Sharja's Guide to International Travel for Beginners

For some time now, I’ve been getting many messages from friends, friends of friends, and complete strangers alike on my apparent “secret” to annual exotic travel. Luckily for you, there really isn’t any secret at all, however, there is a decent amount of research and preparation that goes into every trip. While some travelers may take the easy path of “winging it”, which sometimes works out for the better, I tend to (at least) start off with a more balanced approach of "planning with leeway" to maximize my trip in terms of the experience, efficiency, and cost. However, remember that unless you choose the preset "tour group" option, plans are almost always subject to change. Hence, I hope those of you who are interested in the art of independent travel will find this brief guide (or rather, an unprofessional ramble based on personal encounters) somewhat insightful.

DISCLAIMER:
Evidently, a lot of what I'm going to mention will come across as being common sense or innate to people who have traveled before. However, we must remember that we all have friends who have yet to leave the country (or in rarer cases, the state). Hopefully this will not only be a way of simplifying the travel method, but also answer any questions concerning the basic logistics of organizing a good trip abroad. It may even bring to light new ideas for those who’ve recently joined the travel scene. I would finally like to add that my commentary focuses primarily on independent travel (no tour groups/commercial cruises/high end package deals) and on a reasonable budget. Please also understand that my insights are based on personal experiences and opinions, which may not be suitable for all tastes.

INTRODUCTION:
I’m first going to open this entry with an answer to honestly the most frequently asked question I get pertaining to travel: How can I afford to travel every year? The answer to this is multifaceted and has changed throughout my life. The travel bug (more like disease at this point) was essentially passed down from a set of adventurous parents who had traveled the world for decades prior to my birth, which apparently was not going to put an end to that. Travel has been more than just annual experiences abroad for my family – it’s a lifestyle. They’ve always emphasized the educational and psychological value of an experience over something material. My family has always been exceedingly frugal and simple in terms of spending, constantly saving and never purchasing products or services seen as extravagant. I never had toys and video games, the latest mobile phone, or a car for my 16th, but it really didn’t mean anything to me in the long run. Together with hard work and decent paying salaries, my parents always had sufficient funds to invest in travel. And even then, our traveling was done on a budget. For a majority of my younger years, I’ve been fortunate to possess such amazing parents. As I got older, their work ethic and passion rubbed off on me and I soon found myself saving every penny from pet-sitting/house-cleaning/calculus-tutoring/odd-jobs for travel. For birthdays and holidays, I’ve always kindly requested gifts in the form of currency, since there really isn’t anything tangible that could be more worthwhile. Even now, as an impoverished graduate student, a quarter of my research paycheck goes into a travel fund and moderate frugality governs my spending. Since college, I’ve been fully capable of paying for my entire part of a given trip. Inshallah, I’ll be able to keep it up because traveling is a dream and so far I’m living it.

CHOOSING A DESTINATION:
Obviously, it would be nice to have a place to visit in mind if you plan on traveling. However, for some people, the desire alone to travel may be all that they have to begin with, lacking any true idea as to where they should head. In that case, ask yourself what inspires you. Do you have a passion for history and monuments? Or are you more captivated by natural beauty and scenery? Maybe you are athletic and wish to engage in recreational activities with a foreign flavor? Or possibly you are fascinated with a particular people or language and your focus is more cultural? Whatever the case, you should tailor your travel plans to meet your interests so that your trip is entirely worthwhile. Another aspect you should consider is things that aren't necessarily under your control. Ask yourself what is the current political climate/economic situation/weather condition/health status of the nation(s) you have in mind. Are there any travel restrictions or eminent dangers that you might face while visiting? A good place to answer these questions is the State Department website for travel, where they will give you the latest updates on any travel warnings, entry requirements, and health advice for your country of interest.

BACKGROUND RESEARCH:
Research in your country of interest is a crucial part of making your travel experience more meaningful. But it is also a highly advised means of preparing yourself for the trip and knowing things in advance to prevent delays, mishaps, medical issues, or immigration problems. Of course, the term research is fluid and differs for everyone depending on one's time. But it is safe to assume that the more reading you do, the more knowledgeable you'll be about your country of interest and the more confident you'll be during the course of the trip. I tend to divide this research into three main categories, in the order that you might conduct them: Basic Education, Trip Preparation, Travel Logistics, and Leisure Reading.

Basic Education: Research in this category would involve looking into the political, economic, health, and weather aspects of the country. Knowing these aspects ahead of time can help you prepare for your trip accordingly. Is the country politically stable? If not, would you still want to take the risk to visit? What parts of the country might there be instability that you should avoid? Look into the cost of things. Is traveling in this country financially feasible for the budget you've allotted? What is the current exchange rate between their currency and the dollar? What are the average costs for food, transportation, and accommodation? What are the availabilities of banks/ATMs/exchange kiosks? Next, look into the current health conditions of the country. Relatively how clean is the country? What are the living/eating conditions that you might face? Are there any major diseases or outbreaks currently occurring? What are the conditions and availabilities for medical attention in case of an emergency? Finally, inquire about the weather conditions around the time of your trip. How hot and cold will the temperature fluctuate and what is the average humidity? Is it the season for monsoons/hurricanes/typhoons/blizzards/sand storms/torrential rain? Are there any imminent threats, such as a volcanic eruption? Nevertheless, there's a reason why all of this is considered basic.

