Winter Vacation 1

I don't even know where to begin with this blog, we have done so much in 2 weeks.

We got out of school on Dec. 17th and that night had a wine tasting party.  It was really fun and a nice way to unwind from everyone elses busy schedule..=) Michael made me a Christmas Clumsy and I wrote him a short story about how Clumsy ended up on our way. I am quite proud of it..=) So, overall we had quite the Clumsy celebration!

Then on Monday bright and early we headed off to Barcelona.  Our flight was fine and we had a lay over in Paris, which is the most insane aiport of all time.  Thankfully our building friends had warned us that the lines and security at Charles DeGull were long and ridiculous so we booked a flight we a 4 hour layover.  This was a huge blessing.  They had one person checking passports for everyone going through the one terminal.  The line was soo long.  Everyone around us was already late for their flights. People were cutting line and some people got in an argument about who should go first. One lady just kept walking past people as if they weren't there.  We were happy we listened to our friends. With the line and transfering terminals our 4 hour layover quickly became 2 hours.

Finally we got to Shelby and had the time of our lives in Barcelona. I felt like I was 21 again for a day or two. Then my body quickly let me know that I am about to be 30..=)

Pictures are in the next post. I don't know what happened.

Winter Vacation

 Cool Art work in Barcelona

 Las Ramblas- a popular street in Barcelona

 A Gaudi building. His architecture is all over Barcelona and its all amazing.

 The Cathedral.

Barcelona's Arc de Triomf!

 The Sagrada de Familia Church ---as by Gaudi. It is still not finished they have been working on it for almost 150 years.

 The Sagrada is based on nature, even I could tell that and I know nothing about architecture.

 This was one of my favorite things in Barcelona. Some people don't have a Santa Claus. So they have Caga Tio, it is a log you beat with a stick until it poops out presents! AMAZING!

 At an awesome wine bar. Super Happy!  We waited 3 hours for this place to open..=)

 Parc de Guell...this is an entire park with sculptures by Gaudi, right next to his old house. It is also a lesson in not sitting like a trucker!

 Sitges. A cool coastal town outside of Barcelona. It was 65 and sunny. People were sunbathing. The perfect day!

 Christmas ball light dancing!

I will post pictures from Paris later. It seems I have done quite a bit today.  I have so many more pictures I could post. It was really hard to limit myself. Barcelona was an amazing city and we had the best tour guides in town. I loved every minute of it. 

I don't usually make New Years resolutions, but this year after looking back on the last two weeks. I am going to work on being more appreciative. I have such amazing things going on in my life now and down the road. I want to make sure to take the time to stop and enjoy them. I think Michael will be a valuable part in this because he seems to be really good at enjoying the small things and the big things. I am so lucky to have such a great travel partner through life.

I thought I would dread coming back to Beirut because of the mixed emotions the last 4 months have brought and although I was horribly sad to leave my friends and family again ( I am not sure how many more times I can do that). I am happy and content to be back in Beirut. Which is a huge relief. This is my home for now and I am going to do what I can to make it a success.  I know I will still have some ups and downs but each day I get a little more comfortable and find more of a routine. I am not intimidated by the strange differences between here and the States anymore. Although I will not be riding in any open door white vans anytime soon. (this is beirut's answer to public transportation) They are just a part of this world.  We will see if I am still singing this happy tune in two weeks when I have to work on a Saturday!

Istanbul

On Wednesday, Michael and I decided last minute to meet our friend Molly in Istanbul, this decision quickly determined that we would also be meeting Shelby there as well.  The girls and I had started a countdown til we saw each other in Barcelona and it went from 12 days to 1 day very quickly.

Since, it was so last minute we left for Istanbul not knowing much of anything about it. I think I figured it would look like a twin of Beirut.  Wow, could I have been more wrong. Which is not something I like to say often!

We got off the plane, it was a quick 1 and a half hour flight for us and boarded a bus for downtown.  The bus ride took us through a part of Turkey, that could have been Centreville or Sterling set on the water.  I was shocked. There were apartments and chain stores everywhere. I had no idea that it would feel so suburban in Turkey.

