In returning and rest

I've been back from Lebanon for a while now.  Several times in Beirut I tried to update the blog with photos, at least, but the internet was so slow.  I waited one hour once only to have my session timed out.

I moved into a house with one roommate.  I'm planning the trip back to Beirut in early January and praying for political peace and stability to hold tight until the trip is over, at least.  I'm not as worried about going myself.  But when my job turns from thinking about my own safety to the safety of 10 other people, it becomes a different story, a story that involves worried parents.

I'm learning what it means to do my job with excellence, how to live in community, and what it means to "return and rest."  I'll let you know how that goes.

لبنان

I leave for Lebanon tomorrow!  This has been a pretty last-minute trip and the details have been hectic.  I'll be updating here as I'm able.

Two days left.

Past few days have been zor zor busy.  Between school, the 10th grade camping trip, picnics, bowling nights, visits, visits, and more visits, there's little time for much else.  Things caught up with me this morning with a bout of food poisoning or some other stomach ailment... not very convenient on my second to last day.  I lasted about 40 minutes at the school this morning and when the director asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital (I had keeled over on his couch) I thought it best to go home.  Here are a few pictures from the past few days. 

Some of our tenth grade students.

"Camping"

We drove for a while near the cabin we stayed in to find a swimming hole.  It's pretty country.

Three of the tenth grade guys; little brothers.

Pictures from the school

Blessed

When I was last here, a year and a half ago, I met a couple of sisters at the school who had just moved back from California.  The transition back here from the West is especially difficult for girls (boys have free run of this place... girls stay home).  Being back this time, I've gotten to know the younger sister more, in the ninth grade, and two of her friends, one who grew up in Michigan and the other in Holland.

They sometimes complain about what they used to have, about how different life and school are here, and about how life back "home" is easier.  Today I challenged them to think about what they appreciate more about returning here, what's they've learned, and even what they like about this city.   

Here are a few of their answers, exactly as they wrote them (a few of the answers are what they now appreciate, or took for granted, living in the West, not what they appreciate about living here):

Things I've Learned to Appreciate Since Returning

1. Teachers

2. Sweet and Sour Chicken

3. Being accepted as a human being without paying attention to gender.

4. Starbucks

5. Free Speech

6. I can actually read and write in my own language! (weird, how sometimes I feel proud of this)

7. Life is not only about having fun, there are more serious (and more important) things that matter WAY MORE! (like being a good person/being a better sister and daughter/thinking about what you believe/perseverance/trust and loyalty).

8. Freedom

9. Electricity

10. Every second of every minute of my life

Things I Like Here

1. Being different from most others (another thing to appreciate: IT'S OKAY TO BE DIFFERENT!!!)

2. Having my family around 24/7

3. Friends

4. Lack of English Speakers

5. Free stuff at our family owned stores

Things I've Learned

1. I've learned that I'm very blessed by having what I have.

2. I've learned it's okay to not be skinny.

3. I can understand now why my mom wouldn't let me do the things she wouldn't let me do.

4. I've learned to enjoy women's rights (where given).

5. I've learned to appreciate teachers who care.

6. I've got to spend a lot more time with my family and by doing that learned about trust, loyalty, and love.

One of the students added this at the end:

"P.S. Thanks for having us do this, it's given me a better 'view' of life here.  I'll try not to compare everything with the past anymore"

About those US gas prices...

When I left here in summer 2005 I was paying about $2.50 to fill up my 70 liter 1982 Toyota Landcruiser.  It now costs $4.00 a gallon.  Taxis and other cars line up for hours to get gas.  When I was here before this post-conflict inflation doubled the price of some items each week (the cost of the school building went from $250,000 to over 1.5 million in just a year).  This country, even the stable regions, are going through significant transition.

Room with a View

Here's a view from my roof towards the mountains (location of many, many picnics).   I'm in a new neighborhood and we're renting the second floor flat from a Kurdish family.  Electricity is on for most of the night (but not the hottest part of the day) and we have an air cooler in the bedroom but I've taken to sleeping on the roof.

Here's a view south down the street.  The large building is one of many recently finished or in the process of being built, including a five-star hotel "skyscraper" on a hill with it's own bridge over to it.

First Day of School

Earlier this year a fire nearly destroyed the school.  The school had just been painted a beautiful, subtle cream.  Along with the new paint job, many books, computers and rooms were destroyed in the fire.  After the school was cleaned up, the administration decided to paint the entire school pink.  Two shades of pink, to be exact, with a third shade for the new vertical blinds.  I felt like I was walking through a large pepto bismol bottle or a Mary Kay mansion the first day I returned to the school.  I've been told you don't notice it as much over time.  I hope so.  Pink has become a very popular color here and adorns the facades of many homes.  Families use bright colors partly in reaction to the drab colors used under Saddam's time.  Color is a sign of freedom.  Even older women who typically wear all black or brown after 40 or so are wearing brighter colors.

The first day of school went well, although the school decided to stagger the starting date so this morning classes began only for grades 5-10.  When I was here before we had about 150-200 students in the building; now we have over 400 in grades pre-K to ten.  A marked difference, though, is the level of control the teachers are able to maintain.  As I walked by classrooms full of students in their seats, raising their hands, and waiting until they were called on to speak, I was amazed to see the worst kids from three years ago behaving.

I spent my morning working with the first and second grade math teacher (school for those grades begins tomorrow) helping her set goals for the year, prepare lessons plans, and go over activities she can use in the classroom.  Tomorrow I begin observing some teachers in the classroom.

More later.  Electricity is going off and then on again.  I need to post this and head home.  Hwa ha fees.  Good bye.

Bakherben

Bakherben, welcome. Ser chow, upon my eyes.