neurotic Iraqi wife
May 20, 2008
The Hollow Green Dream...
And so Imagine Tasha (African American) went to Russia and came back as Tatiana (bleached white). Yup that’s exactly what happened but it wasn’t an African American nor was it Russia, it was infact an Iraqi National (and no, no bleach involved), one of the many who went to the States via the special immigration visa program. She came back the other day, a green card holder, refusing to speak Iraqi (Her mother tongue, mind you) and changed her name into some Western name (refusing profusely for people to call her by the original name everyone knew her by). UGHHHHHHHHHHH. She not only refuses but gives them a mouth full if the old name slips from their mouth by accident.
I may have lived almost all my life outside this country, but Im always, ALWAYS proud to be an Iraqi. I display it in every way possible not caring what others might think. I didn’t go to the UK and came back as Shirley!!! God, I cant even imagine that…Nor did I go to the UK and left with amnesia regarding my language!!! OMG. I hate, no, no hate is a light word. I LOATHE, I LOATHE anyone who disassociates themselves from their origin. I loathe anyone who decides to push that delete button and copy and paste a new persona. What a shame!
F, used to work here for a while. I used to see her around and talk to her from time to time. Until one day, she came into work, asked to be transferred to Jordan because she was being threatened by some gang. Everyone who worked with her, knew she kinda bullshits a lot to get her own way, or so I was told by very close coworkers of hers. Her ex-management refused to transfer her to Amman, but in the end they succumbed to her wishes due to a certain coworker who was kinda besotted with F and he inturn threatened to quit if F didn’t have her way.
When I found out she was joining the group I knew trouble will be brewing. So far we don’t interact that much, thank god, although she sits next to me, I cant get myself to talk to her. I cringe every time Im forced to communicate especially when I ask her something in Iraqi and she replies to me in ENGLISH!!! Yes it’s a personal choice, I agree. BUT, and there’s a big BUT. You don’t come here prancing with a nose so high up in the air and pretend to be better than your co-workers just because you have a piece of paper that makes you eligible for a blue passport! Naaaaa, doesn’t work that way.
That piece of paper doesn’t make you better than your Iraqi peers. Nor does it give you the right to treat them in a disrespectful manner, knowing well enough that you too were once an Iraqi citizen just SIX bloody months ago!!!! Infact it should make you humble. Humble and REAL. I personally think its pathetic, but again from what her coworkers told me about her, she was always pretentious. Always wanted to be someone else.
I was shocked and disappointed the other day and very ready to gag, after being forced to listen to her conversation with one of the Iraqi IT guys. She was almost spitting into the phone while talking despicably to the poor guy. I quote in a mimicy way :) “Cant you see I am an expat now, I don’t need a supervisor to approve this application. Cant you understand!” She went on and on, and her tone of voice became far too degrading towards him that I had to really stop myself from getting off of my chair and slapping her face a couple of times to wake her up from the delusional life she is living in. I just got up and went for a cig break instead. Id rather have my lungs poisoned than my ears!!!
At first I was very angry. Angry, and disgusted. But now, all I feel is pity. The whole saga has actually become an inside joke with my Iraqi coworkers who find her attitude towards them pathetic. I ask them what names they will acquire once they go to the States. A few suggestions were Harold for Haider, Alex for Ali, Orlando for Omar, Rick for Rami, etc…Sorry F, oooops I mean N??? I really hope that you will wake up from your Green Dream…The Hollow Green Dream…
I may have lived almost all my life outside this country, but Im always, ALWAYS proud to be an Iraqi. I display it in every way possible not caring what others might think. I didn’t go to the UK and came back as Shirley!!! God, I cant even imagine that…Nor did I go to the UK and left with amnesia regarding my language!!! OMG. I hate, no, no hate is a light word. I LOATHE, I LOATHE anyone who disassociates themselves from their origin. I loathe anyone who decides to push that delete button and copy and paste a new persona. What a shame!
F, used to work here for a while. I used to see her around and talk to her from time to time. Until one day, she came into work, asked to be transferred to Jordan because she was being threatened by some gang. Everyone who worked with her, knew she kinda bullshits a lot to get her own way, or so I was told by very close coworkers of hers. Her ex-management refused to transfer her to Amman, but in the end they succumbed to her wishes due to a certain coworker who was kinda besotted with F and he inturn threatened to quit if F didn’t have her way.
When I found out she was joining the group I knew trouble will be brewing. So far we don’t interact that much, thank god, although she sits next to me, I cant get myself to talk to her. I cringe every time Im forced to communicate especially when I ask her something in Iraqi and she replies to me in ENGLISH!!! Yes it’s a personal choice, I agree. BUT, and there’s a big BUT. You don’t come here prancing with a nose so high up in the air and pretend to be better than your co-workers just because you have a piece of paper that makes you eligible for a blue passport! Naaaaa, doesn’t work that way.
That piece of paper doesn’t make you better than your Iraqi peers. Nor does it give you the right to treat them in a disrespectful manner, knowing well enough that you too were once an Iraqi citizen just SIX bloody months ago!!!! Infact it should make you humble. Humble and REAL. I personally think its pathetic, but again from what her coworkers told me about her, she was always pretentious. Always wanted to be someone else.
I was shocked and disappointed the other day and very ready to gag, after being forced to listen to her conversation with one of the Iraqi IT guys. She was almost spitting into the phone while talking despicably to the poor guy. I quote in a mimicy way :) “Cant you see I am an expat now, I don’t need a supervisor to approve this application. Cant you understand!” She went on and on, and her tone of voice became far too degrading towards him that I had to really stop myself from getting off of my chair and slapping her face a couple of times to wake her up from the delusional life she is living in. I just got up and went for a cig break instead. Id rather have my lungs poisoned than my ears!!!
At first I was very angry. Angry, and disgusted. But now, all I feel is pity. The whole saga has actually become an inside joke with my Iraqi coworkers who find her attitude towards them pathetic. I ask them what names they will acquire once they go to the States. A few suggestions were Harold for Haider, Alex for Ali, Orlando for Omar, Rick for Rami, etc…Sorry F, oooops I mean N??? I really hope that you will wake up from your Green Dream…The Hollow Green Dream…
May 18, 2008
Trumpets of the Silenced Voices...
If I didn’t see the photos in my own eyes and if I hadn’t spoken to my sister about it, I would have never ever believed the atrocious conditions the Iraqi refugees are living in, in Syria. Even animals are treated better. It boiled my blood to the point where my eyes watered as I continued clicking the mouse. An elderly man on a wheel chair, looking into his eyes, all you see is sadness. Sadness and despair. A child, a malnutritioned child staring right through the lense. Beautiful honey green eyes hopeless. Just hopeless. I would have asked to publish the images, but I don’t want to endanger anyone.
