Today I went with my cousin Hani to our Grandpa's paint store in Tripoli. Some things never change. Tripoli is a strikingly different place than Beirut, and one should experience both to ensure a true Lebanese experience. While Beirut looks like a run down, short (height wise) New York City, Tripoli looks like.....well Tripoli. Sometimes in Beirut you get confused wether you are in Lebanon or the US because there are so many US advertisements, McDonalds, Burger King, Applebees, TGIFridays, malls, interstate, and nice buildings....but in Tripoli all the buildings look the way they have for years and years and years. There is something about it though that is really comforting, if you drown out the sounds of gunshots and dismiss the dirty streets anway. My Grandpa's store is the same. It looks the same every time I go, and smells the same too (of paint and gasoline fumes mixed together....no ventilation...yea...). Its comforting in a way because you know when you go there you wont be surprised, everything is in its place. However, two major changes have occured, 1. there is a computer on the desk, which dad must have brought last time he was here and 2. instead of Gido sitting where he usually does (at the desk which is now occupied by a computer) is his picture on the wall, a sad reminder of what things DO change.
After work, Hani and I went to visit my Grandpa's brother and sister. It was the usual visit of extended family. Chit chat and chocolates and not understanding the majority of the conversation. ALTHOUGH speaking of things that change, instead of hearing, what I like to call white noise, I am actually actively listening to conversations and picking up a few words here and there. Enough so that I know when the conversation shifts topics and when someone decides to ask me something out of the blue. Whether or not I can answer it is a different story! I try though....like how I can tell people I studied Political Science in university....guess that 1 year of Arabic paid off. ;)
Hmmmm what else. Not much. Hani, Zouzou, Tony, Nancy and I went to Beirut last night to go shopping and have dinner. Nancy needed to buy a friend a DVD I was supposed to bring from the US but she forgot to ask me. We were going to ride the gondola which they call "telefriik" that takes you up the hillside looking over the water and Beirut and its subburbus, but it was closed, maybe we'll try again soon. We went to the biggest mall in Beirut, it was nice. It was about the size of a big mall in the US...no Mall of America but bigger than Bellis Fair or Wenatchee for sure! :) They have a lot of US stores, but a lot of really cute Lebanese stores too. I was disappointed though that the store (like a Macy's I guess) that sold nice make up was just as expensive here as in the US. I was hoping to buy some good lipgloss or make up or something from there but I didnt bother!
Well....I am going to go eat lunch now. Although, I have been eating sweets already all morning (visiting people=gaining weight) That is something that is already changing, that I wish would fall under the category of "some things never change" and that is my weight! haha I knew it was a bad sign when the first thing each one of my aunts (seperately) said was that I was skinnier than last time......they're feeding me extra I think!!! hahaha Gotta get to the beach and tread water I guess! haha (not that you all really care...just thought I'd tell you anyway).
Hope all is well Stateside.....Miss you all
Much Love,
Sasha
