Not enough time

Belief it or not... I haven't got enough time to do what I want to do. Am feeling great though.

I notice more and more that life can be easy and does not have to be complicated. You actually do not need a lot to be happy.

Am trying to find a gap in my agenda to go with a friend to a spa for 3 days. That would be nice before taking off to Syria again for the winter ;-)

Syrian hospitality

So, it's a fact. I'm going back to Syria in 4 weeks. Bought my ticket last Friday.

Some friends ask me whether it's not boring to go back to the same destination every time and it would be, if I would go back as a tourist. But I really don't feel myself as a tourist anymore over there. Sharing the life of a Syrian family is an extremely interesting and beautiful experience. Not an opportunity that you get every day.

Syrian hospitality doesn't find its equal in any European culture and is so different from ours.

Many young Syrians dream of coming to Europe to live and work here. Every time, I explain them that there are many other, so competition for a job is hard, that everything is expensive, but most of all I try to explain them that they would be immediately depressed.
I always picture them the arrival in Belgium. Once, passed immigration (passport and visa control), nobody would bother about them. Nobody would ask whether they are hungry, thirsty, feeling happy, because nobody cares.
They don't really understand. It is so different from what they know.

I hope their way of living and socializing will not get lost with the desire of getting the same "living standard" as we have, because they would loose a lot.

Update needed !

Last week, I noticed that I'm not totally disconnected from my job as process manager.

On Thursday, I made the journey to Brussels to apply for a new visa at the Syrian Embassy. On the Internet it said that an application for a visa should be done in person any weekday from 09:00 till 12:00.

So, I got up at 07:15 to get the train 1 hour later and catch a tram until Bois de la Cambre where is situated the Embassy.

At arrival, there was nobody at the counter and highlighted on the information board was mentioned that visa application was possible on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

I rang the bell anyway to get someone to speak. A woman appeared who told me that it was possible to apply for a visa that morning. I had to come back the next day. I explained her how difficult this was for me and that the information on the official website was different.

She could not help me, because she was responsible for financial matters and not for the visa applications. I had to come back another day.

I let her serve someone for a financial matter and then asked her whether it would be possible to leave the filled in application forms and the photos with her and if she would be so kind to give it to her colleague of the visa department the next day. I explained to her that it would be a big help for me, as it would save me half a day.

She asked me to wait and disappeared for 1 minute. Then came back accompanied by her visa department colleague who I recognized immediately, since this is the 3rd time this year that I present myself for a visa.

I apologized once again and explained why I presented myself on the wrong day and how time consuming it is for me to present myself in person at the guichet. Finally, she said : OK for this time... But, next time please come on the indicated days. It is a recent organizational change to better deal with the workload.

Either this recent change is a decision "in the field" without having discussed it with management. Or, the process for change has not been completely documented. Or, the process is documented and not followed through until the end...

We will never know, but such an example proofs how valuable correct information can be.

Homesick

I'm back in Belgium since Saturday and am having a hard time adjusting to the way of living in my home country.

Every morning, I wake up asking myself where I am. Although the bedroom seems familiar, I do not recognize it immediately as my own.

I miss getting up before sunrise to go picking cucumbers in the field, I miss the regular visits to the women I've got acquainted to the last few months, I miss the arabic language and am surprised not to hear the moezzin anymore.

I have to make my own coffee and meals. Go to the store myself. If I don't, I haven't got anything to eat or to drink.

One advantage, now that I'm back, I can go to the gym every day in the morning or the evening. That is a big difference to 3 fixed days a week from 10 tot 15:00.

But, until now that is the only advantage I found, except from seeing my family and friends back, of course.

Tomorrow, I'm going to Brussels to apply for a new visa. I have to go back for the winter.

Ramadan

Now that I'm staying a week longer, I'm also experiencing Ramadan although not by fasting myself.

Yesterday evening, the beginning of Ramadan was announced at 20:30 with some canonshots and fireworks. Everybody was reacting as if a party was starting.
That was in the evening before the first day of fasting.

Today, I see a different behaviour. The first day is the hardest one, especially for the smokers, and there a lot of them here.

Everybody is visiting and seeking the company of others, not to think too much about smoking, drinking, eating, etc...

In about 1,5 hour the day will be over. Everybody is now waiting for the end of the day and starting to prepare the meals.

At about 18:00 the moezzin will announce the end of the day and they told me that the families will be sitting all together in front of the television on which the chanting of the moezzin is broadcast. When the sign is given, they will all throw themselves on the food.

In a few minutes, I'll be visiting some friends and enjoy that moment with them.

I am too weak to fast myself and feel a bit guilty. Maybe next year...