A group of three Iraqis living in the Emirates decided to help with Naseer Shamma’s campaign. It was a kinda of a continuation to his January one. They gathered money, appliances from fridges to fans to ovens and food vouchers for the refugees in Syria. The Syrian government is against any individual going there to help out. It has to be done through the UN or the Red Crescent. You cant just go and give cash out. It doesn’t work out this way. So when the three people went there, they had to do it through a high connection in the Syrian government. And the only reason the man helped out was because the appliances were bought from his company. Tells you a lot doesn’t it?
The donations that were gathered were only enough for 500 people. The three Iraqis tried for more. Until they managed to accumulate an amount that would be enough for 1500. They said they found great difficulty from people giving money. People weren’t ready to help. It took one Emarati Sheikha to donate the majority of the money. I spoke to one of those three that went on the mission and she described to me what they went through and how they were almost gonna get killed!!!
The mission had everything ready and organized. All the food vouchers had the names of those 1500 Iraqis. When they first entered the building, people started pushing and shoving. There were no lines, there was no discipline. The lady said that at the start, things were going ok. They managed to organize everything. Once those 1500 received their vouchers and day one was over, they immediately went out and started calling everyone else they knew to come to the venue. That’s when trouble started.
By the second day, the mission had nothing to give away. They gave everything they had. They gave out all the appliances, all the vouchers, all the money. But people kept barging in. Not only barging, but they started calling the three people names, swearing at them, throwing at them stuff. Cursing them for not helping. The lady said, a woman started screaming and crying. My daughter is sick, my daughter is dying. She needs help. We need money. Give us money. But the mission couldn’t do much. They had nothing more to give.
By mid afternoon, the three needed to leave. Mission is over. But the whole building was surrounded by angry refugees. One of the workers who worked at the building got punched in the face. Another was pulled by his collar. It was chaos. The three were trapped among angry protesters. That’s when the Syrian govt had to intervene with their security. Police cars came around and surrounded the area. Men with weapons tried to calm the situation at first but it didn’t work. The three people couldn’t even get out of the door without being pulled and pushed at.
Shots were fired in the air to disperse the angry crowd. One by one, the three were carried and thrown in the car. I just sat listening in shock at the lady’s story. I think she too was in shock as she recounted the events. She said people were calling them criminals. Cursing them. Even some started praying to god not to make them succeed in life. She said they couldn’t do more. Not then anyways. They ran out of everything they could give away. It’s a lesson, she said. A lesson and an eye opener. An eye opener to do more.
It changes the way you look at life she said. Its MY mission now to do everything I can to help those people, she continued. The stories of some of the refugees who spoke to them were beyond belief. The living conditions were worse than living in a haystack. I stopped clicking the mouse. I didn’t wanna see more. I had seen enough already. What was supposed to be a relaxing visit to my sister, turned out to be a heart wrenching one. Heart wrenching and depressing.
Strange thing is, here I am in the middle of it all. I tried to give some cash to a few of my coworkers awhile back to give to the needy but they refused. I said fine, give it to the Mosques, the minute I said the word mosque their response was even harsher. They’re too afraid to give out cash. It will just put their lives at risk, so I stopped asking.
The best thing I usually end up doing every trip to the Emirates is donate through the Red Crescent. You get to choose whatever amount you want to donate and for what category. You can never go wrong there. By doing that, it clears my mind for a little while. Just a little while. I always ask for Iraq. I remember one time, I went to one of their stalls in the mall and said I wanna donate please. He immediately handed out a voucher for Palestine. I shook my head. No, Im here for Iraq please. I felt some kind of discontent from him. I gathered he was Palestinian. Then I asked for more for Iraq, I had a substantial amount that I wanted to help with. You could see from the contortions of his face, he was getting uncomfortable. But I didn’t care. I may sound cruel, but my country is bleeding to death, and for me MY country is a priority for now.
Although most of the time my blog is intended to be personal regarding my marriage and my own situation, a lot of the times I try to make the world aware of whats going on around me. The majority of the Iraqi bloggers do just that. They are the trumpets of the Silenced Voices. I know that I don’t get as many responses as I would like to have. I know that many people are just sick and tired of hearing us whine and complain. Im not after your pity or sympathy, nor your oooooohs and aaaaaaahs. All I want is for you to read our stories and understand where we are coming from.
Maybe next time you’re browsing the net, search for ways that you can help out with too. Sometimes even the little stuff can go a long way. But just remember, us bloggers have no hidden agenda, have nothing to gain. We are just Trumpets. Trumpets of the Silenced Voices…
It was just brought to my attention the sad and devastating news of the killing of a fellow Iraqi blogger, BlogIraq!!!He was one of the very important Trumpets. And now a Trumpet has been silenced forever...
A group of three Iraqis living in the Emirates decided to help with Naseer Shamma’s campaign. It was a kinda of a continuation to his January one. They gathered money, appliances from fridges to fans to ovens and food vouchers for the refugees in Syria. The Syrian government is against any individual going there to help out. It has to be done through the UN or the Red Crescent. You cant just go and give cash out. It doesn’t work out this way. So when the three people went there, they had to do it through a high connection in the Syrian government. And the only reason the man helped out was because the appliances were bought from his company. Tells you a lot doesn’t it?
The donations that were gathered were only enough for 500 people. The three Iraqis tried for more. Until they managed to accumulate an amount that would be enough for 1500. They said they found great difficulty from people giving money. People weren’t ready to help. It took one Emarati Sheikha to donate the majority of the money. I spoke to one of those three that went on the mission and she described to me what they went through and how they were almost gonna get killed!!!
The mission had everything ready and organized. All the food vouchers had the names of those 1500 Iraqis. When they first entered the building, people started pushing and shoving. There were no lines, there was no discipline. The lady said that at the start, things were going ok. They managed to organize everything. Once those 1500 received their vouchers and day one was over, they immediately went out and started calling everyone else they knew to come to the venue. That’s when trouble started.
By the second day, the mission had nothing to give away. They gave everything they had. They gave out all the appliances, all the vouchers, all the money. But people kept barging in. Not only barging, but they started calling the three people names, swearing at them, throwing at them stuff. Cursing them for not helping. The lady said, a woman started screaming and crying. My daughter is sick, my daughter is dying. She needs help. We need money. Give us money. But the mission couldn’t do much. They had nothing more to give.
By mid afternoon, the three needed to leave. Mission is over. But the whole building was surrounded by angry refugees. One of the workers who worked at the building got punched in the face. Another was pulled by his collar. It was chaos. The three were trapped among angry protesters. That’s when the Syrian govt had to intervene with their security. Police cars came around and surrounded the area. Men with weapons tried to calm the situation at first but it didn’t work. The three people couldn’t even get out of the door without being pulled and pushed at.
