Teachers' Day!

I have a day off today because it's "Teachers' Day!" celebrated by students and teachers across Lebanon. Thursday resembled teacher appreciation back home.  On this day students bring flowers and cards and wish their teacher "Happy Teachers' Day!".  The school has a strict "no gifts" policy, but I was loaded down, going uphill, with a bouquet of red and white roses, more flowers, cards, and even brownies. Parents chased us out of our classrooms so we could enjoy a 40 minute duty-free luncheon they provided, my first lunch with all staff this year, and I've NEVER seen so much food. Three sides of the auditorium were LOADED with main dishes and salads, beverages, and desserts. We were encouraged to eat lunch, and fill take home containers.  My lunch today?  Shrimp curry with rice, tabbouleh, fresh strawberries, and tiramisu!

Yesterday evening I enjoyed "Unplugged", a talent show put on by the high school students.  They set up the outdoor stage and grassy seating area with tables and chairs.  Twinkly tree wrapped lights were the backdrop for student waiters who carried trays of food and drinks from table to table for the audience.  Some "acts" were sound tracts with students singing.  There were many excellent voices and instrumentalists (violin, piano, guitar...)!  I sang "Don't Stop Me Now" with the ACS Community Choir.  The surprise of the night for me was another act in which high school band director, Jeremy Chapman, fluttered out tunes on his jazz flute; WOW!  We've got talent!

At 8 pm the night was still young.  I literally RAN up the hill-bluff-stairs to my flat, changed into my leopard top and dance boots, then ran down the stairs-bluff-hill back to ACS to catch the happy bus to the Teacher's Party.  The miracle was that I made it by 8:20!  We were taken to Harbor 102, a nice restaurant-bar located on the other side of downtown Beirut.  The whole place was reserved for us! We were given drinks (red wine for me), hors-d'oeuves, and dance music.  Here in Lebanon, EVERYONE gathers on the dance floor.  It's amazing!  It's not about partners, it's about meeting up and shaking your booty!  We danced solo, then rotated to dance with a partner, then another rotation to laugh, and dance with someone else.  I enjoyed the dancing so much, thinking, "These are my people". They must have felt the same, because we were all moving, laughing, smiling and copying each other's moves.  About 9:30 pm a live band joined us with a Pavarotti type singer (male), a jazzy female singer, guitar, violin, drums, and keyboards. They were excellent, and I was sober enough to know. Dinner didn't come out until 10:30.  After eating and trying to hear each other talk, we were back on the dance floor. Then back to the canned music, laser lights and video clips, non-stop; one song morphing into the next, Lebanese style madness.

The partying didn't let up until about 1 a.m. when the music settled down in cadence and volume.  Outside, my ears were clogged after the 4+hour assault.  Some of us took taxis home, but a number of us woke up the bus driver who dropped us off on Bliss Street, close to our flats.  After good night hugs, Lolita, Bill, and Linda were off singing, "Follow the yellow brick road", while Josie and I headed back to our flats at the German building for shoes off and bed.

Enjoyed several rounds of French press coffee this morning, Skyped with sister Liz, watered the plants, and decided it's time to get back to blogging after nearly a month of hibernation.  Beirut LOVES its night life!  And I'm LOVING my vacation morning!

Guess my age?

Hi Everyone!
Today's the great birthday!
Friend Barbara, our tech guru, had fun recording my "age riddle" for the kids.  They'd been trying to guess my age, so of course, had to make it into something fun.
See link below.

http://classblogmeister.com/blog.php?blogger_id=354060

Today is birthday day, February 13th.  We had parent conferences in the afternoon to follow up report cards that went home Monday.  These were challenging conferences, although many parents were not only helpful, but kind.  Grades are a BIG deal, a high stakes deal here.  Being honest can be downright difficult on a good day.  Lucy tells me since it's my first year at ACS, parents are more challenging; that it will get easier next year.  I hope so.

My birthday plans have taken a dive into bed!  As the day went on, a fever and aches began to take over.  I'm staying home from choir rehearsal and the Mardi Gras party, just resting.  But not depressed, thanks to all the mail on Facebook and gmail.  I'm not alone with all of these loving thoughts and well wishes.

Skyped with sister and dad.  Wonderful to catch up with them n the morning while night falls here.
I am ONE LUCKY GIRL!

Best to you all, and Thank you for making my birthday special, no matter what.
LOVE YOU ALL.

Marhaba!

Marhaba, Hello!
I'm taking Arabic classes twice a week with Wafa, one of our Arabic teachers.  She's fabulous! She even wrote the book, "Communicate Wafa's Way; Lebanese Arabic", that we're using in class.  My head must be made of concrete... everything seems to bounce off.  Met with Dennis at Cafe Younes for another round of practice, bouncing through the verb conjugations and vocabulary, wondering if it's EVER going to stick.

Instead of learning to read Arabic, Wafa has transliterated the Arabic into the English alphabet. So, "Kiifik", How are you (to a female), vs. "Kiifak" (to a male).  Maaba-arif = I don't know, to Isimii Carolyn, My name is Carolyn.  Arabic only uses vowels a, u, and i.  It's a giant challenge, but I get such a positive response when I try, that it is definitely a good fikra (idea)!

In class last week I got so exasperated with the noise that I yelled, "Hallaas Baa!"  (Enough already!)  The kids at first shocked, began laughing and gave me a standing ovation; not exactly the response I was looking for... but I did feel pretty good about it.  Yesterday on the hike I met some kind people, Lebanese, who had helped me buy some food from the Arabic menu.  As I got off the bus I thanked them: "Shokran! Tcharaafnaa!" Thank you, Nice to meet you!  They broke out in smiles, clearly surprised.  Hey, whether they are laughing at or with me, it doesn't matter. This stuff is proving good to know!  Now, if I could just trade my almost 60 year old brain for a fresh sticky 20 yr old one...

