This will most likely be my last blog entry for all of you. I hope this has been something enjoyable and informative to read. I really enjoyed using this blog as a means to journal my time here in the Middle East. It has been quite the learning experience for me, and I will definitely take something home with me.
This past weekend I made the long-anticipated trip to Lebanon in search for some trace of ancestry there in addition to simply enjoying myself on my last weekend in the M.E. I was accompanied by one of my roommates, Tom, and a Syrian friend of his, Issa, whom he had met in a previous time in the M.E. In order to make the most of this trip I decided to skip a day of school to lengthen the amount of time we had there, meaning we left on Wednesday night. The Lebanese border was crossed with little hassle and off we were to Beirut to spend our first night.
We arrive into Beirut and I immediately feel the intense humidity from the Mediterranean, something I had not experienced in the Middle East until now. Damascus enjoys an extremely dry heat in the summer season (depending on whether you prefer dry or humid weather). We find a hotel not too far from Beirut’s port and a street famous for its nightlife. Aside from my companions, this was my first experience with dining in Beirut, and I was in search for a restaurant which serves Kibbeh Nayeh, an appetizer of raw lamb, bulgar wheat, onion, olive oil, and many spices and Lebanon’s national dish. Sadly, I was not able to find one place and wouldn’t find one throughout the entire trip. I have strong doubts that this is really Lebanon’s national dish when you can’t even find one place that sells it, although I was only there for four days and wasn’t able to see what the families cook in their homes. Nonetheless we picked a very traditional restaurant at which we were able to listen to a Arabic musical duo, one playing the Arabic stringed-instrument, the oud, and the other playing a Arabic drum. It was just as enjoyable to see the whole restaurant, made up of an almost entirely local clientele, dancing, clapping, singing, and doing all they could to enjoy themselves on this Wednesday night as it was to eat the food and see the night’s entertainment.
The next day we took an afternoon bus headed for Tripoli and got off where the road splits off towards north-central and north-eastern Lebanon. Our destination was in a mountainous region called “The Qadisha Valley.” It is in this region where my dad’s side came from in a small village called Tourza. We got a hotel in one of the bigger villages, Bicharré, which was home to the famous Lebanese writer Jibran Khalil-Jibran. After dropping our bags off at the hotel, we took a taxi to Tourza. It was so fortunate to have Issa around to translate, because little did I know how difficult it would be to communicate the long history of my dad’s family and actually obtain some results. After asking a store clerk in a Tourza shop, we were informed that my family name existed in Tourza but originally came from a village a little down the mountain called Nahr. Since taxi fares were quite expensive and rare to find, we walked by foot. When we reached this next village we were told by some of the locals that the “Neme” family actually was originally from another village called Sereel up on a mountain across the valley. Like before, we were forced to walk up hill for quite a long time in order to reach this village. Once we arrived, we found a young man whom we asked the now infamous question, “Is there a ‘house of Neme’ here?” and “Can you show us where it is?” This man actually replied, “I am from that family.” We later found out that our original family name “Majelli” contained many “sub” families, one of which was “Neme.” However he brought us and introduced us to a family by the name “Majelli.” We spent the remainder of the evening with this family discussing my quest to find remaining Lebanese relatives, coupled with their generous hospitality, typical of Arab families. At the end of the conversation the father of the family, now fairly elderly, mentioned to us that there was another Majelli family in another village called Aito not too far from there.
That night I expressed to Issa that I didn’t think it was necessary to make another trip to yet another village since, I figured we would arrive at the same conclusion: no one remembers my great-grandfather Tannus. I was not too surprised at this result, since it had been in the early 1900s when my great-grandparents left from Lebanon in search for work. So I had resolved within myself that this search for my roots would not exactly have the success I had hoped for. Nevertheless, Issa lectured me over dinner that night about how sad it would be for us to give up at this point, after all we had been through that day. After all, we now had another “lead.”
The next morning we headed off to Aito and met this family. Even though the conversation came to the same conclusion, it was a very nice to meet another hospitable Lebanese family from which I learned a lot.
On the way back home we needed to catch a bus from Tourza, so we took the opportunity to talk to another family from there. This conversation had something a little more promising. The man we talked to had heard the name “Tannus Majelli” and told us that he was also known by his full name “Abdullah Tannus Majelli.” I didn’t think this was my great-grandfather’s name, but this gives me something to investigate when I return home. All in all, this experience gave me feeling of accomplishment even though the result wasn’t exactly how I anticipated. I feel as though I’ve accomplished one of my life goals in this trip.
I know this has been long, but I wanted to share something that was very special to me in much detail. I hope to see all of you very soon. Please keep in touch and let me know how you all are.
In Christ,
Jonathon “Majelli” Neme
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
Monday July 21st
Greetings to all,
It's been quite a while since my last blog, so I apologize if some of you have been on the edge of your seats. Fortunately and Unfortunately, things have been fairly uneventful the past couple weeks. I've mainly just been attending classes, doing homework, spending time with new-found friends and roommates, and simply taking in as much I can in the short amount of time that I have here. I think one of the most important things I am taking home with me (not physically) is the wonderful opportunity I have had to establish a friendship with my language partner, Khalil. It may sound small and insignificant, but it has meant so much to me.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit a monastery which is located in the middle of the desert and built into the mountainside. It is called "Deir Mar Musa," or Monastery of Saint Moses. It is a monastery has been around since the 12th century (I think) and has remained to this day. Various denominations share this monastery such as Catholic and varieties of Eastern Orthodox. This is an amazing thing to me as it is. While some denominations are butting heads over petty issues in other parts of the world, the people of Deir Mar Musa are living in peace and unity as Christ preached. Basically, Mar Musa is a place, open to the public, where church services are held, meals are eaten, prayer and meditation obligatory during a couples hours of each day, and various chores divided among the community. All of these activities are done as a community, from the preparation of the meals to the partaking of communion. The service alone was one of the most memorable services I have ever been a part of. In effect, this place was so much closer to how I picture the early church operating than any church I've been to so far. It is a must see for anyone who travels to Syria. (that sentence just sounded like a one-liner in a travel guidebook)
I will be traveling to Lebanon in a few days, and I am really excited. I will hopefully have the opportunity to visit the city to which my dad's side can trace its ancestry. After that, I will have one more week here. I will be sad to leave, but am looking forward to being with you all. As always, your prayers are appreciated.