The bus ride took us only twenty minutes which was great because I was jumping out of my seat to see Shelby and Molly and we had just limited time.  When we got off the bus in Takism square which is a huge location in Istanbul, everyone knows it. There are buses and cabs and the metro all right there.

So, then we spent the next two days doing as much as possible.  And I fell in love with Istanbul. It was super cold but it was so beautiful.  There were rows and rows of townhouses and apartments where we stayed and they each had such beautiful character and personality.  The city felt welcoming and open at the same time.  However, I have never seen so many people in my life, except for people in Times Square, but this is a much smaller space.  Shelby actually got stuck on a small man-made bridge that went over construction because there were so many people trying to cross the bridge no one moved.  I couldn't believe it!

The mosques were amazing, the views were amazing. I truly loved it. I was also surprised, although I am not sure why by the number of people that did not speak but a few words on English. I have gotten so spoiled that most people in Beirut speak English that I take it for granted. There was a lot of hand gesturing and motioning.  It was actually nice to see that as Americans we have not taken over all languages and cities of the world...=)

The Turkish Evil Eye Pendant or the Nazar Boncugu, which literally means the "evil eye bead", is actually a stone bead, which is worn to protect oneself from evil looks. The stone is an amalgamation of molten glass, iron, copper, water and salt. This particular combination of minerals and metals is believed to provide a shield from the forces of evil.

The Evil Eye pendant has the symbol of an eye worked upon it. The symbol of the eye is regarded as a potent amulet for protection against evil forces in almost every culture of the world like Jewish, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhist and Christian. Thus, in Turkey, you have an eye for an eye.

It is believed that the Nazar Boncugu deflects the negative energy that is being directed towards a person onto itself, thus dispersing its powers.

The Nazar Boncugu is blue in color and the age-old Anatolian belief is that it is actually the blue color of the stone, which holds the real shielding power and absorbs the negative energy.

Quick One!

I got my first Lebanese haircut this week. I was nervous to go on my own, some people's hair here leaves something to be desired.  A lot of Platinum blondes and big waves. So, I had my friend Carla from school who is Lebanese call ahead and tell them in Arabic what I wanted.
So, I went to her hair place and first I got taken downstairs and then Carla told me that a Lebanese lady with the platinum blond was not happy that I was taken down first and Carla got an arguement for me, about how I made a reservation. So, she is a good friend to have..=)

Then who I thought was the hairstylist came and we again went over what I wanted. He putted to a blonde streak in my hair and said you want it this color? Yes! Perfect.

Then the real hairstylist came down and got to work.  Everything seemed to be what I was used to from the States so I was feeling at ease.  Then the Platinum blonde lady from before came down to get her hair done. She needed her roots to not be pitch black..=).. She was obviously curious about what I was having done because I kept hearing her and the hairstylist say highlights/lowlights. However, that is all I could understand and it was unsettling when they all laughed together. So, I decided I should call Michael and speak in Spanish, even if I am not using the right words because it is unfair that they can understand me in English and I can't understand anything.  Pretty mature, I think!

So, long story short. As the hairstylist was cutting my hair, he said I am going to cut away the blonde, its too much and it doesn't look good with your face.  First of all, excuse me! Second of all, weren't you supposed to be making my hair blonde, and if you are cutting it away, then I am either going to be bald or we failed to communicate appropriately.

I said "if not blonde what color did you make my hair, his response was the lightest shade of honey." What?? No one knows what shade that is.  So, I gritted my teeth and got very lucky. It does look great. I just think that this is really funny story. I might be the only one though, I also wanted it in my blog because this is also like a memory log for me.

IF you made this far, here are some pictures of our night out on Saturday

 Arabic Karaoke in case you were curious and one day thought to yourself..hmm I wonder what Karaoke sounds like in Arabic

 The sexy video pictures that go with French Karaoke songs!

Pictures

 My office inside and out. yes it is a small box outside!

The Gondola's and our friend Emily at the Grottos

 At the top of the Grottos!

 The train I didn't get to ride..=(

 No idea!

Half of the Thanksgiving Day Spread!!

