First Full Day in Jordan

I only have two days here, so I need to make the most of them. The plan is to visit schools tomorrow, so I decided to do a little sight seeing today, then hook up with friends later for a visit. I began my day by having a wonderful Jordanian breakfast. The second taxi driver of the day before gave me his number, so I called him to ask for a lift into town. He dropped me at the Citadel, agreeing to pick me up at King Hussein Mosque 3 hours later. What a change in the area! In just two years the Citadel has been transformed. I still recognized and remembered the temple of Zeus and the Umayyad Mosque, but much of the rubble had been cleared away and the paths and informative plaques were all new. So, too, was the museum displaying many fine artifacts from the early neolithic up through King David's time. When I get back to the monastery and my camera chord, I'll download and add the pictures. The view from the Citadel is panoramic, and the city lay out below, a pale jumble of minarets and apartments. But there was no call to prayer, as I stood looking out over Amman, and I missed it. I walked down the hill towards the Roman amphitheatre, which was much as I remembered, and the souk next to King Hussein Mosque. The souk is a crowded warren of stalls, shoved higgeldy piggledy into the space next to and behind the shops and mosque. I jostled my way through, looking for a snack, but not finding anything I was really interested in until I reached the apothecary/spice shop directly next to the mosque. There I found some zatar and made my purchase. I'm not sure how long it will keep double wrapped in plastic. I'll have to check to see if there is a recipe for it in my cookbook. Tired, but ready to head back, I awaited Rami, who promptly picked me up and delivered me back at my hotel. A call from Hiyam later woke me, and I met her and her husband downstairs for coffee and a visit. Mustafa was unable to join us due to car issues. I hadn't met her delightful husband yet, nor seen her beautiful baby boy. When last I saw Hiyam, she was pregnant with him, and not feeling too well. She's hoping to return to the US next fall for more study, and we joked that she might return pregnant yet again. Her baby is adorable. I knew I had a long day the next day, and Hiyam and her husband live an hour from Amman, so we made it an early night. Travel home to Beirut, then US tomorrow!

Two Of Us Return

All of us were saddened at leaving the monastery, but anxious to get home to family and loved ones. I don't think Jody or Sheila were looking forward to that long flight back. I know I'm not! We said our goodbyes the night before to Fr. Andre, who has been keeping a rather grueling schedule and hasn't slept for a few days. It seems that is often the case with Pere Andre. He works 24-7, with little rest. Fr. Johnny took us to the airport, and we managed to check in and had a last coffee and croissant together. As Jody mentioned, it's obvious Lebanon was once a French colony; the croissants are lovely! I was a bit aprehensive, traveling on my own to Jordan, but quickly the excitement of meeting my friends and making new ones overtook me. I managed to take the bus from the airport into Amman (it's between 35 and 45 JD to take a taxi and 3 JD to take the bus!) and then caught a taxi who dropped me at the wrong hotel! I caught another to the right one, and got situated. Manal called shortly after I'd checked in, and she and her family (minus the three younger kids) took me out for a fabulous Jordanian meal. Her husband offered to arrange for me to visit two schools in Madaba, and since I've had difficulties in getting in touch with the King's Academy there, I was so grateful. Mustafa called while we were at dinner, and is planning to have his cousin drive him into town from Irbid and take me out to dinner Monday night. People here are just so kind! I've missed my Jordanian friends and it's lovely to see them again. I only wish I could stay longer, but I confess to missing home and family, in particular my son, and so I won't be sorry to head home on Wednesday. I'll certainly plan to return to the Middle East, however, and hopefully sooner rather than later, and next time with John!