I will try and post some pictures from Mar Musa and Lebanon before I leave.
It's been quite a while since my last blog, so I apologize if some of you have been on the edge of your seats. Fortunately and Unfortunately, things have been fairly uneventful the past couple weeks. I've mainly just been attending classes, doing homework, spending time with new-found friends and roommates, and simply taking in as much I can in the short amount of time that I have here. I think one of the most important things I am taking home with me (not physically) is the wonderful opportunity I have had to establish a friendship with my language partner, Khalil. It may sound small and insignificant, but it has meant so much to me.
Last weekend I had the opportunity to visit a monastery which is located in the middle of the desert and built into the mountainside. It is called "Deir Mar Musa," or Monastery of Saint Moses. It is a monastery has been around since the 12th century (I think) and has remained to this day. Various denominations share this monastery such as Catholic and varieties of Eastern Orthodox. This is an amazing thing to me as it is. While some denominations are butting heads over petty issues in other parts of the world, the people of Deir Mar Musa are living in peace and unity as Christ preached. Basically, Mar Musa is a place, open to the public, where church services are held, meals are eaten, prayer and meditation obligatory during a couples hours of each day, and various chores divided among the community. All of these activities are done as a community, from the preparation of the meals to the partaking of communion. The service alone was one of the most memorable services I have ever been a part of. In effect, this place was so much closer to how I picture the early church operating than any church I've been to so far. It is a must see for anyone who travels to Syria. (that sentence just sounded like a one-liner in a travel guidebook)
I will be traveling to Lebanon in a few days, and I am really excited. I will hopefully have the opportunity to visit the city to which my dad's side can trace its ancestry. After that, I will have one more week here. I will be sad to leave, but am looking forward to being with you all. As always, your prayers are appreciated.
I will try and post some pictures from Mar Musa and Lebanon before I leave.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Sorry (July 2nd, 2008)
Sorry. I tried to upload photos of Turkey two days in a row, and the internet was not cooperating with me. I've managed to load them on Flickr today.
Please check them out. I'm going to try and post a couple short videos as well.
Best,
Jon
Please check them out. I'm going to try and post a couple short videos as well.
Best,
Jon
Monday, June 30, 2008
Monday June 30th, 2008
I’ve just returned from Turkey, and having had a wonderful and educational experience would love to share it with you. My friends and I decided to travel around southeastern Turkey because of our slight time constraint. I didn’t know quite what to expect of Turkey. All I knew was that the people spoke Turkish and continue to have strong national pride in both their country and former first president Atatürk. What I soon realized was how much culture and language sharing went on in the past between Turkey and Arab countries and continues until now. Many of the food traditions are very similar, especially the sweets (baklava), constant drinking of tea, and of course the Kebabs. Another similarity is their hospitality. All in all, the Turkish people are wonderful. Despite the occasional word or two that the Turkish and Arabic languages have in common, it was very hard to communicate. Luckily my roommate Will knew a bit of Turkish from his time teaching English there. He was our interpreter throughout the trip. When we first arrived in Antakya, I remember feeling relieved when some of the hotel workers would speak Arabic. It was pretty cool that Arabic could be our common language for a change instead of English.
As I said, Antakya was our first stop. Formally known as Antioch, Antakya is a beautiful small city set in a valley. The mountains surrounding the city are dotted with houses with red-tiled rooftops and is also the place where the ancient and well-preserved “St. Peter’s Cave” is located, carved into one of the mountainsides. Unfortunately when we arrived, there had been a rock fall earlier and the cave was closed to visitors. Men were working on the cliffs above it in order to prevent further damage. All I got were a few pictures to at least give an idea of what the area surrounding the cave looks like. Take a look at the Flickr site for those pictures. After the disappointment of not seeing the cave we went to the Mediterranean coast and swam for a while to cool off. The sand was unbelievably hot and the weather was a bit unbearable. Consequently we didn’t stay long and headed back to Antakya proper to take cool showers and wash the salt off us. We stayed one more night watching the Turkey-Germany semi-finals game in which Turkey lost and decided to head off to another city the next day.
Gaziantep was our next stop. It is one of Turkey’s largest cities and is known for its pistachios and baklava. The rumors were correct, delicious. The city also has a bit of a European feel. The night we arrived we had a couple drinks near the city’s citadel and met some young Turkish men who invited us to sit, drink beer, and eat pistachios with them. They didn’t speak much English. However, I soon realized that soccer (football) is a universal language, and one of the guys knew just enough English to communicate that he loved the Liverpool soccer team. I think I can summarize the extent of the evening’s conversation into four words, “I Love You Liverpool.”