Thanksgiving and the Grottos

This is the lower cavern of the Jieta Grottos.

This is part of the upper-cave of the Grottos.

Last weekend we took a cab up to the Jieta Grottos. They are about a 20 minute drive up the mountains from Beirut.  We went with 6 of us and crammed into a hatchback (known to the cab company as the big car) and headed out.  The drive up was full of lots of traffic and since no one stays in a lane, there aren't even any painted on the roads, we spent a lot of time idling next to another car an inch away and enjoying their gas fumes! The Lebanese believe its good for the soul. Just kidding, they don't care either way.

However, when we got to the Grottos, we headed down a long road into a valley and the air immediately cleared and the scenery was beautiful.  There were lots of trees and some water. There were people with huts on the side of the road that walked towards your car trying to sell you stuff.

I saw two guys a week ago with crates in a big truck on the side of the highway and they were selling snails. It was super gross they were everywhere. I don't just not want to eat snails but I definitely don't want to eat ones off the side of the highway. I was with my mentor when I saw them and she spent 20 minutes explaining Escargot to me, she does not have a lot of faith in my American education or understanding of any culture but my own. =)

The Grottos have been turned into a bit of a tourist trap, we rode up to the entrance of the Cave in a Gondola.  It was very exciting until we got to the top and realized it just took us up a hill and we could have easily walked.  Normally, I would choose a Gondola over a walk, but in a country where there are minimal laws and regulations, getting in a device that suspends you high into the air, is a brave thing to do.  When was the last time this Gondola was serviced or taken in for repairs?  HMM, some questions are better left unanswered and if we died they would simply say, "its Lebanon, we have other things to worry about." We here this about everything from the trash in the Sea to the cat shit on the side of the road.

Thankfully we all made it safe and sound and the Caves were well worth it.  They were nominated as the 8th wonder of the world but got 2nd place to a place in China.  You can not take pictures inside so I suggest you google Jieta Grottos.  In the lower cavern you get to take a flat bottom boat and drive underneath the low hanging rocks.  Super fun!
There was also a train that took you down the hill but it took too long so we decided to walk. I was very disappointed in this.  I am a big fan of I paid for it, I will wait for it. However, I did think about the safety features again. Also, not even the kids riding it looked happy, so I think I won in the end.
We also got a to watch a 15 minute video that pretty much wasted my life.  I would like my money and my 15 minutes back from the creator.  It was one of the last remaining videos from 1970. They mostly just played trickling water, so all I learned was where the nearest toilet was.  I also learned that in a foreign country, toilet is always a more understood word than bathroom. *Fun Fact*

There was also a "zoo" that was really depressing. They actually had a squirrel in a cage with a tree in the middle.  It was so sad to watch him run up and down the tree over and over. It seems like it would have been better not to put him with a tree. I bet he runs it a 1000 times everyday, not remembering that it leads to nowhere.  Who needs a squirrel in a cage anyways. They are everywhere!!! It was so weird, but don't fret he also had two turtle friends.  I never thought I would see a squirrel in a cage for viewing. If I want to see one I just have to sit outside for 5 minutes.

With all that being said the Grottos were truly amazing!

We had a very nice Lebanese Thanksgiving.  We got the day off because it also happened to be the Lebanese Independence Day from France.  So, that was a nice coincidence.  We went over to the President of our schools house with the other foreign hires. It was about 30 people in total.  The Presidents catering staff took care of the turkey and we all brought a dish to share.  I made Michaels rice stuffing that Michael loves, it was not as good as hers but I will get better. Michael made his amazing pecan pie. It was really wonderful since we couldn't be with family.  We then did a white elephant gift exchange and I think Michael and I, not very shockingly, took the cheap gift limit a little too far.  Michael brought toilet paper and fiber crackers we have had since we arrived. I stuffed our broken soccer ball with a used oven mitt. In the oven mitt I put chopsticks from our junk drawer and coupons to our school cafeteria that I got for free.  So, I didn't even spend the $5 limit. A spouse from our school ended up with that gift so she can't even use the coupons, I found it all to be very hilarious. I ended up with a bottle of wine. Combses win again!
Then we watched some football and went to bed early because we had to work the next day.  Several teachers at school wished me a Happy Thanksgiving which was very nice.

