Adventures

A view from Nicely Hall

Nicely Hall

AUB campus at night

Moon peeking through trees

Since I've recovered a bit from the trip, I ventured out into the city alone today. (Not very far.) I took a taxi to Monoprix, a two-story supermarket. You can pull your cart up the escalator along with you, on parallel tracks. It sounds good, but it wasn't actually so smooth, because on the way up the cart wouldn't go as fast as me, so I had to keep stepping backwards; then on the way down, it was so full of stuff that it was hard to control. Oh well. American pop music was playing throughout, so I felt right at home... Signs were in French and Arabic, and French came to my aid. I kept crossing the path of two young girls who seemed excited to see a foreigner and whisper in English. :-)

The man who drove the taxi on the way there was enthused about my efforts (marginally successful) to communicate, and we had a good semi-conversation. He was from Baalbeck, a city which we will be visiting next Saturday. The driver on the way back was less thrilled, since I had 6 shopping bags and he had to go out of his way. I was just glad I could get where I wanted to go!

Although I don't experience the discomfort when going out that I did in India, it is still not easy to accomplish what I want to, simply because I don't know how. For example, I have not made it to church yet, because I don't know where the churches are, I don't have a phone book, and I have also been a little tired.

The ladies who work at the cafeteria have been encouraging my colloquial efforts and greet me happily each morning. They were very helpful today when I couldn't get any results from the ATM machine. So far the problem is not so much limited vocabulary as my lack of understanding; it just goes by so fast! One difference between the U.S. and here is that people are not used to slowing down for non-native speakers like me.

Yesterday in our first classes, the teachers spoke almost all in Arabic, and since we have been taught in English so far, this was quite a leap. I think I caught maybe 50% or less yesterday, and more like 70% today; so I haven't given up yet. My suite-mate claims that she can understand what people say and can't reply! I can reply, but I don't know if it's the right answer. She's in the high intermediate class, and I'm in the intermediate. Thankfully I didn't place lower than I hoped, so I won't be losing time.

Went to see the Argentina-Germany game tonight with the same people. Confusing, since I don't usually catch what's happening, and the spectators are usually split, so if they cheer, I don't know which team scored (not that they score very often). This group watched in English, but it goes back and forth. One thing about the student lounge here is that people are always watching English channels, and often watching things with the utmost absorption that I would turn off in a second.

Last night after midnight, there was a sudden eruption of joy on the streets- horns, screaming, church bells ringing. I thought someone must have won a game, but apparently there was no game. It remains a mystery. Other interesting sounds heard from my room (which has the sound-proofing of a cardboard box) include serious brake screeching, sirens and conversations from outside. Just as well I can't understand them.

Signing off!

Perched on campus

Here I am, safe and sound! Sorry it took me so long to get online. The internet situation here is a little complicated, especially since they claim not to support Macs. There is a free wireless connection available, but those of us with Macs haven't succeeded in connecting yet.

I had great seatmates on all my flights. Amin from Jordan was next to me on the way from Chicago to Amman, and a man from Tunis sat next to me on the short flight to Beirut, and asked me to be a penpal for his daughters!

The AUB campus is lush and populated with plenty of cats. Yesterday (the first day), one came and sat on my lap while I was resting on a bench. I had to rest because the school is built on a hill, with my dorm at the bottom and all the other buildings at the top. The bench was on a crenellated outcropping on top of a mini-cliff. Yes, I am getting more than my fair share of exercise.

Beirut, at least the part I am in, is much different than I expected. I thought it would be flat and spacious, but it is all on large or small hills, and the streets are quite narrow. It's as if the city had been on a piece of cloth and someone had rumpled it up to fit it in the space available. It has a kind of medieval look because of the narrowness, even though most of the buildings are concrete multi-stories.

It's hard to grasp that this area has been the scene of so much violence, even though I saw buildings that had been bombed and not repaired yet. I've never been in a former war zone before. It all seems calm now!

Yesterday night I went out with my suite-mate, Romi, to meet with some of her friends from last summer and watch the Brazil-Ghana World Cup game. Then we went to eat something; then we went to another place (filled with smoke and excited people) to watch the France-Spain game. It was fun, but the smoke was not so great. This is Romi with Alaa', a very nice guy who will be going to Baghdad sometime soon to keep up with the news, since he works for Reuters. I would never have guessed.

Today we had an orientation and placement test. I was exhausted, because I woke up at 4 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep. I drank some coffee and felt worse; then took the 3-hour test (grueling) and had an interview. Finally I got some rest.

Most people are understanding my attemps at colloquial Arabic, but I can hardly understand what they say to me, so it's hard to carry on a conversation. I guess they are not used to speaking slowly. Also, they're happy I'm speaking Lebanese, but often answer me in English, which obviously doesn't improve my listening skills. Looking forward to those classes, starting tomorrow! I'll find out in the morning which one I'm in.

Blessings on all of you!

Great Expectations

What am I expecting to see when I get to Lebanon?

First of all, nice weather. Second, lots of people, very fashion-conscious people. They should all be speaking Arabic (or maybe Armenian?). Most of them will probably be incredibly hospitable. I hear everything is expensive. Other than that, I'm not sure what it will be like. Will everyone want to speak English with me? Hopefully not. I'm also thinking there will be a fair amount of misunderstandings.

The differences in cross-gender relationships are probably too extensive to encapsulate. I'll just try to observe and react as appropriate.

Will I be able to find my way around the city, or will I be stuck on the campus at the American University of Beirut, wishing I were brave enough to go out? Will I be able to find groceries, etc.? So many things to think about, but they are not occupying too much of my brain power because I am trying to get things wrapped up here. I will be posting pictures regularly, but you do not want to see what my house looks like right now.

The anthropologist in me wants to find out whether I have hidden expectations that will be proven wrong. What will thrill and shock me? ;-)

This time next week, I should be in Beirut! :-)