Trip Preparation: Research in this category will center on both necessary and precautionary measures before departing. Once you have your basic education completed, you can begin to plan your trip accordingly. Look into your country's travel requirements for visitors. For the most current information, it is best to visit the embassy/consulate website of that country. Here, you can find information on the necessary paperwork you might need to fill out and the fee you may need to pay to obtain an entry visa. Travel requirements differ for every country and I suggest doing this as soon as possible, for it might take several weeks to fill out the necessary paperwork, send it in, and wait for the embassy/consulate to respond. If possible, obtain your visa and/or letters of invitation from your country of interest prior to making any flight/hotel arrangements. You won't be able to enter the country without proper documentation, so it's best to secure this first. Also, if you plan to visit nations with politically controversial areas, you may need to obtain special permits to access certain roads or regions. This will require additional paperwork and procedures. Next, look into the health requirements for travel in your specific country. Some nations won’t let you in unless you can provide proof of vaccination (such as yellow fever for African countries). Usually, you can schedule an appointment with your HMO's travel clinic, where they will suggest necessary vaccinations and you can receive them. You should also inquire as to the medications you should bring (pills for diarrhea/stomach trouble/malaria/antibiotics/altitude sickness/sea sickness/etc). You might also consider whether or not you will come into contact with any poisonous flora/fauna and bring necessary treatment. And as a rule of thumb, you should always pack a travel safety kit, which should contain the essentials (band aids, gauze, pads, antiseptic and anti-itch ointments, syringes, etc). After this, prepare for the financial portion of the trip. Look into the exchange rate and estimate the proper amount of money you will need to bring. Depending on how developed the country is, you may be able to bring less cash with you and make withdrawals from local ATMs, but be advised that sometimes ATMs don't work properly or connect to the American system overseas. And when they do, keep in mind that there will be service charges. If you plan to use a credit card to pay for larger expenditures (hotel bills, domestic flights, or big shopping), remember to call your credit provider to let them know that you will be using your card overseas. Should you fail to do this, providers might see your overseas charges as theft and freeze your card. If you plan to visit certain impoverished nations or nations with paranoid governments, you may be forced to bring only cash with you. Remember that for many of these types of countries, there may be extreme requirements for the type and quality of cash you bring in (for example, US dollars that are new with no rips/folds/markings/stamps/wrong serial numbers/etc). You should plan to visit branches of your bank well in advance to request new bank notes. Should you fail to do this, you might find yourself cutting your trip short or getting stranded in your country of interest with a wad of useless currency.

Travel Logistics: Research in this category will focus on four critical travel questions: (1) How am I getting there? (2) Where am I staying? (3) What am I wearing? (4) What am I eating?

• Flights – Probably one of the most challenging and expensive parts of travel is looking for flights. The price of airfare and the ability to find cheap prices are unpredictable, ever-changing, and downright frustrating. So give yourself plenty of time to do this research. Here are some basic aspects about airfare that you might want to know: First, the more exotic or remote your destination, the more expensive your flight will be. This is because nobody goes there, so the airline must raise its price to make the flight profitable. If, after all your airfare research, getting to your destination seems way too expensive, you might want to consider flying to a cheaper neighboring country and making a land or sea crossing. In some cases, the overall cost will be lower if you don't fly directly to your destination, but rather break your trip up into a variety of transportation forms. You will need to look into whether border crossings are feasible between the layover country and your final destination. Also consider that even if it ends up being cheaper, your travel time will be longer. Second, airfare can actually fluctuate by hundreds of dollars depending on what day you fly out on. Nothing is written in stone here, but I have found that flying on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays are more expensive, while flying on Sunday evenings, Mondays, and Tuesdays tend to be cheaper. If money is a crucial factor in your trip, you might want to explore prices by experimenting with flying out and returning on different days. Third, if you use airfare search engines like Orbitz, Kayak, Cheapflights, Priceline, etc, please keep in mind that the price they quote for a given flight may not in fact be the price you pay, for it usually leaves out taxes and other "fine print" fees to make the price look more appealing. Usually this means looking at the small ugly price written in parentheses rather than the big cheap price that first catches your eye. Don’t be fooled!

• Transportation – After you’ve arrived in your country of interest, you’ll need to figure out how to get around. Consider the variety of transport options your country of interest may provide - bus, train, truck, motorcycle, rickshaw, hired car, bush plane, river ferry, canoe, raft, horse cart, camel… Once again, the amount of money you’re willing to spend will ultimately influence the style of transportation you’ll take. Taking local transportation is one of the most rewarding aspects of travel. Nevertheless, there are pros and cons to this and it is truly up to your own personal judgment and comfort level. On the upside, local transportation allows you to engage directly with native people and experience their way of life on a firsthand basis. In many countries, owning a private car is still only reserved for those with money, and by hiring one yourself, you’ll likely miss out on the more colorful scenes and travel customs of the bulk of society. Additionally, local transportation is absolutely the cheapest way to get around, as you’ll likely be paying local prices. On the downside, conditions can often be rather sketchy or even downright dangerous depending on the country you’re visiting. In some places, filling up buses to their tipping points is often practiced, which combined with cliff-hugging mountain roads can be a lethal combination. Additionally, local transportation can sometimes be slower and less direct. For these reasons, many people settle for more expensive deluxe buses/trains aimed at serving tourists. But what it ultimately comes down to is both your research and best judgment on deciding whether to take the more adventurous or more sanitized route. My personal philosophy is this: unless it could potentially endanger you, go for local transportation. Regardless of what style and variety of transportation options you end up taking, you will need to research ahead of time how to get from A to B. Reading travel guide books on the best options for getting to and from places is the best place to start. Internet sites and travel blogs can often help provide information such as updated schedules and time tables for buses and trains. Depending on the country, you may either have to make reservations in advance for transport or simply show up at the station the day before to purchase your ticket. Be aware that in many places, things never run on time and unexpectedly change – as a traveler, the first thing you must develop is patience!

