[everwoodfan52]

Everwood Melting Pot

This thread is for discussing different cultures and customs around the world.
Current events are welcome.
Politics related discussions are allowed.

As moderators in this place we enjoy the atmosphere and environment in this place and we would like to keep it like that. We know that sometimes in the heat of the moment we can cross the line so we would kindly ask you to follow the rules below:

1. Discuss opinions and ideas. Do not bash people (both posters or celebrities)
2. Respect the opinion of fellow posters even if you disagree with it
3. Attack ideas. Do not attack people
4. Accept that someone having different opinion does not mean that they hate you or dislike. They just disagree with you.
5. If you feel that someone shows any disrespect towards anyone please do not engage in arguments. Contact us the moderators and we will handle it

Most important of all...we need to be open-minded and show respect for our fellow posters.

We (Michelle, Betty and I) thank you for reading and complying to those rules and hope that you will have fun posting here!

[everwoodfan52]

From the last thread.....

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) Yes.. safe..very typical middle eastern cuisine and Super Wealthy. Dubai.... Lots of 24 carat gold..... Nadine hung out with two teachers she met at the conference..a woman from South Africa and a gentleman from Ghana.

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by The Apt

Betty, those are great pictures! You can see so much culture in those pictures. The gold is amazing. The building in the background is so cultural too. I noticed the print... I assume that's in Arabic?


Originally Posted by everwoodfan52

Yes, the language is Arabic.

Originally Posted by The Apt

That's really cool! Do you know any Arabic? I assume your parents knew it fluently?

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52

I was fluent when I was younger, but now it's just really really broken Arabic. lol

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52

Yes, I've been there....MANY MANY years ago...Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan..

Originally Posted by The Apt

Huh, I never knew that!

That's cool. How old were you? How long did you go and what did you think?


Betty:

First time I went I was 2....second time I went I was 9 (went over on a Ship which took 19 days and had many stops). The last time I went I was in my early 20s.

Of course I had a wonderful time because I have a HUGE family there who are so loving and doting. In fact...they don't leave you alone! You wake up in the morning and they'll be sitting on your bed waiting for you to wake up and waiting to see you! These are the warmest...most hospitable people you'd ever want to meet.

The food is amazing, but you have to be careful with the water. When I was 9 I got really sick with Disentary. The toilet in my grandparents house was primitive..just a hole and you have to squat! Well..that's pretty tough when you are "sick", so my grandfather built me a chair with a hole in it so that I could sit!
Lots of ancient ruins and history in Syria. Damascus...where my parents are from is the oldest city in the world.

When I was in my 20's we made a side trip to Beruit, Lebanon. This was before all of the wars and Lebanon is such a beautiful vibrant country. And..it's much more liberal than Syria. I remember going to discothèques...dancing up a storm! Beautiful country...mountains on one side and the Mediterranean on the other.

Originally Posted by The Apt (View Post) New Thread soon! Wow so you went there three times? LOL So cute your Grandfather built you the chair. I had no idea Damascus is the oldest city in the world! Lebanon sounds fantastic. I looked up Dubai last night and couldn't believe the beauty. It's a shame that so many areas in the Middle East are breathtaking with so much culture and physical beauty and so many people cannot go over now and see everything because of war. Do you talk to relatives from Syria fairly regularly? Are you interested in returning to the the country/parts of the Middle East if things calm down over there in the future?

[everwoodfan52]

My grandfather was super adorable.

Yes...the oldest inhabited city in the world.

Lebanon has been called the Paris of the East.

Very much a shame that many of the beautiful ancient ruins in the Middle East have been destroyed.

I am in contact with some Aunts and cousins on Facebook.
Believe it or not...people do travel back and forth to Syria. I have a distant relative who owns a home there and visited last year and plans to go again in June. She claims that although it's obvious there is alot of trouble in the area..people are living their lives and she didn't have any issues.

I, personally, am not interested in traveling there until I know everything is back to normal. I'm not that brave!

[everwoodfan52]

Here are my 3 kids when they visited Lebanon 7 years ago...

[jediwands]

^^^^

I remember you mentioning your children visiting Lebanon. Is that when they were in Italy as well? What a great picture!

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) My grandfather was super adorable.

He sounds like it! Your paternal or maternal grandfather? How old were your parents again when they moved to the States?

