2012
Door: Marlies
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Marlies
18 Januari 2012 | Libanon, Beiroet
Goodmorning all,
Mery Christmas and a happy new year! How are you? It has been a while since I wrote my last blog and life in Beirut has become more normal to me, but still I would like to keep you posted every once in a while :)
I heard some of you read that a building collapsed in Beirut. It wasn’t my building, thank God, but it is a terrible thing that something like that can happened in the first place. In this building lived mostly poor Lebanese families and (illegal) migrant workers. Some people died, some people are missing and some people are in the hospital. Especially the illegal migrants will face difficulties since they will be arrested and deported as soon as they leave the hospital. The other survivors will have to find a way to go on with their lives after loosing everything. Unfortunately, housing in Beirut is very expensive, and it will not be easy to find a safe and affordable place to live. Hopefully other unsafe buildings will be inspected to make sure things like this will not happened again.
Life in Beirut is like all other days for the rest. It is winter here, which means rain, wind, clouded skies and between 10 and 15 degrees. This is better then the excessive heat in the summer, but as a real Dutch I’ll always have to complain about the weather… Strangely enough I am really cold, especially inside the house or the office. I think the buildings are made to keep the heat out in summer, and unfortunately they do the same in winter :p Often I notice it is less cold outside the house then inside… But on the other hand, that makes me leave the house more often. Also, when the electricity cuts at the end of the afternoon (between 3 and 6) it will be completely dark in the house around 4.30. On the rare occasion I am home early I find myself sitting in the dark at the kitchen table with a candle and a book, next to water boiling for tea to warm my hands. And just at that point that I start to wonder: ‘why did I want to live here again?’ the fridge starts zooming, the light flip on and the neighbors start vacuuming (probably the maid of the neighbors). Suddenly the night is young and I feel like going out. Going out here is not something of just Friday and Saturday night. It’s of all nights. Lebanese really love to go out every evening of the week and have a drink or dine out somewhere. These things do not have to be expensive or last until midnight, or make you the least bit drunk. The point is more to be among people, have a good time and show of you new dress/high heels/big car/ridiculous haircut. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for me I do not have any of the above to show, but I enjoy the show of others. Though sometimes it can be a bit much… Lebanese woman are usually nicely dressed and, though not wearing much, they are most of them classy. However, some of them shock you from time to time by showing parts of lace underwear I never want to see on anybody. Of course it is not meant for me to see but for the boy (or boys) sitting near her. Lebanese girls far outnumber the Lebanese boys in this country and therefore getting the men’s attention seems like an unfair fight sometimes (which I of course love watching from the side). The guys are aware of this advantage and some use their position to scandalously check out other women while an absolutely beautiful girl is sitting right next to him holding his hand. Now, not to say Lebanese girls never look at other men, but they too seem aware of their unfavorable position when it comes to picking and choosing. Fortunately nature solves this situation by making Lebanon a beautiful country which attracts many foreign tourists, who all fall in love with the modern Lebanese girls speaking three languages. How nice, those happy endings.
I should end with this report of my observations of the Lebanese society, but I have a view more things I am happy about and want to share with you. My work is going very well and together with a wonderful Lebanese intern I am doing counseling sessions and am finally able to see the faces behind the files I have been working on for the last months. A very good feeling! My Arabic classes are also going very well, and I really find I pick up more of the language every day. Even brief conversations with taxi drivers (!!!) - yes yes one must forgive and forget but always keep an umbrella ready to use as a self-defense tool- about where I come from and what I am doing here are going well. One last thing… before the rain started coming down practically every day, I was running three times a week, but since I cannot push myself to do so in this weather I was looking for indoor sports. By coincidence I found out that the Russian Cultural Center is giving ballet classes…! I haven’t danced since I was twelve (that’s’ twelve years ago), but somehow I got it in my head I can still do it, so this Friday I hope to visit one of the classes. Wish me luck and flexible muscles ;)
Have a nice day everyone!
Marlies
Mery Christmas and a happy new year! How are you? It has been a while since I wrote my last blog and life in Beirut has become more normal to me, but still I would like to keep you posted every once in a while :)
I heard some of you read that a building collapsed in Beirut. It wasn’t my building, thank God, but it is a terrible thing that something like that can happened in the first place. In this building lived mostly poor Lebanese families and (illegal) migrant workers. Some people died, some people are missing and some people are in the hospital. Especially the illegal migrants will face difficulties since they will be arrested and deported as soon as they leave the hospital. The other survivors will have to find a way to go on with their lives after loosing everything. Unfortunately, housing in Beirut is very expensive, and it will not be easy to find a safe and affordable place to live. Hopefully other unsafe buildings will be inspected to make sure things like this will not happened again.
