Floating trash and Shawarma!

After not getting our apartment, dealing with whiney American women, and generally just being annoyed Chris and I decided we were going to slip away to the majestic coast of Latakia(Greek for dirty beach).

After being accosted by two locals(which usually happens) we worked our way to the train station in a leisurely fasion. Everyone here seems quite keen to talk politics. Within two hours, and two coffees, we hashed out the underlying cause of the worlds ills and laid out a plan for global peace. We should be in charge - to cocky Westerners with two local Arabs. Peace is on the way. We exchanged numbers and made plans to restart our discussion at a later date, and boarded the train.

Syrian trains look like they are vintage eastern block, except they run on time, have nice stations, friendly people, feed you a full snack (photo soon to be posted) and generally put AMTRAK to shame. The pittance of one hundred pounds got us an express ticket and hours of conversation. The closer we got to Latakia, the more humid it became - and I swear much warmer. The night air instantly clung to you like a wet towel, but it was a new place and we were glad to get away.

Like good little boys we oriented our map to where we were, after fighting off cabbies and little kids selling shit, and took to the night. A brief walk found us in the center of town and soon our hotel. More of hostel really it was cheap and clean and didn't have loud girls complaining. We rested for a bit(sweated really) and then made a b-line for the coast. We walked and talked and worked our way up and down the touristy boulevard. Kind of nice but in a cheesy sort of way. We stopped in at a bustling Shawarma vendor that deep-fryed our Shawarma in chicken lard(gut bomb). The avenue was just posh and reminiscent of rich idiots, so we walked on back into town where we settled into a nice streetside cafe. The chess games ensued(I finally won ONE)as well as the Slapjack. My favorite American title for this is lost on everyone but Chris so I just don't say it anymore. The Brits have a similiar game called Snap so Chris calls it TurboSnap! Nice! This attracts MUCH attention because anyone that has played this game knows how heated it can become. At one point we had a gallery of little girls looking on and we turned to them, proclaimed in our best Arabic that we were crazy, asked them if they were crazy, laughed and continued playing. After a few coffees and many games we worked our way home for a sweaty but quite sleep(the mosques don't wake me up anymore).

The next morning we awoke and quickly set out for coffee and a snack. After hanging out under a palm tree sipping our coffee we decided to walk to the train station to purchase our tickets and find our return time. Upon arrival we purchased our tickets and found we had about four hours to kill. Feeling a bit adventurous we walked straight into the slums of Latakia. Beat up old buildings, piles of rubble, trash and awful smells were all very common. The children followed us and a few vendors poked out but largely we were unnoticed. Some boys pointed us in the direction of the beach after a short walk along the tracks, and we finally ended up at a 'locals' type beach place. There was a reed covered patio, a small vendor, an amazingly dirty beach and the grand ol' Medditeranean. Nice sea the Med except when you are wading around in washed up trash. After a short walk in to test the water and sanity of the location I headed back to our table to sit, sip coffee, and listen to music. We spent about three hours just hanging with the locals on this dingy beach before we packed up to head home.

The train back was uneventful and on time. We quickly made it back to meet some co-workers for ice-cream, get the keys to our part-time pad, and get back out to meet some other foreigners for dinner and fun. Neither occured. We took a cab over hell's-half-acre looking for a pair of socks for Chris(forgotten when we moved to the new place) and then another fifteen minutes driving to this super swank pool club to meet these people that we barely knew. It ended up being someone's wedding(again) and I feel wierd about being at a wedding I wasn't invited too, eventhough I know it is also a restaurant - I guess it's a cultural thing. So after eating, drinking, and saying WHAT! 500 times we left for a cab ride from Hell. I noticed our cabbie's meter wasn't running so I had Chris stop him for the arguement. He wanted twice what we paid coming out for the drive back and we said no way! Just then a microbus pulled up and I jumped out and started battering with the guyus in it to find out how much they would take for the same ride. In any other situation it would have been cheap but at this point we were both mad and didn't care too much. So we got out of this bastards cab and into the microbus for a proper cab fare price. The cabbie was then mad and wanted payment for the turn around the block. We said no...he asked where we were from and I said "from a country that knows how to do math.." my humor was wasted on him, the clock was running, so he muttered something and left. Needless to say we finally made it home but what a day that was yesterday!

The peace process...

