The First Six Weeks

March is finally over! This has been the longest month ever with 5 weeks in it, practically. This week marked my six-week point of being here, or 1/4 of the way to my summer vacation. As I look back, I'm amazed at how much I've managed to pack into it and curious to see how busy I'll be in the next few months.

One thing I resolved when I first arrived was to get involved in as many things as possible and accept as many invitations as came my way. I didn't want to spend every evening sitting in my room, staring at the walls. I'm thankful that I went out of my comfort zone so many times because now I feel a lot more comfortable than when I first came. I think this is one of the important keys to fighting culture shock and homesickness. Becoming a part of people's lives makes it much easier to develop friendships and learn how things work in the new culture.

Highlights of the first 6 weeks include

• Visit to Armenian care home. We went to do church service for the husband of a dear friend I knew from the first time we lived here. 
• Painting a mural on the entry ramp to Bourj Hammoud, the predominantly Armenian section of town, for Global Youth Day. 
• Snow day at Faraya, in the mountains, with the university. I didn't ski, but I climbed all over the mountains in the snow and became friends with Lina & Girgis, students here. 
• A baby shower for my friend's twins. They were born 10 days ago and everyone is excitedly waiting for them to come home.
• A trip out of the city and to the mountains. I joined a group who was going to see the cedars, unfortunately when we got there we found out it was paid admission and since it was Sabbath afternoon I chose not to go in. I enjoyed the ride and the mountain air!
• Hanging out at the mall with the same friends I made on snow day. I was surprised to find a Payless, H&M, Dorothy Perkins, and Cinnabon among others at the mall! Then ending the night downtown where Valentino, Michael Kors, and other fancy shops line the streets.
• Teaching my first Advanced Writing intensive English course to 7 great students who challenge me and keep me entertained. 
• Cleaning the church in preparation for communion service. I scrubbed the pull-out tables on the theater-style seats in the auditorium. 
• Staying up til midnight to stuff name tags for an Oil & Gas symposium, then waiting til nearly 1 am for someone to open up the dorm so I could get in, all the while thinking I'd have to sleep the night on cold cement steps!
• Taking a service taxi to and from city center by myself and fending off one driver's request to marry him for 10,000 LBP (the equivalent of $7.50) for American papers by telling him I wasn't American so I couldn't help him anyhow. I later learned I underpaid both drivers, the one going and the one coming, by insisting they take me for half the regular price!
• Drinking mint tea and talking with Marisa on my second night here when I'd just arrived and didn't know anyone. I'd prayed for a friend and God answered so quickly!
• Ordering a bank card for the local bank account Danny had helped me set up and adding credit to my cell phone at a tiny grocery store. 
• Enjoying a tea party with cupcakes, tea, and girl talk with 6 other women who are seeking earnestly to honour God's will in their lives.
• Enjoying a very special appreciation dinner the guys put on for the ladies on International Women's Day/Mother's Day.
• Spending the morning in Bourj Hammoud with Marisa, Adelcy, and Bruna as we looked for newborn clothes for the twins and then ate at The Wooden Bakery. We got properly lost at one point but thankfully Bruna pointed us back in the right direction!
• Going to a peace conference and listening to the Dutch ambassador speak in her beautiful Dutch accent. Practicing my French and Arabic when the translator headphones were too static to be of any good. 
• Drinking in the view of the city and Mediterranean Sea from the roof of the dorm. Whether by day, when the blues sit in contrast and the sun highlights the skyscrapers, or by night when the city lights up as if covered in golden twinkling stars, I never weary of the sight. 
• Playing the piano for song service, leading out in song service, telling the children's story, or generally helping in any way I can at church. 
• Enjoying a fresh fruit smoothie with pieces of fresh fruit and honey and pureed avocado in it. Here they call it a cocktail and have little places dedicated just to fruit juices, smoothies, and cocktails. Once you've had one of these, you can't go back to Jamba Juice. 
• Being interactively engaged in the small group Sabbath School classes I've sat in on. I love that we get to discuss and dialogue instead of listening to a sermon. 
• Visiting Syrian and Iraqi refugee families, spending time with them, and giving nonperishable groceries. One little girl stole my heart with her mischievous smile and we had a grand time playing while the grownups talked. 
• Catching up with friends from more than 17 years ago at a dinner with them and their families. 
• Singing alto in choir and being part of a ladies' small group. We had our first off-campus performance just down the hill and will travel to the two other SDA churches over the next two weeks. 
• Playing Aw Shucks, eating popcorn and Easter cookies, drinking guava juice, and laughing til my stomach hurt at game night at the academic dean and his wife's house. 
• Eating old and new favourites, such as labneh & mint potato chips, pure garlic dip, cheese manaeesh, Lebanese bread, proper black & green olives!, and spinach pastries. I still haven't found tahini bread but I'm looking. 
• Seeing the house where I spent 3 of my best teenage years. I haven't climbed the trees I used to climb, though.