October 27, 2006

On Traffic Jams and 'Normal' Conversations

A view of just 9 of the 253 traffic jams I spent half of this week in. I do not know what is happening (a conspiracy?), but this is the worst traffic I have experienced in Beirut in 16 years. I think from now on I am going to walk.


Conversations We Have
The situation in Lebanon is rather odd at the moment. There is this sense of impending catastrophe. Something is in the air, we just don’t know what it is. But it is something. Something is brewing. Something is about to happen. It reflects in the conversations people have.

6:35 AM this morning, the housekeeper:
“Madam, I think you should buy some extra gas bottles. There were so many choppers last night; it looks like we are going to get bombed again.”

11:20 AM at work, the math coordinator:
Check out this math web site, it has good interactive exercises for students to do at home. Excellent in case the war starts again.”

For a Lebanese, there may be nothing strange about conversations like this, but just now and then, as a foreigner, I catch myself thinking “Jesus, just imaging talking like this in the cheese section of the Albert Hein (Dutch supermarket chain)!

19 comments:

Anonymous said...

now what do you think should be done with this

California Firefighters Fear Wind Could Push Deadly Blaze Toward Homes, Arson Probed

MarxistFromLebanon said...

actually one reporter suggested that to deploy fairy boats between the coast cities to ease off some pressure on the city since it is a tiny city with a huge population.

MFL

Anonymous said...

Lebanese love traffic jams? Then why not come over to Holland, and spend a few hours in the bouchons between Utrecht and Rotterdam, or Rotterdam and Amsterdam, or... well, just anywhere, lots of fun here. Monday morning and Friday afternoon are best!

Anonymous said...

Sietske, zou ik je verhalen ook op onze website www.libanonpraat.nl mogen zetten?

Groet,
Daniƫl
(contact@libanonpraat.nl)

Angry Anarchist said...

here, here...!

just got home, after 2 hours on the roads... :S man, i am beginning to think that walking all the distance would take less time than driving it!

nice blog btw...

Liliane said...

I know, traffic is definitely crazy! It takes us 30 minutes to go through 1 km! it's just sickening!

Anonymous said...

Kerry Apologizes to Troops, Families for 'My Poorly Stated Joke'

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not too smart

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