• Accommodation – Now that you have an idea of how you’ll get around to places, you next need to get an idea of where you will be staying. Like transport, accommodation can be just as diverse, ranging from luxurious hotel suites to a hut with a hammock. As with everything, the amount of money you’re willing to spend will determine this. Most people immediately settle for the typical hotel option, which comes in a variety of comfort levels and price ranges. However, you might also want to consider other forms of accommodation that may be more cost-efficient or may be more culturally engaging. There are a variety of alternatives you might want to consider. Backpacking hostels can vary greatly in quality from clean and simple to downright shady, however the commonality among them is that they are probably some of the cheapest places to spend a night. Another aspect of hostels is that their cheap prices usually attract a crowd of young, bohemian student travelers. Hostels are great places to socialize, meet foreign faces, and forge new travel friendships. However, take into consideration that hostels can also be very loud and nocturnal. Additionally, hostels can often be the scenes of luggage/money theft, particularly in dormitory settings. Make new travel friends, but always keep a pair of eyes in the back of your head. Guest houses and homestays typically involve staying in the house of a local family. Apart from usually being a reasonable price, this option is actually an excellent way to really immerse yourself in a foreign culture and experience the way of life. You will likely dine and be given an opportunity to engage in family activities with your host. In some cases, you might be expected to help with small tasks. Remember to respect the customs of your host family and to bring a welcome gift upon your arrival or a thank you gift upon departure. A third option that doesn’t exist everywhere just yet but is starting to become more popular is renting an apartment. While generally a good choice if you plan to spend at least three nights in a given place, renting an apartment can actually be far more cost efficient than paying for a hotel room. Renting an apartment often gives you a much bigger place and the benefit of a kitchen and laundry room. It can also add a more personal feel to your living situation and better access to more local areas/activities. The only tricky part to this is trying to coordinate with the owner to get the keys. Finally, the activities you end up planning on your trip may either take care of accommodation for you or require that you bring your own accommodation. This is generally typical of trekking and safari trips, where tents are either provided or you will be expected to bring your own. Regardless of the accommodation you choose, take into consideration its centrality, proximity to points of interest, and proximity to important departure points (airport, train stations, bus stops, etc) to help reduce the cost of getting around town.

• Clothing – A good point to cover in the process of planning your trip is what to wear and pack. This is common sense at its purest – wear what you need for the weather conditions you expect. However, there are some small tips that are not so obvious but might be helpful, depending on where you’re going. From personal experience, I pack as lightly as possible into either a carry-on size backpack or a standard internal frame backpacking backpack. I always bring light weight pants and shirts that have the capability of air drying overnight, as I do all my washing by hand. I highly recommend clothing of a cotton-polyester blend. I advise against 100% cotton due to its weight and inability to dry in short time. I also advise against nylon because it fails to let your skin breathe, which can be miserable in hot climate, and against silk, which is too thin and becomes uncomfortably soaked in high humidity climates. Your underwear, which will be washed the most often, should likewise be able to dry overnight. For a month long trip, I will usually bring 4 pants and 5 shirts, rotating daily unless unable to. A sweater or jacket may be necessary for cooler climates, and the thickness will vary depending on just how cold your destination will be. Finally, I also usually bring at least one long sleeve shirt to prevent mosquito bites when out in the evening.

• Eating – In securing a decent place to sleep, you will now be free to partake in probably the ultimate aspect of your trip – food. A good question to ask yourself first relates back to the cleanliness of the place you’re visiting. This will determine right at the start what you should and should not eat. Eating options may be more challenging in developing nations where sanitary conditions may be substandard to what your body is used to. Once again, what you eat is up to your best judgment, but take into consideration the impact it might have on the rest of your trip. Getting sick on a trip is not a good feeling for you and is an extreme inconvenience to the other people you may be traveling with. No one wants to have to spend their vacation rushing you around to the nearest bathroom. A general rule of thumb for eating in developing nations: avoid eating anything raw like fresh vegetables and fruits that can’t be peeled (unless the eating establishment is reputable for travelers), avoid anything that uses local tap water like fresh fruit juices or smoothies (unless the water used is either boiled or bottled), avoid any food that has been sitting out for long periods or is exposed to flies. Many countries, particularly in Asia, have an amazing street food scene. Go for foods that are grilled/fried/steamed. If eating at a street restaurant, observe the cleaning conditions ahead of time, as some places will simply rinse dishes in local tap water without use of soap. As of now, it seems that eating may be tricky and convoluted. Don’t let it be. Use common sense but try as many things as you can. My personal philosophy on the matter is this: try everything at least once and don’t be afraid to go outside your comfort zone – it may be that you’ll never have the chance again. One last comment concerning food is the availability of water. Even the poorest nation will have bottled purified water (sometimes the locals can’t even drink their own water), so finding water will likely not be an issue and it is generally cheap. However, if you want to save even more money, save your bottled water for drinking and bring a water purifier to make “clean” water for teeth brushing and other hygienic uses. Purifiers can come in the form of a hand-held pump, a UV light stick, or added iodine solution. Purifiers can usually be purchased at camping and outdoor recreational stores or online.

