1. People bathing in the same water that they brush their teeth in, drink, do laundry, dispose of trash/waste, and scatter human ashes (India)
2. Being asked for bribes by the people who are supposed to ensure you aren’t being asked for bribes (Egypt)
3. Men walking around the streets (uniform and non-uniform alike) sporting machine guns, AK47′s, and rifles (Africa, Middle East, India)
4. Men killing live sheep, skinning them, and hanging them on hooks in the road… right next to the vegetable stand (Syria)
5. Magnificent new high rise buildings right next to war-torn shot up, bombed and burnt buildings (Lebanon)
6. Small children wandering the streets like packs of wolves wreaking havoc during school days and on school hours when they should be learning (Tanzania)
7. Ordering and eating a full breakfast for $0.04 (India)
8. The inside of a hippo’s vicious mouth up close and personal or being run out of camp by elephants for that matter (Botswana)
9. Driving full speed into oncoming traffic on the wrong side of the highway (Uganda)
10. People sharing the small amounts of food they’ve been given with others even though they themselves haven’t eaten in 5 days (Kenya)

Beirut has built up a reputation as the Paris of the Middle East. While it most definitely is, I would describe it more so as Paris’ wild child step-sister. Anything goes here… I mean ANYTHING! Beirut is the liberal counterpart to it’s ultra conservative neighbors in the Middle East and with it comes the liberal activities. Beirut has recently become famous for it’s bustling nightlife. The city is home to several bars that were voted best bars in 2008 and it has recently ranked as one of the top party cities in the world. There are places to go and things to experience for anyone looking to have a good time. The only appropriate dress code in this Middle Eastern city is to cover yourself as little as possible. The people pull up to nightclubs and bars dressed to a T. Designer labels here trump all. The women step out of their cars flaunting Jimmy Choo stilettos, short Dolce & Gabanna dresses, Chloe Bags, Van Cleef jewelry, blown out hair and gobs of MAC makeup. The men strut around flaunting Prada glasses, Ralph Lauren suits, Ferragamo shoes and possibly a man purse in one hand with a cigarette in the other. It is probably the only place in the Middle East where you can dance, drink, and party until the sun rises… every night of the week! If you ever get the chance to travel to the Middle East, I highly encourage you check out the liberal nightlife of Beirut. It will guarantee you an interesting and exciting evening!

Lebanon is a small country spanning an area of 10,452 square kilometers (4,035 sq mi) with a lot of diversity therefore it was easy for us to travel and explore different parts of the country. Chris and I headed South to Tyre and Saida one day to explore ruins, castles, and the towns themselves. Upon driving into Tyre we were smothered by posters and flags covered with the prominent heads of Hezbollah. We passed through several checkpoints laced with barbed wire, bunker holes and armed officials. There were a few large army tanks littering certain intersections within the city. The South was unlike Beirut in that the population is a much higher concentration of conservative Muslims and Hezbollah families. We were using an old Lonely Planet map which didn’t give us specific directions so we drove around the city searching for a sign for the largest and best restored hippodrome in the world. We found ourselves on the main road suddenly driving by several blocks that were heavily guarded by army men with huge guns, tanks, and barbed wire fences. Behind the fences were thousands of Palestinians in refugee camps. The Palestinian people here had no citizenship anywhere and therefore they had no land, no passports, only a few had jobs and most had minimal money. Needless to say, this was an area that we should not have gotten any closer to. The city was less developed and more conservative. It was apparent that the town had been attacked in the past 3 wars with bombs and bullets as there were markings depicting the chaos on building walls. We finally found the ruins we were looking for and walked around the historic site. The ruins (situated in the heart of the city) were quiet and somewhat eerie. The only signs of life we saw were a few Arab workers and a wild dog. The history of the place was interesting though and well worth the drive.