Sounds like you have terrific memories traveling there over the years.

I really feel like I live in a bubble by comparison. Granted, I don't have any relatives (even distant) who live anywhere besides Europe. I still would love to travel the world someday.

Yes...the oldest inhabited city in the world.

Really cool!

Lebanon has been called the Paris of the East.

But with nice people?

Very much a shame that many of the beautiful ancient ruins in the Middle East have been destroyed. I am in contact with some Aunts and cousins on Facebook. Believe it or not...people do travel back and forth to Syria. I have a distant relative who owns a home there and visited last year and plans to go again in June. She claims that although it's obvious there is alot of trouble in the area..people are living their lives and she didn't have any issues. I, personally, am not interested in traveling there until I know everything is back to normal. I'm not that brave!

I am not that brave either! I would definitely be scared going there now. I commend the people that live there/travel there and just go on with life because that probably is the best way to do it. I hope they remain safe.

So great that you're in contact with some relatives.

Thank you so much for bringing everything over.

[jediwands]

I don't think I've ever mentioned it before but I really love studying underwater life such as sharks, orcas, dolphins. If I ever went into something science-wise it would've been marine biology.

This is so cool:

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by The Apt (View Post) I don't think I've ever mentioned it before but I really love studying underwater life such as sharks, orcas, dolphins. If I ever went into something science-wise it would've been marine biology. This is so cool:

That is beautiful, Michelle!! Wow. They woman was brave, though. I don't put my hand in front of any animals mouth! lol

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by The Apt (View Post) ^^^^ I remember you mentioning your children visiting Lebanon. Is that when they were in Italy as well? What a great picture!:

No...Italy was another time. Both Nadine and Chris studied in Italy during college and Chris went back to Italy on his own when he graduated college and spent the whole summer there visiting his dad's family and train riding thoughout the country on his own the rest of the time. He really loved it!

This trip to the Middle East that my children made 7 years ago was something the three of them wanted to do together. They wanted to meet our family and see the country of their heritage. It was a 2 week trip mostly to Syria and a side trip to Lebanon. They're so happy they did it when they did, because right after that all hell broke loose in Syria.

[everwoodfan52]

I just read this on FB....(Spriritualism?)


https://www.the961.com/beirut-best-c...ravel-leisure/

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) That is beautiful, Michelle!! Wow. They woman was brave, though. I don't put my hand in front of any animals mouth! lol

What I find phenomenal is how the Orca completely stops, turns, lingers, then gently goes over there to interact with the woman. It is incredible. Orcas are gentle actually even if I'd never swim with them of course. They only harm when provoked. Still, that woman was brave but if you watch the Energy of the Orca, there's no way the woman was in danger. It really is a beautiful thing to see. All animals have Light Sources inside of them. They are beautiful.

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) I just read this on FB....(Spriritualism?) https://www.the961.com/beirut-best-c...ravel-leisure/

That's incredible they are #1! It's cool because my dad has traveled the world on business and he knows all about this stuff. I mentioned before he couldn't stand anything about France. He's told me that for years. But loved almost every other area of Europe and I never knew it, but he's been to many parts of the Middle East and understands the friendliness and great cuisine. I would love to get over to this side of the world in the future.

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) No...Italy was another time. Both Nadine and Chris studied in Italy during college and Chris went back to Italy on his own when he graduated college and spent the whole summer there visiting his dad's family and train riding thoughout the country on his own the rest of the time. He really loved it! This trip to the Middle East that my children made 7 years ago was something the three of them wanted to do together. They wanted to meet our family and see the country of their heritage. It was a 2 week trip mostly to Syria and a side trip to Lebanon. They're so happy they did it when they did, because right after that all hell broke loose in Syria.

Italy does sound wonderful. As long as you don't get involved in their politics (any criminal trouble, see Amanda Knox) I would love to spend a month or two in Italy alone. I have two Italian American friends and both have spent summers in Italy.

Great timing for your children and for you too since you didn't have to worry! LOL Did they stay with your family?

[everwoodfan52]

Originally Posted by The Apt (View Post) Great timing for your children and for you too since you didn't have to worry! LOL Did they stay with your family?

Yes, they did. Family did not leave their side!

[jediwands]

Originally Posted by everwoodfan52 (View Post) Yes, they did. Family did not leave their side!

That's so cute!