Leisure Reading: Research in this category helps to complete your knowledge of your country of interest and is the most relaxing aspect of travel because it can be done at any time prior to or during the trip. This type of reading is excellent for long plane/bus/train rides between destinations, both helping to make the travel time less grueling and giving you a good introduction to the next site on your itinerary. Look into the history, culture, language, cuisine, entertainment and environmental sections of your guidebook – they’re there for a reason, that being to further educate you and give you a deeper appreciation for the things that you are going to see. Brushing up on a nation’s facts will enrich your experience and give you more insight into the mentality of its people. It is also a good way to inform you about what sights to see, foods to try, festivals to attend, recreational activities to undertake, and special gifts to bring back.

BEING SAFE:
Probably the most important concern on a given trip is safety. As my wise father always says, no trip is worth your life. Be prepared for potential threats, either to your belongings or to your person. Be aware of your surroundings and take note of when things start to look strange (loud distractions, groups of men following you, animals running, etc). Generally, you should always try to carry your bags in front of you, even on buses. When in Africa, never leave anything unattended at any time. It’s best to carry your money and passport on a hip belt that can be concealed under your clothes. Never leave these items in your pack nor in your hotel room. Also, don’t carry all your money in your pockets, but rather only a daily allowance – this is good for preventing the theft of all your funds and also helps you to keep track of how much you’re spending easily. Avoid street transactions, as these are almost guaranteed to be a scam and believe me when I say that they are certainly smarter than you. Read ahead of time to avoid the sketchier parts of big cities and avoid staying out late at night if advised. As for questions pertaining to independent female travelers, I suggest inquiring about the risks prior to arriving in the given country. Overall, I would typically advise against it whenever possible. Women typically will experience more hassle in the Middle East, South Asia, poorer areas of Southeast Asia and South America, and countries where a majority of the population is male and under 30.

PERSONAL CHECKLIST:
Below is a comprehensive checklist that I’ve put together and have used every year, which may be of some use to you. There are far more things mentioned than what I typically bring, which will vary depending on weather, health, planned excursions, and environmental conditions of the country you're visiting. Additionally, this list is typically what I consult for trips lasting 4 weeks or more. You might question how I am capable of fitting this into a backpack… my only reasonable answer to that is innovatively.

• Health – mini first aid kit, anti-diarrheal pills, antibiotics, water purifier or Steripen, insect repellent, sun protection lotion, water bottles for clean/dirty water, syringes, hand sanitizer
• Hygiene – shampoo for bathing, shampoo for washing clothes, small laundry bag, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, hand mirror, mouthwash, space towel, shower flipflops, travel hair dryer, q-tips, wet wipes, lotion, lip balm, nail clippers
• Clothing – shirts, pants, underwear, socks, pajamas, swim shorts, sweater or jacket, hat, keffiyeh, sandals (not flipflops), hiking boots
• Travel Essentials – passport, photocopies of passport, set of passport photos, flight tickets, reservation papers, park/trekking permits, cash money, credit card, international student card, international driver's license, guide book
• Travel Equipment – calculator/alarm clock, money pouch, pocket knife, 2 meters rope, small roll of duct tape, plug adapters/converters, mini flashlight, small umbrella, plastic bags, mosquito net, padlock with key
• Camera Equipment – Camera, chargers, spare batteries, mini tripod, filters/lenses, extra memory cards
• Camping Equipment – backpacking tent, roll mattress, sleeping bag, backpacking utensils, hand-held GPS, compass     

CLOSING REMARKS:
The information I have provided is by no means all that there is to know, nor may it suit everyone’s own opinions or methods. But that’s the beauty of travel, there really aren’t any set rules on how you go about doing it. Just get out there and have an awe-inspiring, eye-opening, physically-engaging time! If anyone has any more specific questions pertaining to any of my own trips or recommendations, feel free to message me.

Bayt Sharja: Memoirs From Your Local Mid-East Hotspot

 

 

From fall 2007 to spring 2010, residence #311 at 2461 Warring Street in Berkeley, California, was more than just a mere apartment. It was a place of culture, where all who entered were welcomed as if being reunited after years, a place where stories were told, movies were filmed, parties were thrown, and laughter was shared. The dolma was home-cooked and the tea never stopped flowing in a place that eventually obtained the ultimate title of “home”, even for people who didn’t formally live there. These are those stories.

The collegiate residence of Berkeley students Elise and Sharja, roommates that sealed a bond of Orientalized friendship from early on, Bayt Sharja (BS) served as the headquarters for a plethora of both intellectual and debaucherous shenanigans that would forever be immortalized in the memories of all to have visited it. It is not possible to thoroughly document the entirety of this apartment’s rich history; however, it is necessary to preserve what recollections have remained before time erases them forever.

