Benito: The Lebanese Mutt

It was a random and cloudy day, while everyone was acknowledging the fact that school will start in a couple of days, when something exciting finally occurred. Benito, a cute, wild puppy was the one who had the power to leave everyone smiling. Benito, most of the time is quite hyper, but he is a bright puppy with a sensitive side as well. Fostering a puppy is not easy. The hardest part is to let the puppy go to another family in the end, which I'm not such a genius at... Benito is a Lebanese mutt but doesn't look like one at all. If you're interested in adopting him please call (03 - 200 - 242) . After all the pets we have, I'm thinking that any house is incomplete without a pet... Benito is a really good puppy to have, so I assume that it will eventually be easy to find him a great home!

The Beauty of Icelandic Horses

When I think of Sweden, thoughts scatter around my brain; the majestic trees, the delicious strawberry cakes, the canoe trips, the endless roads, the bicycle trips, our amazing house, horseback riding... Lebanon has nature, rivers, and a beautiful sea. But Lebanon is not exactly an animal loving country. So the only opportunity to horseback ride is in Sweden since horseback riding in Lebanon is quite risky and not safe. They don't train or take care of their horses. I was all agog to go horseback riding since I didn't ride a horse in a long time. Another fact which made the whole experience more exciting was that we were gonna ride icelandic horses. The minute we arrived we realized that the horses were obviously trained well plus extremely calm. Well, the horses were stomping a couple of times because of the flies that won't leave poor them alone. When we got on the horses we were assured that we chose the best place to horseback ride. As the horses began trotting everyone was a bit worried, but at the end everything was fine. The second everyone was about to fall off the horse because of exhaustion we stopped and had a small picnic. Then, after about ten minutes, we continued the ride. When we finally got there everyone was tired and exhausted but at the same time content. It was amazing, and really fun. For sure, we will come back to the same place next year.

Sweden by Canoe

 The weather report is never one hundred percent accurate in Sweden because of their unpredictable weather. So, planning a canoe trip is not that easy... As the early morning began, I was a bit hesitant because of the grey clouds hiding behind the green skyscrapers (trees). We started by bringing huge jackets and ski clothes but when we arrived at Immeln Lake to canoe, the stormy clouds disappeared. And that is exactly what I mean about the weather. Then, the hard work of paddling began. As we paddled our hearts out, we kept an eye out for a perfect island, to swim, to BBQ, to fish, and to relax on. When we finally settled down on an island, we started to discover and found a small bay. Even though the sun was up and the sky was blue, the water was freezing... Which is not that much of a problem to the people who live in Sweden. But in the end, at least 4 of us jumped in. After that we directly began the BBQ. We barbecued swedish hotdogs and as usual they turned out extremely delicious. It was an amazing experience to be on an island with a forest full of life. As usual, we didn't catch any fish because they were too smart for us. We all had a blast, but that wasn't such a surprise because our canoeing trips every summer in Sweden have become a family tradition.

On the way back, we were exhausted, wishing we had chosen an island closer to the canoe shop.

Nature's Backyard... (Sweden)

I have been impatient and eager to visit Sweden all these days because Sweden is utterly different from Lebanon. In Sweden nature is everywhere. You can find a frog in your shoe. You can find a lizard on your hand. You can even see a torrent of moose crossing the narrow road extending between the spacious forests. The possibilities of nature are never ending... But if you want a garden in Sweden you have to make it yourself and that is exactly what we are working on. What's nice about Sweden is that you can have a house, with a beautiful forest next to it, without being in the middle of nowhere. We are quite lucky to have a quarry right next to our house, which is really exquisite and rare. The quarry is extremely huge and really deep. The only problem is that the water is freezing, which is not a big problem for the people who live in Sweden since they are used to it...

Chez Sami (Resturant)

The sea, the delicious food, the nice view... Everything fits perfectly, in Chez Sami, a great restaurant in Lebanon. The sea was quite rough, so don't imitate my silliness of getting in the sea... As the sun was going down, hiding under the crystal waters, we were have an amazing meal. It was really exquisite to have such an amazing restaurant that comes in a package, with tasty food, and a beautiful sea. I actually despise sea food, but my taste buds changed their minds with the splendid food. The best thing about Chez Sami is that it is close to Jeitta Grotto, which might fit perfectly in a tourist's schedule. It could actually be a fantastic place to swim, if you go there on a sunny day!

