In my wallet, I have three Syrian coins. I don’t remember if I forgot to use them up on something like chewing gum before we left Syria (Confused? See “Changes”), or if I forgot about them entirely. In any case, I’m glad I have them because I’m able to carry around tangible pieces of Syria with me wherever I go.
Gas stoves and using at least five matches before being able to get the oven to light. (Our house here in the States has an electric stove.)
Those little pink and white cake-y “Composition II in Red, Blue, and Yellow”-esque squares whose sides are covered chocolate.
The innate and beautiful hospitality of pretty much every Syrian.
Spending hours and hours in a restaurant with friends.
Hanging up laundry on the clotheshorse on the balcony (really – I’m not being sarcastic).
The candy shop that was near our house in Aleppo. Mmm…
And these things, and these things, and these.
I’ve been wanting to write posts on Syrian culture, some things I’m missing about living in Syria, and other stories, but…it makes me sad and homesick. I’m glad remembering those things makes me sad and homesick, but often those emotions don’t necessarily motivate me to write. Tomorrow, inshAllah, there will be a post on Syria, but until then here’s a song performed by Johnny Flynn and Laura Marling (just because it’s awesome):
I don’t know the English word for this…um…thing, but if you look here at the photo by Martijn Savenije (last photo – scroll all the way to the right), that’s what I’m talking about in this post.
Most shops in Syria have these. I really miss hearing the sound of them being rolled down over the shop fronts late at night. Laying awake in Damascus and Aleppo, the sound would break the relatively (depending on how busy and noisy the neighborhood that I was living in at the time was) quiet night. There’s something about that sound that’s comforting to me. That and cars softly and swiftly passing on the street. And people’s footsteps on the sidewalk, accompanied with their light chatter and laughter.
Can you tell I grew up in two cities of millions? I miss them.
Below is a list (not exhaustive and not in order of importance) of some things I like about living in America and some things I’m, well, not so crazy about. (New reader? See “Changes”.)
ThisGetting to see a coyote for the first time (in our very own neighborhood no less).
The fact that I can walk into a Walgreens and be able to find the exact same product in the Midwest that I could find in Walgreens in states on the West coast.
Being able to see sunsets in more of their beauty (but that’s probably due to living in suburbs instead of cities, which I’ve done all my life until now).
Netflix. I’m pretty sure I’ve talked about this before, but it is awesome.
Being able to see my brother more often because now he just needs to travel about 1,000 km rather than 9,000 km.
Libraries. I think I’ve also written about libraries many times previously, but I can’t not mention them.
But Not ThatThe American culture of being busy all the time.
The fact that I can walk into a Walgreens and be able to find the exact same product in the Midwest that I could find in Walgreens in states on the West coast. Yes, that’s right. The States can be frighteningly generic.
Things closing and shutting down so darn early at night. Live a little people.
The water often tastes nasty here. I know it’s ridiculous to complain about water, but I miss water from Syria – it just tasted so much better.
Having to drive rather than being able to walk to most places.
Missing Syrian friends.
French fries are pretty much a staple in Syria.
They can be ordered at a restaurant as an addition to other appetizers such as baba ganoush, hummus, moutabel, fattoush, cheese borek, and many other delicious dishes.
They’re also sort of the “snack” of Syrian cafes and restaurants. If you were hanging out at a restaurant with friends and it wasn’t necessarily a mealtime, you might order a Pepsi and a plate of french fries. (After receiving your french fries, you would squeeze ketchup over them as if you were generously icing a cake with those special tube-y things and then proceed to eat them with a fork.)
In Syria, french fries and pizza go together. In fact, the first or second time we ordered pizza after just moving back to the States, I added fries to the list. I was then informed that pizza restaurants don’t really do that in America. I think “well, that sucks” was my reply.
I could write several more posts-worth involving french fries and Syria, but I’ll stop here for now as I’m making myself nostalgic, sad, and homesick.
Radiators, or chaufages as they’re called in Syria, are my favorite kind of heating system. They not only look good, but they also allow for “chaufage squatting” and can help you warm or dry your clothes. And guess what? They just got even niftier:
This wallpaper reacts to the heat from the radiator and “blossoms” (Via laissez-moi vivre).
For some reason, amusement parks have been on my mind lately. To be more specific, I’ve been wondering if amusement parks are a uniquely American “thing”. I’m pretty sure Japan has a Disneyland, however that’s still originally American. I also think there are some other big amusement parks in certain European countries, but, again, I’m not certain. Do you guys know of any? Do you think amusement parks are something that’s only caught on in the States?
As far as I know, there’s only one amusement park in Syria: “Happy Land”. I visited it with my Syrian friend and her family soon after it opened, which was probably about nine or ten years ago. (Since I’m a fan of caution and not vomiting, I never repeated the trip.) Even though there may be only one amusement park in Syria, scary contraptions (things like Ferris wheels, those sea ship rides, and other rides you’d find at fairs) generally appear for children during the holidays. In recent years they’ve been accompanied by stand-by paramedics and ambulances.
Ever since I was little, I always avoided watching the ships go up…and down…and up,
The smell of shawarma flowing from shawarma stands onto the street.
Watching the MBC 4 ads at the end of the month for each ridiculous chick flick they’ll show during the upcoming month. 13 Going on 30 for the eightieth time? Yes, please.
Cobblestone streets.
The late-night culture.
Apollo (a great ice cream parlor in Damascus).
Hearing the Adhan.
Lunch being the big meal of the day.
The people, buildings, restaurants, parks, and streets I grew up with.
Alright. I’m on the verge of tears, so I think I’ll stop there for now.