Sharja and Elise in one of the earliest photos after moving in

“Give me paper… and I shall build for you the Taj Mahal” 

Many will remember BS for being probably the most unique of college apartments in its ornamentation and distinct artistic style. Where featureless walls once existed, Indian and Islamic arches stood alongside decorations of Arabic calligraphy and shimmering copper paper. Indeed, BS was the only apartment in town with architectural elements reminiscent of the East, adding a touch of spice and refinement to an otherwise third-world looking habitation. The story behind these embellishments is as follows:Having come back from Tibet, and with Elise still in Greece, Sharja reclined wide awake on his couch in the kitchen nook (the living arrangement in BS is another story). It was late, past midnight in fact, and jetlag kept him staring at the empty apartment and its blank walls. Sharja was the first to move into the place after Elise had found it a month prior, and alongside taking summer classes, it would be up to him to furnish the place in time for his roommate’s return. But as he lay awake that night, the great off-white walls bothered him. Sharja had come from a household that took great pride in the aesthetics of living quarters. As an admirer of traditional Islamic architecture, he had always wanted a place with arches, one of the most defining construction elements of his culture. Painting was forbidden, as well as the hammering of wood sheets to the walls (many ideas had passed through his mind) by the property manager. Finally, in one last effort, Sharja decided to create designs from a harmless medium – paper. For days, he hand cut pieces of black and copper poster paper in the curving outlines of arches and adhered them to the walls. Upon completion of his work, Sharja proudly uttered to an empty room, “Give me paper, and I shall build for you the Taj Mahal.” Over time, the apartment would accumulate an array of stylistic elements, all cut from paper and some even cut with a kitchen knife in the absence of a utility blade. Together with the soft light of Moroccan stained glass lamps and trinkets taken from exotic locales (both roommates were well-traveled), BS gradually gained a warm and palatial ambience that simply couldn’t be overlooked… even if the carpet was indeed ripping out.

Bayt Sharja on the eve of yet another amazing night of food, music, and culture

  

"Hafla": Not Merely a Party, But a Celebration of Life

Anyone you ask who had the opportunity to witness Bayt Sharja will firmly testify to probably its greatest asset – the hafla (Ar. حفلة, “party”). Haflas at BS were not merely an evening affair, but a ritual that took weeks of preparation for the utmost satisfaction of the guests. Lists were compiled of exclusive invitees, chosen specifically for the type of occasion and hand-selected to ensure that every guest would know at least one other person (because we all know the awkward feeling of being at a party and only knowing the person who invited you). Guests were also selected from a variety of ethnicities to ensure maximum cultural diversity, a quality that both Elise and Sharja found delightful. Once the invitations were made Facebook official, the next task was to compose the ultimate playlist. Taking hours to put together, songs were gathered from a variety of linguistic backgrounds and styles, predominantly Middle Eastern and South Asian in nature but always open to other genres. The amplifiers were then tuned to full bass output. 

  

 

 

Perhaps the most magical part of a hafla was the FOOD. Ninety percent of the food at a BS hafla was prepared by hand and from scratch either the day of or in the days prior to the event. Delicacies were many and varied, with select home-cooked favorites including: Elise’s classic dolma (stuffed grape leaves), Sharja’s sambousek (spiced ground-beef filled pastries), Greek salad with olives, Moroccan lamb tagine, Egyptian koshari with carmelized onions, Indian chicken tikka masala, Persian mast-o-khiyar, and fresh hummus/guacamole/imam bayeldi with homemade tortilla chips. Other treats that were purchased and served included vegetable samosas, trays of baklava, ma’moul with dates, and hot mana’eesh.  

 

A variety of traditional beverages were also prepared from scratch, including Maghrebi mint tea (traditionally aerated from 1 meter above the cup), chilled karkadeh (hibiscus infusion), masala chai, mango lassies (seasonal), black cherry syrup with rose water, and Turkish coffee.  A hafla at BS was also a unique experience in that they were always dry (no alcohol). There were several reasons for this decision. As non-drinkers, both Elise and Sharja firmly believed in the ability to have truly memorable experiences and actually remembering them the next day. Their philosophy was always built on the idea that one does not need to chemically alter their state of being to have a pleasurable time. A second explanation lay in their idea of respecting cultural customs. Just as vegetarian options were made available for Hindu guests, alcohol was removed out of respect for Muslim attendees. Lastly, alcoholic beverages were costly, messy, and often implicated in the tarnishing image of a “frat party”, an attribute that a BS hafla simply could not identify with. Most interestingly, a significant number of guests, both drinkers and non-drinkers, have personally mentioned after such events as to how much more comfortable and rich their experience was in the absence alcohol. After all, how could a combination of truly savory food, rhythmic music, and flamboyant conversation go wrong?

Alcohol may have not been present, but another more culturally acceptable vice was – the shisha. The balcony always served as the open area by which guests could smoke a selection of fine shisha flavors, including mint, apple, melon, and the not so pleasant pumpkin pie (forgive me, it was on sale). Even on top of all of this, a BS hafla wasn’t complete without some form of live entertainment. In most cases this involved Sharja solo playing the darbouka, and on some occasions accompanied by a professional belly dancer (Zari McBerk), a sitar player (Apurv Gaurav), or another percussionist (Amer Abdullah). But when Sharja wasn’t performing, he could often be found frantically running around making sure everyone’s glass was kept full. Many have questioned whether his time was as well spent as their own, to which he would simply reply “happiness of the guest above the host”. After such success, the two hours of dishwashing at 2 in the morning never seemed that burdensome.

