Comments on: My new-found paranoia

By: Sherry Ott

Sherry Ott — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 19:55:33 +0000

This was a super piece. Having just been there I can easily imagine it all. I think any time you live as an expat in a renegade country you experience these things and you too become a renegade of sorts. I do love your point about learning to assess safety for yourself instead of being reigned in. I lived in Vietnam for a year and I thought about that all the time. Saigon drove me crazy with their lack of rules and insane motorbike driving, but at the same time I appreciated the ability to make my own decisions. It has made me a much more tolerant person in general. And every time I come back to the US it gets harder and harder to deal with the excessive regulations and safety concerns.
Enjoy your unique view of the world…but be smart and stay as safe as you’d like to!

By: mj

mj — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:47:38 +0000

Yes, that’s what children do to you…my three kids grew up roll-skating on the Corniche…when the iron rail that was supposed to keep them from falling over the big rocks down the sea was no higher than half a meter.
You won’t have to be worrying about that one, since its has been replaced by a nice, and much higher, one. Be careful, though, when crossing the road with your child on skates. I learned to stand tall in the middle of the way with the palms of my both hands facing the coming traffic, until making sure that everybody would actually notice me and eventually be able to stop.
Having read your insightful post, I’m sure you will develop plenty of new skills to keep you and your child safe while enjoying the wonderful mess.

By: Danielle

Danielle — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 18:26:00 +0000

Congrats on your pregnancy! Yes, suddenly the word seems a different place when you have a baby along the way..

By: Life with Subtitles

Life with Subtitles — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 22:22:44 +0000

That was a really awesome read, from start to finish. Congrats on the pregnancy by the way :)

By: Bluegreen Kirk

Bluegreen Kirk — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:27:36 +0000

Yeah its amazing how things change or rather your opinions change when you either grow up or have children. I remember all those times my mom would stress being careful and I would zone out. Now being a parent I see where she was coming from. They seem to do a lot of multi-tasking while driving there!

By: Benjamin R. Greene

Benjamin R. Greene — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 06:43:26 +0000

I would just like to say I really enjoy reading your website. You have inspired me to visit Lebanon one day.

By: ian alexander

ian alexander — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 18:44:37 +0000

good post ginger, the sanity of a life more whole.

By: Sami O

Sami O — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:43:25 +0000

I am currently back on a one-week visit to Lebanon and getting all the possible reverse culture shock symptoms. At the same time I’m considering to move back here from Montreal with my European wife.
So after reading the beginning of the post, you got me real frustrated by listing one by one my daily perceptions of Beirut. But after reading the whole thing, I want to thank you for the great and positive insight that you bring to it. I guess I will need much more positivity in order to make the the switch back here. THANK YOU!

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:49:47 +0000

I just love your humanism and insight you smart woman !
Remember to clean carefully vegetables , cook your meat enough or freeze it a few days then unfreeze it before cooking and don’t touch cats poop (Toxoplasmosis). Don’t get too close to children under 2 years old (Measles) and do controle your serology every month if negative ;-)
As a lebanese I should say Mabrouk for your pregnancy !

By: mary ann

mary ann — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 06:39:38 +0000

I loved reading this. I wish I could have the best of both worlds, to give only the up-side of both worlds to my kids. But I can’t, no one can. And since that’s the case, I’ve decided to simply give them all of both worlds or as much of both as I can.