Jack and Lees Come to Beirut

Our Holiday break began on Friday, and Derek promptly went off to begin his Master's classes. I, on the other hand, have nothing to do! So now there is no excuse- time to blog!
Since it's been almost 4 months since my parents were here, I figured now would be about time to post about their visit. We had a wonderful time, despite the illness that struck both me and my mother, causing me to miss the first 3 days of school, and my mother to have Beirut-belly when she was in Jordan. But nonetheless, it was the trip of a lifetime for them. The picture to the left was taken on their last night here. See? Still happy! We went to happy hour with some friends at the local drinking hole. As you can tell, my father is fed up with pictures by this point! And I can understand why- before they left, Derek downloaded all their pictures onto his computer and there are simply hundreds of them! I can't blame them, though. What they saw in Jordan and in Lebanon is not seen anywhere else. It's unique! Plus, my mom loves the camera, as evidenced by this next picture! Any excuse to get dressed up...

My Dad was in heaven. Before the onset of marriage and children, Jack was quite the world traveler. Although he and my mom have had some great opportunities in the past, I think this one was the most adventurous vacation he has taken in a while. Amidst the ancient ruins, spectacular landscapes and exotic culture, my father reveled in the history and beauty of it all. He especially enjoyed his time on the roof of our building, where he could soak up all that was happening, while enjoying the view of the Mediterranean Sea, and the collage of dilapidated buildings and new construction sites.

(Of course I won't mention that this picture was taken when my parents were stuck on the roof because Derek and I were listening to music and didn't hear the doorbell!)

All in all, it was fabulous having them here. Inviting your parents into your own home for 2 weeks can be a little intimidating, but it was perfect. They fit so well into our lives. Mom even cooked a few meals, which is more than she ever did in Brockton! I guess the culinary inspiration of the Middle East got into her blood. Derek and I were both sad to seem them go. Especially because neither of them can sit still, so we came home everyday to a clean apartment, fresh laundry, and chocolate chip cookies! If you're lucky enough to see my parents anytime soon, I encourage you to ask about their trip. I know their many stories will be much more entertaining when you hear it from them.

Long overdue...

It seems like everyone I know is writing a blog, and their quantity (and quality) of posts are putting me to shame. My brother Breck has recently reinstated his blog (breckyunits.com) and his raw thoughts about math and computer programming have somehow inspired me to share. I should also add that my other brother, Conor, has been writing a top-secret blog for a not-so-secret Massachusetts campaign, and his writing and constant effort is also an added inspiration. So here goes...

I suppose the most interesting cultural experience we've had lately was a wedding a couple of weeks ago. Sadly, no pictures to document the event, but the memories are still fresh. My friend Dana got married to a Lebanese man who lives in Dubai. They are both Muslim. The actual marriage ceremony happened a few weeks before the wedding because she can't get a visa to live in Dubai alone. The ceremony is conducted by a Sheik, and the men in both families are present. Dana is not actually in the room when she gets married. I think her father signs the papers, then brings them to her to sign. She said it happens fast and there isn't too much to tell. The wedding party, on the other hand, is full of great stories. Luckily, they aren't too conservative, so Derek and I could be at the same party. In some countries (and even here, for some really religious people) the men and women have separate parties. This is so that the women can remove their hijabs (their scarves/robes) and dance the night away. But this isn't the norm in Beirut. In Beirut, weddings have a lot in common with some American weddings- big reception hall, overly decorated to the point of tacky, loud music, too much food, and people trying to make small talk with the strangers at their tables. While waiting for the bride and groom to arrive, we were entertained by a saxophone player, playing along to pre-recorded Karaoke music. He could be seen live, or on the large projector screen at one end of the room. The drink options were juice or soda. We were kicking ourselves for not bringing a flask, but who ever heard of a booze-less wedding?

After an hour or so of waiting around, the lights changed, the hanging video camera zoomed over head, and then there was the beating of drums....in dances the groom, surrounded by about 30 or 40 other men. Leading them are 8 men and women dancers, dressed in white, playing drums and swinging swords in the air. This parade/dancing thing is called the Zaffe, and goes on for about 15 minutes before the bride comes out. Then the light changes again, this time there are fire-work type flames that explode from the ground, as the bride appears on the runway (I kid you not, there was a runway!) Of course we all applaud because it is very exciting. The drumming, the dancing, the swinging of swords continues for a long time, until finally the couple take their seats on their thrones at the front of the room. For about an hour there is a variety of dancing. The people dressed in white have quite a performance for the newlyweds. Then there are more fireworks and this time there is also confetti, as the two have their first dance. It's 10:30 or 11:00 when we're invited to the buffet. There were about 300 guests at the wedding,and food for 300 more. It was a bit excessive, but it didn't seem out of place.