The day before Independence Day the preshcool dedicated the whole day to honoring their Lebanese heritage. It was very cool, however, everyone in the teachers talked in Arabic all day. So, I had little to no idea what was going on most of the day.  It was quite overwhelming.  They do a dance here called the Dobke, you should Google it, it is quite entertaining to watch. Someone did a flash mob of it in the airport and put it on Youtube, that is also fun.  So, some kids wore traditional hats(they look like fez hats) some girls wore traditional dresses. It was fun to be a part of.  Then at noon all the kids met on the playground and everyone danced and sang the national anthem and waved flags around. I think from now on in the states I am going to be much more enthusiastic fro the 4th of July. Look out everyone with all my free time I might just create a dance. The whole event just further confirmed my theory that the Lebanese love to dance and dance and dance.

In a side note to Tim, the Salsa dance night was cancelled so no more "look me in the eyes" and no more because "I am a good dancer." I am not sure why it was cancelled, I painted it in such a positive light. haha. Its a sad day in Lebanon for sure when Salsa night can't stand the test of time.
However, there is always a bright side and it rained really hard last night so today the sidewalks are free of cat shit! It is a great day in Lebanon after all.

On a another side note, everyone in the States that has a smartphone should download the app Viber. Then we can text message and call for free, as long as we both have internet. It isn't prefect but its a nice option.  If you have an Iphone we can text if you have your Icloud on.


Today I am going to go see the last Twilight movie. I am pretty excited actually and even if it is in Arabic, I think because of the high quality of acting known in the films that I should be able to tell what is going on and how people are feeling. They are just so good..=) Obviously, I am kidding. Mom keeps asking me what language our movies are in and once again English rules the world.  There are Arabic subtitles since they are the mast majority and should have to read that their movies, but I am not complaining!

Less than a month til Barcelona! Beyond excited!!!

Fun Pictures just because..

 Look how grown up I am!

 It has become a weekend ritual for us to go to a coffee shop and Michael grades papers and I read. We are so International and fancy!

 

Great News!

Thanks to all my hairbrush man blog supporters! Mostly my Mom because she might be the only one who saw my blog yesterday but the Hairbrush man is BACK!  So, glad he is ok. I guess it is true that you can get what you ask for!!

Finally, my Mom informed me that my pootp (thats slang for poo toilet paper) talk was embarassing since her friends read my blog. All I can say is that pay back is sweet for all the times you "accidently/intentionally" embarassed me in front of my friends..MUAHHHAHAHAHAHA.

However, the real moral of yesterday's toilet paper rant was a warning that you might not want to invite Michael and I to your houses this summer because we know longer know how to properly dispose of toilet paper! Just a friendly head's up!


I found out today that a student in the KGII (that is the equivalent) of Kindergarten wrote that her favorite thing about school so far was reading with me.  It was so sweet. I can't even remember when I read with her but I am glad she does.  It seems I am finally finding my niche here and it feels great.

It was also interesting to be in a forgein country during a Presidential election.  Several, of the teachers at the school mentioned it and seemed to be Obama fans.  Most however did not real feelings one way or another. Not surprisingly.  I know everyone complains about our government and our Presidents but maybe we should just be thankful we are even allowed to vote.  A teacher said today, "you think your government is unstable, you don't even get to pick ours." Let's all remember the privileges of being an American and stop bitching! I am pretty sure not many of us ran the risk of getting hit with a car bomb in America in the last few years!

Anyways, that is my rant for today!
I started a Christmas break holiday countdown today, it is a little farther away than I would like.
Can't wait to see everyone!

More pictures down this way, if you are still reading..=)
This is more of Byblos that our friend Tyson took and our awesome/insane new curtains

 This picture is a little close to my face for my liking but I thought my Mom would like it.

 The one house left near the castle in Byblos!

 Yes those are flower cut outs in the curtains

 These curtains a. match our bed perfectly (not!! yeah I brought not back) and b. are the shiniest material known to man. Michael could make a fine kings cloak or put on a drama theatre with them.