First Assignment for Research Methods

We were asked to walk about a neighborhood close to campus and write a descriptive text about what we observed, followed by a short "first impressions" section.

29 September 2010
Ain el-Mressieh
12:00pm-1:30pm

After leaving the Medical Gate I followed the one way roads though the area east of The Parisian Hotel. The area was full of mixed eras of architecture and building standards, each structure struggling against the topography more than the last. Some small crumbling homes, now abandoned, seemed to have sunk into the valleys created by newer construction. Remnants of families gone and stories forgotten lay mixed with new pre-fabricated building materials carelessly thrown from the expansive balconies of recently completed but not yet inhabited construction. Electric lines split 8 or 9 times reach like fingers through windows and into homes. Looking down some breezy shaded alleys I could see beautifully preserved architecture from perhaps the 40's and 50's featuring fine lattice work, original wood doors and beautifully carved shutters. The shutters seem almost an anachronistic formality, though, as the windows no longer looked out into the world but into the back of a generator for a 15 story high-rise.

The western portion of Ain el-Mressieh is very crowded with cars and has limited pedestrian traffic. Sidewalks are often crumbling or stop abruptly. Most streets have parked cars on both sides, and a significant amount of construction equipment clogs the streets. Few street signs mark the area, though some buildings have the street name written onto the side as part of the address. The people I did see in the western portion of Ain el-Mressieh were construction crews, building guards and car passengers. I did not see any children or women until I arrived in the vicinity of the Phoenicia Hotel.

The eastern portion of Ain el-Mressieh seems to have a different, less residential feel. From the Hard Rock Café eastward, more restaurants, store fronts and offices begin to dot the streets. Again, few pedestrians are walking, and those I do see appear to be construction workers in near by building sites. Immediately after heading inland from the corniche, the streets become quite steep, and inconveniently twist and wind in unpredictable manners. While walking on Umar Daaouk street, I saw the same car full of people circle the block three times, apparently looking for an address.

The most interesting sight told me the story of what Ain el-Mressieh may have been decades ago, or perhaps merely revealed the coping mechanisms of a population displaced by real estate development successes. Around where Dar el-Mressieh hits Paris, in prime corniche real estate territory, a sink hole hides in the shadow of a new 12 story luxury building. The fancy sign boasted that each flat will be over 300 square meters and feature 3 master bedrooms. Below, closed in by barbed wire and littered with construction materials, is a beautifully terraced and landscaped plot of land which features pomegranate, lime and orange trees.

A simple home is nestled in the corner, it's delicate but simple facades broken off and strewn about. Some of the construction workers from the neighboring building were lounging in the shade beneath the pomegranate trees having lunch. Soon, it appears, the entire space will be swallowed by the tower, probably for some sort of parking structure. Before long, I can imagine any building standing in the way of a high rise will be gone, with nothing left but faceless towers of rebar and cement competing for sea views.

First Impressions
After visiting Ain el-Mressieh, I continue to think about the competing buildings and competing building interests in the area. I imagine the development and redevelopment of Ain el-Mressieh would be fascinating to view through a time lapse computer model. In its current state, it is so cluttered and the architecture so varied that it is nearly impossible to visualize how the area has progressed. Part of the areas charm is the varied architecture, but buildings are competing for space, street access, views and parking. It is obvious that Ain el-Mressieh has not been subject to a comprehensive urban planning effort.

I wonder how real estate prices are affected by the lack of planning effort in the area. If you pay a lot of money for a sea view, and the next year your property is devaluated by another high rise building which blocks that view, what effect does that have on the owner? On the over all housing market in the area? How does that impact greater Beirut’s market for high end apartments, or affordable housing for that matter? Who lives in that neighborhood? Who should live in that neighborhood? Finally, what do the people who currently live in Ain el-Mressieh want from their community? Is it different than what the people who have bought new flats in the high rise buildings want? If so, how can those differences be reconciled?

Slowly settling in...

27 September
Laziz Cafe
Hamra

My feeling of slight melancholy and discomfort in my new surroundings is beginning to abate. A few negotiations successes and some good meals were all I needed. I believe the discovery of about 10 good places to drink coffee and eat in a 3 block radius of my apartment has me feeling less annoyed about my electricity situation. Among these discoveries:

Lina's- A block away from my house, on a nice busy corner. Good coffee, good sandwiches and an interesting mixed crowd of young beautiful people and old cab drivers all there to enjoy coffee.