The final tradition happened just before midnight. The couple took the stage once again (did I forget to mention that the dance floor was actually elevated off the ground with multi-colored lights glowing from underneath it?) for a "champagne" toast and the cutting of the cake- which was a fake cake about 8 feet high, so of course, they needed the sword to slice into it!!! More firework explosions and loud music as they threw back the apple juice and posed for another picture. We left shortly after the cake, and were happy to have had such a great experience. We have been living in Beirut long enough to know that nothing is simple here, but neither of us were expecting such elaborate measures. It was awesome.

Other than that highlight, we've been enjoying our new friends and fighting the struggles at school. IC is a school mostly for the elite of Lebanon. The children tend to be spoiled, and the rules tend to be dictated by those with the largest financial contributions. My class of 25 darling little brats has a severe case of incessant chatting. They don't ever stop talking. They are bold and have not learned to respect authority. Most of them are being raised by nannies, who receive little to no respect from the parents, so you can see where it comes from. I've started giving private lessons to a boy in 7th grade. Today, our lesson brought us to the discussion of taking out the trash. Turns out, he's never done that. In fact, he's never washed the dishes, folded laundry or made his own bed. His chores are to brush his teeth, wash his face, and make sure he turns off the TV before he goes to sleep. Well, he has 3 full-time helpers, he told me, so why should he have to do anything? We feel frustrated with this mentality, but we're guests in their country, and have to learn to live with it.

Christmas break is right around the corner. Derek begins his Master's class during the vacation- not much of a vacation for him, but it's a great opportunity. I'll be around, so if anyone reading this happens to be bored over the next couple of weeks, come on out!!!! If not, then just have a Happy Holiday!!!!

Moldova Knows What's Up

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) - Moldova's army is feeding its soldiers onions and garlic to help them ward off swine flu.

Defense Ministry chief doctor Col. Sergiu Vasislita says about 0.9 ounces (25 grams) of onions and 0.5 ounces (15 grams) of garlic will be added to each soldier's daily diet. That roughly corresponds to a small onion and a couple of garlic cloves.

Onion and garlic are traditional remedies in Moldova where they are widely believed to boost the immune system.

Vasislita said Thursday that the measure was taken after 24 soldiers fell sick with swine flu in the past two weeks. More than 1,000 Moldovans have swine flu with 90 new cases reported daily.

About 6,500 troops serve in the army of Moldova, a small former Soviet republic bordering Romania and Ukraine.

Little Brothers

Many of you have heard the highly entertaining stories of my younger brother, Breck's trials and tribulations in the internet start-up world. You have to give him credit for dedication. His efforts have recently been recognized, and even used as an example of a young entreprenuerial role model! Check it out. http://dukemagazine.duke.edu/dukemag/issues/111209/hothouse1.html

Don't look dad!

There are some really great new teachers that are now living in our building. A few of them are into rock climbing, so they rented a car last weekend, and took us along to explore the rocky terrain of the Lebanese mountains. We found a really beautiful spot about 2 hours from Beirut (closer to one without traffic..ya right). Derek and I had never been climbing before, but were excited to give it a try. He was fearless and made the whole experience look effortless. I, on the other hand, am constantly trying to overcome my fear of heights but it never seems to work. My entire body was shaking like crazy as I rigidly climbed my first rock. Two rocks later... I was still shaking, but much more excited about it. So excited, in fact, that I didn't want to be left out of the 100 foot repel off the top of the land bridge!!! That was really amazing. We hope to go again next week!

This is almost to the top of my first climb.
I had never been so relieved to be back on the ground. And the funny thing is, I was never really that high up. I think the whole climb was maybe 30 feet. I know, I'm a wimp. But heights really freak me out!
Which is why it's weird that I was OK with this...

and this.
This is the only picture I have of Derek. He was the first of the group to repel down. He's brave.

Last but not least....Brockton!

Home is home, and always will be. I will not bore you with the details of how I spent as much time as possible chatting with my mom, taking her yoga classes, and sinking into the most comfortable couch in the world. I will, however, write about the best week of my summer. A few days after Derek and I arrived in Brockton, the rest of the family started trickling in. Mairi came home from Tampa, and Breck and his gf Michelle flew from San Francisco. We all headed to Dennis, on Cape Cod, where Mom and Dad, Conor and Sarah awaited. We spent the days on the beach playing frisbee, wiffle ball, and bag-o that Conor made. Each couple was responsible for dinner every night, so needless to say, we ate well. We sang with the guitar (see below) and talked politics. We visited the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory and a local brewery in Hyannis. We sat around the fire at night and waited for a hurricane that never came. All in all, it was awesome.