The next city was east of Gaziantep, and it was called Saniurfa (or Urfa for short). We arrived at night and just walked around a bit. We wandered into what we found out was the city’s claim to fame. It was a beautiful and enormous garden surrounded by ancient mosques and the city’s citadel, but the most famous place was one of the mosques situated along a fish pond. It was especially beautiful at night with the yellowish-orange lights shining on it. They call it Ibrahim’s pond (or Abraham’s pond), and it is said to be one of the pagan areas that Abraham traveled to in order to cleanse and speak truth after his encounter with the one true God. Harran, one of the cities Abraham lived, is actually only 30 miles from Urfa (the place we were). We went back the garden the next day to see what we missed the night before. I had the chance to sit in a mosque and observe a typical Muslim service. It was a very tranquil and reverent time and I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience it.
That night we headed back west to the Euphrates River where there is a small quiet village. This would be our last night in Turkey, and it was definitely worth it. The river had recently been subjected to Turkey’s construction of the Atatürk Dam, which caused the water level to rise significantly. In fact the government evacuated the entire lower portion of the city and relocated it a couple miles from the city center. Needless to say, the river completely covered this portion of the city. It was a bit spooky. There was one mosque that was right at a point where the water covered only the bottom of it. So the mosque cannot function any more, but it still attracts locals and visitors like myself who walk in and around it for viewing pleasure.
That evening we made our way back to Syria, but it turned out to be a longer journey than we expected. We made it to Syria fine, but we had quite an experience at the border trying to get back in. I had anticipated problems but did not know how it would all play out.
The Syrian government requests that its visitors obtain visas from their home country prior to traveling to Syria. I did so however my visa expired upon leaving the country a second time, so I needed another one. When this situation occurs, and in my case, the person must wait at the border while the Syrian officials there send faxes back and forth to higher officials in Damascus requesting approval for visa issuance. This process takes anywhere between 1 to 8 hours depending on the person and the mood of the Syrian officials handling the situation. My case took around four hours, but the experience was something I’ll remember forever. We were taken to the boss’s office and my situation was discussed. During the discussion tea was offered to us to which we gladly accepted. After this they brought us to another room with beds and chairs to relax while we waited. After a couple hours, the border officials brought out a delicious meal and cold water, and we ate together. (I’m sorry fellow Americans, but this would never happen at American border-crossing stations for non-American visitors under suspicion). The men were extremely sweet and continually asked if we needed anything. Once I was cleared I bought my visa and we were off to Damascus. It was a very pleasant experience to say the least.
My next course starts in a couple days and will last one more month. I look forward to being home with you all, but will surely enjoy the rest of my time here.
Much love,
Jon
As I said, Antakya was our first stop. Formally known as Antioch, Antakya is a beautiful small city set in a valley. The mountains surrounding the city are dotted with houses with red-tiled rooftops and is also the place where the ancient and well-preserved “St. Peter’s Cave” is located, carved into one of the mountainsides. Unfortunately when we arrived, there had been a rock fall earlier and the cave was closed to visitors. Men were working on the cliffs above it in order to prevent further damage. All I got were a few pictures to at least give an idea of what the area surrounding the cave looks like. Take a look at the Flickr site for those pictures. After the disappointment of not seeing the cave we went to the Mediterranean coast and swam for a while to cool off. The sand was unbelievably hot and the weather was a bit unbearable. Consequently we didn’t stay long and headed back to Antakya proper to take cool showers and wash the salt off us. We stayed one more night watching the Turkey-Germany semi-finals game in which Turkey lost and decided to head off to another city the next day.
Gaziantep was our next stop. It is one of Turkey’s largest cities and is known for its pistachios and baklava. The rumors were correct, delicious. The city also has a bit of a European feel. The night we arrived we had a couple drinks near the city’s citadel and met some young Turkish men who invited us to sit, drink beer, and eat pistachios with them. They didn’t speak much English. However, I soon realized that soccer (football) is a universal language, and one of the guys knew just enough English to communicate that he loved the Liverpool soccer team. I think I can summarize the extent of the evening’s conversation into four words, “I Love You Liverpool.”
The next city was east of Gaziantep, and it was called Saniurfa (or Urfa for short). We arrived at night and just walked around a bit. We wandered into what we found out was the city’s claim to fame. It was a beautiful and enormous garden surrounded by ancient mosques and the city’s citadel, but the most famous place was one of the mosques situated along a fish pond. It was especially beautiful at night with the yellowish-orange lights shining on it. They call it Ibrahim’s pond (or Abraham’s pond), and it is said to be one of the pagan areas that Abraham traveled to in order to cleanse and speak truth after his encounter with the one true God. Harran, one of the cities Abraham lived, is actually only 30 miles from Urfa (the place we were). We went back the garden the next day to see what we missed the night before. I had the chance to sit in a mosque and observe a typical Muslim service. It was a very tranquil and reverent time and I’m glad I had the opportunity to experience it.
That night we headed back west to the Euphrates River where there is a small quiet village. This would be our last night in Turkey, and it was definitely worth it. The river had recently been subjected to Turkey’s construction of the Atatürk Dam, which caused the water level to rise significantly. In fact the government evacuated the entire lower portion of the city and relocated it a couple miles from the city center. Needless to say, the river completely covered this portion of the city. It was a bit spooky. There was one mosque that was right at a point where the water covered only the bottom of it. So the mosque cannot function any more, but it still attracts locals and visitors like myself who walk in and around it for viewing pleasure.
That evening we made our way back to Syria, but it turned out to be a longer journey than we expected. We made it to Syria fine, but we had quite an experience at the border trying to get back in. I had anticipated problems but did not know how it would all play out.