Our Last Day in Lebanon

We had an early start, today, meeting at the school by 7:30am to board a coach for a tour up North. Many of the teachers joined us, and we had a marvelous day of it! Our first stop was Tripoli, where we stopped for breakfast. Of course, Jodie, Sheila and I had Lebanese pastries with Georgia, though I've never seen Georgia eat one. It must be why she stays so slim! Maya found a Lebanese cookbook for me (in English) that Georgia said she also uses, so now I'm excited to try making some of the marvelous food we've all been tasting these last two weeks. After returning to the bus, we traveled up to a Maronite monastery. Fr. Andre explained to me that the people of Lebanon relate to St. Isaiah (I may have this name wrong; he usually holds a sword in hand) and the virgin Mary both; that they are opposites, in a sense, but they need both the strength of the sword and the gentleness of the mother in this war torn land. We lunched in Fr. Andre's village, after visiting a lovely church where the rosary was first said. The church was said to be devoted to the "lady of the washing", since women used to come far and wide to the little church to wash their sins away. We visited another lovely little chapel built from stones by a woman whose son was dying. She prayed to the saint to have her son spared for 10 years, and in return she would build the chapel. She did so, and her son was spared, though he did die just ten years later. Lunch was a fun filled affair, with plenty of food (of course) and dancing! Everyone joined in, even Sheila! On our way back from the far North, we stopped in the port again to take a little ferry ride. Tripoli is ideally positioned as a sea port, and Syria covets it. Over the years, this has caused strife within the region, but all is calm at present. We sleepily boarded the bus after our ferry ride, and said our teary goodbyes when we returned late that evening to school. We'll miss you, Lebanon, but most especially we'll miss the beautiful, generous, and warm hearted people who made our stay so memorable. I can't imagine a more lovely gift than the gift of their friendship.

Girls Night Out-Lebanese Style

We spent a lovely morning at the beach again today, but sorely missed our playmates, Michel and Nadia. They, of course, had school. But we enjoyed Rania’s company, and I even managed to capture a small sand crab before he disappeared down his little hole. On the way back to the monastery, Rania treated us to some delicious Lebanese treats; baklava, znoud el sit(my personal fav) and halawet al jeben. I’ve acquired a cookbook here, so at least I’ll have the names and pictures, even if I can’t follow the recipes! The afternoon and evening was spent at Maya’s. Rania and her two children joined us and we had a lovely time just relaxing with a Lebanese family. They had a darling Persian kitten named Sushi. I mentioned I needed a trim, and before you could say “Hey. Presto!”, Maya had me down in the salon below her apartment getting my hair done. Sheila was transformed as well and Jodie got her toes done, so we all had our “girl fix”. One of the things you learn quickly here, is that if you are a friend, you’re like family. The generosity and kindness showered upon you is both unending and SO heartfelt and sincere! Sometimes it overwhelms you, and you are so moved and touched that words simply escape you. We even had a chance to meet Maya's older brother, whom Maya obviously adores. Family is everything to the Lebanese. Children rarely leave home before they're married. It's quite uncommon, unlike the United States. Maya is obviously proud of both her mother and big brother, and she has every right to be! They were both charming. We were facing an early morning the next day, including Maya, so we all headed back to the monastery to begin packing and getting ready for our last day in Lebanon.

The Maronite Orphanage

One of the most wonderful experiences of the trip had to be our visit to the Maronite orphanage up in the hills above Beirut. The orphanage has recently come under the patronage of the Maronites, and the faculty and parents of AIS have started a social (justice) committee that is dedicated to helping causes such as this one. We viewed a marvelous video about the committee's work, which Maya narrated for us, and then traveled to the orphanage for a visit. After a short tour of the school and dorms, a visit to the classrooms, and a short coffee break, we all donned funny clown outfits and played with the children. They loved our goofy looks, although I think some of the younger ones were a bit scared! Fr. Johnny was the biggest hit, jumping about and playing with the children like a big kid himself. They just loved him! We did face painting, and had competitions and danced. The nurses and several teachers from AIS joined us as well, and their energy and enthusiasm for these young kids was infectious. After returning to the monastery and a brief rest, Mrs. Khoury and her three delightful children arrived to take us up the mountain for a lovely dinner outside. Jules, Nicolette and Audrey were charming! Dr. Khoury is the sponsor of this trip, and we've all remarked numerous times about how grateful we are for this amazing experience. Mrs. Khoury and her children just recently moved, and yet she still found the time to play hostess, and charmed us with her beautiful gift of elegant candles at the end of the evening. I loved Mrs. Khoury's beautiful French accent, and her candle factory, at one time in France, has since been moved (I believe) to Lebanon. She fits right in in this country where most people speak French as well as they do Arabic.