Thanks Mom and Dad for getting us all together!!!! Let's make it an annual affair!

North Carolina with the Norths

Again, not enough pictures to portray the happiness of this part either. The Norths are living in a small farming town outside of Durham/Chapel Hill that has a beautiful river and some nice hiking trails just walking distance from their house. Matt and Holly have been doing a magnificent job of raising Stella. Not that we're biased or anything, but she is one of the cutest and most delightful babies we've ever experienced. She was 10 months old when we were there, and just learning how to walk.
In traditional Nanashi (godparent) fashion, Matt and Holly prepared a huge Moldovan feast to welcome us to their home. For this, we broke our vegetarian rules and devoured some succulent shashlik cooked on the open flame.

Matt planted a substantial garden this year, and they share some land with the neighborhood as well. While I spent every minute possible with Stella, Matt and Derek were constantly on the go- picking tomatoes, canning tomatoes, golfing in the backyard, making fires, and of course, drinking beers. Holly and I bonded over spirituality and nature, and of course, her beautiful baby. It was a short stop, but we enjoyed every second of it.

Illinois

The journey continued to Illinois. I wish I had more pictures from this leg of the trip, because it was so special. I guess we were just having such a good time it didn't occur to us to whip out the camera. (If anyone reading this has pictures from our visit, Riley and Jeremy, the wedding, Chicago- please send them along. ) I will post what we have and try to fill in some details.
Our first Saturday back, Derek and his parents organized a backyard bbq for friends and family, ours and theirs. It was awesome. We had a great chance to catch up with some family friends of the Smith's, as well as some of the family. We played bat and ball with Riley and Jeremy, and Phil worked wonders on the grill. Into the evening, some of our friends joined the crowd. It was amazing to see everyone, healthy and beautiful! Derek played a few rounds of his music trivia game and we all had a lot of laughs throughout the night. It may have been the latest party Park Ridge had seen in awhile! Huge thank you to Lois and Rex for hosting so graciously.

We tried to spend a lot of time with Darcy and the kids. We went to one of Riley's t-ball games and Uncle D played soccer with all the siblings from the team (what a champ!) I also had the pleasure of experiencing Brookfield Zoo for the first time. Really cool dinosaur exhibit. And even though I'm not a huge fan of keeping animals in confined spaces, I have to admit this zoo was very tasteful and probably one of the more spacious zoos I have seen.

It wouldn't be true to form for us without a little road trip, so we packed up the new Smith Prius and headed to St. Louis, via Chenoa. We spent the afternoon with Grandpa, and a lovely dinner with Ron and Nga. Luckily, we had time to stop by the Bloomington Farmer's Market on our way down, and were impressed- as always- by the success and prestige of the Ackerman's organic produce.

I was beyond excited to meet up with Katharine in St. Louie as well as a few other PCVs from Moldova. We were all gathered for the wedding of Darcie Brownback. It was a beautiful and unique affair, hosted in a local club which is also home to the St. Louis Wrestling Hall of Fame. Nice job, Darcie! I was happy to have Katharine join us for the ride back to Chicago. We stopped again at the farm, and once again, I was mesmerized by the beauty and effort that Ron and Nga maintain on their land.

Look at the size of that zucchini!

I also took a few days to go out to San Francisco and spend some much needed quality time with Roe. My brother Breck lives there now as well, so it was a double bonus. Back to Park Ridge for a few days of more fun in the city with friends, and then we were off again....

Amsterdam

Derek and I began our wonderful summer vacation in Holland. We figured it would be a good segue from Lebanon to America. The culture shock, however, was more than we anticipated. Everything in Amsterdam runs smoothly, efficiently and on time. The public transportation is phenomenal and the order of the city is completely chaos-free. In short, as different from Beirut as one could imagine. We embraced the changes, however, and sat back and enjoyed the scenery.


Coincidentally, D's cousin Lily was also in A-Dam at the time, so we had the pleasure of spending a few lovely afternoons with her. Because she had lived there a few years ago, she was a great tour guide and introduced us to some nooks and crannies of the city we might have missed on our own.


We discovered a camp site just outside the city lines that provided a piece of grass in a very crowded field where we could pitch our own tent. It was real easy camping. The grounds included showers, a restaurant, a bar, convenient store and laundry facilities. For us, it was perfect.



