Last
week the restriction on our freedom of movement was almost completely removed.
This was very important for starting the third pillar of the caravan project,
which the education about the History and politics of Lebanon and about the
three big monotheistic Religions. So University started on Tuesday with three lessons about the
prehistoric, ancient and newer history of Lebanon. The third lesson on friday
took place in the National Museum of Beirut which has some very important and
interesting pieces of Lebanese and European history. For example you can find a
sarcophogus there which has one of the oldest inscriptions of the phoenizian
Alphabet on it.
In
addition to the start of university, we were also pleased to have the first
visit from some of the parents (Georgina´s parents and Jakob´s father). They
were very kind enough to invite us all for a lovely dinner on Saturday at a
Lebanese restaurant in Achrafiyeh. This visit was a good oppurtunity to show
the parents that there is nothing to worry about in terms of the situation here
and that it is for the most part very safe.
This
week we had our trial run of the caravan spa in Deir el Qamar on Monday. We
treated the girls to some mannicures and massages. We even were lucky enough to
get our own mannicures from the girls themselves (this was especially enjoyable
for Callum...). This week we also experienced something that can only be found
in Lebanon; on our way home for Jamhour we encountered a massive traffic jam.
Usually, anywhere in Europe, people would have patiently waited for the traffic
to continue moving. But no no no, not in Lebanon. At the sight of this traffic
jam, everyone decided to turn around on the extremely busy high way and drive
the other way in an attempt to avoid waiting. So parts of the cars were going
in the right and some in the wrong diretion on the highway what of course
caused another accident and another traffic jam, so our driver simpily dicided
to drive on the pavement of the highway back to the next exit in order to leave
the highway.
In the
end we still arrived savely in our appartment, although the way home was quite
adventours.