weepiness will go on, but I suspect it's temporary.
Okay people. I honestly wondered last night HOW I would make it through a whole year. I asked myself WHAT have you gotten yourself into, Carolyn? I thought about my children, Kate, James and Erik, my Dad who is having pacemaker surgery tomorrow, and wondered WHY NOW? Carolyn, Are you CRAZY? NAIVE? kick kick!! Just WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GETTING YOURSELF INTO? We'll see where this goes in the days and months ahead. I AM, above all, optimistic. What have I got to lose? I am grateful to have had such great experiences (weep weep) over the years. This will be a new training ground, for sure.
Love and a Good Night's Sleep to you all. I could be home in WA doing same-o, same-o, but I took a leap! OMG, the power just flickered off! Imagine that... THANK GOD FOR BATTERIES in this laptop. Wonder what happened to the GREAT generator in this building? I hear laughter from the people in the building facing us, across the street. I have a lto learn!
Arrived last night at 6 pm, and met by a crowd of ACS staff at the exit!
The flight to Frankfurt was long, could have been uneventful, except that I befriended a lovely Turkish woman, Lale ("Yah-Lay"), who was on her way back to Istanbul. Right away I knew that I'd met someone really special. I felt comfortable and happy around her, like I do with my long term friends! She had been visiting her daughter's family; daughter who teaches Math at UW, son-in-law who works for Microsoft. Lale was gracious, loving, and excited to know that Karen and I are meeting in Istanbul for March spring break. "It's nice temperature in March; you will have so much to see! We Must keep in touch! Do you have Facebook? " I friended Lale on Facebook! She is a retired teacher who taught English at a French school in Istanbul, and feels like I've known her all my life. Yes, writing about this makes me weep for joy.
Assault to my senses: let me describe what I see, hear, and smell. You wanted to know!
The Smell? hot and acrid, of diesel from constant traffic. The Sea is near, and I walked along it on the Corniche today, but the heat and humidity are so high, that I didn't SMELL it, not like the salt water at home. Very strange to see, but not to smell the water. The Sea is beautiful,powerful, and so blue. It wraps itself around Beirut, which juts out into it, like an arrowhead. There are no waves, but surges. I will get into it soon! PROMISE! Amazing rock formation, the Pigeon Rocks, which we sat next to in a shady restaurant today for lunch.
What was lunch? Hummus; delicious and creamy! We ate a mint salad with peppers and tiny spinach leaves. Fresh and tasty. We ate lemony cut up potatoes, also good, piquant. Lemons grow like crazy around here, I was told by Shelly. She's a kindergarten teacher whom I met at airport last night, here for her second year, LOVES Beirut, and said she'd be happy to marry a Lebanese man. She helped me get set up in my 4th floor apt, as she lives on 2nd floor. She has a busy social life; leaves for dinner, and returns after 3 a.m., just like the Lebanese who live for their evenings, esp now during Ramadan, as they can't eat OR drink anything from dawn to sunset. Shelly tells us the men won't even swallow their own spit during the day!! The restaurant we ate lunch at was virtually empty, but waiter told us it's hopping at night.
Hearing: always honking. Lebanese drivers use their horn like a break pedal, or accelerator, "Beep beep! Beep beep!" when they drive by, it's Beep or Beep Beep. Actually, now that I understand it a little better, it's kind of a friendly thing. They want you to know they are passing, so it's their way of saying, I'm coming, be careful. There are no lines drawn on the streets, which are narrow and winding. I see no speed limit or street signs clearly posted. The only rules seem to be, Slow down as you pass someone, Speed up when you don't. They are at it ALL NIGHT long! Other sounds? I heard a single bird today. There are no trees near by, so this one was on a rooftop. Where are all the birds? Prayer time, 5 X a day, is sung over loud speakers that permeate the entire city. EVERYONE is included. The music is haunting, even eerie at 4 a.m.; men's voices warbling up and down arabic scales. It is actually kind of calming. They are talking to God. How can you feel alone? It seems like a time to give thanks, so that's what I do. Shelly tells me that in time, I will not even notice it. Other sounds are loud music, esp at night, and shouting, children crying or screaming, or laughing. There are lots of child sounds through the day. And of course, Arabic is spoken everywhere. You get used accustomed to not knowing what people are saying; there's no eavesdropping! With so much to take in, that's okay for me.