The Syrian government requests that its visitors obtain visas from their home country prior to traveling to Syria. I did so however my visa expired upon leaving the country a second time, so I needed another one. When this situation occurs, and in my case, the person must wait at the border while the Syrian officials there send faxes back and forth to higher officials in Damascus requesting approval for visa issuance. This process takes anywhere between 1 to 8 hours depending on the person and the mood of the Syrian officials handling the situation. My case took around four hours, but the experience was something I’ll remember forever. We were taken to the boss’s office and my situation was discussed. During the discussion tea was offered to us to which we gladly accepted. After this they brought us to another room with beds and chairs to relax while we waited. After a couple hours, the border officials brought out a delicious meal and cold water, and we ate together. (I’m sorry fellow Americans, but this would never happen at American border-crossing stations for non-American visitors under suspicion). The men were extremely sweet and continually asked if we needed anything. Once I was cleared I bought my visa and we were off to Damascus. It was a very pleasant experience to say the least.
My next course starts in a couple days and will last one more month. I look forward to being home with you all, but will surely enjoy the rest of my time here.
Much love,
Jon
Monday, June 23, 2008
Monday June 23rd, 2008
Hello friends and family,
I hope you are all well. It has been over a month since I first arrived in Syria. Time has definitely moved fast. I think taking classes has contributed to that. I am already finished with my first course, and I take the exam tomorrow. Hopefully I will pass, as classes here are much more intensive than back home. I think the education system here is pretty intense in general. For example, the English material that my conversation partner is learning at the moment is rather challenging. I'd say I am learning some new things from it as well. I am really enjoying my tutoring exchange with Khalil. It has led me to believe that I would enjoy teaching English as a second language at some point in my life, maybe in the Middle East.
After my exam tomorrow, I will travel to southern Turkey with a few classmates/friends during our short holiday from classes. Stay tuned as I will definitely tell you about my experience there and of course share pictures. As a side note, will you keep my friends and I in your prayers as it is common for Americans to face annoyances at the Syrian border upon re-entering the country (some foreigners have been refused entry for no good reason). I would greatly appreciate it.
I was originally going to travel to Lebanon, but for a few reasons decided to go to Turkey instead. I will hopefully get the chance to visit Lebanon before I come back home.
Last weekend I traveled north to a city called Hama, famous for its ancient Norias (or "waterwheels"). It's a somewhat quieter city with some beautiful gardens and the Orontes River which runs through it. When I arrived I was dropped off in the "suburbs" of the city and therefore had no idea where to go from there. I somewhat pictured the city to be much smaller. I proceeded to ask for directions from these boys standing near the side of the road. We must have "hit if off" as they offered to take me to the city center where my hotel was located. One thing led to another, and I ended up spending the whole evening with them (I know my wording may sound inappropriate, but I couldn't resist... it just flowed so naturally with my story. So, don't take it the wrong way). They were extremely friendly and nice enough to show me around town. We got some dinner at one of their favorite local restaurants, and we topped the evening off with some fresh juice and Nargileh (waterpipe or "Sheesha" or "Hookah"), a Syrian ritual.
That evening I had my first experience sleeping on a Syrian roof/terrace at my hotel. This is the cheapest way to sleep in Syrian hostels, though not the most comfortable. The next morning I checked out of the hotel and headed for the bus station where I would depart for Krak des Chevaliers, a crusader castle not too far from Hama. I met some other travelers on the way, thus we ended up traveling together. The castle was amazing, and I've posted some new pictures of it on my flickr site (link is at the bottom of my blog).
I thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Ma'a Salaama
I hope you are all well. It has been over a month since I first arrived in Syria. Time has definitely moved fast. I think taking classes has contributed to that. I am already finished with my first course, and I take the exam tomorrow. Hopefully I will pass, as classes here are much more intensive than back home. I think the education system here is pretty intense in general. For example, the English material that my conversation partner is learning at the moment is rather challenging. I'd say I am learning some new things from it as well. I am really enjoying my tutoring exchange with Khalil. It has led me to believe that I would enjoy teaching English as a second language at some point in my life, maybe in the Middle East.
After my exam tomorrow, I will travel to southern Turkey with a few classmates/friends during our short holiday from classes. Stay tuned as I will definitely tell you about my experience there and of course share pictures. As a side note, will you keep my friends and I in your prayers as it is common for Americans to face annoyances at the Syrian border upon re-entering the country (some foreigners have been refused entry for no good reason). I would greatly appreciate it.
I was originally going to travel to Lebanon, but for a few reasons decided to go to Turkey instead. I will hopefully get the chance to visit Lebanon before I come back home.
Last weekend I traveled north to a city called Hama, famous for its ancient Norias (or "waterwheels"). It's a somewhat quieter city with some beautiful gardens and the Orontes River which runs through it. When I arrived I was dropped off in the "suburbs" of the city and therefore had no idea where to go from there. I somewhat pictured the city to be much smaller. I proceeded to ask for directions from these boys standing near the side of the road. We must have "hit if off" as they offered to take me to the city center where my hotel was located. One thing led to another, and I ended up spending the whole evening with them (I know my wording may sound inappropriate, but I couldn't resist... it just flowed so naturally with my story. So, don't take it the wrong way). They were extremely friendly and nice enough to show me around town. We got some dinner at one of their favorite local restaurants, and we topped the evening off with some fresh juice and Nargileh (waterpipe or "Sheesha" or "Hookah"), a Syrian ritual.
That evening I had my first experience sleeping on a Syrian roof/terrace at my hotel. This is the cheapest way to sleep in Syrian hostels, though not the most comfortable. The next morning I checked out of the hotel and headed for the bus station where I would depart for Krak des Chevaliers, a crusader castle not too far from Hama. I met some other travelers on the way, thus we ended up traveling together. The castle was amazing, and I've posted some new pictures of it on my flickr site (link is at the bottom of my blog).
I thank you for your continued prayers and support.