From there we jumped back into our car and drove to Saida (located between Tyre and Beirut). On the way to Saida, we passed several UN and Lebanese army tanks. There was one that specifically stood out. We were driving up the coastal highway where on the right side of the road was a large army tank equipped with two large missiles mounted on the top. It was the real deal and while it was interesting to see, it was far too close for comfort. Yikes! We finally arrived at Saida which proved to be a step up from Tyre. The buildings were not as antiquated and there was a small boardwalk along the water looking out to a Sea Castle floating atop the turquoise waters. We walked around the city for a bit, explored the castle, and then sat down at a local restaurant for a Lebanese lunch full of mezzes (small tapas-like dishes). In most Middle Eastern countries, you never get the bill unless you ask for it, so I got up to find the man who had originally helped us. When I finally did, he asked “where do you live?” I told him California and reciprocated his question asking if he was originally from Saida. He stared at me for a second before looking me straight in the eyes and saying, “No. I’m a Palestinian from Palestine.” Uh oh. It was a little awkward for me after seeing the refugee camps scattered around the region. I wanted to say something to help relieve the tension but I could not. We were both frozen. Suddenly I made a small joke which got him to smile enough for me to say thank you and slip away. AWKWARD!

Walking back to the car, I realized how much tragedy, aggression, despair, and loss these people have gone through. Yes, they may support all of Hezbollah’s actions, but it’s my understanding that they put their trust in the group because it’s their first line of defense to keep themselves, their family and their property safe. I understand there are two sides to every story and I am still not convinced as to who is right or wrong but I will say that it was an interesting experience that puts things in a new light.

We were CouchSurfing with Iyas, a local Syrian guy, and his family when he introduced us to his extended family who lived down the street. We had never met these people in our lives and while none of them spoke great English, they welcomed us with open arms inviting us into their home, preparing food, tea, and coffee for us. They were a lovely family. Two of his cousins Amira (21) and Safa (18) were really excited to have me into their home. They greeted me with a kiss on both cheeks and invited me to sit with them in the saloon room where it was just the girls and their mother. I sat down on the floor cushion and we began chatting. They quickly pulled out their jewelry box and generously gave me a necklace and a ring of theirs. We shared stories trying to get to know one another and laughed at all of the misunderstandings we had. When it came time for me to leave, the girls asked me to spend the night with them. It was getting late and I didn’t have my bag with me so I promised them that I would stay with them tomorrow night. They were thrilled!

As I walked home, I wondered what a girls sleepover would consist of here in Syria with this conservative Muslim family? Would I need to wear a headscarf all night? Would I not be able to interact with Chris? Would I be required to eat with the women only? Would I unknowingly offend the family from my ignorance of Muslim sleepover etiquette? Where would I go to even find that detailed of information???

The next evening came quite quickly and when I arrived at their door they greeted me and ushered me in giving me tea and food. I was still a guest so I ate with Chris and the girl’s father, but normally, the men and women would eat separately. Once the girls saw I was finished, they signaled for me to come into the next room where all the women were gathered so that we could begin the festivities for the evening. They didn’t dare enter the room where the men were eating unless they were bringing us tea or coffee.

When I walked into the next room, they pointed to a corner where there were several floor cushions on a persian rug saying that this would be my bed for the night. I dropped my small overnight bag and sat down only to have Safa beg that I join her in the kitchen. Amira covered my eyes as I walked through their doorway and into the kitchen. Their mother was trailing close behind us. When Amira finally uncovered my eyes, Safa was standing in front of me holding a beautiful cake. “I made this especially for you” she said with a smile on her face that extended from one side of her headscarf to the other. By this time in the evening I was stuffed but she was so happy to serve it for me that I couldn’t resist acting excited to eat it. We brought the cake into the “sleeping room” and Safa served me a slice that could feed a small army. Their hospitality was so good in fact that Amira pulled out her beloved sweets and piled my plate with chocolate and candy bars after having unwrapped them all. Their mother then got in on the fun and poured two snack-sized bags of potato chips on my plate to ensure I wouldn’t go to sleep hungry. Ugh. Too. Much. Food.

I asked if they would be eating the cake with me but they said no, it was ALL for me. With grins on their faces, they sat there watching me take my first few bites. While I was eating, they began pulling their jewelry out showing me their favorite pieces. When they heard I had two sisters, they willing departed with two necklaces that they insisted I give to my sisters upon my return home. As the night grew later, we changed into our pajamas and the girls took off their head scarves. This was the first time that I had seen their long dark hair. It is common in their religion that all women wear headscarves covering their hair, ears and necks only to be exposed to other women and their husbands. After, we played dress up and I let them decorate me with their jewelry and headscarves. We laughed like we were 13 again!