The River in Yahchouch

Instead of being obstinate and stubborn, insisting on staying at home, watching TV, we decided to take off to Yahchouch, (a small village in Lebanon) to look for a waterfall and a river. We all thought that we knew exactly how to get there, but I guess we were utterly wrong... When we passed the highway, we started to get lost. So, we climbed up and up, all the way to the top of a mountain. But then we started to get puzzled, thinking that we were not even on a road. It took us one hour more than it was supposed to take us, to get there, since we were clueless and went the long way. When we finally got there, our dogs did not wait a second and leaped into the river. Well, we did not find a waterfall... It was fun, playing in the river with one of our dogs having a blast, splashing everybody with water. An old bridge went across the river; it was quite beautiful but I had a feeling that it could collapse any second. We had to jump from rock to rock, to catch my dog who was having the time of her life, since she was swimming, nonstop. It was a good experience and a lesson: Whenever you decide to go somewhere (specially in Lebanon) you have to have CLEAR instructions.

The POSITIVE + The NEGETIVE

Have you ever visited Jeita Grotto? Well, I highly recommend it, if you're on vacation in Lebanon. Jeita Grotto consists of two huge limestone caves, which are nine kilometers long. I was quite content when I saw the beauty of the fragile stalagmites and stalactites. To me it was a natural splendor and a fascinating sight. The lower cave, actually had water in it. So, we went in a small boat around it on the icy cold water. The upper cave did not contain any water, but it had a small path going around the whole cave. Jeita Grotto is still attempting to become one of the 7 wonders of the world. When I saw the two magnificent caves, I had a feeling that I was going to vote for it. But as we walked out of Jeita Grotto I changed my mind. I saw a sight that made me sick to my stomach. There was a small monkey locked in a small cage trying to escape. Sorrow filled his face... And sadly he was not the only tortured animal over there... Two porcupines were kept in one small cage which can barely fit a hamster. I despise the thought of putting tortured animals in cages. Despite the tortured animals, it was an amazing wonder.

The Golf Club

The morning, the most advantageous time of the day to go and swim in the Golf Club. At that time the pool was clear with no crowds. Well, as the day passed by, more people started to come and that was when the whole pool was utterly crowded. The sun was blazing hot, so eventually all of the chairs emptied as the sun shined more beams on the pool. It was the only thing to do, in that kind of weather. Well, the people weren't the only ones having fun, small birds were pleased with all of the chips next to each chair. That was the highlight of the day... As everybody was having fun, on cloud nine, the cars were roasting in the sun. So, you can imagine what happened when we got back. We had to rush to get back home, because of our tight schedule. Well, paradise can't last for more than five hours. The Golf Club has everything, a pool, a golf course, a tennis court and probably much more. What else can it have?

The Planet Needs Us (poem)

There are a number of issues,

which we could take action on,

like the garbage surrounding the sidewalks,

the garbage in the sea,

it is evident, to me, that all the issues lead to refuse,

My dream is to have a country,

with the light beaming out of the clouds,

with a clean sea, that shines in the morning sun,

Everybody is trying to coax the world on saving the planet,

with posters,

with programs,

with systems.

Garbage should be whisked out of this green planet.

Well, you can't just say that you care about the planet,

and stay still...

The Planet Needs Us!

The Hubbub of Adventures

My earliest memories of the past are a confusion of discovering Lebanon's beauty. Well, after the days faded away, I remembered all of the places I have been to, the caves: the forests, the fields, the rivers and the ruins. As you can see, the previous years have been somewhat of a hubbub for me because of all the wonders I have been to... This time we went in the other direction, to the South, to Tyre. It was a lengthy drive full of bumps and turns. And tell me how you would feel as you pass "Mount Garbage," a stack of junk, which I think will soon reach the height of Mount Everest! It was shameful to see all of the garbage, from not only the people living in Tyre, but also us. Well, as we passed that shameful sight that I despised, we got closer to the bright side of Tyre. We finally arrived at the restaurant (the only break that we got before we visited the ruins). I was absolutely impressed with the restaurant; it left me quite content. While we were waiting for the waiters to bring the food, I went with my aunt, who has the same personality of discovering like me, to explore the restaurant's surroundings. An old man, was building a boat, the old way, and he claimed that his son just made a boat much bigger than the one that we were amazed at... After, we finished eating at the magnificent restaurant, we went to the ruins. The ruins were really interesting. They made me realize how much history Lebanon has. The thought of people from a long time ago standing on the exact tile, I was standing on, left me speechless. What would happen if all the history in Lebanon got erased?