Good friends relaxing on a warm evening with tea, shisha, and rich conversation

 

Jaimee playing the role of a subservient Indian wife

The tea always flows when Sharja's home

Amer and Sharja in a darbouka performance

Zari exhibits her belly-dancing skills

Some of the more memorable, large-scale haflas include:  

• The Housewarming/Torrey Pines Gala 
•  Sharja’s 21st Birthday Bash
• Cairo Café 
• Come to My Party or Else
• Laylat Twansa: A Night of Tunisian Culture
• End of an Era: The Final Hafla

Visitors From a Land Down Under 

There was one instant where something truly uncanny occurred at BS that will forever be remembered in all its hilarity and implausibility. Following the end of yet another successful hafla, Elise and Sharja, along with a handful of other close friends, felt like taking a break from the cleanup and decided to relax in the common area. Elise’s laptop was on and they all decided to flip through YouTube music videos. Let it be known that the computer was disconnected from the speaker system, with sound only emanating from the laptop itself. Kevin insisted that everyone listen to a song he had become quite fond of, “A Land Down Under” by Australian 80’s band Men At Work. Partway into the song, a knock was heard at the door. Upon opening it, two young Caucasian men were found in a state of surprise. “Are you guys Aussies?” one of them asked excitedly. Unbelievably, not even two minutes into playing a song about Australians, two authentic Australians found themselves at the BS doorstep. Visiting a friend in the complex, they had heard the song playing through the open window from two floors below. Thinking there were others of their kind present, they anxiously traced the sound to apartment 311. As Sharja would later say, never had he seen so much anticipation and disappointment all at once.

Showdown Between the Police and a Party of Three

A party was ensuing two doors down at the residence of Kevin, Shyam, and Paul. As close friends of this trio, Elise and Sharja gladly attended and participated in the mayhem of overcrowding and pulsating house music. More like a conventional college party unlike the BS haflas, they were still able to have a great time among the many guests – and surely there were many. The place reverberated with bass, chatter, and characteristic party exclamations that made even basic conversation challenging. In an effort to take a rest and breathe, Elise, Sharja, and their mutual friend Jenny went back down the corridor to BS. Lounging on the couch, the three of them once again found themselves exploring their favorite Middle Eastern music videos on YouTube. Before long, the three of them found a new boost of energy in the form of dancing around the apartment to the music. Sharja also began to gently drum on his darbouka as Elise and Jenny joyfully pranced around. Suddenly, there was a firm knock at the door. Sharja opened the door to reveal a stern-looking female police officer. She told him that residents had been complaining of a wild party violating quiet hours and that the party had to stop. “I think you’re referring to the party down the hall”, Sharja carefully responded. The officer donned a look of sarcasm before saying that there was no other party going on and that the only “noise” she could detect was being emitted from their apartment. “Please keep the noise to a minimum” she strictly replied before leaving. Sharja, Elise, and Jenny were baffled. Indeed, there was not a sound coming from the apartment two doors down. Had the party abruptly ended? Had word reached them of a police presence in the building? Whatever the explanation, it was the first time an officer had broken up a BS party – a party of three.

Elise and Jenny the night the electricity went out

An 8 AM Apocalypse

Suddenly, the entire apartment shook violently. Banging. Drilling. Cracking. Pictures and other hanging decorations were torn from their places on the walls. What the fuck was going on?! Sharja jumped out of bed, partially blinded in the dim light but otherwise completely awake. He could hear Elise cursing in the other room. He quickly put on something warm and ran outside of the apartment, around the corner. Three Latino workmen were completely tearing away at the stucco exterior of their windows, on the verge of ripping their frames straight from the wall. “Excuse me? What the hell are you doing?!” It was 8 AM and Sharja was no longer shy about expressing his vexation. The men apologized, saying how they were ordered by the property manager to begin working on replacing every window in the building. Rather than stopping work out of courtesy for the rude awakening, the men were actually pleased to see that the apartment’s occupants were present and up, allowing them free access into the residence to facilitate construction. As upset as he was, Sharja didn’t have any more time to waste and tried to prepare for class amid the complete invasion of privacy. Thankfully, Elise would stay home to keep watch and see the men out when finished.

Hours passed and Sharja finished his classes. Expecting the usual peace, Sharja returned to BS to find it in an even greater state of disarray than before, the contents of his living area completely relocated, and even more obnoxious noise coming from right outside the window. Elise was curled on the couch with her laptop, trying to focus on her writing with a mien of utter misery. “This has been going on since you left,” she grumbled. Elise had planned on staying home from class that day specifically to work in silence. The workmen moved on to the kitchen window and the two relocated to her room. Unable to get any work accomplished, Elise and Sharja sat and vented about the irritating events of that day. Through the thin walls they heard one workman, “Twenty bucks says you break the window”, to which the other, hammering near the edge of the glass pane replied, “You’re on!” Sharja looked at Elise with widened eyes. “Oh hell no, he better not hit my...” – SHATTER! Sharja ran to his living area to find fine shards of glass covering his bed, desk, and floor. The men chuckled and exchanged money, before casually apologizing and promising to clean up the mess. Hours more passed before the men left and peace returned once again to BS. Sharja returned to his living area only to witness the glass still present, along with an additional layer of fine sand coating his floor and a massive circular oil stain on his white desk. Infuriated, he slowly began to sweep up the disaster. Elise brought out the vinegar and baking soda to tackle the stain. Looking up at Sharja, she sighed, “They managed to do more de-struction than con-struction”.

