A Dream Realized

I am in a Syrian muselel! And one starring Sulaf Fuwakharji, no less. Like my dream of being a French singer in the 1960s, my dream of being an Arab pop star soon fell to that cruel bitch, reality. But another, perhaps more realistic dream took its place: to be in a Syrian muselel (TV series). Muselels run for an set length, like a telenovela, and while Egypt may make all the movies and Lebanon the music videos, Syria has the market on muselels. Months ago when I first arrived, I announced my intention. I will be anything: a lost tourist, a reporter, a slutty foreigner (cause we all are). I will speak English or accented Arabic.

And now, يوم ممطر اخر (Another Rainy Day) is enriched by my presence. Saturday night I was hanging with friends and Abud asked me if I wanted to be an extra in some muselel, and my enthusiastic response scared several people. Sunday some friends and I got up extraordinarily early to be on set at 9am. The scene was a club, and we were the crowd. Since there were way less girls than boys, and I look foreign (good clubs, like almost all highclass establishments, have foreigners), I got to be in the front of the background in many scenes, dancing on tables, dancing on chairs, even dancing on the ground. We had to change clothes a few times in hopes that people won't realize that the crowd dancing in the background is the same on both sides of the bar.

I even got a speaking role! Okay, so in one scene I walk into the club, turn to one of the actors and say "Hi Selim." But still, my voice in addition to my likeness and awkward dancing to techno (who can dance to that shit) is preserved forever in muselel history.

Today was Day 2 of filming, and we got to see a lot of Ms. Sulaf, who is the biggest muselel star in Syria. It is a big deal. For two days of our time, we were paid about $20, which isn't too bad, but I heard the foreigners who only came in for day 2 (tourists playing "foreigners") get twice that. I don't know if I'll actually get my share, having skipped out early today because of a prior commitment.

But fuck it. I am a star.