Last modified: Thursday, July 3, 2008 2:12 AM EDT Going back to Beirut By Mary Sue Daoud Contra Costa Times My heart started thumping when my parents told us we were going to Lebanon. They were beaming with excitement - my dad hasn't gone back to his homeland in nearly 20 years and it has been 14 years since my mom and I went there. Earlier in May, after we got our passports and tickets, we got a scare when we heard about the fighting taking place in the capital city of Beirut. We were afraid we weren't going to be able to go after all; the airport was closed, and there was fighting and rioting in the streets. However, after the Arab summit, the fighting parties reconciled and a Lebanese president was elected. The fighting ceased; the streets were cleaned and peace was restored. Our Lebanese friends joked that the city was laying out the red carpet for us. Lebanon is a beautiful country surrounded by Israel, Syria and the Mediterranean Sea. Although it is considered an Arab country, Lebanon is rich in natural beauty and relies on tourism rather than oil. In biblical times, the Lebanese people were known as the Phoenicians, the major sea traders of the day. Originally, Lebanon was famous for its cedar trees, some of which were used in Solomon's Temple, but now Lebanon is thought of as the Paris of the Middle East, except for the war; it is cosmopolitan, stylish and sophisticated. Lebanese people are known for their expensive tastes and impeccable hospitality. A very sociable people, they have very intricate, high standards of manners and courtesy. Truthfully, that last bit scares me. My parents have instilled politeness in me since I was little, but considering my lack of fluency in the language, "sociable" isn't a word with which I can be described. Surprisingly, that is a complete reversal from how I was when I first went to Lebanon at age 4. I was talkative, precocious and bubbly, rather than the morose teen with an affinity for books and music that I am now. Conversely, it was music that made me realize what a lovely heritage I have. Last year, my mom introduced me to two Lebanese singers: Fairouz and Majida el Roumi. Fairouz is considered the quintessential Lebanese singer, but when I heard Majida's operatic voice singing "O Lebanon, I am writing you in fire/With pens of drunken colors," I suddenly understood why my dad loves Lebanon so much. After I got hooked on Lebanese music, I began to pay more attention to the Lebanese language, really taking time to listen to the poetry in the guttural, onomatopoeic words and fierce, rolling syllables. Listening to my parents and their Arabic friends speak the language, I picked up on idioms and proverbs. I learned what is considered a mortal insult to an Arab, and I learned how to appreciate Lebanese humor, which can be side-splittingly funny. In short, I learned why another culture, specifically my own, is as grand and as sweeping as the history it encompasses. Perhaps a bit romantically, I can't help feeling that a land so rich with history as Lebanon, and the surrounding nations, has a different feel, a grandeur and dignity gifted by the passing ages. America is so very young in their light! The last time I was in Lebanon, I was just a small girl. Now, at 17, I am far better equipped to appreciate the beauty of this ancient land. My mom has always regaled my sister and me with her tales of what Lebanon was like as she was growing up. I can't wait to get there and see for myself. Mary Sue Daoud is a junior home-schooled through Harvest Christian Academy, and is a Hayward, Calif., resident.