Shots were fired in the air to disperse the angry crowd. One by one, the three were carried and thrown in the car. I just sat listening in shock at the lady’s story. I think she too was in shock as she recounted the events. She said people were calling them criminals. Cursing them. Even some started praying to god not to make them succeed in life. She said they couldn’t do more. Not then anyways. They ran out of everything they could give away. It’s a lesson, she said. A lesson and an eye opener. An eye opener to do more.
It changes the way you look at life she said. Its MY mission now to do everything I can to help those people, she continued. The stories of some of the refugees who spoke to them were beyond belief. The living conditions were worse than living in a haystack. I stopped clicking the mouse. I didn’t wanna see more. I had seen enough already. What was supposed to be a relaxing visit to my sister, turned out to be a heart wrenching one. Heart wrenching and depressing.
Strange thing is, here I am in the middle of it all. I tried to give some cash to a few of my coworkers awhile back to give to the needy but they refused. I said fine, give it to the Mosques, the minute I said the word mosque their response was even harsher. They’re too afraid to give out cash. It will just put their lives at risk, so I stopped asking.
The best thing I usually end up doing every trip to the Emirates is donate through the Red Crescent. You get to choose whatever amount you want to donate and for what category. You can never go wrong there. By doing that, it clears my mind for a little while. Just a little while. I always ask for Iraq. I remember one time, I went to one of their stalls in the mall and said I wanna donate please. He immediately handed out a voucher for Palestine. I shook my head. No, Im here for Iraq please. I felt some kind of discontent from him. I gathered he was Palestinian. Then I asked for more for Iraq, I had a substantial amount that I wanted to help with. You could see from the contortions of his face, he was getting uncomfortable. But I didn’t care. I may sound cruel, but my country is bleeding to death, and for me MY country is a priority for now.
Although most of the time my blog is intended to be personal regarding my marriage and my own situation, a lot of the times I try to make the world aware of whats going on around me. The majority of the Iraqi bloggers do just that. They are the trumpets of the Silenced Voices. I know that I don’t get as many responses as I would like to have. I know that many people are just sick and tired of hearing us whine and complain. Im not after your pity or sympathy, nor your oooooohs and aaaaaaahs. All I want is for you to read our stories and understand where we are coming from.
Maybe next time you’re browsing the net, search for ways that you can help out with too. Sometimes even the little stuff can go a long way. But just remember, us bloggers have no hidden agenda, have nothing to gain. We are just Trumpets. Trumpets of the Silenced Voices…
It was just brought to my attention the sad and devastating news of the killing of a fellow Iraqi blogger, BlogIraq!!!He was one of the very important Trumpets. And now a Trumpet has been silenced forever...
May 15, 2008
Those damn Mahdi Militia Suicide BUGS!!!
Wow it seems like a lifetime ago since I wrote anything. In fact, my vacation seems like a lifetime ago too!!! I got back to Baghdad a few days ago, and I wasn’t too thrilled to be back. Funny how every vacation it becomes even harder. You need a couple of days to psyche yourself up before you can actually pull your weight and go through the process again. I remember my first R&R and how excited I used to get when I’d look out the plane to see Baghdad from the air. Now, it doesn’t move me anymore. Seeing the desert plains and the shabby houses from above makes me cringe with sadness. Sadness and disappointment.
After Greece we headed to Cyprus, Limassol to be precise. Since it was Easter, almost everything was shut, Yay meeeee, no wake up at dawn morning tours!!! Instead we enjoyed spending some real relaxing time basking in the sun. We did ofcourse ask the cab driver to take us to the best icecream in town when we first arrived, since that was the whole point of us going there in the first place. HUBBY was like a little child again, too excited by the icecream cone he was holding. I was all eyes watching him have his first licks. I gave him a few seconds then asked him whether it has the same taste as 20 years ago. Funny thing is, he couldn’t remember, lol.
After that we headed to Beirut. Yup. We missed the fun by a few days. Beirut was just beautiful. The scenery breath taking. You have the mountains on one end and the beach on the other. Pity we didn’t stay much there, but then again, had we delayed our plans, we would have probably been stuck in the airport by now. I gotta say though, I was getting pretty cranky with all the travelling so I wasn’t really in my best of moods. HUBBY just wanted to go and see nightlife, I just wanted to crawl into bed and watch a movie. We managed to hire a cab with a driver and told him to take us to all the places we should see.
Since this wasn’t MY first trip to Beirut, I had seen many of the touristic sites, but I wanted to see them again with HUBBY. At the time, things were just starting to bubble with Hezbollah. I remember HUBBY asking our driver what the consequences will be. Sameer just smiled and said “Oh don’t worry, every summer theres a problem, we got used to it. Nothing will happen. You guys should stay longer so I can take you to the mountains.” Little did Sameer know I guess. Pity how every damn summer, Hezbollah decides to have some action going, knowing that Lebanon thrives on tourists, especially the ones from the Gulf. I was extremely angered by the whole muscle show. It just goes to show you how much power Iran has all over…
AD, the last leg of our trip, was kinda hectic this time. Im not really sure what it is, but in the four months since I have last visited the place, things have changed dramatically. What used to take me 2 mins by car now takes me about 20-30 mins. Traffic has become a nightmare!!! Literally a nightmare. And since HUBBY didn’t have his International License with him, I was the designated driver for the whole stay. I used to enjoy driving, especially after being stuck here. But after that trip, I don’t think I wanna drive anymore. My back would ache non stop, it felt like it was being split right in the middle.
I didn’t even get a chance to see my family as much as I wanted to. An ex-coworker of ours who used to be here with us in Baghdad and left 2 years ago, decided to make a visit to the Gulf with his American wife. I wasn’t that keen to entertain them and take them around, since I needed some relaxation time myself. So the R&R went by so fast, and was getting hectic at the end. Instead of coming back refreshed, I was exhausted J but I aint complaining atleast I did have a break and celebrated my wedding anniversary far away from all the chaos.
I remember when we were in Limassol, it was our last day there and we had to check out from the hotel pretty early, since they only gave us 2 more hours. So we decided to walk around the city for abit just to pass the time. We found this small road which lead to the sea. We sat on the rocks and I just closed my eyes, then I realized, I realized that I haven’t been in such a peaceful place for a long long time. There weren’t any annoying helicopters hovering over our heads, nor those noisy loud generators that bug the hell out of me. It truly was a peaceful moment.