Notre Dame de Lebanon-Our Lady of Lebanon

Today began with a lesson in French flower dissection with Ms. Karin’s 6th grade. The children were delightful and they all helped me learn the parts of the flower in French. Some of the names are the same as English, and others are quite different, but they were patient with my fumbling French and sweetly presented me with the flowers that were left over at the end of the lesson. I was charmed. I spent a lovely day teaching Ms. Georgia’s 9th grade Chemistry about atomic structure and Ms. Maya’s 10th grade about the history of atomic theory, though we did start with a quiz on Symbiosis from the day before. They seemed a bit shocked that I would do that to them, but quickly got over it, and mostly did quite well on the quiz. After classes today, and before lunch, the three of us were entertained by the 1st through 4th grades. Mireille led them in singing songs and then their teachers helped them each with their presentations. It was just adorable. There was a wedding feast, a powerpoint all about us (apparently my hair is like the sun and my face is like the moon!) and then a contest where we tried to make Zatar on bread (Jody won), put together a puzzle of northern Lebanon (I won) and make a traditional hat (Sheila won). I guess we all have our talents. I’ve never been much of a cook! Perhaps my analytical side won out. After a late, but tasty lunch, we headed to Harissa with Fr. Johnny and Maya. We met Rania of the beach expedition along with her husband George, and their two children. We chose to take the gondola to Harissa instead of driving up. It’s a spectacular ride, with views out over the Mediterranean that take your breath away. Jody and Nadiya reenacted the famous Titanic scene from one of the gondola stations on the way up! Harissa is an enormous statue of the Virgin Mary atop Mt. Lebanon, and it is said that when she was placed atop the lovely little church over 100 years ago, she turned to face the sea. You can climb around the outside of the church, winding your way to the top, and pray to Notre Dame de Lebanon and look out over the truly spectacular views from the summit.

Later, Katya and her husband El came to the monastery to take us out for the evening. It was an absolutely delightful and relaxing time, enjoying the company of this young couple and their two young children, Jimmy and Joyen. We visited several local saint’s shrines and ended the evening with sweets at a local bakery. The children charmed us all, especially Joyen, with his amazing and beautiful eyes.

