It's still crazy to think I am really here. My host Nabil was driving me back from the airport and telling me about “this is the Shiite territory and this is the Christian territory” (separated by a street), or “this is the road where the front line was back in May. We could see the planes bombing and where the bombs hit and the noise was unbelievable.” So surreal! On the other side of the fence of the house where I am staying is a bomb shelter left from the civil war. I will go exploring in there today.
So what is Beirut like? It's VERY dusty. No wonder they were always washing their feet in the Bible. The air actually smells dusty, if that makes sense. It's very warm (but you get amazing breezes off the ocean). There are a LOT of apartment buildings or just generally tall houses, all with flat roofs. The one I'm staying in has 4 floors. They build UP here. You are constantly hearing a 'popping' in the distance which is people hunting on the mountains at the back of the house. This morning I woke up at 4am to the sounds of a lone cock crowing...and I heard a big boom at one point and convinced myself it was not a bomb and went back to sleep. At 5am I was once again awakened by the call to prayer and then at 7am the Catholic monastery had a noisy rush of bells. But at night it is very still.
Yesterday I went to church soon after I arrived and it was an interesting service. They sang with great gusto in their voices and not much other expression. Mimi later told me that she struggled with this a lot until she became more fluent in Arabic and realised how expressive the words are. I didn't understand a whole lot but had an ear piece to hear the English translation. Unfortunately I was so tired I kept nodding off. Poor preacher man...it sounded like a great sermon but I can't remember what it was about.
Today is the beginning of school as Ramadan finished yesterday. I have no idea what I will be doing. But I thought I would just check in and let you all know that I am just fine and dandy.
Beirut at 4am