I have an inkling of how the peace process in Iraq is working. There is the US trying to work with leaders to resolve conflict and solve problems. The west is working in a fasion that you come to an agreement and what you agree upon gets accomplished. The east is working in a system of fealty where nothing gets done when it is said, the leaders have the power and don't want to let any of it go, if you work for or with someone you are under THEIR fealty and things get done when THEY decide it is needed.

I have been here for over two weeks and have been consistently lied to about our apartment, the status of our contract, moneys that have been paid, keys obtained. Last night Chris and I were so mad we called the realtor, found the woman who owns the apartment and thought we were getting the keys...nada. Nothing had been done and we then expressed our frustration and anger about the situation to her and she understood. We now are requesting our living allowance up front to take care of matters ourselves. Within two weeks I know enough people, language, and location to do this on my own. I don't need a fuedal lord. I like to make waves.

With this aside we had a wonderful time with some locals playing Fussball for an hour or so, went to a store and bartered for a chess board, and then went to a cafe to play chess and drink coffee. If it wasn't for the BS the place would be the coolest town I have lived in. Just today we were flagged down by a man that we met previously and he gave us a ride to the internet cafe on his way to church. People here are so kind and happy. I can't say it enough.

Oh, and for you girls out here that have heard soooo much about how beautiful women are I can honestly say that the guys here are just as good looking. AND they hold hands!

It has been confirmed!

Yes I actually do work with mostly supermodels. Today we had our first school meeting where every other girl was just flat out hot! I have to WORK with these girls? Window shopping at its finest!

Well other than the staff being extremely "fit" the meeting was a cluster of the Western teachers scrambling to make everything fit into the schedule at the last minute, and also adding things in like French and Religion. Well no school is perfect. School will probably start a week later than planned but at least I will get my keys tomorrow. Things take forever here!

Chris and I have decided that we are only going to visit and go places that no one ever goes. No I am not going to the mountains of Iraq (already thought about it), and no I haven't found Atlantis (but there is something in the water), we are going to plan a trip to Armenia. Who does anyone know that has ever been to Armenia, let alone could point it out on a map? So we are giong to mull over plans for that trip.

Other than that it is "steady as she goes." I hope everyone is having nice weather, it has been one hundred plus all week here. Bloody hot! Talk to you soon.

So many bints...so little time.

In the past three days I have gained in intimate knowledge of British slang (my new roomie), ripped around town with the Syrian odd couple, and toured miles in the oldest covered market in the world leading to the Citadel.

My new "pad-lad" is also named Chris and hails from Lester (look it up). He is witty, as talkative, and also as political as I can be sometimes. We have been getting along famously. I have agreed to call soccer "football" and he calls biscuits "cookies." It's a nice relationship :)

Late one night at the Pullman Hotel. I chatted up the nice girl next to me on the veranda and soon Chris in I were smoking "hubble-bubble" with them and drinking beer. The guy was from Greece escaping the games when he got retained by the government to serve in the army. He's been in Greece for twenty years - his arabic was even rusty. So needless to say he was less than pleased with his situation, and his "family friend" was really talkative. We were quite entertaining with the point and name system. We spoke to her through him and vice-versa. They drug us all through town looking for a pub or a club. Finally we ended up after two at this Armenian wedding party at a poolside restaurant. What a sight to see. Dancing, smoking, eating, yelling (girls with the yelling, flicking tongue noise thing)and just carrying on into the wee hours of the morning. We lasted until about four and then called it a night. The wierd thing was not only was this girl VERY western in attitude and dress (VERY), she was loaded! She paid for everything like it was nothing. Even our cab fair home. Sweeeet.

Previously that day we spent all day walking around through the Citadel with our friend and personal tour guide Lilit. The Citadel is hundreds of years old and one of the most fortified castles ever. This thing is awesome: moat, ampitheater, stables, water and crop storage, torture chambers, and the kings room was like a palacial football field. DAMN! I got lots of pictures for you history buffs. The view from up there was great.

Sunday after being up all night we were up-and-at-em early to check out the oldest Armenian church in these parts again with Lilit. It was like 800 years old. The story goes that a Armenian wise man went to Osman to ask if they could build a church. Osman said they could build one no bigger than the size of a sea shipping container (something like a barrel I am guessing). So he then goes home and begins to cut this thing into one long tiny strip and unravels it to lay out. This makes a space around maybe ten or fifteen square yards. He then goes back to Osman and proclaims that his church fits inside the container (that's balls). Osman let them keep it - the original chapel is tiny and there are catacombs under it but only priests of the temple can go down there.

