february 2007

on the way into beirut from damascus you have to pass through the lebanon mountain range. it is snowy. actually, the trip from damascus to beirut is like a quick drive across the american west to the california coast, rockies and all.

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you know you're in lebanon when...

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this is what a standard street corner in ras beirut looks like. look at those nice cars. the temperature was in 70s, sunny, late january.

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the american university in beirut. my friend haniah described this place as "Stanford on Steroids." she's not wrong. it was the most beautiful college campus i have seen. maybe it was all the more amazing to find it in beirut. all the classes are held in english. someone please tell me how i can get a job here. check it out:

i took off my shoes and socks, and a nap on the grass.

swarthmore college arboretum...?

oberlin college, behind dascomb hall...? it's AUB in lebanon.

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the beirut corniche. the original hollywood.

the Mediterranean. snow capped mountains in the background. before i came here i couldn't understand why anyone would stay in beirut after so much violence. it's pretty clear why.

the american university in beirut gets their own private part of the corniche. fac/staff/students only. the people playing on the beach don't seem to mind impending civil war that the papers are crying about.

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