Bilblos or Jbeil

Monday we began our day teaching, and then spent the afternoon at the monastery catching up on laundry and email. It’s heavenly to have clean clothes again! Nicholas, Linda’s husband, picked us up around 8 pm for dinner at their house. They have three lovely children at AIS, two daughters and a son. Georgia was able to join us and Linda pulled out all the stops, as we say in the US, making a fantastic meal for us topped with a delicious traditional Lebanese desert. I really do need to find a cook book before I head home! Unfortunately, I left my camera at the monastery, but I think Jody got some good pictures that I may be able to add later. Tuesday we again taught in the morning. We’re finally figuring out where the classrooms are located and able to get around without constantly asking questions of everyone. It’s a good feeling. Fr. Freiha sits in the main hallway of the upper school, and is always available to ask directions, but I like not having to rely on others to find my way around. He has a basket, and all students deposit their cell phones in the basket as they enter in the mornings and then pick them up at the end of the day. Since the school is relatively small, especially in the upper grades, that’s not a huge issue. I can’t imagine collecting 8-900 cell phones at BBHS! How would you keep them all straight?! I taught an 11th grade Chemistry class…only 16 students, then on to a 10th grade class with Ms. Maya about Biology. They were giving botony topic presentations, one of which was symbiosis, and I gave them some examples from the Pacific Northwest of the three types of symbiosis. Tomorrow I’ll give them a short pop quiz! We’ll see how well they listened! After a lovely lunch at the monastery, we headed to Biblos, also called Jbail, with Nadine and Jozian. I’m getting so spoiled…meals are always so lovely here. Everyone sits down and there’s rarely fewer than 3 or 4 dishes served, with fruit to follow. The American tradition of eating on the run seems to be absent here altogether. I’m definitely adopting the fruit after meals idea. I just love that. Of course, the melons here are to die for, they’re so delicious. Nadine and Jozian took us to the Lebanese American University first. It has two campus’, one in Beirut, and one outside the city nearer Biblos. It’s lovely there, much quieter, though they are doing a great deal of construction. The University is growing. I was particularly interested in their summer Arabic program. I’ve found I love learning languages, and certainly the best way for me is to be immersed in the culture as I assimilate the unfamiliar sounds and sentence structures. Mr. gave us a tour of the campus, and it is obvious that he takes great pride in his lovely University and its excellent course offerings. The old ruins of Biblos were next on our agenda. Jozian found a marvelous guide at the monument who charmed us with his knowledge and wonderful sense of humor. A former teacher himself, he taught us how to write our names in Phoenician and pointed out many of the most interesting sights. Biblos is considered to be one of, if not the oldest, inhabited cities in the Middle East. Nineteen different cultures conquered, stayed, and then moved on or were ousted by newcomers. Of course, one of the most famous inhabitants was the Phoenicians. At this ancient site they’ve found evidence of the Phoenicians magnificent burial jars everywhere, and inside the jars were the dead, buried in the fetal position and ready to be reborn into the next life. Even the jars were womb shaped. He pointed out the theatre and the tombs, as I recall they found seven tombs on the sight, and six had been robbed. These tombs were made by digging an extremely deep hole for the sarcophagus, then filling the hole with sand and setting the sarcophagus atop this. After the body was sealed inside the sarcophagus, they dug out the sand from underneath and around it, gradually lowering the sarcophagus down inside. I’m not sure how the diggers ever got back out! Maybe they didn’t! Jody played the king, as our guide told us of playing in the ruins as a child and using a local plant to paint themselves as the ancients once did. I think she made a very impressive king! Shopping in the local souk followed, and we all found treasures to bear home before heading back to Ajaltoun and dinner with the parents association. Unfortunately for us, we had no time to return to the monastery to change, so we were feeling a tad dusty and dowdy for such an elegant restaurant, but our hosts were so charming that we were soon laughing and forgetting to be self conscious. Parents who send their children to Catholic schools share a common theme worldwide: their children are their life, and they are interested and concerned about their preparation for later education and for their future. It was a joy chatting with the lovely people at my end of the table. We shared pictures of our kids, talked about the similarities and differences in culture, and what we most enjoyed about Lebanon. Lebanon is a fascinating mix of the old and the new. They are redefining themselves, it seems to me, choosing what parts of western culture they wish to incorporate, but wisely maintaining the pieces of their own culture that give them distinction and make them unique. I could honestly tell them that I love it here, that I love their sense of family and community. They treasure that and I find it so delightful. Moving back to Seattle last year to be closer to my family was one of the best decisions I’ve made, and my only regret being here in Lebanon is that my family, in particular my son, isn’t here to share all this with me.