After church yesterday, and most of the day today Chris and I walked around town and visited the shops. After getting totally lost in some back lot of a bulk foods market a guy adopted us and walked us around to the old city wall and the beginning of the maze of suqs that goes through the city. There is everything here and it goes on for miles. All covered and original stone this place was amazing. Stores carrying everything from lambs heads to fine linens. It is amazing how stores here operate. If you don't barter with them you are totally getting ripped off. It is expected for you - it is like a game of chess. A meeting of the minds to haggle over the prices. I have yet to buy anything but I am learning the number system so I can!

As we were walking through the suq Chris remembered that his parents stayed in an Inn close by and we found the sign. It led down the alley that was reminiscent of a Dungeons & Dragons story. Tight knit cobblestone and close walls that ended in a large metal door with a hanging sign overhead. The innkeeper may or may not have remembered his parents but he invited us in for some drinks. His Inn opened up into this beautiful courtyard with plants and rugs hanging about on the walls. It was beautiful and serene. You couldn't hear the bussling market just meters away. He had sodas brought to us and we talked about Syria, where we were from, an Iraqi man we talked to in the streets - just random lazy day conversation. What a kind man.

Our suq-walk ended in front of the Citadel and we sat down for a rest, some number memorization practice, and some fresh juice. The fruit here is fabulous. After a while we decided to hail a cab and head back here to check our email. The cabby was pretty good and avoided most of rush hour while giving us a good tour of cross-town traffic. Just another day in Allepo.

Love and miss everyone.

Coming soon...

Also, in the next week or two I will have my computer set up at school so I can begin posting various pictures of my adventure. Little things like 5000 year old ruins, ferral cats, and bread companies with logos like "Tasty Pain." Oh yeah!

One week anniversary

Well it has been one week now and here is what I have accomplished. Hours ago I rode on a minivan bus that will take you anywhere for five pounds (ten cents), and also earlier had a near miss with a nice Mercedes in a tiny little taxi. This morning I ate at Batata (potatoe), which is the Syrian McDonalds, and met a girl that lived in the US for three years. She gave me a gift, I gave her a high-five (plus I think she was sweet on me). Last night I found an amazing apartment in the downtown area that I will move into shortly. I have met or seen resumes of all the Syrians that will be working at the school (I'm conviced you have to be a Super Model to apply...no shit). I've been losing a battle to microbes in the Levant, but think the tides are soon to turn. For the past many days I have learned taxi directions, money, please and thank you's (momma done raised me right), as well as numbers, greetings, and a few random words like cat and diarreah (two things common to Syria). All in all I am very pleased with the wonderful people, the rich food, and the knowledge that I am being watched all over the country (eyes and ears are everywhere hear)- it's SORT of comforting...

I have arrived

After many hours of travel I am finally here in Aleppo. What a wonderful country. There is a saying here that translates basically to "it'll get done when it gets done." This is how I find my new life here, and it makes the south look like New York City. The people here are amazingly friendly and I have already befriended some neighborhood children.

People here own more westernized things than I do. T-shirts, cars, cell phones, sundries, all of which came from the US via Canada or another of our main trade partners. The cat holes in lieu of toilets were a suprise but they are old school and not in any of the modern places.

There are no weapons of mass destruction - I looked. On that same note, if anything IS here it is held by one or two really rich people not the government, because the government doesn't have the resources. This is a very poor country and those that have money don't make it on everyday jobs, they import or own multiple businesses, properties, or textiles. Everyone else just lives. On the drive north I saw many people sharecropping large farms, and many more just living in tents in fields. Most dwellings are large eastern block looking buildings. The only way I can describe it is if you could mix East Germany with a Navajo reservation. The more affluent can afford a manor type home that has walls around it and a courtyard. In the city it is mostly apartment living in giant stone buildings that are beautifully built. The architecture here is amazing. I look forward to sharing more with all of you. Mom and Jason email me because I don't have your email addresses. Talk to you soon.

All set and ready to go.

I have said most of my good-byes, and I am as ready to go as I will be. I love all of my friends and family and look forward to keeping in touch with you here. Talk to you soon!