New Riverbend post

[Richard D]

Bloggers Without Borders...
Syria is a beautiful country- at least I think it is. I say “I think” because while I perceive it to be beautiful, I sometimes wonder if I mistake safety, security and normalcy for ‘beauty’. In so many ways, Damascus is like Baghdad before the war- bustling streets, occasional traffic jams, markets seemingly always full of shoppers… And in so many ways it’s different. The buildings are higher, the streets are generally narrower and there’s a mountain, Qasiyoun, that looms in the distance.

The mountain distracts me, as it does many Iraqis- especially those from Baghdad. Northern Iraq is full of mountains, but the rest of Iraq is quite flat. At night, Qasiyoun blends into the black sky and the only indication of its presence is a multitude of little, glimmering spots of light- houses and restaurants built right up there on the mountain. Every time I take a picture, I try to work Qasiyoun into it- I try to position the person so that Qasiyoun is in the background.

The first weeks here were something of a cultural shock. It has taken me these last three months to work away certain habits I’d acquired in Iraq after the war. It’s funny how you learn to act a certain way and don’t even know you’re doing strange things- like avoiding people’s eyes in the street or crazily murmuring prayers to yourself when stuck in traffic. It took me at least three weeks to teach myself to walk properly again- with head lifted, not constantly looking behind me.

www.riverbendblog.blogspot.com

[Suich]

1. So sad...

Thanks for the heads up...

[Karenina]

2. . .

[Richard D]

3. Giving this a kick for River

[NMDemDist2]

4. didn't Syria say they were going to expell the Iraqi refugees?

:cry:

[John Q. Citizen]

5. She writes beautifully and tells such a facinating and heartbreaking story.

[truedelphi]

6. Really she does. She remains so human in her telling and

Yet you can tell at times she is attempting to be objective. Over the years I have learned so many things about Moslem feasts and holidays, Iraqi customs, her family life.

I am so grateful that she is finally somewhere safe. Now we have to pray that Syria stays that way!

[Synnical]

7. What if they didn’t agree to let us out again? It wasn’t really possible, but what if it happened?

That what if, just slays me. What if the US hadn't invaded Iraq? What if Gore was Pres?

What if is now possible, I think.

If my wishes counted for anything, were they more than killing time . . . (Joe Henry).

-Cindy in Fort Lauderdale

K&R

[scarletwoman]

8. Recommended -- thanks so much for posting this. I've gotten out of the habit of checking her blog.

I really appreciate that you've brought her voice here.

sw

[Karenina]

9. Kick!