The Cedars of Lebanon

Sunday began with mass at 10:30 in the lovely chapel just outside my door. Each morning in Lebanon we’ve awoken to the sounds of the rooster crowing at dawn and the bells ringing just before 7am to call the faithful to prayer. Actually, we’ve been awake long before either of those events, but as we become more adjusted to the time frame, I think they’ll begin to act as our alarm clock. Sunday we got up a bit later and readied ourselves for a day of sightseeing by attending the beautiful mass in the chapel. The Maronite mass is sung, partly in Aramaic, the language of Jesus, and partly in Arabic. Although none of us understand the words, the flow and cadence is familiar, and some of the words can be picked out. For example, our Amen is pronounced Ameen and the recitation of the creed has a familiar ring to it too. The mass is performed each morning at 7am, except Sunday, when it’s performed later and far better attended. The little chapel was crowded Sunday morning. After mass we met in the monastery’s salon and visited with the parishioners. One of them was a beautiful woman who sang at the mass. She had a glorious voice, and as she was speaking with Jodie and Sheila, it suddenly dawned on me that I had seen her face many times before on billboards and posters all over Beirut. She was the famous singer Joumana Mdawar! Kindly, Fr. Andre provided us each with two of her CD’s. Shortly after, Fr. Freiha arrived to take us to the north, to visit The Cedars of Lebanon. Fr. Freiha spent a number of years in Australia where he ministered to many Lebanese who originated from this very area. Consequently he knew many people who live near The Cedars. We stopped to visit with one family, and were so touched by the patriarch who was grieving the recent loss of his wife. They were married for over 30 years, and she had taken loving care of him all this time. He was bereft. It was difficult, since they spoke little English and of course our Arabic is non-existent, but Fr. Freiha conveyed our deepest condolences. He seemed to particularly connect with Jodie, and sat holding her hand and weeping quietly. The recent loss of my mother and grief of my father was brought to mind for me, and I was moved to tears myself, as was Sheila who has also lost a parent. After coffee and a brief visit, we next traveled to the summer residence of the Maronite order, where there was a stunning chapel, and then on to the chapel of St. Charbel, one of four Maronite saints. He was sainted for his
miracles, particularly his ability to heal the sick, and in his chapel/house there is a wall covered in rosaries, pictures, and momentos of the people St. Charbel has helped. It is said he continues to work his miracles today. The town where St. Charbel’s home is located, was so quaint and beautiful.
The narrow streets are cobbled and the buildings are all red tiled and stone sided, perched on the hillsides overlooking the valley of the saints. We traveled to the Cedars after that, but since we were all feeling a little hungry by this time, we stopped for lunch first. Fr. hwas the consummate host, as they all have been since we arrived. We’re getting quite spoiled by the treatment! Lunch was mesas, the traditional Lebanese starters of hummus, babganoush, lebnya (a thick yougurt), and vegetables. This is followed by skewers of meat, chicken and sausage. The chicken is often served with a garlic sauce that is particularly delicious. Fresh fruit follows, and if you like, Turkish coffee and sweets, though we stopped at the fruit. Following lunch we spent a lovely hour or so walking through the Cedars of Lebanon, enjoying the light as it faded amongst the trees. It was beautiful. Jodie is turning into my artistic director. I love to take pictures, and she has an uncanny knack of finding the right composition, so I think my photos are getting better and better as the trip progresses.
We enjoyed making purchases of small gifts and mementos to take home from the stalls that lined the road next to The Cedars, and then headed home. By this time it was dark, but Fr. Freiha expertly navigated the winding road back to Beirut. The drive is about 2 hours from Beirut to The Cedars, and on the way back, Father stopped to get us ice cream cones. Of course we were fainting from hunger at this point, so just in time! They were an unusual flavor, very good, but not exactly vanilla. I’m not sure what to call it. The closest I can come is Molly Moo's lavender ice cream that we had at the start of the school year. Very delicate. And of course, rolled in crushed pistachios. You wouldn’t want it to be too low calorie, now would you?! Fr. Andre had planned a dinner out at a famous Lebanese restaurant with several of the teachers, including our friend Maya. We met there on the way back, because they were waiting to greet us with this great meal! I’ve finally figured out the trick here. Mo, Mike, pay attention. You accept a very small portion of everything. Nibble a bit and push it around on your plate. Don’t EVER clean off your plate or they’ll insist on putting more food on it! You say "La, la, la, la!" That's no four times, and they won't pile your plate with more food. You might actually survive without gaining 100 lbs if you follow this advice, but I’m not going to guarantee it!

