My Trip to Lebanon

It was the summer between third grade and fourth grade.

We were just a few days into summer vacation, and we were already preparing to go to Lebanon. I was so excited, but we would have to leave the country for a whole month, and that is a big change – no immediate family in Lebanon except for my mother and grandmother. My father was unable to go to Lebanon because he is self-employed and does not have anyone to cover him at his job as a lawyer. I knew I would miss him a lot!
It was the morning of our departure date. We would depart at 9:00 PM Eastern Time, but we needed to get to the airport much earlier because of baggage check and to help my grandmother who needed wheelchair assistance.

This trip meant so much to me, because it was the first time I would visit and meet many of my family members in Lebanon. It was also my first airplane trip so I was very excited to take off and touchdown, like any nine-year-old. After about six hours of flying time over the Atlantic Ocean, we arrived in one of the largest airports in the world – London Heathrow International Airport, for a layover. We then departed London and arrived in Lebanon at 7:00 PM.

When people think Lebanon, luxury and beautiful landscapes are not the first things that come to mind. Rather, they think of explosions and bombing, and for a time, that was accurate. The Second Lebanon War tore the country apart. Lebanon has almost fully recovered from this war. The land however, was not the focus of our trip. I was going to meet this great family that I had heard so much about for the first time.

The first family I met in Lebanon, greeted us at the airport. They were my Uncle Imad, and his family, and my Aunt Sandra’s family. They welcomed us with such warm and loving smiles, it felt like I had known them forever. They were all reaching to embrace and kiss us. It was an exceptional feeling that I will never forget.

My Uncle Imad and his family lived in the same house where my grandmother and her brothers and sisters grew up. It had an open roof in the living room and a large panoramic balcony in the back with a view of the Mediterranean– it was a very nostalgic feeling to be in the same home my family came from!

The first night in Lebanon, I was at my Uncle Imad’s villa, they prepared a feast, and I learned so much about my family then. I learned about the origins of the family, who my cousins were, and how close our relation was (first cousin, second cousins, etc.). While the food was cooking, my cousins and I left the home at night, and ran around old Byblos, and old cemeteries near the villa. I knew I was safe, I was with my cousins, after all. After about an hour of exploration, we returned to Uncle Imad’s home.

My cousins treated me as though we had been best friends for our entire life –it was a great feeling. The dinner was ready – there were 15-20 family members who I had never even met, yet I loved them instantly. They all treated me as though they met me the day I was born. I could never imagine that this would be what Lebanon would be like – but I was so happy that it was.

In the days following our arrival, and at my Uncle Imad’s villa, were days so near to my heart. Although he did not speak English, each morning he would hold me by both hands and take me to get pastries at the bakery. He would have me fill an entire brown bag full of pastries. I felt the love with every pastry I added to the bag. Each day we get enough pastries for a week. Even a language barrier was not enough to block the love in our relationship.

After about a week at my Uncle’s villa, we left to go to my mother’s cousin, whom I call Aunt Annmarie. Aunt Annmarie is the daughter of my grandmother’s sister, Sandra. She lives in a beautiful condominium that overlooks all of Byblos, Lebanon, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is filled with beautiful pictures of our family and our family crest. A special memory I have at their home is of fireworks almost every night – my cousin once said, “It’s the Fourth of July in Lebanon When There Aren’t Fireworks!” I agree!

My Aunt Annmarie and her daughters are the most amazing people, and we had the best time whenever they would come to see us in the USA, and we were having the best time in Lebanon together. We spent so much family time together. We would stay up late and watch movies like Madagascar. We ran around Lebanon and just watched the waves roll in and out of the shoreline. We would share stories of of our lives as we ran around Lebanon. We spent so much quality time together. I felt so close to them, and I felt like I knew them since I was born.

One late night, I remember that we went outside of their condominium building and used a high-power laser that made green lines in the sky and shined it in the residences’ window. Shooting the laser was a fantastic bonding time – even though, looking back, it probably was not the best idea… Within minutes, all of the tenants were outside of the building in their bathrobes while my cousins and I hid behind their Cadillac Escalade.
We stayed with them for approximately two weeks when we left for my Uncle Imad’s daughter’s home (Denise).

They were great, too. We spent more time with Uncle Imad’s family, as the family tended to congregate there. We had a great time at their house just as we did at Aunt Annmarie’s. While we were at my Aunt Denise’s home, we spent extra time with my cousins – Tarek, Hassib, and
Jeanne. Their father, Firas, Aunt Denise’s brother, is an architect and they lived near Aunt Denise’s.

They were all great and we enjoyed our time with them so much too, although we didn’t stay at their home as there seemed to be many mosquitos in the fields nearby.

Although this allergy was somewhat restricting, it did not restrict us from enjoying our frequent visits with them. I felt close to Tarek, Jeanne, and Hassib because we spent so much time together and were always chatting, and running around – like best friends!

Then so soon came the day of departure – it had been an entire month since touching down in Beirut, and I was somewhat happy, understandably, to return home, but it was still really hard to say good-bye.

I would have to say goodbye to these people, my family who had welcomed with open arms, and did everything they could to show their love to me.

I knew I would carry them with me always. We arrived in Boston at about 7:00 PM and went straight home and directly to bed! I learned what my roots are and how amazing they are. I was so lucky to be able to meet all of them, and it created special, inseparable bonds, and I am so fortunate to have been able to experience this, and I hope to go back again in the near future. I will never forget this trip.