My First Week in Syria

It's been a while since I've been updating my blog and that's because I've finally moved to Syria. Phew… I must admit this is the outmost frustrating moves of my life; it's just plainly a pain in the ass.

Everything was packed and astonishingly I didn't forget anything of much importance and my dad didn't nag as he would usually in a situation like this. So I was pretty comfortable. Even though I was 1/2 hour late to the airport everything went smoothly and got my favorite seat in economy class. I took everything that happened as a sign that everything is going to be just fine; little did I know what complications I'll face as soon as I set foot in Damascus Airport.

As soon as I set foot in Damascus, I started to get nervous about what state I'll actually find my computer and my synthesizer and how would I actually pass them through customs. Got me a cart, head to the luggage claim, and got a guy to help me out. I was exhausted, frustrated, nervous, and seriously hungry and the customs were trying to give me a serious hard time. I didn't want to yell or argue, so I decided to play another game. I played the cute, innocent girl who was clueless. After a long procedure of scaring living daylights out of me by telling me that I'll need to pay 50,000 SP ($1,000), I was ready to burst into tears. If I didn't pay right then they'll keep the synthesizer till they get paid. I wanted to call anybody to ask for the money but my credit on my credit on my phone was expired so I couldn't use it. I went out without my stuff just to inform my uncle what's holding me up. Lucky me, nobody was there. I went back in the verge of tears. I guess the guy in charge felt sorry for me so decided that I'd pay only 5,000 SP. I couldn't care less anymore. I just wanted to go home after 45 mins dealing with the customs. I paid and they gave me a receipt for future reference. YAY!!!

As I was unpacking my computer 2 days later, I heard something rattling inside the case. I figured, I'd try to turn it on anyways. What surprise! It didn't work. To my luck the cooler had fallen off taking the CPU with it since it's glued to it. The CPU was in a terrible condition. I tried adjusting the genuinely bent pins and I believe I did a good job but didn't want to risk putting it back on the motherboard by myself and break it. I seriously wanted to kill who was responsible for it, but I seriously didn't know who was.

2 friends of mine (Baher and Iyad) came to help me out. Since I couldn't let them in my place of society customs reasons, we just carried my computer to a coffee shop and took a look there. Unfortunately, the attempt of putting back the CPU back was a failure because one of the pins broke as Baher tried to put it back in. I thought that the CPU at this point is a goner and had to buy another one.

Iyad seriously put up with me for a week trying to figure out something. We ended up going to elbahsa (technology market) to see what options we have. One place actually offered to fix it. I never heard that CPUs can be fixed but it was worth a try. I'd be saving 11,000 SP if it actually did work. 2 days later Iyad and I went back with my computer to see if the CPU does work on my computer. I literately jumped up and down from the joy of knowing my computer is working fine again.

Good thing during this week of waiting, I started my job and it's pretty neat. At the moment it's just training so nothing totally exciting but just knowing the secrets of the trade makes it fun.

What a start in Syria, eh? I really with all my heart like to thank Iyad for his concern and all the help he offered. Iyad, THANK YOU!!! I don't know what I would've done without you. Probably I'd bother my cousin, instead. Hehehehe…