Ristretto- Excellent coffee and really nice people. Free wi-fi and an unfortunately good cheese croissant. A man there told me they have really good eggs and pancakes and their outdoor terrace will be nice once the heat cuts me a break. Right on my way to school -I have a feeling this will be a regular morning stop.

Zaatar w Zeit- I may not Ike this as much since school has kicked off- it was loaded with undergrads screeching and socializing. I sound Iike such an old lady, but all that carefree attitude can be a bit annoying. The place is a chain but with really yummy manaeesh- fluffy bread with what ever your heart desires. Also, free wi-fi and good orange juice, right across from school.

A sushi place- the name escapes me. But, I am already in love. There is a square bar with a little conveyor belt that zooms sushi around. They are all labeled and on different colored plates- the color corresponds to the price. There are three pieces of sushi on each plate, and you just grab whatever you want. I had three different plates with yummy fresh sushi on it, and it was...7 USD. 7 for a sushi lunch! they have a very entertaining Japanese sushi chef who was yelling in heavily japanese accented Arabic. This place is a stones throw from my house. They also have sake. Score.

There are a few places that I have not been bold enough to enter solo because they are a bit more barish or pubish. But I'm sure I will enjoy them soon enough. There is one in particular, Ferdinands, that has caught my eye... I think my dad will like it.

On a separate note, I was awarded a full graduate assistantship, so yet again, I am not paying for my education. I don't really know how I get so lucky. AUB is paying all of my tuition. Though I had budgeted for the about 30k the two year program would cost, it looks like it is taken care of. In exchange, I am the graduate assistant to a professor, and it looks as though I will benefit much from my match. She seems brilliant and energetic, and I am very excited about working with her. I am the graduate assistant for a second year art and architectural history course that examines the trends, theories and development of the Italian renaissance and the Ottoman empire. The first class was today, and I am shocked by how young the students seem. I had quite a bit of fun playing the the serious but helpful assistant, handing out syllabi and telling people that if they showed up on time, they wouldn't have to ask me questions which the professor had already answered. I remember being scared of the graduate assistant in my first undergrad poli sic class- Leila. I bet they view me the same way. I will sit in on every class, which I am quite excited about- art history is something that fascinates me but under other circumstances I would not have the opportunity to take. Perfect!

I settled all my school issues, so now I just have to get my ID card. Then I can use the gym and try all the fun yoga, pilates and dance classes they offer. The gym is just a stones throw away from my department, which is nice.

One remaining hurdle is my residency visa, but it seems easy enough. I have to go all over town to countless government buildings handing in strange forms and they will take my passport for 3 weeks to put the visa in it. Then I am a legal resident of Lebanon for the next year.

Enough for now. My iPad has me reading again- for the last three years, I have to admit, the amount of reading I did at work prevented me from enjoying books. Now I am flying through Pride and Prejudice and am enjoying it quite a bit...

Kimberly

Sent from my iPad

The First Few Days in Beirut

25 September
Ras Beirut, Lebanon

It is 6:13 am, and I am sitting on my balcony overlooking Beirut's streets as they gradually wake from a short slumber. I myself woke up to lights flashing across my ceiling and the sound of powerful thunder crashing off of the surrounding buildings and echoing down the empty streets. Roosters added to the impressive ensemble and the muezzins beautiful voice cut through it all to announce it was time for the morning prayer.

I moved into my new apartment yesterday. It is simple but lovely- two symmetric rooms, one a bedroom and one a living room- connected by a open hallway where the kitchen and bathroom lay. The kitchen had no appliances, so yesterday I went to Ouzai and picked out some new ones. A little refrigerator, a washing machine and a gas stove with an external gas can- there are no municipal gas lines here. I don't have an air conditioner so finding a good fan was a priority- All the stores in Ouzai said they were sold out because of the recent heat wave. 98 is not normal this time of year, thank God. So, I had a taxi drive take me to BHV is Jineh. A place where Amercians feel comforted by endless aisles of shiny new things all packaged up and and marked prices that you don't bother haggling...They carry electronics, homewares, appliances, nice clothes- basically anything. I founds some sheets, towels and pillows to my liking, and then asked where the fans were. No fans. Out for the season. A place with everything people don't really need is out of what I need. So, I trek on. Someone in the store said they might have fans in Corniche al Mazraa. Not that I know where that is...

