Thursday, 4 September 2003, Jaramana, Syria
90 degrees, SUNNY

Today is the day my brother, Jeremy and Diana arrive, and it's cleanup day! I better get into the "motbouch" (kitchen) and help.

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First I send Rebal out for cleanser, then start scrubbing the marble counter. Four kids in the kitchen now, I give them each a task and go drink tea. A few hours later, and 2 or 3 people drop in to visit the place is looking great. Marlin is actually doing most of the work. The house is now filled with a lot of people in ever room, so a retreat to one of the empty salons to read my book is in order. Naeif joins me, and we take a nap for an hour or two. Soon, it's almost time to sit around for a little while before we go to the airport. Change clothes, and we're in Hassan's van, then getting flowers, then off to airport.

Predictable boring waiting around at the airport, finally Jeremy and Diana are here! They look a little rumpled, but ready for fun. And fun they shall have. The kids rush them, offering flowers, and their practiced "Welcome to Syria, Jeremy and Diana"! Their bags are swept away and we pile into Naeif's uncle's car for the ride into Jaramana.

After we get to the house, we deposit the bags in a salon, and check out the courtyard. Rawal serves up the Barada and we have a snack. Then it's time to go to a wedding! We pile back into the van, and go back the same route towards the airport. There is a party for the brides' family at a large house outside Damascus complete with a swimming pool for the kids. A flurry of activity ensues - should we sit? should we stand? where should we sit? are they (my brother and sis in law) tired? are they hungry? are they thirsty? do they want to go up on the porch? We head up to a little terrace, then decide, this is ridiculous, we're going to get stared at no matter where we go, let's go back and hang out with everyone.

Ghazwan and Hassan are there, dancing and laughing and having a great time. They immediately adore Jeremy and out comes the Arak. Then, comes the kibbeh nayah and giant handfuls of raw meat are coming at us. My sister in laws grab me and we dash out onto the floor for a little Debke dancing.

This party is for the bride, thrown by her family. The groom is off having his own party, then the next will be the big day and the ensuing banquet. Weddings go for three or four days in this land of any excuse for a big party.

Finally, we decide we're all tired, and pile back into the van for singing all the way home. Naeif and I have moved upstairs to Ghazwan's apartment and have our own cool room with rugs and pillows - and sleeping on the terrace!