Elise's room arrangement, after her bed collapsed

Sharja's kitchen futon with adjustable curtain

 

“Yeah, could you send a locksmith? We’re locked inside”

Let it be known that even from day one, Elise and Sharja never got along with the property supervisors, who in turn never ceased to perplex them with their inefficient and absurd means of so-called “management”. Such asininity was truly epitomized in an incident that occurred late one evening as Elise, Jenny, and Sharja were studying. Elise attempted to exit the apartment only to discover that despite turning the door knob, the turn was just short of a full rotation, resulting in the door’s failure to open. Shaking the door in a vain attempt to dislodge it, she ultimately ran through the living room to Sharja, who was reclining in front of his laptop with headphones in his ears. “We have a serious problem…We’re trapped,” she cried out, not entirely in a state of worry, but rather with subtle hints of both humor and disbelief. Getting up from his bed, Sharja moved to the door and unsuccessfully struggled to open it. The three of them stood back in astonishment. Though initially comical, they knew this could eventually turn out to be rather problematic. A preliminary investigation led them to suspect that there was a jam in the knob mechanism. Elise ran from the kitchen carrying a bowl of cooking oil, being the closest relative of WD-40 in the place. Applying oil into the lock as well as between the door and its frame, the three tried once again to free themselves from the apartment. No success. The knob freely moved but the door still wouldn’t open, proving that the origins of a more serious problem lay in a disconnection between the knob and the latch. With oil no longer sufficient, Elise made a frantic call to Shyam and Paul down the hall. “Could you guys possibly come help us break out of our apartment?” There was a burst of laughter on the line. A minute later, Shyam and Paul could be heard on the other side of the barrier, trying to pry in as Elise and Jenny desperately tried to pry out.

Sharja later realized he had the apartment complex emergency number in his mobile, a number worthy of being saved on account of all the times he needed it to complain about the dilapidated building. No one picked up. Typical. Finally, there was an answer, to which Sharja pleaded. “Um, hi, could you send a locksmith? We’re locked inside”. The woman on the other end was a bit surprised. After explaining the situation and how a rusted latch or detachment may be the cause, the woman calmly replied that the next available time for a locksmith to come out to the site would be in two days. Sharja had heard excuses from the management before, but this was beyond ludicrous. “Ma’am, I don’t think you understand. We’re trapped inside our apartment and we have class tomorrow,” he burst out. “We tried using oil…--” The woman cut Sharja short, telling him that oil was a mistake and that it could potentially damage the lock. “Ma’am, quite frankly, if the lock and latch weren’t already damaged, then we wouldn’t be in this situation,” he exclaimed. “Right now, some friends are trying to help us from the outside.” The woman snapped back, ranting that any damage done to the door would be held as a violation of the lease contract, resulting in a loss of their deposit. Sharja took the phone from his ear and stared at it, completely bewildered by the preposterousness of what he was hearing. What if there was a fire? Or an earthquake? Or an intruder? Well, at least in the last case, no one would be getting in or out. But before Sharja could question the woman and likely enter an intense debate, Shyam and Paul successfully broke in. The entire group rejoiced with freedom after the hour-long ordeal. Sharja bluntly told the woman to replace the lock in two days and hung up. The next day, a barely visible handwritten message could be seen next to the emergency number posted in the lobby - emergency my ass.

    

Shyam and Paul from down the hall

Coming Soon to an Apartment Near You!  

The day Elise and Sharja premiered their film Alf Layla Wa Layla before Professor Bazian’s Arabic 20B class was a day that would forever be remembered. Undoubtedly, it was the most celebrated of presentations that semester for the attention paid to its lavishness and detail. In short, ALWL was a brief 20 minute recounting of Aladdin and the Magic Lamp in classical Arabic. Starring Sharja as Aladdin, Elise as Shahrazad and the evil sorcerer, Shoaib as the Shahriar and Genie of the Lamp, and finally Saba as Duniyazad and the Ring Genie, ALWL was truly a low budget production of the highest quality. The clothes and props were plenty and most fitting, however, the true question on the minds of viewers was where on earth was the project filmed? Many were shocked to hear that the entirety of ALWL, from the palace to the market scenes, was filmed at BS. The palace look was already well established thanks to the paper arches, Moroccan lamps, and other Arabian trinkets provided by Sharja upon first moving in. To add to the elegance of the set, Elise’s colorful sari fabrics and scarfs were draped over a wooden frame, remnants of her bed that collapsed in less than a year. For the final palace scene, Elise also went as far as to prepare an entire Persian spread of dishes to fill the sultan’s table. The market set was placed entirely on the balcony and consisted of a backdrop of textiles, basmati rice sacks, and bowls of produce. The Cave of Wonders was filmed using the dining table placed on its side, with deep colored blankets draped over it to give the appearance of a dark abyss. Potted plants from outside were also dragged inside to create a forested look around the cave; the stains from spilt soil on the carpet were still present up until BS shut its doors. Together with elaborate costumes, the roles were also played with the utmost precision. Shoaib played the predominantly masculine roles of the great king and thundering genie while Saba perfected her role as a delicate younger sister, ditzy princess, and comical genie. And one could never forget Elise’s rather seductive portrayal of the mystical storyteller Shahrazad, along with the hilarity of her role as the old evil sorcerer. Given that classical Arabic (al-fus’ha) is not normally a spoken language, the film was also praised for the inclusion of deleted scenes at the end, which were primarily based on bloopers during the recitation of the script and the inability to hold back laughter during filming. Select lines from the film that were added as “bloopers” include (read from right to left):