The First Sushi Bar in Beirut (Le Sushi Bar)

While we were on our way, flying through the mist of white fluffy pillows, my mom grabbed a lengthy magazine and began to read about all of the famous restaurants in Lebanon. I was sitting next to my mom, glancing at the magazine, looking for something fun to do. Then, my eyes caught on a fancy ad about a Japanese restaurant. It stated that it was the first sushi bar that opened in Beirut. So, I pointed it out to my mom and she recognized the name instantly, since she had been there a long time ago in a different location. Now, here we are today, trying out the Sushi Bar. To our surprise, the food pleased our taste buds so well that it was like a party in our mouth. Our aunt Rhanda, from Chicago, (the capital of delicious food), loved this restaurant. Plus, she never knew that Beirut is also famous for Japanese food. We just could not resist the feeling of eating the whole restaurant. It was by far the best restaurant that I have ever been to. For sure, we will be coming back often, but next time we will order even more...

The Perfect Country

Lebanon is the perfect place to live in for some people, because it has everything. It has wild forests with meadows, sprinkled with the rain of mother nature. It has a city with flashing lights and buildings, trying to reach the sky. Up in the misty mountains, the villages surrounded by rows of trees get the privilege to breath in God's most valuable gift, fresh air, and play in nature without using electricity or polluting. These are Lebanon's main traits that we should all be thankful for. But there is one big problem... Pollution in the sea. On Sunday we decided to go to the beach because of the sun, which was annoying us with too much humidity. This time, we decided to go to a beach in Beirut which was not far from our house. And we were lucky to choose a beach right next to the Pigeon Rock. But the bad news was that we could not swim because of the selfish sea who brought in too much garbage from the horizon. So, we ended up swimming in the pools. I wish that we can just send all of the garbage out of this precious planet, so we can all relax... But we still have to be thankful for what Lebanon has, that other countries don't have.

The Dark Side of Life

We wake up, brush our teeth, get ready, eat our breakfast, slam the door and that's how our boring days at school begin. But we never expect anything interesting or peculiar to happen in the morning of a weekday. As we were walking to school half a sleep, with our eyes still blurry from sleeping, we spotted a sick baby bird on the ground. Well, if you live in a country like London or Sweden, this might not be that of a shocker since over there you see birds everywhere but in Beirut it is slightly possible to happen. The bird was lost since he fell out of his nest on a high tree. So, what would you do observing this poor baby bird suffer with a group of cats approaching him? If you read my previous articles it would be really easy to predict what will happen next. My mom picked up the bird hoping that it won't happen again since our house is similar to a petting zoo. We took care of the bird and created a small nest similar to his. Every 3 hours (even at night) we would have to feed him cat food. He only lasted for 2 days since he was really suffering because when he fell off the tree he damaged his head. But, that was all that we could've done...

Deltas (Science Project)

Have you ever wondered what happens to a river when it reaches an inland or the sea? Well, the answer is a delta. A delta is a fan shaped area of land formed by mud, sand and stones dropped by a rivers mouth when it gets dumped into the sea. The river divides into many small paths called channels as it flows through the delta to the sea or an inland. Like, I mentioned before, a common name people call deltas are fan shaped areas. Now you have a good idea what a delta is and looks like.

Deltas have a particular process of how they work and how they get formed. With deltas, it is not like you wake up in the morning and you hear the news of a new delta formed. It takes a lot of time for a delta to form. Deltas always relate to rivers since rivers cause deltas. Deltas’ main agents are water and silt. So, it all starts at the beginning of the river up in the mountains. And as the river flows down the valley it slows down. Now, the journey is almost over for the river, the land got very flat and now the river is wide. It meanders its way very slowly in big loops crossing the flood plain. The river is still carrying the stone and the soil which is called silt. Now the river finally reaches the ocean, and it makes an estuary. And it dumps all of its silt in the estuary and it will create marshy mud flats. Some, deltas actually dump so much silt that it creates a new island! And the result of the silt is a beautiful delta!

Deltas are scattered all over the world. But they are mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. These magnificent tourist attractions are found in Argentina, Canada, Nigeria, and Africa. Plus, there are a lot of deltas in the U.S.! In any country you go to that has a delta, you will find a river (for sure) and an ocean or an inland body of water next to it.

Some deltas are extremely famous and are known all around the world. The Nile River is the longest river in the world, but it is also very famous for its amazing delta, (The Nile Delta). It is formed in Northern Egypt and it drains into the Mediterranean Sea. The Okavango River in Western Africa never reaches the sea, it actually fans through Namibia into Botswana. Then it separates into too many channels that flood in the springs. It is the largest inland delta in the world!

I chose to make my project on deltas because I wanted to challenge myself and do something that I am not familiar with. At the start, it was a confusing topic, but then it started to appeal to me as interesting. Now, at the end of my project I am more than satisfied with selecting deltas amongst all the other landforms.