A Day at the Beach

We spent a lovely morning at the beach with Rania and her two children, Michael and Nadia. The days have been unseasonably hot here, even for Lebanon, and a bit muggy, so we were all looking forward to cooling off in the Mediterranean. Jody laughingly sprinted into the water, kawabunga style! I dove in and Sheila, who hadn't planned to get all the way in at all, found herself immersed in moments. The water was heavenly, and we all swam and talked and floated, enjoying the gentle rollers and the beautiful clarity of the water. So relaxing! Jody and Nadia had a ball rolling down the sand into the water, and I'm not sure we'd have gotten Sheila out of the water if we hadn't had another event we were attending. I could have happily splashed around all day. Interstingly, beaches in Lebanon are all private, and you need to be a member of the beach to be able to use it. Lucky for us, Rania's family is a member of one close by, and generously offered to take us there. She's a delightful person, an active parent at the school, involved in the twinning committee, the committee dedicated to creating and maintaining a connection between our two schools. She's promised to try to get us to the beach again, and if the weather holds, and we can find the time, we all really want to take her up on that offer! Such a generous and kind person! We returned to the monastery refreshed and relaxed, ready to enjoy our afternoon. After a quick shower and clean up, we headed to another family's home. They have two sons at the school; Joseph and Leo . Tony and Luna, the parents, have a lovely villa overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and we enjoyed another amazing luncheon fit for royalty, all lovingly prepared by Luna. Luna is one of the administrators in the elementary school. Her husband Tony, now retired, is a builder. They're doing all the work on their lovely home themselves, and the care they've taken is certainly obvious! It's beautiful! Fr. Andre, Fr. Johnny and Georgia joined us. The previous night I mentioned to Georgia that my son is a particularly fine muscian, and that I hoped to find some Lebanese music to take home for him. She arrived at the party with several CD's which we played (and danced to!) on the patio. They were all fantastic, so I'm sure I'll have no trouble finding the right music for John! After dinner we played a rousing game of Guesstures . Their youngest son, Leo, was obviously the best at it, easily pantomiming what he wanted the others to guess. Jody dove into the game with enthusiasm, and Sheila surprised me by having hidden talents in this area! Who knew? We returned to the monastery later that evening after a relaxing and most enjoyable day.

Beirut by Night

Today began the first day of teaching as well as an all school mass followed by our presentation. Working in the classrooms with the kids was fantastic! As Jody said, there wasn't enough time! We all presented the gifts we had brought at mass, and offered a prayer of thanks for our reception and the gift of being able to embrace this new connection between our schools. I was particularly impressed by how engaged all the students were in mass, singing and participating with enthusiasm. Of course, the little angels sort of stole the show! After lunch, Jody, Sheila and I made a 2 hour presentation to the faculty and parents about education in America and how we think we both can benefit from this partnership in learning. It went well, despite our nervousness before hand, but I can't deny that it was a relief to have it completed. Now we can all concentrate on preparing for our classes next week. A walking tour of downtown Beirut followed, with a visit to an art exhibition called Arabicity and dinner out. I dance for exercise, not usually out at clubs, but I found the energy of the night life infectious, and even though tired, we had a good time. I'm convinced we'll catch up on the sleep this weekend and all be readjusted by next week!

Day 3 The Feast of St. Isaiah

This morning began early yet again, with all of us up at 2:30am and unable to sleep. You have to wonder if we won't all just fall over at some point! I can't believe that we won't sleep tonight, but I thought that last night too, so I guess I shouldn't count on it! The only up side of waking at the crack of dawn is that we got some much needed work done on the 2 hour presentation we have to make tomorrow to the teachers and parents of the school. After a morning of visiting classes we all met back at the monastery for a lovely luncheon with the priests and several school administrators. The afternoon was spent polishing off our presentation and working on lessons we will need to teach tomorrow. The highlight of the day, however, was the festival of St. Isaiah in the evening. The information sent to us from the school about it is copied below:

"Located near the town of Broummana, the Monastery of St. Isaiah (Deir Mar Chaaya) is
considered to be the oldest seat of the Antonine Maronite Order in Lebanon. In the 9th or 10th century AD, monks from Mesopotamia constructed the original monastery here as a stopover point for their pilgrimages to the Holy Land. It was built upon the site of an ancient Phoenician temple dedicated to the goddess Aramta. This monastery was later abandoned and destroyed. The current monastery was constructed in 1698, with the founding of the Antonine Order by Gabriel of Blawza. The monastery is situated at the top of the “Aramta Hill” and has a panoramic view of Beirut and the Metn countryside.
Broummana: (750 m above sea level, 20 km from Beirut). The name may have a Syriac origin “bet rammana” which means the residence of the common sublime god “Rimmon”. Broummana is known for the huge monastery of “Mar Chaaya” built in 1700 AC where two Maronite monks disappeared when the Syrian army invaded Metn in October 13, 1990."



St Isaiah Monastery is about an hour's drive from Aljatoun, where we were currently staying, and the winding, mountainous roads provided some spectacular and breathtaking scenery at dusk. We arrived at the 300 year old monastery and joined the beautiful mass, which was mostly sung, towards the end. After the mass, everyone filed out and headed for home, except for the monks and some guests. We joined the monks for a festive dinner. It was obviously a grand celebration with vegetables and wine that had been grown and made by the monks themselves. The ride home was fun, with Lebanonese music filling the car. It was a wonderful way to end a beautiful day.

Day 2...We visit classes...

We’re all pretty exhausted as we haven’t been able to sleep, waking at 2-3am and not quite adjusted to the new time frame. All that should settle out in another day or so (we hope!). Sheila, Jody and I were thrilled to finally get to observe some of our colleagues in action today, and we were all very impressed! The Chemistry labs are beautiful, the teachers are engaging, and students here take great notes! We were all impressed with the level of interest that students expressed in their subjects, asking clarifying questions and trying to make sense of the material. Many students remarked that they liked the smaller, family atmosphere of the school and that their teachers spent so much time preparing and helping them. After observing classes in the morning, the teachers met for break in their faculty room and served us a traditional Lebanese sweet, a type of creamy custard topped with pistachios. Yum! Of course, the Turkish coffee in little cups was served, and I think Jody, Sheila and I may all have become converts. Starbucks will just never be the same. The afternoon was spent with the juniors, seniors and some of the sophomores at Chabrouh Dam. We viewed the Dam, an impressive structure designed to help provide both potable water and energy to the region, and then proceeded to yet another Lebanese feast. I just don’t understand why all the Lebanese we’ve met are slim! Jody, Sheila and I have been trying everything, and the difficulty is that it’s all so tasty! You try something you like, eat a normal size helping, and then they give you something else, which you also want to try, like, and then eat that and pretty soon you’ve eaten enough to feed a small army! The kids enjoyed the day too, cooking, laughing and talking together. After our picnic, some of them walked down to the orchard to dance. Several of them invited us to join them, but as my style of dancing isn’t too “hip”, I refrained and took pictures instead. Very similar to the dances we have at BBHS, with similar music and moves. After returning to the monastery, working on our presentation, and freshening up, we all joined Maya for an evening out. Shopping being an important part of Sheila's agenda, we stopped at a local souk, and we all came away with marvelous "finds" that Maya helped us to purchase. Maya, one of the teacher's Jody is working with, is full of energy and enthusiasm for her country, her profession, and most of all her students. She took us to dinner after our little shopping expedition, and once again, we all had another marvelous meal.