Having flies swarming all around me now and mosquitoes having a blast with my freshly tanned skin I know Im back in Baghdad. Was actually overwhelmed with work the minute I stepped into the office. It was like everyone was waiting for me to come so I can solve their issues. I’d hear my name being called out from the end of the corridor, all I did is roll my eyes, open skype up and tell HUBBY, I wanna leaaaaaaaaave nowwwww!!!
That’s that for now, I have loads more to say, but will keep it for some other time. Im so glad tomorrow is Friday. I’ll probably end up rubbing some of that anti mosquito lotion and just lie in bed with my pifpaf in my hand to safe guard myself from their vicious bites. I’ll take a guess and say those are Mahdi Militia Suicide Mosquitoes coming from Sadr city to blow themselves up here. They must be, for they go right through my clothes and bite, ughhhhh. I hate those damn bugs. Those damn Mahdi Militia Suicide BUGS!!!
Im gonna leave you with this picture I took of an area in Beirut. This picture says it all for me...Means alot to me. This picture is how it REALLY should be...But unfortunately BUGS are found everywhere...
BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.
After Greece we headed to Cyprus, Limassol to be precise. Since it was Easter, almost everything was shut, Yay meeeee, no wake up at dawn morning tours!!! Instead we enjoyed spending some real relaxing time basking in the sun. We did ofcourse ask the cab driver to take us to the best icecream in town when we first arrived, since that was the whole point of us going there in the first place. HUBBY was like a little child again, too excited by the icecream cone he was holding. I was all eyes watching him have his first licks. I gave him a few seconds then asked him whether it has the same taste as 20 years ago. Funny thing is, he couldn’t remember, lol.
After that we headed to Beirut. Yup. We missed the fun by a few days. Beirut was just beautiful. The scenery breath taking. You have the mountains on one end and the beach on the other. Pity we didn’t stay much there, but then again, had we delayed our plans, we would have probably been stuck in the airport by now. I gotta say though, I was getting pretty cranky with all the travelling so I wasn’t really in my best of moods. HUBBY just wanted to go and see nightlife, I just wanted to crawl into bed and watch a movie. We managed to hire a cab with a driver and told him to take us to all the places we should see.
Since this wasn’t MY first trip to Beirut, I had seen many of the touristic sites, but I wanted to see them again with HUBBY. At the time, things were just starting to bubble with Hezbollah. I remember HUBBY asking our driver what the consequences will be. Sameer just smiled and said “Oh don’t worry, every summer theres a problem, we got used to it. Nothing will happen. You guys should stay longer so I can take you to the mountains.” Little did Sameer know I guess. Pity how every damn summer, Hezbollah decides to have some action going, knowing that Lebanon thrives on tourists, especially the ones from the Gulf. I was extremely angered by the whole muscle show. It just goes to show you how much power Iran has all over…
AD, the last leg of our trip, was kinda hectic this time. Im not really sure what it is, but in the four months since I have last visited the place, things have changed dramatically. What used to take me 2 mins by car now takes me about 20-30 mins. Traffic has become a nightmare!!! Literally a nightmare. And since HUBBY didn’t have his International License with him, I was the designated driver for the whole stay. I used to enjoy driving, especially after being stuck here. But after that trip, I don’t think I wanna drive anymore. My back would ache non stop, it felt like it was being split right in the middle.
I didn’t even get a chance to see my family as much as I wanted to. An ex-coworker of ours who used to be here with us in Baghdad and left 2 years ago, decided to make a visit to the Gulf with his American wife. I wasn’t that keen to entertain them and take them around, since I needed some relaxation time myself. So the R&R went by so fast, and was getting hectic at the end. Instead of coming back refreshed, I was exhausted J but I aint complaining atleast I did have a break and celebrated my wedding anniversary far away from all the chaos.
I remember when we were in Limassol, it was our last day there and we had to check out from the hotel pretty early, since they only gave us 2 more hours. So we decided to walk around the city for abit just to pass the time. We found this small road which lead to the sea. We sat on the rocks and I just closed my eyes, then I realized, I realized that I haven’t been in such a peaceful place for a long long time. There weren’t any annoying helicopters hovering over our heads, nor those noisy loud generators that bug the hell out of me. It truly was a peaceful moment.
Having flies swarming all around me now and mosquitoes having a blast with my freshly tanned skin I know Im back in Baghdad. Was actually overwhelmed with work the minute I stepped into the office. It was like everyone was waiting for me to come so I can solve their issues. I’d hear my name being called out from the end of the corridor, all I did is roll my eyes, open skype up and tell HUBBY, I wanna leaaaaaaaaave nowwwww!!!
That’s that for now, I have loads more to say, but will keep it for some other time. Im so glad tomorrow is Friday. I’ll probably end up rubbing some of that anti mosquito lotion and just lie in bed with my pifpaf in my hand to safe guard myself from their vicious bites. I’ll take a guess and say those are Mahdi Militia Suicide Mosquitoes coming from Sadr city to blow themselves up here. They must be, for they go right through my clothes and bite, ughhhhh. I hate those damn bugs. Those damn Mahdi Militia Suicide BUGS!!!
Im gonna leave you with this picture I took of an area in Beirut. This picture says it all for me...Means alot to me. This picture is how it REALLY should be...But unfortunately BUGS are found everywhere...
BubbleShare: Share photos - Find great Clip Art Images.
April 24, 2008
My Authentic Smelly Greek Outing...
Since this is our last day in Athens, we decided to take things really easy. I still am hungry for sleep, I think I can sleep for a full 24 hours. Being used to waking up at 530 am every day in Baghdad, I think things just took its toll on me. We probably woke up at 11 and as I was going to take a shower, HUBBY said, hey Neurotica, make sure you wear some dirty clothes today. Dirty clothes? I asked. Why? Werent you complaining that you havent seen anything authentic here yet? HUBBY said. Aha I nodded. Well today Neurotica, Im gonna take you somewhere thats as authentic as it gets. Something similar to soug il Shorja in Baghdad. So be ready for it. I smiled, for HUBBY has been searching on the net about things to do in Athens.
For the first time ever, I didnt buy the lonely planet book when I travelled. In every country we visit I always have a book with me, but this time it completely surpassed my mind. I guess the whooshes of the GZ scrambled my thoughts :)
I started rummaging through my wardrobe for dirty clothes, unfortunately, I didnt have any, so instead I opted out for my khakis and a simple top. I wasnt sure where HUBBY was taking me but I kinda had an inkling. We left our hotel and on our way we went. We walked through Ermo street which is the shopping galore street. Then we took Athinas street. Athinas street reminded me so much of covent garden in London. All kinda shops you see there from hardware stores, to cheap tshirts to bags and wallets. I think we were the only tourists walking in that area.