Title: Rivers, Author: Donna Bailey Website: www.wikipedia.org Pictures: http://www2.geog.ucl.ac.uk/~mtodd/accord/index.htm

The City that Never Sleeps

During our long vacation, we traveled to the city of bright lights, New York City. I loved everything about New York; there was nothing that it did not have. And Times Square is as bright as a star in the starry night. I was on cloud nine when I heard that our hotel was right next to Times Square. There actually were policemen on horses over there. It was a big shock for me to find a huge park in a big city like New York City. Now, I am thinking how do I even call the small road with people bicycling on it a park! Central Park was incredible. I just don't have anything bad to say about New York. It is just too amazing to hate. I really want to live there when I grow up.

Time Runs To Fast

Hi guys, in school I had to write a persuasive piece to convince somebody. So, I am convincing my mom in this piece. So here it is:

An absolute wish come true for me is to spend more time in Sweden. If that actually happens I will be screaming my head off and jumping on cloud nine or maybe even higher. Every time, we travel to Sweden the day I get to know more about my cousins, the next day we are leaving. And I never even have enough time to play with them and have fun. Sweden is very different from Lebanon, and when I watch them, I realize how life is, in Sweden for them. One of the reasons that we always travel to Sweden is that Sweden has a lot of nature. Like, we never have time to swim in the lakes or even catch crayfish. Or watch all the amazing animals in Sweden. The problem is that time runs to fast! In Lebanon I am not allowed to ride horses, since it is dangerous here in Lebanon. But in Sweden it is 100% safe, and if we stay in Sweden for more time, I can also take horse back riding lessons. Plus, I can learn more about horses. All the things I want to do there do not fit only in 7 days. I have never brought this up as serious as before. But I think it is a great idea for our family to spend more time in one of our main countrys.

The Castaway Cays Miracle (continuation of: The Disney Dream)

The cruise that we decided to spend our short vacation at was "The Disney Dream". The day before we had to leave the paradise cruise, we docked at an island in Bahamas. Disney owned that spectacular island which is called:"Castaway Cays". The beach over there was amazing, with the crystal sand shinning from the sun. The water was clear and full of life. We went snorkeling there and saw thousands and thousands of colorful fish. I was really surprised that you could swim with the sting rays and actually feed them. And just by looking at the word "sting" in "sting ray", you might be thinking that we are crazy. But the people managed to take off the sting rays' stings.

The island also had a biking trail, so we rented 5 bikes and off we went. Around the trail there was an exotic forest, which was just beautiful. How does Disney just amaze you in a second like that??

Indoor Sky Diving

Sky diving is an interesting activity, but how can a kid (like me) jump off a plane risking his life. But there is also another way to sky dive which is called Indoor Sky Diving. For sure you will never, I mean NEVER find an indoor sky diving place in Beirut! Our only chance of indoor sky diving was in Florida, U.S.A. So, guess what we ended up doing...

First of all I was nervous specially when the instructor started to give us a bunch of signals to memorize. Because he will be sky diving with us too and he can not talk while sky diving. It was really cool and amazing. I felt like I was actually flying! The name of the company was 100% correct it was a once in a life time experience!

Here I am (My Poem for my graduation to Middle School)

1 Year passes,

The second and third year approaches,

The fourth year fades away,

and now we are here.

So much diligence that we put into the years.

But it all turned up to be valuable.

So many teachers we miss,

that were not in the upcoming years.

So many students that are not in this school anymore.

So many classes we included in...

I will never forget the Elementary marvelous adventure.

Before, the first time I graduated,

I said:

I am finally here, I am almost there, and soon I will be...

graduating again,

and here I am.

The Disney Dream

I always knew about Disney and about all of the Disney parks. But it never came to my mind that they also have cruises. After all of the years of building they created what they call "The Disney Dream". So we thought it would be a good idea to sail aboard with them since we were already in Florida. The truth is Disney is a spoiler, the minute we entered the GIGANTIC ship they were already welcoming us: " We would like to welcome the Boustany family!" And all of the staff were cheering and clapping. Our room was better than what we all expected, it even had a balcony. Okay, so if you are already impressed by this cruise line, let me tell you about the shows. There was a huge stage, and when I say "HUGE", I mean it. The weird thing is that on the stage they had so many effects, like fire spraying out of the stage, smoke surrounding the stage, actual fireworks on the stage, bubbles and balloons floating around the theatre. This is what I call entertainment. Well think about it there are about 4 thousand people on the ship that all have to be token care of. The ship is fun and delightful for every body (even the grown ups). They have a long slide that extends to the beginning of the ship to the end. Plus, it is really fun, but the line is really long! We only stayed for 3 days, we really wish that we could stay there for ever!!

http://disneycruise.disney.go.com/ships-activities/ships/dream/