Ma'a Salaama
Sunday, June 8, 2008
June 8th (another uncreative title)
The first bit of information I want to leave for you this evening deals with a realization I had recently, and how I can use it as a recommendation for anyone looking to study abroad in the future. What hit me the other day was something you'd think I would have noticed by now. Well I obviously didn't, hence me not expounding on it at a much earlier time here on my trip. I realized that it was the first time I haven't felt completely alone in my desire to learn Arabic. Sure, there are a couple good friends of mine back home that I've built relationships with through college who study the language as well. However, this is the first time it feels completely normal to study the language, and with people from all over the world. I recommend to anyone, specializing in any field, who has thought about studying abroad to seriously consider it. It is an amazing opportunity to build relationships with people from all over and with people who are excited and motivated by similar things as you. Oh, and of course you have the added bonus of learning about and participating in a new culture.
Secondly, I want to share with you about the wonderful new friend I've made here in Damascus. His name is Khalil and he approached me one afternoon at school with a proposition to have conversational exchanges. This is one of the very popular methods students choose to accompany there studies at the university. I considered it but didn't pursue it until I met Khalil. One of the things I noticed about him right away was his ability to speak in perfect Fushaa (Modern Standard Arabic) which is what we learn in school. The Arabic spoken by the majority of locals here differs quite a bit, so it is often difficult to communicate and practice on the streets. Long story short, I decided to take him up on the offer.
The exchanges have been going great and are very helpful. However, what I wanted to leave you with is more important and has had more of an impact on me than mere language practice. A couple days after I met Khalil he invited me, along with two other students he exchanges with, to have lunch with him at his home. First of all, he met us 20 minutes away from his house (meaning he had to leave his house, come meet us, and bring us back to his home)and paid for our transportation. Next, he welcomed us into his home and sat us in his "welcoming" room which his family only uses for guests. It is furnished with elegant Syrian furniture and is probably the coolest (temp.) place in the house as well. After giving us many glasses of water and juice and introducing us to his adorable children, Khalil brought out our lunch. It was more like a feast and was very delicious. We asked him how long his wife had been preparing this lunch, and he said that she had been working for the last 3 hours or so. Let me also tell you that this meal probably cost the equivalent of 1 or 2 weeks worth of food for the whole family!
The hospitality of the Arab people here is unbelievable. Sometimes it puts me in a situation where I actually feel horrible, because this family has sacrificed the little money they have to make me feel welcome as their guest.
If that isn't enough, I met Khalil after school today. I asked him if he wanted to have the conversation exchange over lunch, all the while planning to treat him to something and return the hospitality. However, when we finished and were ready for the bill he insisted on paying. I tried and tried to insist upon paying, but I couldn't win the battle.
I can only hope that I will learn from the goodness I've been shown here and bring it back home with me.
Until next time,
Jon
Secondly, I want to share with you about the wonderful new friend I've made here in Damascus. His name is Khalil and he approached me one afternoon at school with a proposition to have conversational exchanges. This is one of the very popular methods students choose to accompany there studies at the university. I considered it but didn't pursue it until I met Khalil. One of the things I noticed about him right away was his ability to speak in perfect Fushaa (Modern Standard Arabic) which is what we learn in school. The Arabic spoken by the majority of locals here differs quite a bit, so it is often difficult to communicate and practice on the streets. Long story short, I decided to take him up on the offer.
The exchanges have been going great and are very helpful. However, what I wanted to leave you with is more important and has had more of an impact on me than mere language practice. A couple days after I met Khalil he invited me, along with two other students he exchanges with, to have lunch with him at his home. First of all, he met us 20 minutes away from his house (meaning he had to leave his house, come meet us, and bring us back to his home)and paid for our transportation. Next, he welcomed us into his home and sat us in his "welcoming" room which his family only uses for guests. It is furnished with elegant Syrian furniture and is probably the coolest (temp.) place in the house as well. After giving us many glasses of water and juice and introducing us to his adorable children, Khalil brought out our lunch. It was more like a feast and was very delicious. We asked him how long his wife had been preparing this lunch, and he said that she had been working for the last 3 hours or so. Let me also tell you that this meal probably cost the equivalent of 1 or 2 weeks worth of food for the whole family!
The hospitality of the Arab people here is unbelievable. Sometimes it puts me in a situation where I actually feel horrible, because this family has sacrificed the little money they have to make me feel welcome as their guest.
If that isn't enough, I met Khalil after school today. I asked him if he wanted to have the conversation exchange over lunch, all the while planning to treat him to something and return the hospitality. However, when we finished and were ready for the bill he insisted on paying. I tried and tried to insist upon paying, but I couldn't win the battle.
I can only hope that I will learn from the goodness I've been shown here and bring it back home with me.
Until next time,
Jon
Monday, June 2, 2008
Monday June 2nd
Well, I was thankfully able to squeeze a weekend trip to Amman, Jordan to visit a good friend of mine. I was also fortunate enough to be able to meet some amazing people who are part of a non-profit organization there. I learned a lot about what this organization does and what it has accomplished in Amman. It has given me much needed insight as to what I would love to be a part of in the Middle East if and when that time comes. It has also stretched my narrow view of what missional work looks like in this part of the world. I still have much to learn, but I am so glad I decided to use my last entry on my visa for this past weekend's endeavor.
Of the few locals that I met, Jordainians are very hospitable. Most of them were able to speak English more fluently than the locals that I've encountered here in Damascus. I wonder if Syria will eventually become as effected by Western influence as Jordan obviously has. If it does, it won't be for a very long time. As my friend put it, "When you step into Syria, it's like your going back 300 hundred years." This fact, however, has also been one of the reasons I believe Syria is still said to have some of the most hospitable and simple people in the Middle East, arguably.