Despite the rain (it rained almost every day,and 8 out of the 9 nights) we rented bikes and explored every park and neighborhood in the city. Each night we trekked back to home base- our small, but cozy tent.
I don't think I could live in Amsterdam, but if you're looking for a beautiful and relaxing spot to indulge in pleasantries, this is certainly the place to come. In the modern, western world, it's a challenge to find a city that truly separates itself form the rest. Amsterdam meets the challenge with pizazz. Thanks, D, for taking me on yet another adventure!

Halas!

Well, it can now be said that we survived our first year in Beirut. School is finally done! We are wrapping things up here before heading out for the summer adventures. First stop- Amsterdam with Lily!

I feel as though there should be some sort of reflection on our year of many firsts: first year of marriage, first year in Lebanon, first year teaching (for me). Marriage is an easy one. It's been great! Being so far from home with so many changes and challenges, it was always comforting knowing there was a familiar face at the end of the day. We certainly have filled this first year with adventure and accomplishment.

The first year teaching was certainly a test of my patience, dedication, and creativity. Never underestimate the intelligence of a 6 year old! They are sure to keep you on your toes. We both struggled to understand the chaotic structure of IC. Despite operating for over 100 years, the school seems to function as a start-up school. Many a day did we shake our heads at the utter lack of organization from the administration. But the saving grace is the spirit of the school, which is evident in most of the students and teachers.

And Lebanon....what is there to say about Lebanon? In most cases, it's a very easy place to live. Our neighborhood is like a Western-world haven, interspersed with some signs of Arabian culture. It's easy to have a "normal" life here, and it's just as easy to walk a few blocks and remember the real reason we live abroad- for the culture, the diversity, and the foreign experience. Lebanon had a huge success recently- a peaceful election. There is still talk of the unfair Western influence on the voters, and that may be justified. But in a country that is so ravaged, both physically and spiritually, by war, it was inspirational to see the citizens rejoicing in the calm and relatively orderly fashion of election day.

I think I can speak for both of us when I say that we've grown a lot this year. It surely wasn't the Peace Corps experience, but it had it's own challenges and rewards. I think without the skills gained in PC, this would have been a much more difficult year for us. Being together was what made it so great. We're both so excited for the trip home, and we're also excited to come back for year 2, Inshallah!

More guests!

Mairi Yunits and Troy Hernadez have just left Beirut. We had a great time. They both wanted a spring visit, and chose to combine their trips so they could hang out together while Derek and I were at work. The trip was fantastic. When we weren't working, we joined our guests on excursions around Beirut and Lebanon. Troy even rented a car and braved the city traffic. We're posting a selection of photos from the trip, with short descriptions to give you the highlights. Enjoy!

In Southern Lebanon, just a few miles from Israel's border, is the land of Qana, where Jesus performed one of his miracles, turning water into wine. Another Israeli town now claims the same title, but this is believed to be the real deal. It's a magnificent view of the valley.

The Arabic marking indicates the Holy site.

These carvings in the rock which are now a bit hard to make out, represent Jesus and his 12 apostles. This is apparently the proof that Jesus was really here.

It is said that Jesus and his disciples hid in this cave not far from where he performed the miracle.

Another day trip out of the city led us to White Beach near Batroun. It's about 30 minutes north of Beirut. It was a rock beach, as most of the beaches in Lebanon are, with beautiful views of mountains and the sea.

To get home, we had to wait on the side of the highway and hitch a ride. Luckily, a bus came along rather quickly and took us back to Beirut.

A beautiful dinner downtown at the beginning of the trip. The downtown area of Beirut is closed off to traffic. In the evenings and on Sunday afternoons, the area is a playground for kids. The cafes and restaurants are filled with families eating hummos and smoking nargileh.

We hit up Gemezeh one night- the area of town known for its clubs and bars.
We started out for happy hour, and Mairi and Troy stumbled back just a few hours before Derek and I got up for school.

Leaning makes for a great picture.

Troy really enjoyed his new camera. He took pictures of everything, but mostly of himself. This was one of the few exceptions.

Deep in the mountains outside of Beirut, there is a magnificent wonder called Jeitta Grotto. Here you will find deep caves, replete with stalactites and stalagmites that are so cool, they don't allow you to take pictures. Actually, the site is up for a place on the new list of 7 Wonders.

Not so far from Jeitta Grotto is a traditional artisan market in one of the Christian quarters called Zouq Mihael. Because a market in Arabic is souq, this place is called Souq Zouq. We bought a few souvenirs (Troy, buying the traditional beer mug that said "Mexican Beer") we enjoyed Lebanese mezze from a cafe set in a garden which overlooked Juniea, the city just north of Beirut.

Pigeon Rock is another must-see in Beirut. And it happens to be 2 blocks from our house! As you can see, there are 2 large rock formations protruding from the sea. It is quite beautiful.

