Back in Beirut
After a glorious summer in Canada, I am back in Beirut, and surprisingly glad to be back in my little home. I currently have a flatmate who is writing a guidebook on Lebanon, so it's been nice to come home to someone- it's far more fun going out to eat pizza and Indian food with a friend, rather than alone. The other flatmate is returning today, for a couple of days, and that should be fun.
It's around 40C here, and super humid. Apparently it's hotter than usual, but hasn't the weather everywhere been unusual this year? Rains in Saskatchewan, floods in Pakistan, forest fires and killer heat wave in Russia...
I am trying to kick jet lag, though the weather really makes me want to sleep the day away. I slept from 5-10am the first night back, then from 12-2 that afternoon. The next night, I slept from 3-9am, so I thought I was on track, but last night, I slept around 11pm, but woke for a couple hours at 2:30 or 3, then slept until after 9 again. Well, it's not so bad. I am at least keeping myself up most of the day, and I am just thirsty most of the time, but not miserably tired.
Yesterday, I went with my guidebook writing flatmate, Jess, to visit Chatila, which is the main Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut. I already forget the population, but it is a very closed quarters setting. We visited the camp at the time when the power was out, and unlike much the city, there are no generators to run electricity at that time.There are electrical wires and plumbing features everywhere, buildings with only inches between them, little space to move- most flats are under 30 square metres. Smaller than my classroom at school, and that's to house a family with a little kitchen and bathroom. And that was around the moment I figured I really best stop my complaining about the little things. I will not dwell on all the details- it was actually a pretty hopeful visit, in the sense that the man who runs the Children and Youth Centre works hard and is very knowledgeable about improving the lives of people. He seems to be the mayor of the camp- everyone knows him and respects him. As a non-religious Palestinian, he did not once say inshallah (God willing). He said (jokingly) that he thinks God works for the Israelis. And once again, I profess my gratitude for being born in a safe place free of political turmoil.
Today, for a change of pace, I booked a massage appointment and went for a manicure and pedicure. Now I am sitting at a coffee shop that has internet, avoiding going home because this cat we are looking after is driving me insane. She is nice for about 2 minutes (if you're lucky), then scratches or bites. She thinks feet are mice, and is constantly attacking them, even when one is sitting still. Kitty is also in the habit of trying to play with my skirts, and has caused a couple snags so far. Luckily, her person is coming back in a few days, and then we will hand her over. I'm sure when Kitty becomes a grown up cat, she will be okay. She was really sweet in June when my friend first found her, but she's currently behaving like an annoying teenager. I think I'm just not really a pet person.
I think I need another coffee- it's 3:30pm and I'm fading fast.
It's around 40C here, and super humid. Apparently it's hotter than usual, but hasn't the weather everywhere been unusual this year? Rains in Saskatchewan, floods in Pakistan, forest fires and killer heat wave in Russia...
I am trying to kick jet lag, though the weather really makes me want to sleep the day away. I slept from 5-10am the first night back, then from 12-2 that afternoon. The next night, I slept from 3-9am, so I thought I was on track, but last night, I slept around 11pm, but woke for a couple hours at 2:30 or 3, then slept until after 9 again. Well, it's not so bad. I am at least keeping myself up most of the day, and I am just thirsty most of the time, but not miserably tired.
Yesterday, I went with my guidebook writing flatmate, Jess, to visit Chatila, which is the main Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut. I already forget the population, but it is a very closed quarters setting. We visited the camp at the time when the power was out, and unlike much the city, there are no generators to run electricity at that time.There are electrical wires and plumbing features everywhere, buildings with only inches between them, little space to move- most flats are under 30 square metres. Smaller than my classroom at school, and that's to house a family with a little kitchen and bathroom. And that was around the moment I figured I really best stop my complaining about the little things. I will not dwell on all the details- it was actually a pretty hopeful visit, in the sense that the man who runs the Children and Youth Centre works hard and is very knowledgeable about improving the lives of people. He seems to be the mayor of the camp- everyone knows him and respects him. As a non-religious Palestinian, he did not once say inshallah (God willing). He said (jokingly) that he thinks God works for the Israelis. And once again, I profess my gratitude for being born in a safe place free of political turmoil.
Today, for a change of pace, I booked a massage appointment and went for a manicure and pedicure. Now I am sitting at a coffee shop that has internet, avoiding going home because this cat we are looking after is driving me insane. She is nice for about 2 minutes (if you're lucky), then scratches or bites. She thinks feet are mice, and is constantly attacking them, even when one is sitting still. Kitty is also in the habit of trying to play with my skirts, and has caused a couple snags so far. Luckily, her person is coming back in a few days, and then we will hand her over. I'm sure when Kitty becomes a grown up cat, she will be okay. She was really sweet in June when my friend first found her, but she's currently behaving like an annoying teenager. I think I'm just not really a pet person.
I think I need another coffee- it's 3:30pm and I'm fading fast.
posted by Granola Girl at
5:11 AM
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