Classes have been going very well so far. They are very challenging and place emphasis on conversation. I am very pleased with this, because conversation is probably the weakest area in my language skills at the moment. Grammar for me comes more naturally, whereas listening and speaking does not. Most of the conversations in class are collaborative, so many people end of stating their opinion when it's all said and done. I've heard that it's a little annoying to be an American for this reason. Many of the higher level courses end up tearing apart the US and its involvement in the Middle East. I'm not sure if the students in my level (including myself) are fluent enough in the language to make their arguments comprehensive. However, I don't think this leaks into daily interactions with American students such as myself. I am treated well and respected by all the students I've encountered. It seems that it's more something that stays in the classroom as far as "America Bashing."
Final note:
I'd love to answer ANY questions you have for me. In the event that you have a question, leave it in the form of a comment on my blog post. Then, I will try to answer it in my next post. OR if you'd rather communicate with me via email, I've written my personal email in one of the prior posts so feel free to use that method as well.
Have a great week
fi 'Isa
Jon
Of the few locals that I met, Jordainians are very hospitable. Most of them were able to speak English more fluently than the locals that I've encountered here in Damascus. I wonder if Syria will eventually become as effected by Western influence as Jordan obviously has. If it does, it won't be for a very long time. As my friend put it, "When you step into Syria, it's like your going back 300 hundred years." This fact, however, has also been one of the reasons I believe Syria is still said to have some of the most hospitable and simple people in the Middle East, arguably.
Classes have been going very well so far. They are very challenging and place emphasis on conversation. I am very pleased with this, because conversation is probably the weakest area in my language skills at the moment. Grammar for me comes more naturally, whereas listening and speaking does not. Most of the conversations in class are collaborative, so many people end of stating their opinion when it's all said and done. I've heard that it's a little annoying to be an American for this reason. Many of the higher level courses end up tearing apart the US and its involvement in the Middle East. I'm not sure if the students in my level (including myself) are fluent enough in the language to make their arguments comprehensive. However, I don't think this leaks into daily interactions with American students such as myself. I am treated well and respected by all the students I've encountered. It seems that it's more something that stays in the classroom as far as "America Bashing."
Final note:
I'd love to answer ANY questions you have for me. In the event that you have a question, leave it in the form of a comment on my blog post. Then, I will try to answer it in my next post. OR if you'd rather communicate with me via email, I've written my personal email in one of the prior posts so feel free to use that method as well.
Have a great week
fi 'Isa
Jon
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Tuesday May 27th, 2008
Sabah al-Kheer,
This will be short, but I wanted to answer a couple questions from Jeremy and tell of my new found Syrian friend and his wonderful family.
I do believe Bab Touma is named after the disciple. I will try to find out though. It could have simply been a later saint revered in either Syrian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, or Maronite churches.
I finally got to meet up with Roy, who is a Christian brother here in Syria that my friend Stefan has built a relationship with and made sure I had the chance to meet. He introduced me to his family and invited me to stay for lunch. His family is so nice and hospitable, and I'm sure I will end up visiting them frequently throughout my time here. Roy's wife Zuka even invited me to come over and cook with her, learning new recipes and drinking Arabic coffee. She was relieved that she has finally found a friend who likes Arabic coffee and with whom she can enjoy it with. After lunch Roy took a couple of his friends and I to two small villages outside of Damascus, Saidnaya and Ma'rra. At Ma'rra I was able to see a cave called Mar Yas which is traditionally the place where Elijah is said to have resided during a long period of time (a different story than when he was said to have been near Mt. Sinai). After that we went to the village of Saidnaya, which means "the hunting of the deer." There is a 5th century monastery which has been restored since then (obviously) which was said to have been built by emperor Justinian. A mosaic within the monastery tells the story of how Justinian and his army were wandering the Damascus region on a hunt and Mary (the mother of Jesus) is said to have appeared and commissioned him to build a monastery dedicated to her Son. He did just that.
The Christian community in Syria is quite larger than what I expected and to my knowledge do not experience too much persecution if any. I would go as far as to say that they practice their faith as freely as the Muslim population here, although on a much smaller scale of course. I hope to be able to find a church to attend soon. Roy has recommended a few and I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the churches offer night services. This works out great because the Christians has service on Sundays, however my school schedule runs on the Muslim weekly schedule meaning that Sunday is Monday on which I have class.
Salaam,
Jon
This will be short, but I wanted to answer a couple questions from Jeremy and tell of my new found Syrian friend and his wonderful family.
I do believe Bab Touma is named after the disciple. I will try to find out though. It could have simply been a later saint revered in either Syrian Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Syrian Catholic, or Maronite churches.
I finally got to meet up with Roy, who is a Christian brother here in Syria that my friend Stefan has built a relationship with and made sure I had the chance to meet. He introduced me to his family and invited me to stay for lunch. His family is so nice and hospitable, and I'm sure I will end up visiting them frequently throughout my time here. Roy's wife Zuka even invited me to come over and cook with her, learning new recipes and drinking Arabic coffee. She was relieved that she has finally found a friend who likes Arabic coffee and with whom she can enjoy it with. After lunch Roy took a couple of his friends and I to two small villages outside of Damascus, Saidnaya and Ma'rra. At Ma'rra I was able to see a cave called Mar Yas which is traditionally the place where Elijah is said to have resided during a long period of time (a different story than when he was said to have been near Mt. Sinai). After that we went to the village of Saidnaya, which means "the hunting of the deer." There is a 5th century monastery which has been restored since then (obviously) which was said to have been built by emperor Justinian. A mosaic within the monastery tells the story of how Justinian and his army were wandering the Damascus region on a hunt and Mary (the mother of Jesus) is said to have appeared and commissioned him to build a monastery dedicated to her Son. He did just that.