There are rocks below the road where you can walk and be eye-level with the Pigeon Rocks.

This is the view of Beirut from those rocks.

The last night of Troy's trip, he requested we hit up the Hard Rock Cafe's Monday night special: Beer and Wings, all you can handle. D and I drank too many beers for a Monday night, but we sent Troy off right. Of course his night wasn't over once we got home. Leave it to Troy Hernandez to serenade a 17 year old Syrian girl from across the street with his ukulele. I think it's safe to say that Troy had a good time in Beirut.
Mairi's last night was a bit different. After she made us a delicious lasagna, she entertained us by twirling a large wooden spoon. What a great guest! Thanks Mairi!

John Fer in Lebanon

John Fer arrived in Lebanon just in time for our Spring Break. His first two days here he joined each of us at school. Then the fun began. We showed him the sites of Beirut, stopping often for falafel sandwiches. Of course we pointed out the infamous Holiday Inn, used by snipers during the Civil War shortly after the hotel was opened. Built to sustain earthquakes, it is still standing today relatively unharmed (if you don't count all those bullet holes.) We brought him to the beautiful port town of Byblos. We had been once before in September, but it was a totally different place in the spring. The grounds of the castle were decorated by the colorful wild flowers, which also provided a brilliant fragrance to top of the fresh smell of the sea. And it just so happens that there is a delicious little Mexican restaurant (run by Lebanese people) overlooking the old port. Nothing says a Mediteranean sunset like a Margarita and fajita!





















We got a ride back to Beirut from a newly engaged couple. In typical Lebanese fashion, I asked directions for a bus back to the city and they offered us a ride! They were both in university, and had gotten engaged the previous weekend. When the Lebanese get engaged, it's quite an affair. The first set of rings are exchanged on this occasion, and the event is top notch- catering, professional photographer, fancy suits and dresses. Lebanese women expect at least a diamond ring and a matching accessory such as a bracelet or necklace. The rest of the set will be expected at the actual wedding. But I digress....our lovely new friends dropped us at the edge of the city. We meandered back home, stopping along the way to wet the whistle. Walking back through downtown we stopped in admiration of the glowing Hariri mosque. Just behind the mosque is a Christian church and at Christmas time the huge Christmas tree sits in between the two. It's a powerful symbol of religious diversity in Lebanon .

John was such an easy and delightful visitor. He was happy to do anything or nothing. We spent our mornings drinking coffee and discussing politics, literature and philosophy. We ate a lot of delicious street food and we jumped at every opportunity that presented itself. We saw an incredible concert of Arabic fusion jazz played by a newly formed 14 member band. The entire event was in Arabic, which was refreshing. There's so much English in our part of the city that it's easy to forget where you are. One morning- after our political coffee hour- we decided to try our luck at the Syrian border. None of us had procured visas, and the rumor mill suggested Americans were forced to wait a few hours before getting across. But what the hell. It was worth a shot. Finding a bus to get there was cheap and easy. The ride to the border was cheap and easy. Getting out of Lebanon was free and easy. Getting into Syria was.....


not so easy. This picture was taken during one of the several visits we made to the conveniently located Italian restaurant during our SEVEN HOUR WAIT. When we arrived they told us to wait 1, maybe 2 hours. Not a big deal. 3 Hours later we were told "Ma barif" which means, "I don't know." I noticed our passports sitting in a pile on the desk. We weren't the only ones waiting. A few other American girls were there when we arrived, and they were waiting as well. Every hour or so one of us would take a turn to check if there had been any progress. "Ma barif" was the continual response. Until suddenly (7 hours later, mind you) the mood changed and we were welcomed with open arms. From that point on, every person we met in Syria was an absolute pleasure. We crossed our fingers and headed to one of the hostels listed in Lonely Planet. When we arrived the man told us "I am so happy you are here! I have no rooms. But I can help you!" Well actually he had a room that would be free at 1:30am, and we were welcome to it if we wanted to wait. Since we had already spent our entire day waiting, what was a few more hours? So again, we waited.
But it was all worth it. Damascus has a beautiful Old
City, similar to Tripoli but much larger and even more beautiful. The souq is the same style, covered alley ways woven into the neighborhoods. The spices and perfumes mixed with the hanging carcas and freshly baked sweets make for very interesting aromas wafting through the streets. Almost all of the women in Damascus wear head scarves, unlike in Lebanon where it is probably only half of the women. The driving seemed a bit more civilized, although there was much more evidence of poverty. I mentioned this to a colleague at work and she replied that Syrians aren't poor, but appearance is much less important to them than it is to the Lebanese. She said Syrians spend all their money on food.