Finally, we turned off the lights and talked from our places on the floor. There was a sudden stir in the next room and within seconds the girls both had already put on their headscarves. Their father walked through the dark room just as Amira had finished wrapping her scarf around her face. I was shocked at how strict it was, yet very impressed that they could put their scarves on so quickly. After their dad returned back through the room, the girls took their headscarves off again and we all began to giggle. It was a wonderful night! The last words the two Muslim girls spoke to me before I drifted to sleep where “Good night Amy. Hopefully you will dream about Syria because we dream of America. Welcome. We love you sister.”

Turkey is a country full of glamour, diversity, history and appeal yet it’s friendly neighbor Syria is completely overlooked. Syria is a country full of mystery, culture, hospitality and charm, but it’s completely misunderstood by most of the Western world (or at least by Americans). The two countries have many similarities like their food, culture, and historical ruins, but they provide completely different experiences. In comparing the two, it’s very clear that Syria offers more bang for your buck, but even better, it’s less touristy and everyone is much more hospitable. Here are a few reasons that I would recommend you consider Syria for your next trip to the region:

• Many people in Syria speak at least some English and if they do not, they are extremely helpful in finding someone who does.
• Syria, in my opinion, has one of the most friendly, inviting and EXTREMELY hospitable cultures in the world. They are great at teaching foreigners about their culture and traditions.
• Syria is very inexpensive, but still provides the same quality of food, accommodations, sites as many other countries in the region.
• Syria accepts student cards (ISIC) giving students very low entrance prices ($0.20-0.30) on touristy sites. Even as a non-student, the entrance fees are very low ($3-4 USD).
• It is illegal to beg in Syria, so the only “hassle” you’ll get on the street is people wanting you to stop, have a tea and chat with them about your trip.
• Contrary to popular belief, the Syrian people are very good at differentiating people from their government. They are highly accepting of Americans as individuals despite that they are less than impressed with our government.

Syria is an intriguing country that does not get enough recognition for its amazing culture, people, and traditions. On this trip, we’ve traveled through 10 countries, and Syria is one of my top two. While I recommend Syria so strongly, if you have more than a few weeks, I would recommend you visit one of its neighbors (Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey) as well. However if you only have enough time to visit one country in the region, I would definitely recommend Syria be the country. It is a hidden gem amongst its Middle Eastern counterparts. I can guarantee that anyone who goes will be pleasantly surprised at how welcoming, friendly, and magical the country is.

It was nearing 3:30am when we woke up in Terminal 2 at the Cairo Airport. We had used the past three hours to sleep in one of the lounges during the first half of our overnight layover, but we were told that each visit was limited to three hours because “this lounge is not a hotel.” Needless to say, our time there was up, so we headed over to Terminal 3 where we would be departing six hours later. By 4:00 am we had arrived at Terminal 3 via an airport bus that required us to pass through security before entering the next terminal. The place was dead. There was no one around except for two security guys at the x-ray machine. Chris and I dumped our bags on the conveyor belt and passed through. As always, we expected to have no issues as we had scanned them several times in the past 24 hours. The guy in charge was no dummy though. We were all alone… just the four of us. He saw us and requested to look through Chris’s bag. He began digging and halfway through the backpack, he looked up at us and quietly requested we give him and his friend some money or “baksheesh” as they say in arabic. Are you kidding me??? Chris responded nicely saying he didn’t have any money to give him. He continued digging and then took it a step further and requested to see Chris’s shoulder bag. He opened it and pulled everything out only to find Chris’s money belt. Go figure. The security guy swooped upon the money belt like a hawk, unzipping the main pouch to see about $25 US dollars. Chris quickly grabbed it, zipped it up and said “Sorry, I have no tip.” The guy persisted with his hands still over Chris’s unzipped, scattered bag. He requested money from Chris, then me, then back to Chris. I stood there in horror feeling extremely vulnerable by this corrupt official while Chris proceeded to decline his request nicely. Finally, the guy could see it would not be easy to convince us, so he zipped up Chris’s bag, and asked again. By now, Chris was already putting on his backpack. Chris gave him a firm no this time and we took off up the stairs. Phew! Luckily the guy seemed new at the whole corruption game as it could have ended much worse.