The Christian community in Syria is quite larger than what I expected and to my knowledge do not experience too much persecution if any. I would go as far as to say that they practice their faith as freely as the Muslim population here, although on a much smaller scale of course. I hope to be able to find a church to attend soon. Roy has recommended a few and I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the churches offer night services. This works out great because the Christians has service on Sundays, however my school schedule runs on the Muslim weekly schedule meaning that Sunday is Monday on which I have class.
Salaam,
Jon
Monday May 26th, 2008
There have been a few questions that some people have asked of me that I figured I would address. I could not figure out how on earth to simply reply to a single person on blogspot (blogger) so I thought I’d just add another entry answering some of them and some other random information for your reading pleasure.
I have not started classes yet. I begin them this Wednesday (28th) and to be quite honest, I am a little nervous. I’ve heard from most of the people who have been here for a while that the classes are very intensive and require quite a bit of homework to keep up. The classes are supposedly taught completely in Arabic, and I’ve even heard from a roommate that lengthy papers (in Arabic of course) are a part of the homework as well. So hopefully I will learn a lot without too much frustration.
The demographic of students studying Arabic at the university varies quite a bit. I’ve met many Italian, British, Swiss, Australian, German, French, Asian, and yes, American students. I honestly didn’t expect to meet as many Americans as I have, but I guess my expectations were wrong. It’s nice to be able to converse with an American every once in a while and to not feel somewhat strange or uneducated. I say this because it always seems to intimidate me when I talk to people from Europe, because I feel as though Americans appear uninformed and even mal-educated at times. This may or may not be the case, but I sure feel that way sometimes.
The food here is just what I anticipated it would be, delicious. I was pleasantly surprised when I quickly realized that the Syrian Cuisine is very similar to that of its Lebanese neighbor. One very surprising food item that Syrians consume regularly at home and at many restaurants is the famous Lebanese dish, Kibbeh Nayeh (raw lamb). I was under the impression that most non-Lebanese Arabs thought it strange and even horrific that the Lebanese could eat such a thing. Well needless to say, I am very happy this is not the case in Syria. I will tell you a funny eating experience that I had a couple nights ago. A couple new friends of mine and myself went out to eat and upon looking at the menu we saw the dish “Grilled Birds.” It was very cheap so we thought to ourselves, “It can’t hurt to try.” We were imagining some sort of white meat bird, whether it be chicken, turkey, pheasant, etc; We were very wrong, and out comes this plate with three “birds” about the size of your thumb, grilled to a very dark brown color. There was less than a bite-full of meat and it had a strange fishy taste to it. It was not a pleasant experience to say the least, but I guess a funny story came out of it.
God has truly been a constant companion with me on this trip so far. He has exceeded all my expectations and blessed me tremendously. I am very thankful for all the people He has brought in my path and all the opportunities He’s presented me with. It is both a shame and a blessing that I feel closer to him when I travel. It is a shame because I wish I knew the kind of dependence on Him back home that I know I need here. And it’s a blessing because I cherish the moments I sense His presence, and it has been near throughout my time here so far. I’m praying that I will learn many things about His Kingdom and grow closer to Him as a result. I would also like to be used by Him in whatever ways He chooses.
I really enjoy reading your comments so keep them coming and also feel free to ask me any questions that you have. However, if you have specific questions it might be faster to email me so I can respond quickly. In case some of you don’t have it, here it is:
jonathon.tgf@gmail.com
In Christ,
Jon
I have not started classes yet. I begin them this Wednesday (28th) and to be quite honest, I am a little nervous. I’ve heard from most of the people who have been here for a while that the classes are very intensive and require quite a bit of homework to keep up. The classes are supposedly taught completely in Arabic, and I’ve even heard from a roommate that lengthy papers (in Arabic of course) are a part of the homework as well. So hopefully I will learn a lot without too much frustration.
The demographic of students studying Arabic at the university varies quite a bit. I’ve met many Italian, British, Swiss, Australian, German, French, Asian, and yes, American students. I honestly didn’t expect to meet as many Americans as I have, but I guess my expectations were wrong. It’s nice to be able to converse with an American every once in a while and to not feel somewhat strange or uneducated. I say this because it always seems to intimidate me when I talk to people from Europe, because I feel as though Americans appear uninformed and even mal-educated at times. This may or may not be the case, but I sure feel that way sometimes.
The food here is just what I anticipated it would be, delicious. I was pleasantly surprised when I quickly realized that the Syrian Cuisine is very similar to that of its Lebanese neighbor. One very surprising food item that Syrians consume regularly at home and at many restaurants is the famous Lebanese dish, Kibbeh Nayeh (raw lamb). I was under the impression that most non-Lebanese Arabs thought it strange and even horrific that the Lebanese could eat such a thing. Well needless to say, I am very happy this is not the case in Syria. I will tell you a funny eating experience that I had a couple nights ago. A couple new friends of mine and myself went out to eat and upon looking at the menu we saw the dish “Grilled Birds.” It was very cheap so we thought to ourselves, “It can’t hurt to try.” We were imagining some sort of white meat bird, whether it be chicken, turkey, pheasant, etc; We were very wrong, and out comes this plate with three “birds” about the size of your thumb, grilled to a very dark brown color. There was less than a bite-full of meat and it had a strange fishy taste to it. It was not a pleasant experience to say the least, but I guess a funny story came out of it.