So, I get in a taxi with all my stuff, and I am on my way. I tell the driver we are on a mission to find fans, and off we go. I open up my iPad which despite it's lack on wifi connectivity still has a Beirut Google map up. It has kept me out of trouble more than a few times in the last couple of days. I decide we are heading north east and look for a large road that could be what we are traveling on. A few landmarks help me find out where we are, and we are indeed heading towards Mazraa. A sigh of relief.

We get there, and I spot a lovely fan that a looks as though it can blow away my dread of returning to a scorching apartment. We haggle, I fail- he can see the desperation in my face. I go home with a lovely fan.

In no time my apartment is filled with men installing appliances, putting up clothes lines on my balcony, arguing about why exactly I don't have water. Ah yes, I have failed to mention this- my shower has no water. Beirut is suffering from water shortages right now, so I can expect water to come out of the shower every other day. Except I have been in the apartment 3 consecutive days and have not seen water come out of the shower.

This water dilemma is a perfect segue to my second urban planning related discovery- In most parts of Beirut, the power cuts for 3 hours a day during the day light on a rotating schedule. Today, I will have no power from 9 to 12. Yesterday there was no power from 12 to 3. That means no elevator to my 4th floor apartment, and no fan when I get there. Many nice buildings and most businesses have generators that kick in to provide electricity for those 3 hours. I do not live in one of those buildings.

Yesterday while waiting to ambush my often traveling advisor, I met a future classmate. She is starting her masters in Urban Design, while mine will be Urban Planning. Our first year core classes will be together. She is smart and savvy, and studied something similar in her undergraduate years. So as we wait, I ask her how a city like Beirut, filled with people full of great ideas and knowledge, could suffer from water shortages and accept power cuts for 3 hours a day, every day. She stated very matter of factly that politicians here don't focus on the provision of services because they are distracted by politicking with each other, and that people just learn to live with it.

It barely makes sense to me. In my year in Cairo, which mind you is 20+ million strong and surrounded by desert and rarely sees rain- I never ran out of water. My power never once cut. Egypt is far less democratic and developed than Lebanon, though I guess I will have to question my development indicators. The fact that Beirut is full of Chanel and Versace boutiques and endless traffic jams of Mercedes and Land Rovers may have colored my metrics.

I wonder if the sheer population size and it's proclivity to agitation makes basic services a priority for the Mubarak regime. Perhaps risking power cuts and water shortages is too high a risk in a city so densely populated- though government subsidies and health services are often miserable failures. But, when subsidized bread runs out, the population makes sure the government is aware of its disapproval.

I guess this is what I can look forward to learning about. In the meantime, I will learn to shower with a bucket of water and bowl and take advantage of the disgustingly cheap shampoos and blow outs at the numerous salons that dot my neighborhood.

The rain showers and thunder are rolling inland, and I have two hours of power left before I will do as apparently you do in Beirut. I will go eat breakfast and sit in an incredibly lovely cafe full of incredibly lovely people for 3 hours. I was very sad about my lack of water yesterday, and fell asleep at 7:30 pm in frustration. But today I think I am ready to figure this out.

The Transition- California to Beirut

I have been in northern California taking care of everything I need to accomplish to prepare for two years abroad and doing my yearly catch up with the girls. There is indeed a possibility that I will not return to the states until Summer 2012, but I'm not positive yet. I really hope to make it back for the Maria + James wedding, and anyone else who decides to wed while I am away. We will have to see how things progress.

Today is Monday, and on Sunday I will be flying to Beirut. I have a nice flight- Virgin Atlantic from San Francisco to London, which is about 10 hours. Then on to Beirut. I will arrive late in the evening on the 20th and stay in a hotel close to campus for a few days. On the 21st-23rd I will take care of registration and getting all my administrative stuff in line. Hopefully I will also find an apartment. My main goals are finding something within two miles of campus, a balcony, and something that will allow me to have people visiting from abroad stay comfortably! I had a two bedroom in Egypt, but I don't think that will be possible in Beirut.

I am more than excited. Mom and I were looking at pictures of Beirut and the campus last night, and it looks wonderful. Mom was excited about the trees and hills, commenting that it looked like San Francisco! Hopefully I can lure her there during my stay.