Musings on Beirut

As I sit in my little one bedroom apartment, with a tiny kitchen, a bathroom, and no sitting room, I think to myself… why the hell am I paying $550 a month for this? Granted, there is 24-hour security and desk staff, a cleaning lady who comes and cleans twice a week (and changes the sheets and towels once a week), and it is fully furnished. But still… $550 a month?

These are some of the questions I ask myself. I walk down ‘Rue Jeanne de Arc’ and do a little window shopping. Shops like ‘Moustache’ and ‘Poupa’ grab my attention – they have style, flair, and signs like ‘Fashion has no rules’. Then I turn on to ‘Rue Hamra’. The main street in this area. I see Starbucks, Vero Moda, Costa Coffee, and shops with $150 pairs of pants, evening gowns for $300+ and loads of lingerie shops. There goes the thought that Lebanon is this war-torn country, ravaged by hate and indifference.

Then you take a walk downtown. The camps are still set up around the government buildings. Like a squatter city, or rather, two of them. One for the March 8 followers, one for the March 14 followers. And a wall between them. And then, 5 days after we arrived, a car bomb explodes in an area of town known as Sin Al-Fil. The target – one of the anti-Syrian Members of Parliament. Numerous people died (including the MP), and buildings vacated.

Another view – from the top floor of a hotel around Gemayzeh area, I can see the lights of the city, the beautiful Mediterranean Sea, the taxis at the base of the hotel waiting to rip me off (or make a living depending on how you looks at it). But most of all, I see tons of beautiful people. Okay – maybe only a couple hundred. We had the occasion to go to the White Club. One of the top clubs in the city – I’ve heard. Open air, on the roof top, you have to call at least a week in advance to get reservations. And there’s the catch. Every space is reserved. And it is not seen as prudent to stray from your reserved table. Believe me – we tried. The women were gorgeous – I must’ve been about 1 of maybe 15 women over a size 2, and even in a plunge-neck tank top, I was one of the most covered. Drinks were about $8-10 a piece, and I can’t even imagine what it would have cost to eat there. I was overwhelmed, and to tell you the truth, a little sickened. Don't think that I am thinking in double standards here. I would have been just as sickened in the States, and thats probably why I didn't go out there either.

In a world where there is such poverty and need, I have a hard time spending money (or even seeing others spend money) on frivolous unneeded things. it really makes it hard for me. and i know that i buy things that i don't need, and i could donate more of my time and money. how do i resolve this quandary? anyways - another look....

I haven’t been there myself, but I am looking forward to seeing south Beirut, and southern Lebanon. I have heard that it is nothing like Beirut. The development after the war isn’t happening, and there are a lot less opportunities. These are also the areas that are more likely to have connections with groups such as Hezbollah. Because Hezbollah has actually been helping the people of these areas – helping to provide housing, food, and even money. How would you (as a poor Lebanese person affected by war) not support a group like that over the government, especially when the government completely ignores you.

Speaking of government and Hezbollah, there is a widespread belief in Lebanon that the July war last year with Israel was perpetrated by both Israel and the US. The Shi’a (the group most associated with Hezbollah) believes that the US told the Israelis certain areas not to hit, and that they were actually in cahoots with the Sunnis and Christians of Lebanon also, so that the Israelis would only hit Shi’a areas. That has caused a bit of tension among the groups (I’ve heard). Again – this is hear-say. I haven’t figured all of this out yet, it’s mostly been from conversations with various Lebanese friends.

Okay – one last interesting tidbit. There is such an over abundance of doctors (and shortage of nurses) in Lebanon, and in the Middle East in general, that 20% of doctors in Lebanon make less than $500 a month. There just aren’t enough patients, and jobs for them all. (Which isn't completely true - there aren't enough patients with money is how I should've put it) A lot of MDs are actually not even working in their field, but rather working as construction foremen, or other jobs to pay the bills. An interesting factoid that I learned in class.

By now, I’ve probably bored you all with my musings. More boring tidbits to come later!