Then just before we reach the so called "authentic" place, HUBBY turned to me and said, ok Neurotica, get ready, cuff your pants up, hold on to your bag, and close your nose because we are here. I looked around and I could see in the distance crowds and crowds of people entering this place. Then all of a sudden a whiff trespassed my nostrils and OMG, I was going to gag. HUBBY took me to where the action is. The market, the food market. The real food market. With fresh meat hanging from rods. Intestines being rolled up. Liver and kidneys hanging. HUBBY looked at me making sure if Im still conscious. I just smiled making sure not a single breath escapes me.
Isnt this fun Neurotica he says. This is as authentic as it gets, HUBBY tells me. I just nod, smile and click away with my cam. It WAS fun I have to admit. I mean listening to the sellers shouting in Greek was nice. Each one trying to sell his produce. Then we made our way to the fish market. Even without breathing the fishy smell magically found its way to my nose. I pulled my scarf to my nose and starting following HUBBY. The floor is all wet and gooey. People pushing and shoving trying to get the best fresh shrimps or squids.
After that we went to the vegetables market. Such beautiful colours decorating the stalls. You can even smell the fresh strawberries in the air. Wow. HUBBY looked at me again and said smiling, see, this is authentic. Didnt you say you wanted authentic. This is it. I just laughed. I couldnt help myself. Yes it is authentic, thats true. After walking through the stalls, we found a quaint little restaurant. We looked at the menu and finally it had "REAL" greek food. We sat down and had yummy lunch. I kept smelling something fishy though. I asked HUBBY if he can smell it? He shakes his head, HUBBY's sense of smell is second to none, unlike mine where my nose is extremely sensitive.
Well I finally saw the Authentic Athens. On our way back to the hotel, we saw a group of probably 8 or 10 african guys selling fake brand name bags. Ive been seeing them in the streets every time we go out. Im not much of a brands person. I hate carrying a bag that has Louis Vitton all over it or Gucci. I hate that kinda stuff. I may buy it if I like the style and the brand name is on the inside, but not flaunting it, not my style what so ever. But just out of curiousity, I looked at one of the bags to see the price.
A fake LV sets you back about 25 Euros, not bad at all. And thats without even haggling. He thought I was interested, I just walked away. Then he followed me, Ok how much you want he says, how much. I just shook my head. Then out of the blue, the guys packed everything up like a bolt of lightening and ran. I didnt know what was going on until I looked around and noticed 2 police men walking in the distance. Lol. After getting inside the room, I can still smell that annoying fishy stench. Turns out, ITS MY HAAAAAAAAAIR....Ewwwww...
Oh well, this is it for today. I better go take a good shower and start packing. Where the hell am I gonna put all those shoes???Aaaaaaah I have an idea, for $5,995 I can buy a Tumi shoe compartment bag!!!Yeah right! Who the hell will buy something like that for THAT crazy price???OMG.
I saw it featured in the RJ magazine on the plane from Baghdad to Amman, while I was trying to block R's nagging from my ears. I remember I started jumping up and down like a little girl when I saw it, it didnt have the price in the magazine. R looked at me and said, whats wrong, did the plane move? I said, Nooooooooo, look they have a bag specially made for shoes. I think he was so ready to slap my face, hehe.
Im gonna leave you with some pictures of today's "Authentic" outing. My Authentic Smelly Greek Outing...
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For the first time ever, I didnt buy the lonely planet book when I travelled. In every country we visit I always have a book with me, but this time it completely surpassed my mind. I guess the whooshes of the GZ scrambled my thoughts :)
I started rummaging through my wardrobe for dirty clothes, unfortunately, I didnt have any, so instead I opted out for my khakis and a simple top. I wasnt sure where HUBBY was taking me but I kinda had an inkling. We left our hotel and on our way we went. We walked through Ermo street which is the shopping galore street. Then we took Athinas street. Athinas street reminded me so much of covent garden in London. All kinda shops you see there from hardware stores, to cheap tshirts to bags and wallets. I think we were the only tourists walking in that area.
Then just before we reach the so called "authentic" place, HUBBY turned to me and said, ok Neurotica, get ready, cuff your pants up, hold on to your bag, and close your nose because we are here. I looked around and I could see in the distance crowds and crowds of people entering this place. Then all of a sudden a whiff trespassed my nostrils and OMG, I was going to gag. HUBBY took me to where the action is. The market, the food market. The real food market. With fresh meat hanging from rods. Intestines being rolled up. Liver and kidneys hanging. HUBBY looked at me making sure if Im still conscious. I just smiled making sure not a single breath escapes me.
Isnt this fun Neurotica he says. This is as authentic as it gets, HUBBY tells me. I just nod, smile and click away with my cam. It WAS fun I have to admit. I mean listening to the sellers shouting in Greek was nice. Each one trying to sell his produce. Then we made our way to the fish market. Even without breathing the fishy smell magically found its way to my nose. I pulled my scarf to my nose and starting following HUBBY. The floor is all wet and gooey. People pushing and shoving trying to get the best fresh shrimps or squids.
After that we went to the vegetables market. Such beautiful colours decorating the stalls. You can even smell the fresh strawberries in the air. Wow. HUBBY looked at me again and said smiling, see, this is authentic. Didnt you say you wanted authentic. This is it. I just laughed. I couldnt help myself. Yes it is authentic, thats true. After walking through the stalls, we found a quaint little restaurant. We looked at the menu and finally it had "REAL" greek food. We sat down and had yummy lunch. I kept smelling something fishy though. I asked HUBBY if he can smell it? He shakes his head, HUBBY's sense of smell is second to none, unlike mine where my nose is extremely sensitive.
Well I finally saw the Authentic Athens. On our way back to the hotel, we saw a group of probably 8 or 10 african guys selling fake brand name bags. Ive been seeing them in the streets every time we go out. Im not much of a brands person. I hate carrying a bag that has Louis Vitton all over it or Gucci. I hate that kinda stuff. I may buy it if I like the style and the brand name is on the inside, but not flaunting it, not my style what so ever. But just out of curiousity, I looked at one of the bags to see the price.
A fake LV sets you back about 25 Euros, not bad at all. And thats without even haggling. He thought I was interested, I just walked away. Then he followed me, Ok how much you want he says, how much. I just shook my head. Then out of the blue, the guys packed everything up like a bolt of lightening and ran. I didnt know what was going on until I looked around and noticed 2 police men walking in the distance. Lol. After getting inside the room, I can still smell that annoying fishy stench. Turns out, ITS MY HAAAAAAAAAIR....Ewwwww...
Oh well, this is it for today. I better go take a good shower and start packing. Where the hell am I gonna put all those shoes???Aaaaaaah I have an idea, for $5,995 I can buy a Tumi shoe compartment bag!!!Yeah right! Who the hell will buy something like that for THAT crazy price???OMG.
