Random Notes

It's hard to believe that we've been here for over a month already. There have been a few times as I’ve walked down the streets of Hamra (our neighborhood) that its hit me that we're really here. We have settled into a comfortable routine and are enjoying having more time together than a med school schedule permitted. Jad has classes every day, but never starts before 9, so it’s a leisurely morning around our house. We've gotten in a good bit of tennis (on courts overlooking the Med Sea), and on the occasional evening, we even watch a movie together (currently the BBC series Planet Earth)! He’s made some good friends in his class – several of which share his love of sports, so he’s gotten to play basketball a lot. We had a potluck at one friend’s house last weekend, which was great. I have tutoring twice a week, which I honestly love. Even with my limited vocabulary, I’m not too shy about talking, so I usually end up belting out sentences at about a 4 year-old level…much to the amusement of Jad and our family. Otherwise, I've been doing a bit of work for HOME and am looking into some other work/volunteer opportunities.

Half-way around the world, and we still feel
right at home

We also have been getting more involved in our church. We are going to an incredibly international Anglican church in downtown Beirut. Jad’s Aunt Cedar & Uncle George attend there, and it’s the same church we went to 5 years ago when we were here for the summer. Jad is going to start playing music, and we have been attending some weekday courses that have been going on.

As some of you may have heard, Lebanon was in the news a good bit the week before last thanks to a little visit from Ahmadinejad. The American embassy sent us a lovely email cautioning US citizens to be “extra vigilant.” Fortunately, other than some road closings, things went quite smoothly. It was definitely a good reminder of the importance of being cautious and safe. Things we so often take for granted in the States.

In the meantime, we’ve been kept busy thanks to our social coordinator (our affectionate name for Jad’s cousin Yara) whom we are going to dearly miss when she heads off to NY next month. Thanks to her, we’ve enjoyed Lebanese nightlife, lots of yummy food, and shopping! The past two weekends, we did some hiking in the mountains with Jad’s Uncle Farid & Aunt Joumana (one of our favorite ways to enjoy Lebanon). It was beautiful!

Clubbing at Mandaloun (see photo at top R),
the featured performance was a dirbekke
(type of drum) player who dropped
from the ceiling.

Life in Lebanon

Well, we’ve been here 3 weeks now, and are really starting to settle into the Lebanese way of life. Some of you have asked how that’s different from life in Chicago, so here are some of the many differences (most of which we love, some of which we don’t exactly love):      

• Long, late dinners: either at our family’s places or at restaurants, meals last for hours and often don’t start till around 10 pm 

• Extensive fruit courses: May be one of the original reasons Dena fell in love with Lebanon. 

• Mediterranean beaches. True, Chicago has some pretty great beaches, but we’re enjoying time with our family at some of Beirut’s beaches as well.

• Driving that one friend has described as “go-karting.” Best description we’ve heard yet. No lines on the roads, no speed limits, no semblance of order, few signs, many blind passes, and neighboring cars close enough to reach out and touch… just a few of the things that make a simple drive across Beirut a rush.Unbelievable bureaucracy. I’ve gotten several extensive tours of AUB trying to get simple tasks done, after being referred from one office to the next, back to the original office, and finally losing it and yelling, “Shou bedkoun yaini amil?!” (What do you want me to do?) Amazing how they respond to a little Lebanese exasperation.
• No notion of lines/waiting/order. On one of my first days, I arrived at the registrar’s office at 7:45, and they didn’t open until 8:30. I was the only student there at the time. By 8:30, about 30 other students had joined me in waiting. I naively thought they’d recognize “my place” in line. Big mistake. The doors opened and what followed was a mad rush that left the 5’5”American guy somewhere closer to the back than the front. We’ve since noticed many times at stores, bank, etc., that lines are really just for looks. When you want something, you either just yell from the back of the line or kindly make your way to the front. And of course, you act shocked if anyone seems troubled by your initiative.
  
  There are many more we could mention, but these are some highlights. We really do love it here. The people and the country are beautiful, and we’re blessed to have this time here.

 E