Misguided Expectations?

After reading the U.S.'s, Great Britain's and Australian's State Department advisories, I recently declined traveling to Beirut, Lebanon to attend a meeting at a potential business partner's. All reports, condensed, said something like "DON'T GO."

Now what would be your thoughts to flying to Beirut and then traveling by car for about an hour roughly towards Syrian border? You'd probably conclude with the State Department's advisory. ISIS, Hezbollah, and captured western journalists in orange jumpsuits kneeling before a scarfed savage wielding a large blade would come to mind.

Those are the visions that came to mine. I know Lebanon has been mostly at peace for the last 10 years, but it's not that big and ISIS has made some inroads into this small country.

But then I saw our business partner's New Year's video on YouTube. And wow. Just... wow. It's nothing like I could have imagined. This is Lebanon? I know the journey would still be fraught with hazard. After all, I'm an American, but I'm kind of bummed that I declined this trip. Looks like it might have been fun!



Not what you thought an hour out of Beirut, Lebanon would look like, is it?

This is why I love international travel. Getting out and seeing how people live firsthand and not through the lens of the media. That said, I do recognize that precautions must be exercised and there are some places where we are just not welcome, but I may have been misguided by reports on Lebanon.