I saw it featured in the RJ magazine on the plane from Baghdad to Amman, while I was trying to block R's nagging from my ears. I remember I started jumping up and down like a little girl when I saw it, it didnt have the price in the magazine. R looked at me and said, whats wrong, did the plane move? I said, Nooooooooo, look they have a bag specially made for shoes. I think he was so ready to slap my face, hehe.
Im gonna leave you with some pictures of today's "Authentic" outing. My Authentic Smelly Greek Outing...
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April 23, 2008
A Blazing Inferno...
Hmmm, and I thought we were gonna go to an island!!! Lmao. Instead we went and saw more ruins and a theater. The trip itself took about 3 hours each way. But you know what, it was well worth it this time. Our tour guide which happened to be the exact same one we had for the past two days told us alot of stories, legends and greek mythology which made things far more interesting and held more meaning. I can say that Im in love with Greek mythology and I will definitely read more about it.
The scenery along the way was absolutely breathtaking. You dont wanna take your eyes off of the window. I really did enjoy todays tour albeit it was tiresome. As we sat for lunch in one of the tavernas as they call it, we shared the table with all the other tourists who surprise surprise turned out to be all from the States. Btw, just a small info, the difference between a taverna and a restaurant is, tavernas offer only greek food, while restaurants offer a combination of both greek and International. I cant say the food was great, we had Moussaka for starters, which wasnt bad, then the main course was souvlaki. Pork souvlaki which ofcourse we didnt have.
The tourists with us were far more friendlier than the other day. But funny enough, the conversation didnt revolve about Iraq what so ever, instead it revolved about the housing market back in the States. Although they did ask us about how we felt going back to Baghdad after all these years. But that was that. Tomorrow is our final day here and we are thinking of just relaxing, maybe visit the museum which apparantly is a must. And ofcourse I will spend some time shoe shopping!!! Yaaaaaaaaaay. Ive already bought 4 pairs, but I liked a few more which I will definitely be getting. I think Im competing with Emelda Marcus, hehe.
I didnt know that Orthodox Easter is this coming Sunday. While on our tour today, our guide stated that many Athenians have started to leave the city for the holidays. And true enough, traffic was pretty bad. Whenever we are walking in Plaka with all the cafes and restaurants scattered around us and we see young people laughing and enjoying themselves, HUBBY turns to me and asks "Why isnt Iraq like this, do you think it will ever be like that?". I shake my head and simply say Unfortunately No, not in our lifetime. Its a pity how the cradle of civilization has now become an inferno. A Blazing Inferno...
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The scenery along the way was absolutely breathtaking. You dont wanna take your eyes off of the window. I really did enjoy todays tour albeit it was tiresome. As we sat for lunch in one of the tavernas as they call it, we shared the table with all the other tourists who surprise surprise turned out to be all from the States. Btw, just a small info, the difference between a taverna and a restaurant is, tavernas offer only greek food, while restaurants offer a combination of both greek and International. I cant say the food was great, we had Moussaka for starters, which wasnt bad, then the main course was souvlaki. Pork souvlaki which ofcourse we didnt have.
The tourists with us were far more friendlier than the other day. But funny enough, the conversation didnt revolve about Iraq what so ever, instead it revolved about the housing market back in the States. Although they did ask us about how we felt going back to Baghdad after all these years. But that was that. Tomorrow is our final day here and we are thinking of just relaxing, maybe visit the museum which apparantly is a must. And ofcourse I will spend some time shoe shopping!!! Yaaaaaaaaaay. Ive already bought 4 pairs, but I liked a few more which I will definitely be getting. I think Im competing with Emelda Marcus, hehe.
I didnt know that Orthodox Easter is this coming Sunday. While on our tour today, our guide stated that many Athenians have started to leave the city for the holidays. And true enough, traffic was pretty bad. Whenever we are walking in Plaka with all the cafes and restaurants scattered around us and we see young people laughing and enjoying themselves, HUBBY turns to me and asks "Why isnt Iraq like this, do you think it will ever be like that?". I shake my head and simply say Unfortunately No, not in our lifetime. Its a pity how the cradle of civilization has now become an inferno. A Blazing Inferno...
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April 22, 2008
Authentic Food with Crazy Plate Breaking
We just got back from Cape Sounion. Had I known it would take us about 2 hours just to reach there, I wouldnt have opted for this tour. Yes it was nice, yes its amazing, BUT...But I kinda am not impressed by the ruins as much as I was impressed by the Acropolis. I mean THAT is really something to see...
I also blame my uninterest in the few columns here and there to our trip last year to Italy. Now thats one place I cannot compare history to. Maybe we should have come to Greece first then see Italy, I dunno. Tomorrow is a big day, we are going to visit one of the islands, and Im kinda excited. Athens is nice. Athens is nice and is full of shoe shops, woooooooohooooo...The street right next to our hotel is shoes galore. I just love it.
We have been taking things easy which is exactly what I want and need. We sit at cafes and PW (People watch). I mean just doing something as simple as that is a blessing. Drinking yummy lattes and enjoying the beatiful weather with HUBBY is by itself WOW. I cant believe that 4 days ago I was stuck in an airport in Baghdad...Infact I dont wanna even think about it.
Our day tour yesterday was quite fun. The visit to the Acropolis was amazing, but nobody warns you that you will be using alot of your calf muscles on the way!!! Yup...After being stuck in an office sitting on my ass for the past three and a half months, I cant really say my muscles were happy bunnies...I woke up today suffering, but hey I aint complaining. We have also been doing alot of walking in Plaka and Psiri. Plaka is very touristy though, full of cafes and restaurants. As we walk around we get mobbed by the waiters "Sir, sir, we are the best in town. Sir, Sir we offer the best authentic greek food at reasonable prices". Yup turns out all of them are the "best" in town and all of the offer 'authentic" food. :)
We saw a gyro shop, and since gyro is exactly like the shawirma HUBBY loves, we sat there. Apparantely the Greeks pronounce it "geeros". Something I always wanted to find out about. I was so excited to have some but then got disappointed as it was a choice of either pork or chicken. Neither of which we eat, so instead we settled for some lamb kababs...Cant say it was tasty, infact, it was tasteless. Everything we ate needed loads of salt which kinda shocked me. Ive had Greek food in the States, and I remember it as being extremely yummy...Oh well, again I aint complaining.
I do feel abit guilty for some odd reason with all thats happening back in Baghdad. I need to completely switch off. There arent many channels on TV that we can understand except for CNN, euronews and Jazeera. So all we do if we are in the room is watch news, NOT GOOD. Today as I was lying next to HUBBY, which I have to say is just bliss, watching CNN with Obama and Hilary, I asked him who he would vote for. McCain, he said. I couldnt believe it. I jolted up and said, say again? McCain???How could you HUBBY. The guy is an idiot. He is the best out of these three HUBBY said.