God has truly been a constant companion with me on this trip so far. He has exceeded all my expectations and blessed me tremendously. I am very thankful for all the people He has brought in my path and all the opportunities He’s presented me with. It is both a shame and a blessing that I feel closer to him when I travel. It is a shame because I wish I knew the kind of dependence on Him back home that I know I need here. And it’s a blessing because I cherish the moments I sense His presence, and it has been near throughout my time here so far. I’m praying that I will learn many things about His Kingdom and grow closer to Him as a result. I would also like to be used by Him in whatever ways He chooses.
I really enjoy reading your comments so keep them coming and also feel free to ask me any questions that you have. However, if you have specific questions it might be faster to email me so I can respond quickly. In case some of you don’t have it, here it is:
jonathon.tgf@gmail.com
In Christ,
Jon
Friday, May 23, 2008
Update 5.23.08
Friday May 23rd, 2008
It’s been five days since I’ve arrived here, and it seems that a lot has happened during so short a time. The first couple days were spent mostly trying to figure out school details and where to live. Thankfully I was able to tag along with a fellow American named David who helped me tremendously in where to go and what to do in preparation for classes. He had just arrived from Yemen where he was studying Arabic for 6 months and needed a change of country, leading to his choosing Syria for his studies. He had been through the monotonous and often frustrating legalities of studying in the middle east as a foreigner so his help was very useful. Once he found a home in the Old City I was once again left alone to figure things out for myself. I’m perfectly capable to do the normal trial-and-error routine when plowing through unknown territory, however being very much like my dad I try to ask as many people as I can for advice.
One thing you’ll find when you come to the middle east is that everyone knows everyone. There is an intricately linked system of relationships between various individuals who do favors for one another. It’s really how many people make their living here. I saw it in Egypt and it’s no different here in Syria. It was no surprise to me that my hotel would be able to somehow find a place for me to stay for the duration of my stay here, even though it would seem that they only have relationships with people within close proximity. They called a number and within a half an hour a man was at the front door ready to drive me to his place to check it out.
To make a long story short, I decided to stay there and have been tremendously blessed with a great roommate and three other very nice students all studying at the same university who are renting rooms in the same home. The family is Christian, very friendly, jewelry makers, and extremely connected to their hometown of the Old City, Bab Touma (the gate of Thomas). I’m only a Brett Favre stone’s throw away from Straight Street and very close to pretty much anything I would need living here.
All in all I don’t’ think I could’ve asked for a better environment to do my studies this summer.
Keep in touch
In Christ,
Jon
It’s been five days since I’ve arrived here, and it seems that a lot has happened during so short a time. The first couple days were spent mostly trying to figure out school details and where to live. Thankfully I was able to tag along with a fellow American named David who helped me tremendously in where to go and what to do in preparation for classes. He had just arrived from Yemen where he was studying Arabic for 6 months and needed a change of country, leading to his choosing Syria for his studies. He had been through the monotonous and often frustrating legalities of studying in the middle east as a foreigner so his help was very useful. Once he found a home in the Old City I was once again left alone to figure things out for myself. I’m perfectly capable to do the normal trial-and-error routine when plowing through unknown territory, however being very much like my dad I try to ask as many people as I can for advice.
One thing you’ll find when you come to the middle east is that everyone knows everyone. There is an intricately linked system of relationships between various individuals who do favors for one another. It’s really how many people make their living here. I saw it in Egypt and it’s no different here in Syria. It was no surprise to me that my hotel would be able to somehow find a place for me to stay for the duration of my stay here, even though it would seem that they only have relationships with people within close proximity. They called a number and within a half an hour a man was at the front door ready to drive me to his place to check it out.
To make a long story short, I decided to stay there and have been tremendously blessed with a great roommate and three other very nice students all studying at the same university who are renting rooms in the same home. The family is Christian, very friendly, jewelry makers, and extremely connected to their hometown of the Old City, Bab Touma (the gate of Thomas). I’m only a Brett Favre stone’s throw away from Straight Street and very close to pretty much anything I would need living here.
All in all I don’t’ think I could’ve asked for a better environment to do my studies this summer.
Keep in touch
In Christ,
Jon
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Arrival and 1st Impressions
It was beautiful flying at night, despite having not slept for a long time, because it was a clear night. You could see the brightly lit clusters of cities, especially Beirut which juts out into the Mediterranean making it stand out.
My taxi driver spoke very little English, and my broken Arabic was only a little helpful. Once he heard that I could speak a little, he immediately spoke in Arabic for the remainder of the ride into Damascus. An interesting thing was that he did not hesitate to ask me my opinion on Osama Bin Laden. This definitely confirmed to me that many Arabs enjoy talking and debating about politics. I told him in very few words that all I know about Osama is what is presented on the news. He kept telling me that Osama works for the FBI or the CIA. I wasn't sure quite what he meant by that.
More to come. I'm just trying to get settled here. I'm at an internet cafe right now and I'm not using the computer I brought, so I'm hopeing that I will eventually be able to use my own computer for updating this blog in order to upload pictures.
I hope you are all well.
My taxi driver spoke very little English, and my broken Arabic was only a little helpful. Once he heard that I could speak a little, he immediately spoke in Arabic for the remainder of the ride into Damascus. An interesting thing was that he did not hesitate to ask me my opinion on Osama Bin Laden. This definitely confirmed to me that many Arabs enjoy talking and debating about politics. I told him in very few words that all I know about Osama is what is presented on the news. He kept telling me that Osama works for the FBI or the CIA. I wasn't sure quite what he meant by that.
More to come. I'm just trying to get settled here. I'm at an internet cafe right now and I'm not using the computer I brought, so I'm hopeing that I will eventually be able to use my own computer for updating this blog in order to upload pictures.
I hope you are all well.
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