Beirut, Lebanon



Raouché (Pigeon Rocks)



This week both Sarah and I got summer jobs!!  Therefore, we decided to get shawarma and ice cream to celebrate--which was quite fitting because of the hot weather!  I finally worked up the nerve to ask my host family if I could go to their salon for a haircut. I didn’t want to intrude, but I also thought that it would be rude to go someplace else for a haircut, when they own their own salon!  So, I finally asked and I got my hair cut!  It was nothing big, just a trim and it was blow-dried out (the first time in 3 months).  It went pretty well, and I didn’t have to pay for it, which was even better!!

This past weekend a group of us went to Lebanon.  We had Sunday off for Easter, so we went for a long weekend.  We decided to fly there, about a 45 minute flight; since the alternative is to drive through Syria…even though it was such a short flight, we were still given food on the plane--much different from US airlines!!



The Corniche

  

 


We went and did a lot of things while we were there.  The scenery is so different from Amman.  Our hotel was right near the Corniche, which is essentially like a boardwalk and there are so many trees all over.  We also so Raouché (the Pigeon Rocks) which are natural formations near Beirut.  I honestly don't know much more about them, but they looked interesting!  We went to a grotto that was really interesting, and walked through the caves that were there.  Part of it was a little boat ride that took you through the lower grotto--it was so interesting to see all of the different rock formations.  We also went to walk around the campus of the American University of Beirut.  It was absolutely gorgeous!  It was so green, the buildings were beautiful and there was a view of the Mediterranean for a majority of it. 



American University of Beirut



We met up with a girl who was hosted by my host family a couple of years ago.  She was really sweet and showed us around some of Beirut, which was really nice.  It was a great weekend--the weather was beautiful as was the greenery.  Though it was still the Middle East, and less than an hour flight, I did not feel like I was in the same region at all!!





American University of Beirut



My host sister is getting engaged this Thursday, that’s when the ceremony is, so we are going to have a big party.  Sarah and I are trying to go to Petra this weekend, which would be a lot of fun!