Our First Full Day in Beirut

Our first full day in Lebanon was jam packed. We joined Fr. Andre at the school and met so many teachers…I know I’ll never remember all their names! I took particular note of Georgia, she teaches Chemistry and Miriam, who teaches 4th grade English was our host for most of the day. We visited the nursery, preschool, and elementary grades today. French, Arabic and English are all taught and spoken. The rationale is that the younger the student, the easier the language acquisition becomes; a well known fact that our American schools could do a better job of capitalizing upon. Lebanon, a French created nation, is tri-lingual, so having its citizens fluent in all three languages is critical. The young children danced and sang for us, and gave us their lovely gifts that they had made. They were so sweet! We shared a traditional Lebanese breakfast with our hosts, and then had a short tour of the school. As part of this, we also met with a parent who is part of a committee designed to foster sister school relationships such as ours with AIS. The possibilities seem endless, and I could sense the excitement and enthusiasm from all parties. The students joined us in the auditorium for a presentation on BBHS. They seemed to really enjoy the video of the school and were especially entranced with all the sports and activities offered, something they aren’t exposed to here. Fr. Andre tried to explain to them that since their school is so new (only 10 years old), they are still growing in that department. After all, BBHS is over 50 years old! That’s a long tradition. After a brief respite, we joined Mireille and her husband on a tour of Jeita Grotto, a fantastic network of underground caves with beautiful galleries full of stalactites and stalagmites. Jeita Grotto was nominated for inclusion as one of the seven wonders of the world, and as you look around you at the beautiful natural formations of calcium carbonate made by nothing more than dripping water, you can see why. Lunch, before we left on the boat tour of the grotto, was another feast. If we don’t all weigh 500lbs upon our return, it will be a miracle! Upon returning from the grotto, Jodie, Sheila and I went for a short walk up to the town, returning to share a lovely home cooked meal at the monastery. Father Johnny was the chef, and Fr. Andre joined us. Exhaustion seems to be the most serious threat facing us at this point, that or overindulgence in the fantastic food. If I hadn’t clumsily injured my knee this morning, I’d seriously consider getting up for a run before the food fest begins tomorrow!!

Our First Evening

We arrived exhausted, but excited to visit our new school and find our beds! The arrival in Beirut was stunning; the city laid out below us like a sparkling, vibrant jewel. Fr. Johnny and Fr. Andre met us at the airport. Traveling through the city at night, Fr. Johnny and Fr. Andre pointed out the Hezbollah and Christian sectors. We were waived through a check point by some bored looking military, and then climbed above the city to the school. The monastary, just a short walk from the school, sits atop a rise above Beirut, and the view is nothing short of spectacular.

We're off!

Today was spent in wild anticipation and restless activity. I couldn't settle to just one task; grade the papers my students just marked, do the last of the laundry, or clean the house. Finally, my son John and I walked over to Greenwood for a lunch out. We were both feeling restless. The plane leaves in just an hour, and as I sit here, waiting for Jody and Sheila to join me, I'm filled with excitement! My father, brother and son all saw me off at the airport, and as my Dad said, "Well, you're off on another adventure!" He's right. Every time I arrive at SeaTac I'm filled with the possibilities; so many opportunities. A whole new culture to explore, a new school to learn about, new students and teachers with whom to connect. I'm filled with gratitude for this marvelous experience I've been granted! Now to settle down and hopefully relax enough so I can sleep on the plane and not arrive completely exhausted. We have a busy schedule for the next two weeks. I don't want to arrive too worn out to make the very most of this extraordinary trip.

Only Seven Days and Counting....

Plans seem to be shaping up for us all. The tickets are bought, bags are getting packed, and last minute items are being purchased. The three of us, Sheila, Jodie and I, are in a state of half excitement half anxiety. None of us are really clear on what will be expected of us and we're all a bit overwhelmed with the prospect of leaving our students (and all the planning that entails) while trying to discern/plan for teaching over there. I've been reading about the history of the region in preparation for this trip, and already the names and dates have my head spinning! I can't wait, though. When I was in Jordan, I remember being awe-struck at the sheer weight of human history that had seeped into the very stones of that place. The entire Middle East is so rich in it that it sometimes feels like, if you listen hard enough, even the ground will speak of countless millennia, invasion after invasion, and strife untold. I'm sure Lebanon will have it's own secrets to share, and I look forward to experiencing them with my friends and colleagues.