I dont agree at all. HUBBY then asked who would I vote for if I had the chance, None was my answer. Obama and Hilary wanna get the troops out and dont wanna have anything to do with Iraq. McCain is a crook. He is just dillusional. So for me none of these are good enough. Ughhh, I still cant believe he said McCain...
Oh forgot to mention something. Yesterday on the tour bus, an older couple started talking to us. They were from the States. They asked us where we were from. I dunno why HUBBY at first said Florida. Then as the conversation deepened, he told them we are originally Iraqis. All of a sudden the conversation came to a halt. That just cracked me up. I told HUBBY now we know if we aint in the mood to socialize we will just say Baghdad and that will shut people up, I like that. Besides, I scream Iraq. I mean Im wearing my Iraq map necklace, Im wearing my 2 Iraq bracelates, people should figure it out by themsleves dont you think?
Apart from that, after almost four months of being a single neurotic wife, I almsot forgot what it feels like to be married again. So when we both need to pee, we both scram to the bathroom. Me first I say, no me first he says. And we push each other to see who gets to sit on the reign first. Too funny. Or at bed time. Im used to being alone. HUBBY loves to hug me, so he rolls over to my side, leaving all the half of his side of the bed empty and sticks himself to me. I end up right at the edge ready to fall anytime,lol. Then I remember, Hey Im married. Again things like these make me smile. Its an odd feeling having to switch off then on again. But I Love it. I love being pampered and showered by kisses out of the blue.
Well I better go now, its time for dinner and Im famished. Not sure whats on the menu for tonight, but I really really do feel like having something authentic. I mean REALLY authentic. Authentic food with crazy plate breaking. I love breaking plates. Its very therapeutic. Havent seen restaurants that offer that kinda thing... I wanna break some plates!!! I want Authentic Food with Crazy Plate Breaking...
I also blame my uninterest in the few columns here and there to our trip last year to Italy. Now thats one place I cannot compare history to. Maybe we should have come to Greece first then see Italy, I dunno. Tomorrow is a big day, we are going to visit one of the islands, and Im kinda excited. Athens is nice. Athens is nice and is full of shoe shops, woooooooohooooo...The street right next to our hotel is shoes galore. I just love it.
We have been taking things easy which is exactly what I want and need. We sit at cafes and PW (People watch). I mean just doing something as simple as that is a blessing. Drinking yummy lattes and enjoying the beatiful weather with HUBBY is by itself WOW. I cant believe that 4 days ago I was stuck in an airport in Baghdad...Infact I dont wanna even think about it.
Our day tour yesterday was quite fun. The visit to the Acropolis was amazing, but nobody warns you that you will be using alot of your calf muscles on the way!!! Yup...After being stuck in an office sitting on my ass for the past three and a half months, I cant really say my muscles were happy bunnies...I woke up today suffering, but hey I aint complaining. We have also been doing alot of walking in Plaka and Psiri. Plaka is very touristy though, full of cafes and restaurants. As we walk around we get mobbed by the waiters "Sir, sir, we are the best in town. Sir, Sir we offer the best authentic greek food at reasonable prices". Yup turns out all of them are the "best" in town and all of the offer 'authentic" food. :)
We saw a gyro shop, and since gyro is exactly like the shawirma HUBBY loves, we sat there. Apparantely the Greeks pronounce it "geeros". Something I always wanted to find out about. I was so excited to have some but then got disappointed as it was a choice of either pork or chicken. Neither of which we eat, so instead we settled for some lamb kababs...Cant say it was tasty, infact, it was tasteless. Everything we ate needed loads of salt which kinda shocked me. Ive had Greek food in the States, and I remember it as being extremely yummy...Oh well, again I aint complaining.
I do feel abit guilty for some odd reason with all thats happening back in Baghdad. I need to completely switch off. There arent many channels on TV that we can understand except for CNN, euronews and Jazeera. So all we do if we are in the room is watch news, NOT GOOD. Today as I was lying next to HUBBY, which I have to say is just bliss, watching CNN with Obama and Hilary, I asked him who he would vote for. McCain, he said. I couldnt believe it. I jolted up and said, say again? McCain???How could you HUBBY. The guy is an idiot. He is the best out of these three HUBBY said.
I dont agree at all. HUBBY then asked who would I vote for if I had the chance, None was my answer. Obama and Hilary wanna get the troops out and dont wanna have anything to do with Iraq. McCain is a crook. He is just dillusional. So for me none of these are good enough. Ughhh, I still cant believe he said McCain...
Oh forgot to mention something. Yesterday on the tour bus, an older couple started talking to us. They were from the States. They asked us where we were from. I dunno why HUBBY at first said Florida. Then as the conversation deepened, he told them we are originally Iraqis. All of a sudden the conversation came to a halt. That just cracked me up. I told HUBBY now we know if we aint in the mood to socialize we will just say Baghdad and that will shut people up, I like that. Besides, I scream Iraq. I mean Im wearing my Iraq map necklace, Im wearing my 2 Iraq bracelates, people should figure it out by themsleves dont you think?
Apart from that, after almost four months of being a single neurotic wife, I almsot forgot what it feels like to be married again. So when we both need to pee, we both scram to the bathroom. Me first I say, no me first he says. And we push each other to see who gets to sit on the reign first. Too funny. Or at bed time. Im used to being alone. HUBBY loves to hug me, so he rolls over to my side, leaving all the half of his side of the bed empty and sticks himself to me. I end up right at the edge ready to fall anytime,lol. Then I remember, Hey Im married. Again things like these make me smile. Its an odd feeling having to switch off then on again. But I Love it. I love being pampered and showered by kisses out of the blue.
Well I better go now, its time for dinner and Im famished. Not sure whats on the menu for tonight, but I really really do feel like having something authentic. I mean REALLY authentic. Authentic food with crazy plate breaking. I love breaking plates. Its very therapeutic. Havent seen restaurants that offer that kinda thing... I wanna break some plates!!! I want Authentic Food with Crazy Plate Breaking...
April 20, 2008
The Athenian Civilization...
To actually be in Athens right now is one helluva an accomplishment. OMG, the trip out from BIAP was a trip from hell!!! I cannot describe the anxiety everyone went through 2 days ago. I was scheduled to fly out on the 18th. On the 17th we had one ugly dust storm, and I knew that the back log at the airport will be a nightmare. It was a blessing I had 2 of my colleagues with me. One of them knew a guy at the airport, where we give him 50 bucks each and he can guarantee us a place.