.إذا ما قدرت أن أملك المصباح فلم يملك أي شخص المصباح... !!laaaaaaaaaAHAHAHAHA

 [Elise and Sharja, upon throwing the blanket over Sharja’s face to “close the cave”]

ياحبيبتي! ياحبيبتي أنا في البيت... يا حبيبتي؟! اه يا حاتم أين أميرتي؟... !!oh noooooo

[Sharja, after forgetting his lines]

shit...wait, what're you doing with that camera? ...يا انسة، عندي مصباح جديد، عندك مصباح قديم؟ ربما

[Elise, after failing to remember the phrase نستطيع أن نتبادلهما and getting distracted]

  

أنا مملة جداً

[Saba, when she was supposed to say أنا ملولة جدا. What she actually said was “I am very boring”]

  

يا أميرة فعلاً اهتم ب...oh shit

[Shoaib, after forgetting his lines]

أنا أمير فعلاً ولكن هل يمكنك أن تعطيني قصر,ooooops!! ...I mean

[Sharja, after accidently switching to English mid-sentence]

Sharja, as Aladdin

Elise, as Shahrazad

Shoaib, as Shahriar

 

The evil sorcerer commands the genie of the lamp

The cast of Alf Layla wa Layla, post-production

The entire filming of ALWL was done in one day using a laptop, along with editing and special effects added by Elise. It truly was a memorable and all around fun experience, filled with hilarious moments that can only be understood via watching the film. Nevertheless, the most common question following its debut was simple - will there be a sequel?

Life in Bayt Sharja: Anecdotes and Memories

1. There was one time during the hot summer months when Sharja awoke early in the morning to the sound of a couple across the courtyard making intense love. Apparently, they were courteous enough to shut their blinds, but completely forgot that the window was still open. 
   
2. In October of 2008, Sharja decided to participate in Halloween since his last one in 1997 by dressing as an American boy of the Emo culture. This required his hair to be dyed black. With the help of his friend Pari, his hair was dyed, but upon the primary washing, the entire tub and walls of the shower were stained black. Moving on to receive fake piercings from Elise, it took Pari close to an hour to scrub the tub clean.
   
3.  Elise and Sharja were the only residents in the complex to have an extensive amount of potted plants on their balcony that needed regular watering. During one overcast day, Sharja went out to water all the plants. The inhabitants in the apartment one floor below had visitors over and their windows were open. After fully watering the plants, the heavy run-off water began to flow from beneath the pots and over the edge of the balcony. From below, Sharja could hear a girl complain, “Oh darn, it’s started to rain”, to which he heard a second response, “That’s funny, it’s not raining outside my window”.
   
4. Warring Street Apartments was absolutely notorious for fire alarms being pulled during the middle of the night.
   
5. There was one time when Sigma Mu Delta fraternity had its initiates come over to the complex courtyard to practice some Backstreet Boy/NSYNC song and dance number. After hearing this song for 20 minutes, Elise and Sharja decided to retaliate by opening all of their windows and singing the same song back while banging raucously on drums and pots.
   
6. The original apartment property manager, Crystal, once semi-mockingly called Elise “Rapunzel” on account of her long hair. This same manager also told Sharja to tell his father to “take a chill pill” after she had violated the initial housing contract. Sharja’s mother had a few words to say to her when she visited the leasing office in the early years of BS. Since then, no one really knows what happened to Crystal.
   
7. On his way down to let more friends into the building for yet another BS hafla, Sharja happened to be behind a group of Caucasian residents in the stairwell. Arabic music and vivacious party sounds could be heard coming from his apartment. One girl asked what was going on, to which her male friend replied, “Oh, the Middle Eastern people are having a crazy party again. Should we crash it for hookah?”
   
8. Jenny Tan eventually became a permanent addition to the Bayt Sharja household. Sharja probably should have just given her the blue lounge chair that she practically claimed for herself.
   
9. There was a growing collection of Arabic post-it notes all over the rear of the front door.
   
10. Late night discussions between Elise and Sharja that started on science or politics, worked their way to the impact of religion, then always finished with plans to travel somewhere. These were some of Elise’s most vocal hours.
    
11. Nights of international music swapping, followed by YouTube music video presenting, then finally bursting into singing and/or dancing once a common favorite was found.
    
12. There was the time Elise showed Sharja excerpts from the Quran that she planned on using for her thesis paper. Immediately upon reciting it, Sharja's nose began to bleed on the paper. Utterly shocked, the two saw it as an omen and felt the need to blame someone - Dr. Hatem Bazian.

Elise and Sharja in traditional Arabic attire