Change
Blijf op de hoogte en volg Marlies
12 Februari 2014 | Libanon, Beiroet
Dear all,
How are you? I hope you all had a nice Christmas and will have a great new year. For me the last few weeks have been a time of change: I moved from Beirut to the southern city of Sour, the project I am working on is expanding, colleagues have come and gone... Life goes on without Ashraf. Somehow...
When I read back my blog I notice that I have described the Lebanese (and the refugees) as resilient, headstrong and determined survivors. They are people who love and enjoy life, despite the hardship they have been going through. Somehow they manage to get back on their feet and get their country going strong and (relatively) safe, regardless of all their losses.
Sometimes people ask me if I feel like a Lebanese after having been here for almost three years. I usually smile and make some comical remark about how I don’t know enough about politics, or don’t dare to drive or I don’t speak enough Arabic to be a Lebanese. But today I realized things have changed:
I speak Arabic with my colleagues.
I drive in the South.
I find myself explaining Middle East politics to foreign colleagues and friends abroad.
And finally, I have become more resilient, headstrong and determined to survive the hardship of a terrible loss. After three years in Lebanon I have seen how a people can go through the darkest of days and still be able to have hope and humor - an aspect of being Lebanese I would like to adopt.
Grief and sadness over loss will always weigh us down, but it should never pull us under.
And over time the carrying of that weight, will only make us stronger.
I hope to be able to write a happier blog soon!
Love,
Marlies
How are you? I hope you all had a nice Christmas and will have a great new year. For me the last few weeks have been a time of change: I moved from Beirut to the southern city of Sour, the project I am working on is expanding, colleagues have come and gone... Life goes on without Ashraf. Somehow...
When I read back my blog I notice that I have described the Lebanese (and the refugees) as resilient, headstrong and determined survivors. They are people who love and enjoy life, despite the hardship they have been going through. Somehow they manage to get back on their feet and get their country going strong and (relatively) safe, regardless of all their losses.
Sometimes people ask me if I feel like a Lebanese after having been here for almost three years. I usually smile and make some comical remark about how I don’t know enough about politics, or don’t dare to drive or I don’t speak enough Arabic to be a Lebanese. But today I realized things have changed:
I speak Arabic with my colleagues.
I drive in the South.
I find myself explaining Middle East politics to foreign colleagues and friends abroad.
And finally, I have become more resilient, headstrong and determined to survive the hardship of a terrible loss. After three years in Lebanon I have seen how a people can go through the darkest of days and still be able to have hope and humor - an aspect of being Lebanese I would like to adopt.
Grief and sadness over loss will always weigh us down, but it should never pull us under.
And over time the carrying of that weight, will only make us stronger.
I hope to be able to write a happier blog soon!
Love,
Marlies
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12 Februari 2014 - 19:18
Jantien:
Lieve Liesje,
Ik ben zo blij dat je er op deze manier naar kunt kijken! Het leven kan vreselijk zwaar zijn, zelf zo dat je denkt het niet (alleen) aan te kunnen. Maar om een voorbeeld te hebben en te zien dat het ondanks dat ook weer beter kan gaan en dat je je beter kunt voelen moet je enorm helpen.
Fijn dat we elkaar snel weer zien! En heel veel knuffels en zoenen voor jou zusje!
XXXXXXXXXXX Tinus -
13 Februari 2014 - 10:41
Berthe:
Lieve Marlies,
Wat mooi en sterk dat je dit na pas een paar weken al kunt denken en voelen.
Veel liefs van Bert en Berthe -
14 Februari 2014 - 07:35
Dirk:
Kijk, zo ken ik je (weer)! En wederom een mooi blog. -
18 Februari 2014 - 18:09
Corine Rotshuizen:
Ik ben diep onder de indruk van je kracht, je moed en positief doorzettingsvermogen!!
Fijn dat je zo welkom bent bij de familie van Ashraf om samen met hen hem te missen en te herdenken.
Liefs Corine
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