I left America in late May and returned a couple of days ago. My carbon footprint was terrible, but frankly it has become increasingly harder to genuinely care. Do not worry, I still do not have the kind of wealth that allows me to travel business class and exponentially increase my carbon production. Although, when or if I have that kind of wealth, I will probably travel business class and then greenwash it by planting two and a half trees in Lebanon or something. Anyway…
The highlight of this trip was that I was finally able to actually swim in the sea. It finally happened on my last day in Albania, and it felt like being able to walk again, although I have never been paralyzed. If I continue eating desserts three times a day, I might eventually get diabetic neuropathy. I am 36, approaching 37, and after decades of fear I finally figured out that the upside of learning how to swim outweighs the downside of drowning. Now all I want to do is go to the beach. My remaining fears are eating raisins, skim milk, goat cheese, and Eat-Pray-Love people.
Another highlight was seeing my parents after around two and a half years away. My parents always have really interesting stories to share, stories that deserve an entire set of blogs. My mom’s fun gossip can ignite coup d’états, and my dad’s inquisitiveness is refreshing to see in a world built on LLMs that are as dull as the brains of political think tanks. I had a lot of good food in Lebanon and plenty of Nescafe with my mom in the morning. It also felt good to be home, because the need to explain who you are can be a bit draining. It was also a reminder that while a metaphorical home is sought after, the physical one is far more palpable. Within destruction, oppression, war, and poverty, the Lebanese people are still patient, generous, gorgeous, and kind. This is how you distinguish the natives from those who steal and burn the land. Sorry, this was supposed to be a lighthearted blog; compartmentalizing feelings belongs to robots and the emotionally inanimate.
Anyway, it was a great summer that ended with a lot of new grants, projects, and publications, all things I am deeply grateful for, so now I am dealing with the post-summer comedown in 40-degree Nashville heat. I leave you with some pictures from Italy, Cyprus, Lebanon, Germany, Greece, Albania, Belgium, and the Netherlands.