Independence Day

November 22nd, 1943, Lebanon was granted independence, having been under French ruling since the establishment in 1920. today, 64 years later, it is remarkable quiet in the streets of Beirut, compared to the Norwegian celebration that I`m used to at home. Nor can I see more Lebanese flags waving than what I do on any other day. Normally this day is celebrated with big public military parades, flags, fireworks and a lot of happy people in the streets. Today, however, there was no following up on this tradition. Many Lebanese probably feel that this is not the right time for great celebrations, due to the awaiting presidental elections and a situation which is starting to reach a state of political vakuum. Tomorrow`s parlamentary sessions were tonight again announced to be postponed, and it is now very uncertain what is going to happen next.

The president is elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term. Last elections were held in 1998, and Emile Lahoud, the outgoing president, were supposed to leave office in 2004. His term was, however, extended by three years. According to Lebanese Constitution the president is a Maronite Christian, the prime minister is a Sunni Muslim, and the speaker of the National Assembly is a Shi'a Muslim. The PM is appointed by the president in consultation with the National Assembly, and the Cabinet is chosen by the prime minister in consultation with the president and members of the National Assembly. (Source: CIA World Factbook.)

Political tension..

- I`ve just entered my door at home. (Actually it was a few hours ago, but some technical problems occured, and yes, well, anyways. Just pretend it`s still 5:30 PM) Another working day is over. The last hour was spent having security briefing with the Head of the Federation Delegation down here. We shall use the existing communication line, and from now on report all our movements after dark. And we`ve got stricter restrictions to where we can and cannot move. Tomorrow the governmental talks needed to go through with the elections for a new president in the country was supposed to take place, but earlier today the meeting was announced to be postponed. Again. The elections have already been postponed twice due to lack of consensus, and now it`s starting to be dangerously little time to act on. Saturday is the deadline for the sitting president to leave office, and by then the new one should preferably be on place. It`s hard not to notice the deadlock. There`s a lot of tension in the air, and I can feel it myself as well. I`m a little extra on guard when I`m out walking or driving. Hopefully nothing will happen, but still I try to notice little details like strange sounds or where the police has consentrated it`s guarding, and I`m constantly analyzing the situation around me the best way that I can. It`s not paranoia, but a blend of instinct and common sense that`s driving me, I think. And in a tense situation like this there is unfortunately reason to be worried. Everybody remembers the tragic carbomb that killed a minister and several civilians in Beirut just two months ago, and up through the years this county has not been blessed with too much peace and quiet.. The civil and military state of readiness has been tightened up the last days, and there`s more uniformed and armed men and tanks in the streets in my neighborhood. Serious faces with inquiring eyes. Even though people around me would rather avoid talking too much about the situation, and try to go on with their everyday lives as if things were completely normal, there`s no doubt that they are worried, and fed up with the whole political issue. “Will we have a new government?” “Are we ending up with TWO?” “A military one maybe?” It is difficult to predict to outcome of this week, but I dare bet that what most Lebanese want most of all these days is peace and quiet, and political consensus. Inch Allah, they will get what they wish for. As for myself, I`ll keep a low profile, and limit my movements to the Arabic school, nearby coffeeshops with internet connection, and the gym right across the street.

Arabic

- after two weeks we started attending our first arabic classes, and since then we`ve had lessons three hours a day, four days a week. The first lessons I didn`t really understand much, but after a while it became oh so much easier. Our teacher, Shirine, tells us that we`re doing great. I`m sure she tells all her students, but I choose to consider this irrelevant. So far we ARE doing great (in my own opinion of course), and it is a lot of fun to learn arabic. Marhaba? Ahlein. Kifik? Mniha. LHamdella! W 2enti? Lebanese is a fascinating language, and not quite like “regular” arabic, for those who might be deceived to think so. Without going in depth one could say that it is some sort of lovely mixture of arabic, french and english, and with a touch of the ancient phenexcian language (which the lebanese by the way were the “inventors” of some xx hundred years ago). The written language is however standard arabic, and the “internet language” a third version. Why make it easy? From the beginning we decided to learn both the spoken and the written language, something which I didn`t regret so far. It is fun to be able to read the signs on the buildings, and actually recognise some words. It is also fun when I can impress a few of the lebanese that cross my path with various rehersed words and sentences. Not unexpectedly there is also room for both decent and less decent words in my continuously increasing vocabulary, creating much joy for myself and the close surroundings. (Some of my new friends have even adopted a couple of expressions that clearly have a different accent than the ones they normally use) La wlo? (Nooo, really, are you kidding me??)

Anyone mentioned work?

When you`ve managed to find your way to the office, it`s time to start working. When my colleugue and I came down here in the middle of September, we had no spesific work description, and together with our contact person we decided to spend the first month getting to know the organisation, and then create our own work description. This first month has been quite hectical, and filled with meetings with different departments, committees and other institutions. We have been introduced to the different programmes that are run by the youth department, and we have already participated in several workshops with volunteers from these programmes. It`s been an educational and useful introduction periode, and I do feel that I now have a certain overview over the Lebanese Red Cross Society, and that I`m better equipped for the continuous work. So, what exactly am I going to work with? Well, from home I am quite used to having a little finger involved in many projects at the same time, and it seems that this may be a solution also here. Hurray! No reason to break a good trend, right? Since the whole organisation at the time is in the middle of a comprehensive prosess of strategic planning, we have decided together with our supervisors to focus most of our energy on the holistic planning prosess in the youth department, instead of solely choosing one or two spesific programmes or youth centers to work with. I hope and do believe that we`ll manage to create many good things together with the volunteers on this area. This is the fifth and final year that the Lebanese and the Norwegian Red Cross is exchanging youth delegates within this programme, and it is important for all parts that our resources are being used in the most useful and sustainable way possible. Organisational development is a field that both my partner and I are experienced and interested in, so concerning work the next 8 months may very well turn out to be very exciting. I`m looking forward to it!

E7teramet!

- Finally, my blog is up and running. My very first blog! Sorry to all uf you back home that all this time most probably have been dying to know how I`m doing, and what`s really going on down here. My only excuse is that the days have been long, and the nights soo, so short.. Now, however, no more waiting. So, where to begin? There is so many impressions! Lebanon is without doubt a fantastic country, and so far I haven`t felt bored for a second. On the contrary, I wish the day had a few more hours. (This is appearently not something that only occurs in the motherland, believe it or not.) Meetings, language classes, introduction rounds, workshops, eating (!), sleeping, getting to know new colleagues and friends, aclimatising... all in all a lot of things to administrate. What I espescially notice is that down here I get tired so much faster than what I normally do back home. I somehow expected this to happen, but still it`s interesting to actually experience it on my own body and mind. Those of you who know me well know that my sence of directions is not one of my best developed qualities, and you can only imagine how much energy I`ve spent trying to figure out my new neighbourhood. Now I can proudly say that I`m able to find my way to the office, the language school, my favourite coffee place AND the organic food store, all on my own. (And as if this wasn`t enough, I even know the way to Jbeil and Tripoli!) E7teramet! ( For those of you who are not too educated in arabic, this means Respect!)