Life in Beirut is like all other days for the rest. It is winter here, which means rain, wind, clouded skies and between 10 and 15 degrees. This is better then the excessive heat in the summer, but as a real Dutch I’ll always have to complain about the weather… Strangely enough I am really cold, especially inside the house or the office. I think the buildings are made to keep the heat out in summer, and unfortunately they do the same in winter :p Often I notice it is less cold outside the house then inside… But on the other hand, that makes me leave the house more often. Also, when the electricity cuts at the end of the afternoon (between 3 and 6) it will be completely dark in the house around 4.30. On the rare occasion I am home early I find myself sitting in the dark at the kitchen table with a candle and a book, next to water boiling for tea to warm my hands. And just at that point that I start to wonder: ‘why did I want to live here again?’ the fridge starts zooming, the light flip on and the neighbors start vacuuming (probably the maid of the neighbors). Suddenly the night is young and I feel like going out. Going out here is not something of just Friday and Saturday night. It’s of all nights. Lebanese really love to go out every evening of the week and have a drink or dine out somewhere. These things do not have to be expensive or last until midnight, or make you the least bit drunk. The point is more to be among people, have a good time and show of you new dress/high heels/big car/ridiculous haircut. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for me I do not have any of the above to show, but I enjoy the show of others. Though sometimes it can be a bit much… Lebanese woman are usually nicely dressed and, though not wearing much, they are most of them classy. However, some of them shock you from time to time by showing parts of lace underwear I never want to see on anybody. Of course it is not meant for me to see but for the boy (or boys) sitting near her. Lebanese girls far outnumber the Lebanese boys in this country and therefore getting the men’s attention seems like an unfair fight sometimes (which I of course love watching from the side). The guys are aware of this advantage and some use their position to scandalously check out other women while an absolutely beautiful girl is sitting right next to him holding his hand. Now, not to say Lebanese girls never look at other men, but they too seem aware of their unfavorable position when it comes to picking and choosing. Fortunately nature solves this situation by making Lebanon a beautiful country which attracts many foreign tourists, who all fall in love with the modern Lebanese girls speaking three languages. How nice, those happy endings.
I should end with this report of my observations of the Lebanese society, but I have a view more things I am happy about and want to share with you. My work is going very well and together with a wonderful Lebanese intern I am doing counseling sessions and am finally able to see the faces behind the files I have been working on for the last months. A very good feeling! My Arabic classes are also going very well, and I really find I pick up more of the language every day. Even brief conversations with taxi drivers (!!!) - yes yes one must forgive and forget but always keep an umbrella ready to use as a self-defense tool- about where I come from and what I am doing here are going well. One last thing… before the rain started coming down practically every day, I was running three times a week, but since I cannot push myself to do so in this weather I was looking for indoor sports. By coincidence I found out that the Russian Cultural Center is giving ballet classes…! I haven’t danced since I was twelve (that’s’ twelve years ago), but somehow I got it in my head I can still do it, so this Friday I hope to visit one of the classes. Wish me luck and flexible muscles ;)
Have a nice day everyone!
Marlies
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18 Januari 2012 - 17:04
Maartje:
natuurlijk heel veel plezier bij je balletklas! en waarom zijn er veel meer Libanese meisjes dan jongens? Hier in Ecuador zijn de meisjes meestal ook veel meer opgetut dan de blanke meisjes bij het uitgaan, misschien omdat wij blondjes altijd populairder zijn en de Ecuadoriaanse meisjes dat willen compenseren??? veel groetjes van Maartje -
18 Januari 2012 - 18:33
Mam:
Lieve Liesje,
Wat leuk dat je weer naar ballet kunt!
In je kast ligt nog steeds je roze balletpakje met rokje en schoentjes.
Natuurlijk heb ik ook nog foto's van je optreden vroeger!
Je was altijd heel sierlijk in je bewegingen en dat ben je nog steeds.
Wat dat betreft ben jij natuurlijk een grote concurrent voor de Libanese meisjes.....mooi, blond en niet dom!!
Dag lieve ballerina.
Kus van een trotse mams
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18 Januari 2012 - 19:22
Els:
Jeej ballet :) heel veel plezier & geniet! Liefs <3 -
18 Januari 2012 - 21:53
Lai-Yee:
Lief Liesje! Wat heerlijk om je blogs weer te lezen!! Heel veel plezier met ballet!! Miss you!!
Xxx
Ps. Mooie tekst mama van Marlies!! :) -
20 Januari 2012 - 11:04
Petrus:
Balletles?! Verrassend. Misschien dat we eens een mooie oefening van je op foto kunnen zien. -
20 Januari 2012 - 22:47
Berthe:
Hoi Marlies,
Heel leuk weer een verhaal van je te lezen en te zien dat het goed met je gaat. Wat goed dat je arabisch leert, vind je het moeilijk of valt dat wel mee?? en die balletlessen en dat nog wel op een russische academie, erg leuk hoor. Ben benieuwd of de libanese jongens en meisjes daar ook naar toe gaan of dat het een buitenlandse aangelegenheid is.
Heel veel groeten en liefs van Berthe
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24 Januari 2012 - 19:22
Tinus:
hee zusje, beetje late reactie, maar ik lees je verslag nu pas. Ik ben benieuwd om over je balletles te horen, waarvan je de eerste nu gehad hebt :-) Lukt het rekken en strekken een beetje? en mocht je een nieuwe plu nodig hebben omdat de eerste versleten is, laat het weten, dan stuur ik er één op ;-) met een extra scherpe punt. Want als je je dan toch moet verdedigen kun je net zo goed gelijk een statement maken: Don't touch the Dutchgirl! :-) Dikke zoen voor jou!!!
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