(2) You know you're in Beirut when...

1. While you're stuck in traffic you notice that there is every kind of car- Kia, Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Suzuki, Nissan, Citroen, Renault- but the most popular seem to be the big hitters- Land Rovers, BMWs, Jaguar, and Mercedes Benz. It's just different when children live at home through their twenties- they have more money to spend on the luxurious things in life!

2. Though you do see women wearing ridiculously high heels, although not the Blago five inchers I was used to, the popular shoes are Birkinstocks and Converse. Riddle me that.

3.You see posters and billboards everywhere advertising fashion, food, and old political leaders. 

4. When everyone I meet asks, "Where have you been? Have you been to the beach yet?" 

5. You can travel the whole country in a matter of hours. Border to border, it is so close and there is everything. Sea and mountains. Valleys and caves. Forests and a big city. It's gorgeous. 

6. When something happens that would shock the world, like most of what is happening in the Middle East right now, and they ask, for kids, "So there is school tomorrow?" and for adults, "What do you want for lunch?" (during the week)

7. You go to a "pub" and it is a mix between a pub (the talking atmosphere), a club (the music), and an outdoor bar (the tables).

8. You can see a mosque and a Catholic church right next to each other. It is a beautiful dichotomy. 

Ce-dars the way of life

So there has been quite the press attention for Lebanon lately. "Clashes in Beirut" and "Lebanese pilgrims kidnapped in Syria", etc. So really, to the world, it looks like a disaster and it seems as if the fighting that is going on is right outside my doorstep. The world media has a way of twisting the story, as they do with many other subjects and places. Yes, there was protesting in Beirut over the last few days because of things (in)directly related to Syria, but the thing the world doesn't understand is that the fighting isn't happening everywhere. I am not sure if that is comforting to know or not, but that is how it is. Not everywhere is violent with deadly intentions. Daily life goes on just as it does at home or in Europe. We go to work and we go home and people are still seen walking around outside, the traffic just becomes a lot lighter the day after. 

This is a beautiful country with wonderful people and a wonderful culture. People are quick to judge this region when they haven't experienced what it has to offer. I have only been here a little over two weeks, but this is an extraordinary place. I went to the Cedars of Lebanon and it was breathtaking. The drive was two hours through mountains speckled with green and orange tiled roofs and deep gorges and valleys that steeped so low you could hardly see the bottom.  The Cedars themselves are so majestic and peaceful. I haven't seen anything like it in my life.

The other really big adventure I've taken since I've been here has been to Harissa, the Virgin Lady of Lebanon. On top of a hill overlooking the entirety of Beirut, you can't help but appreciate what this small country has to offer. You have beautiful huge trees that lead to the city and then beyond is the sea. Gorgeous blues and greens as you gaze below you, taking in this amazingly unique city.

Beirut has everything to offer. They get all types of American brands, like Heinz and Cheetos and McD's, and they have all kinds of shopping with H&M, Mango, Promod, and they have absolutely delicious local foods that I am still learning how to pronounce; good thing I have family tour guides! Lebanon, and Beirut more specifically, is a misunderstood place that deserves more respect for its way of life. Not everyone here is looking for a fight, although the honking in traffic might suggest otherwise. Yet, this is all part of the charm of Beirut. It is a culture that has a lot to offer and teach the world, I just wished more people wanted to know it better. 

I was just in Bulgaria and I learned a lot about living there and what they consider important and how their culture operates. They are still getting over their post-communism ways after decades of being caught in a puppet act, and people are very serious and outwardly reserved. They like to drink a lot and love to people watch in the middle of the day at cafes. The food everywhere is mainly the same options and after a while you just rely on ham and cheese toast to get you through life (well that is what I did at the end of the semester, partially because I knew I wouldn't be getting it again, even though it's a panini-ed ham and cheese. Nostalgia was kicking in, alright?!). Lebanon is completely different and I am still getting used to the generosity and friendliness of everyone here, and I am learning that they love family and huge get togethers and being loud and having fun. It's inherent here, which is something I am coming to love more and more each day. The food is delectable and healthy and there are so many certain Lebanese dishes that I have tried and still need to try. 

Life is about experiencing the world God gave us and taking what you learn and using that in your life. Learning certain things more fully from different people and different cultures and becoming a meld of all that you have been through. I guarantee that you will come away changed forever. How could you not? The best advice I could give from all that I have seen and experienced is to be open. Don't close yourself to a custom because you haven't done it before. Be open to new perspectives in the people you meet because chances are you will come across something extraordinary. Always try something at least once, that way if you don't like it, you know you don't like it instead of just snubbing your nose at it. Plus, the people you are with will appreciate your enthusiasm and desire to get to know their culture.

It's hard to step outside the box that you have gotten yourself into, but do it. Take the risk. No souvenir could possibly impact you more than getting out and doing it yourself. The memories you'll gain and the friendships made will make your life that much richer and more meaningful. I watched the movie the Way, about a father who walks the Camino de Santiago in Spain after his son died starting it. In a scene where the father is taking his son to the airport, he says, "It may not seem like much but this is the life I've chosen," and his son replies, "You don't choose a life. You live one."  Go, live life, and appreciate whatever comes your way, good or bad, because in the end, it makes you who you are.

You know you're in Beirut when...

So if you haven't noticed, the title of my blog has changed because I am no longer in Eastern Europe enjoying my surrogate home, but have now ventured to a new, exciting and completely different place: Beirut, Lebanon.  I am staying with family and while I've only been here roughly five days, here are some observations:

1.  the Lebanese are very hospitable. Whether it's food, a drink, a bed, or just a warm welcome, they are willing to give you the shirt off their back if that is what it takes to make you comfortable.

2.  it's smoggy.  It gives San Fran a run for its money except it's pollution and not just fog.

3.  driving is ridiculous. Only the brave venture out and even then it's scary to ride; it's a LOT of honking, cutting people off, getting inches away from each other, not following lines, running red lights. It makes for a racing heart and a thank you to the Lord for getting me to point B safely. (parents, it's not as bad as I'm making it out to be...).

4.  the food is delicious and above all, healthy. I eat veggies and fruit everyday and the meals are really nice. The lunch eating time is similar to that of the Spanish, especially on weekends.

5.  it feels as though everyone knows how to speak French, Arabic, and English and when talking they use them interchangeably, so in a two sentence span you could possibly hear three languages. It puts my lousy English to shame. I really need to get on this language learning thing real quick.

6.  they call light brown hair blond. It's a cultural thing, but light brown is still brown. I would know what blond is; the stares say it all. 

7.  plans are kind of sporadic and made on the fly, which fits me perfectly because I tend to just go with the flow. And it's similar to in the Bulgs in that people are fashionably late (that's what we will call it).