30 years

[smonsell]

I went downtown to celebrate my friend's birthday last week. All the restaurants were offering 50% off to encourage people to go downtown again and to celebrate Lebanese unity (Wednesday marked 30 years since the events that started the Civil War). It's hard to believe that the downtown did not reopen until 1999 when most of the street violence ended. Most people don't talk about the war. They pretend it never happened. I had a long conversation with my roommates about it. Steph was at home when a bomb hit her house. She's stuttered a little bit ever since. Sara lived with her grandparents in Jordan during the worst of the war and doesn't remember the rest. So many people left the country that there are more Lebanese people living outside of Lebanon than in it. I sense some bitterness between those who stayed for the long haul and those who got out. It's really interesting to be here for all of this. Also the Prime Minister resigned again, but Lahoud accepted it this time and appointed a new guy, Mikati, who the opposition likes... surprisingly. It still hasn't been decided whether or not the elections scheduled for next month will take place. There will probably be riots either way. But Lebanon is getting more and more beautiful by the day. Check her out:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=15cadunn.1849d3qn&x=0&y=-g2p87a

Also here are some pictures from Anas' birthday dinner:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=15cadunn.19m5kpmn&x=0&y=-opfavo