Arrival to BeirutLearning leaning underneath the stars of Beirut by the side of the Highway at the Saifi Urban Garden, across from a pile of three story houses colors yellow with free shutters, on one side and in ruins on the other side. Trees growing out of the foundation of the building below, which has not second floor, just the foundation.
Across from where I am typing, after an hour immerse in the screen and the Techno playing synchronized to the purple and white flashing lights, dancing in the Beirut nights, amongst the stars shining above in the distance. I yawn and look to my left and seeing gapping bullet halls littered across the wall of sizing ranging from ½ an inch to a foot.

Beyond the distance of the techno music drown between the occasional car passing at 2in the morning here, I feel truly blessed to have the opportunity to be in Beirut to meet my family here. We arrived, and couldn’t find the immediately.

My father with a puzzled look on his face, I took control and casually asked a man sitting down, “how can I dial this number in Beirut, I’m looking for a friend?” He says “no 011, just the 091 straight.” I than say, “do you know of any phone that takes coins around here?” He takes out his cell and dials the number for me. Lena was right in front of us, just by a crowd of girls who were yelling for some famous Lebanese actor who just step out of the arrivals area.

The man asks Lena, what languages are you speaking, she says Armenian. He says “Anna Turkia,” I’m Turkish. He asks about me “ and him too, he’s American.” Lena says “we’re family. No problem though. Thanks for the help. My great uncle and aunt live in an area overlooking the city, starting on the hills of Beirut overlooking the sea. My father and Alas, the wife of Hagop share stories with each other for a few hours, we eat homemade Armenian goodies made by a maid from Sri Lanka. We make our way back to the hostel, and I listen to the night unfold as the dars motor s vibrate, into my spinal chord, I better go to sleep, the weeds like tree says to me waves good night.