Christmas Day

Christmas dawned sunny and early.  First horn honking car didn't pass until 7:30 am, late by Beirut standards, for you see, this is a business day for many people in the Middle East.  In some ways that makes it easier to be here because regular life goes on.  Just join the throng of walkers scooters and drivers, and you feel, well, "regular".  For each of the past 3 years I fretted for weeks, even months ahead, about how to make Christmas happy: Who would I be with? What shopping was there to do?  Would my kids come to the island or would I go to them? Would I even see them, and How?  Never mind the baking and card list.  I haven't actually sent Christmas cards for several years.  At this point, and in this place, I think it's time to let go of that guilt.  Isn't it what we do all year round that matters most? That said, I've always delighted in the cards that come in the mail.  Here there's no land mail, or very little of it.  I've received 5 pieces of mail since I arrived in Beirut, and two were from T Mobile...  It's email, and e-cards now; some with audio and photos... totally cool for an overseas taste of home.
I want to thank you for your email and your cheerful wishes of encouragement and good will.  I feel like I have an army of support ever ready, all the time.  It's gotten me through a lot.

I hope you know that I am here for you too. You are in my thoughts and prayers.  

*

In

case 

*you*

 haven't 

**heard**

*Dear Friends* 

***and Family***  

**I'm wishing you a**

Merry Christmas! 

**** Wherever you are,**** 

no matter who you are with, or not with, 

**and no matter what you are doing,** 

********cards or no cards...********

Blessings on each of you today and always.  

love

Carolyn

Dark Days

Winter here is WET and accompanied by violent thunder, lightning and POURING rain. The days are shorter than summer, but not as short as the NW I'm used to.  Bought black rubber boots today and can't wait to try them out in the streets that turn into rivers.  Rain boots are essential Lebanese equipment.  Next essential is a REAL raincoat with deep hood. What was I thinking when I packed mine into storage?  "If I only knew then what I know now!" I've lost count of how many times I've said THAT.

My dark days aren't about weather.  Mine revolve around the loss of my friend.  Charlene and I hit it off right away.  She is a few years older, lives downstairs, same building, and also new to ACS.  Age seems not to matter in the social world of international teaching, but when it comes to good old fashioned girl friend intimacy, the tell-all kind, you gravitate to someone who has the wisdom of years. Charlene has been that person for me.  She has a lot of overseas experience, all in Eastern Asia until now.  She admitted this 3rd grade classroom job was a stretch beyond her experience with speech therapy and ESL.

Charlene had 21 3rd graders; 5 girls and 16 boys. Who wouldn't be overwhelmed?  We talked a lot about behavior techniques that usually work.  I've had challenging classes; some years are like that. You use every trick in the book until the year is finally over. Then you count your blessings.  But nothing seemed to work for Charlene. Until a month ago I thought there was still room for success, but at that point, Charlene decided it wasn't worth a year of headaches.  She's letting go and will return to the US the end of winter break.

Several times we've expressed amazement in finding a great friend in this part of the world.  Charlene has a kind smile, and warm heart.  I will miss the knocks on the door, shared coffee and talks, and oh so many adventures. I do realize that new adventures and relationships lie ahead.  In the meantime, I've been feeling blue.  We are taking a trip up the Nile in a week.  It'll be a grand trip, and I'm looking forward to it.

I'll miss my "instant friend". While our friendship will not end when Charlene leaves Beirut, I've learned an important lesson. On the international teaching circuit people come and go every year, or even in the middle of the year.  This is what happens.  Two year contracts end, and people often move on.  In order to succeed here, one must be fairly independent, flexible, and highly optimistic. Enjoy each day for what it is. This is my reminder; to live just one day at a time.

Here's to new rubber boots and OPTIMISM in the face of pouring rain.

Baalbek

Baalbek:  
Redefining AWEsome.

Marguerite and Carolyn; Temple of Bacchus in the background.

  

Ruins of Baalbek

We reached Baalbek via private car and driver last Saturday.  7 passengers paid 30,000LL or ($20) each. Lucy's 3 friends from Abu Dabi, and Marguerite from Seattle, were all here the same weekend! 3 hours drive, all of 50 miles, and we arrived.  I had problem with "hang jaw" at the sight of magnificent columns reaching high, a temple rising above giant walls of stone. Unlike other ruins I've seen, these rise above the surrounding town; spectacular.  Once we paid to get in the place was ours!  No plexiglass, no "Stay on the path," no handrails, no "Keep out" or "Hands off" signs; just me, a camera, and curiosity running wild.  

I couldn't stop talking to myself: "Oh My God!" "Oh My God"...  I have never been in proximity to so much art littering the ground; intricate patterns and bas relief in marble, busted up and lying about. I could walk up to anything and touch it, sit on it, and just imagine what it must have been like two to five thousand years ago.  How did they get these pieces of rock here? and the pink granite columns?  These pink columns came from Egypt on boats.  They floated them in on barges down the river.  There were lots of slaves to do the work, plus elephants.  What a construction site it must have been.

From the Temple of Bacchus, a look back to the columns
where Marguerite and I were standing
 in the first photo.

The columns were massive, and so tall!  What didn't stay up was all over the ground.  Everybody has had a hand in this site; Egyptians, Romans, Phoenicians, Turks, and there are even relics of neolithic origin; 5000 years old.  When the Turks came 500 years ago, they picked up the litter on the ground and built a great walled fortress, complete with arrow slits.  This set of columns has remained standing; a Roman tribute to Jupiter, while most have crashed to the ground.  You understand that it's not an entirely safe place to wander... but this is Lebanon! There are no limits for the visitor; everything you see is accessible.  The grounds are immense, and I couldn't help thinking how fun it would be for a game of hide and seek! 

Truly AWEsome!