February! Month 6

Nice Baalbek Kitty Drainspout: This piece came down from the top of
 those columns pictured above. (Thanks for photo Amanda!)

How can it already be February?

A year ago I was setting up an application, getting ready to go to the San Francisco Job Fair, not thinking I'd actually receive a job offer...  and a year later I'm in Beirut.
      Culture shock has evolved into hard work, and a good life full of wonderful friends, amazing places to visit, singing, swimming, Skyping, and so much more.
      Last weekend we called Mohammad, the taxi driver we have come to rely on.  He took 6 of us to Spinneys for Big shopping. Most shopping is done just around the neighborhood, in Hamra.  But today we went to J'Neh area, and I had my list. In one hour I did the supermarket sweep; TP, detergent, dish soap, fresh nuts / dried fruits, black olives (you've never tasted better!), long handled broom (at last!), and time to cruise the wine aisles, looking at Lebanese labels from the Bekaa valley.  Wine is big here and so are local breweries, like "961".
Cuz David has done some research and sent me a list of local wines to hunt down.  Bringing home samples for Dad and all to try this summer!
Mohammad returned on cue, helped us hoist our goodies into the back of his van, and then homeward bound, all for under $7 round trip. Our new Mohammad is a godsend.  He has a nice clean vehicle, and has driven us several times, including our first trip to Baalbek.

Did I tell you the story about the "old" or "first" Mohammad? (Don't tell Dad this part)...
The first Mohammad, an elderly 80+ year old taxi driver, picked up 3 of us at the airport in November on our return from Cyprus.  His car was a piece; literally duct taped together.  I was taken aback by the sight, but because the arrangements had been made in advance, we just got in.  On the way home, he fell asleep at the wheel, veered left, and woke up to our cries and the sounds of crushing metal.  In his confusion, he hit reverse and became permanently adhered to the Mercedes that was parallel parked; couldn't move.
      I felt so sorry for Mohammad. He sat in the front seat, head in his hands, shaking and demoralized. Luckily I had a water bottle, and he seemed grateful for a drink.
      The tenants of the high rise building, including the young car owner, were down in a flash to help us out of the taxi.  From there Charlene and I were able to walk home.  As for Mohammad, several of those gathered promised to get him home.  Looked like it was going to take more than a tow truck to separate the two cars.  As for Mohammad's livelihood?  "Don't worry, he'll be driving again in no time", we were "assured". There are no consequences for poor driving in Beirut; no loss that can't be regained by paying a little WSTA (bribe), and you're back on the road.  Because of his age, and the state of his car, I doubted it was going to be any time soon for Mohammad to get back in business.

This weekend we're getting a carload together for Costco.  Not like the Costco you know.  It is a very small store, and has a red lettered Costco banner on the wall to say so, but no membership fees.  It carries a few products that we Americans enjoy, such as Tom's of Maine, and large boxes of breakfast cereal.  But the merchandise is ever changing.  This will be my second trip, so it'll be interesting to see what's there. Last time I found a mattress cover and a large bag of Craisins.  Made my day!

"The Journey"

Todd recited a poem to me yesterday, by Mary Oliver, and it set my heart to pounding.  For those of you who have, or have not heard her poem, "The Journey", this post is for you, 

in honor of ALL our journeys.

Sunset over the Mediterranean

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice --
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do --
determined to save
the only life you could save. 

~ Mary Oliver ~

(Dream Work)

The ankle tuggers for me have been
"guilt" and my own fears.  

Too much of life has been spent trying to please these.

Time to live!

U.N. Peace Song

More music! AUB Choir was invited to sing a song for Peace sponsored by the United Nations here in Beirut.  We were told it would be televised in the Middle East during the winter months.  Well, here it is!  Isn't the cheetah photogenic?  Anyway, the song is "Against Killing".  You'll see Dr. Kim, our conductor, and fellow choir members. English speakers sing the "ahhh" parts, Arabic speakers sing the main verses.  This was taped in the AUB assembly hall and at the foot of a banyon tree on campus.  All in all, an interesting November Sunday afternoon. Hope it does some good.

"Against Killing" video

Egypt III

More photos of Egypt: Enjoy!

Carolyn, Sphinx, and Charlene in Giza
I learned that the sphinx is actually a male head whose "beard" broke off.  It is the guardian of the pyramids, with the head of the king, and the body and strength of the lion. 

Dwarfed in Karnac
These columns were covered with carved and painted hieroglyphics, gods and goddesses, top to bottom.  The lintels above, those still to be seen, were painted with beautiful scenes and colors.  The columns were first built of stacked flat rocks that were later "shaved" into smooth sided columns.  After that, the decorating began.

Egyptian Dog at Karnac Temple

While Beirut has its population of feral cats, friendly to not so friendly,  Cairo was awake with dog barking at night.  When I saw this dog sleeping in Karnac Temple of Luxor, I thought you'd like to see what an Egyptian dog looks like. They were wandering about.  We even saw 3 round puppies playing in their hiding place at the granite quarry of Aswan. 

Exterior wall detail Hatshepsut's Temple

The colors and relief details on this outside wall were gorgeous.  There are some places where photography is forbidden; in the Museum, and in the Valley of the Kings.  In most places it is okay.

along the Nile

along the Nile

Horus the Falcon at Edfu Temple

souvenir stand next to the Granite Quarry in Aswan

Egyptian Temple Philea and 16 other temples were saved from the rising waters behind the  Aswan dam.  The temples were taken apart piece by piece and reassembled above the water line.
The international community stepped in to help.