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| View from my balcony, directly across the street |
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| View from my balcony: across the street and to my right |
Feeling: I have been feeling weepy since arrival. There were tears of relief when we landed, arriving at last! There were tears of despair when black soot ran down the drain after I stepped into the shower this morning. That prompted a quick mop up inside and out. The smells of diesel come into my room at night. I couldn't sleep. The air conditioning is not working, so I've had to open the sliding doors to encourage some air movement. It's very hot, with New Jersey humidity. These are physical discomforts that are not easy to take in. I'm told that MOST people here have no air conditioning! Random electrical outages are daily. We understand that we will lose power for 3 hours every day. You just don't know when! Must have a back up plan! Luckily, this apt building has a good generator. WHEW and Thank God for that.
We took a walk to the school today, after our lunch next to Pigeon Rocks. The kindly and efficient Ibrahim Bedeir, was there and seriously took notes, made phone calls, and told us that our problem with AC would be solved tomorrow. There IS Christmas in August. Getting some cooler air in here will definitely reduce one aspect of this sensual assault. KEEP YOUR FINGERS CROSSED THAT THEY CAN FIX IT! Freon, anyone?
Is that enough for now? Sorry, but I must go on! I must add here that the people are so very respectful and kind. They are friendly and helpful. When I look at the faces of the honkers, I can see that they only mean to be careful. It's really amazing to be jolted by something like all the honking, and then to find out that it's for a good reason. It's just a different normal. With roads like these, they have to warn others of their approach. When was the last time you honked your horn?
One more thing, we went into two grocery stores today.
Found Haggen Daz ice cream in one(!) in the little pints, $7 apiece. What a job to get that delivered! On the other hand, there are fresh vegies in baskets for buying too. The veggies looked gray to me, like everything that sits outside too long. However, these come in from farms outside the city. I need to take a closer look, and try some rinsing and cooking. Lucy, PE teacher is new. She was on our walk. She has taught all over the world. Charlene came in from Portland at 4 am was also on our walk. She too has taught all over the world, but esp suffered from the heat. She has such a positive attitude, and was okay with weepy me! I don't know how long the weepiness will go on, but I suspect it's temporary.
Okay people. I honestly wondered last night HOW I would make it through a whole year. I asked myself WHAT have you gotten yourself into, Carolyn? I thought about my children, Kate, James and Erik, my Dad who is having pacemaker surgery tomorrow, and wondered WHY NOW? Carolyn, Are you CRAZY? NAIVE? kick kick!! Just WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE GETTING YOURSELF INTO? We'll see where this goes in the days and months ahead. I AM, above all, optimistic. What have I got to lose? I am grateful to have had such great experiences (weep weep) over the years. This will be a new training ground, for sure.
Love and a Good Night's Sleep to you all. I could be home in WA doing same-o, same-o, but I took a leap! OMG, the power just flickered off! Imagine that... THANK GOD FOR BATTERIES in this laptop. Wonder what happened to the GREAT generator in this building? I hear laughter from the people in the building facing us, across the street. I have a lto learn!
Hey Carolyn,
ReplyDeleteGlad you made it safely. I just wrote a long note to you, only to have it disappear, so in case it happens again, I'll make this attempt more concise. I'm sure you're exhausted and hot, not a good combination, and mostly why you're "weepy". Certainly your positive attitude will carry you, as well as the support system of administrators and teachers. Embrace the differences as much as possible. I'm sure you are much wiser and informed than we were for our college exchange programs! Take care...luv ya! Karen