BIAP was just a nightmare, people pushing and shoving, One old lady, actually fell because of it, poor thing. And no one helped her. Instead they started pushing even more just to get in line. By 830 am we called the guy, he took our papers and disappeared. One of my coworkers, R, or maybe I should say excoworker cause he got laid off killed me. The guy literally was talking non stop to me, complaining about the organization, about the airport, about EVERYTHING. He was soooooooooooooo negative, I knew the day will not go as smoothly as I want it to be.
A, the guy that took our papers reappeared again with our boarding passes and we managed to have a place on that flight. Then it was time for that dreaded passport control. The guy kept looking at my Iraqi passport and my face. Then he said, you arent Iraqi. I laughed, I said, if Im not Iraqi what am I? Indian? He kept shaking his head, no, no you are not Iraqi. I was gonna say something smart like, If I wanna fake a passport, why the hell should I choose an Iraqi one to begin with, but I kept my mouth shut, and said I assure you, I am Iraqi 100%. He then asked me if I hold another passport, and ofcourse the answer was yes. I was finally let go.
We sat in the lobby waiting for our flight to be announced. It was supposed to leave at 1130am. And sure enough, we lined up, we had our bags checked again, and we took the bus, and before boarding the plane we had our bags checked AGAIN. Like I have no idea what the hell can we put in our bags during the 5 minute bus trip to the plane??? We finally boarded the plane and thats when the nightmare started.
We could see the sky is getting hazier and hazier by the minute. An hour passed, 2 hours, 3 hours, and the plane became like one box of sardines. The pilot announced that we were waiting for the weather to clear. You can hear the passengers talking, all of a sudden everyone became an expert on flying, visibility and weather!!!It was kinda funny...
There we were sitting for 3 hours in that darn thing, and Im right next to R, my excoworker, who just wouldnt stop complaining. OMG. By the fourth hour, I needed to smoke, and asked one of the flight attendants if we can disembark for a smoke. The answer was ofcurse no. A few minutes later and we were asked to grab our belongings and go back to the airport. I was soooo ready to cry. One of RJ's crew, knows me as Ive been travelling with them a long time. I asked him, do you think I will be outta here today? He smiled and said, I guarantee you, today you will be having dinner in Amman.
You could hear everyone's moans when the annoncement was made. Everyone was just so eager to leave. There were people who were waiting from the night before. So not a nice sight. Everyone kept asking whether we were actually gonna travel or not. Nobody knew. All the officials said was inshallah, if the weather clears. As we loooked through the window, we can see the dust. The dust turning orange. NOT GOOD. Everytime an announcement was made Id jump. And everyone else would gather around me asking me what was said, since I can understand arabic. And then one by one, airlines started getting cancelled. We found out that for insurance purposes, RJ does not keep its aircraft overnight in Baghdad, so we were all hoping that that will be the case. It was our only hope.
I went to some of teh security guards and asked if there was any other way out. Even a taxi, I dont care I just wanna leaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave!!! They all laughed, and asked me to be patient. They said as long as they did not unload our bags yet, then theres a chance.
5 Pm passed, then 6. Then 7 and 8 pm. They told us by 9 pm things will be more clearer and they will have more info. In the mean time, I was worried about HUBBY. He too was travelling that day. Lucky bastard, he made it to Kuwait. 9pm came and everyone was anxious. Still no word. 10 pm, and everyone just became antsy. The weather was still dusty outside. And we had a few blackouts in the airport. I kept thinking I would be really lucky if I made it. 11 Pm and still no word. We would see the officials walking and Id jump and ask them the latest news. I just gave up. I sat on the floor waiting. Waiting for anything. By 1 am, the passport control guy passed by me, looked down and saw that it was me. He couldnt believe that almost 13 hours ago he stamped my passport and I was still here.
When they announced that RJ was boarding, OMG. Everyone scrammed to the gate. the Passport guy ushered to me and pulled me to the top of the line. I said, I cant, Im with my coworkers. He called them to join me. You can imagine the stares I got from everyone. I felt really embarrased, but hey I will do anything just to leave!!! We had to go through the whole process of security checks, and the guys there recognized me. They said, see had you taken a taxi, you wouldnt have made it.
Ofcourse everyone knew where they were sitting so that didnt take much time. Everyone had their fingers crossed. Again things were taking longer than should be. Then the dreaded announcement. The pilot said, we are still waiting for a final weather check, and things dont loook that good. To say people started cursing, would be an understatement. R was ready to go strangle the pilot. I just couldnt believe my luck. I was tired, sleepy, and desperate. Half an hour later and the plane started moving. We held our breaths. Once it took off, and it was actually in the air, OMGGGGGGGGG, The clapping and the cheers were just inbelievable.
Once in Amman airport, I could barely open my eyes. One of the officials asked me something, I had no friggin clue what it was. I just looked at him like a lost puppy and said, Look, Im sorry, I dont know what you just said. Im tired, Im sleepy and I can barely concentrate. He smiled. Wow first time ever I see a jordanian offical smile. He said its ok, you can go, welcome to Amman.
I have more to say, but tomorrow is a long day. I finally made it. I finally saw HUBBY, and I finally got out of that prison. We arrived in Athens today, and I cant wait to just relax and see some civilization!!! The Athenian Civilization...
BIAP was just a nightmare, people pushing and shoving, One old lady, actually fell because of it, poor thing. And no one helped her. Instead they started pushing even more just to get in line. By 830 am we called the guy, he took our papers and disappeared. One of my coworkers, R, or maybe I should say excoworker cause he got laid off killed me. The guy literally was talking non stop to me, complaining about the organization, about the airport, about EVERYTHING. He was soooooooooooooo negative, I knew the day will not go as smoothly as I want it to be.
A, the guy that took our papers reappeared again with our boarding passes and we managed to have a place on that flight. Then it was time for that dreaded passport control. The guy kept looking at my Iraqi passport and my face. Then he said, you arent Iraqi. I laughed, I said, if Im not Iraqi what am I? Indian? He kept shaking his head, no, no you are not Iraqi. I was gonna say something smart like, If I wanna fake a passport, why the hell should I choose an Iraqi one to begin with, but I kept my mouth shut, and said I assure you, I am Iraqi 100%. He then asked me if I hold another passport, and ofcourse the answer was yes. I was finally let go.
We sat in the lobby waiting for our flight to be announced. It was supposed to leave at 1130am. And sure enough, we lined up, we had our bags checked again, and we took the bus, and before boarding the plane we had our bags checked AGAIN. Like I have no idea what the hell can we put in our bags during the 5 minute bus trip to the plane??? We finally boarded the plane and thats when the nightmare started.
We could see the sky is getting hazier and hazier by the minute. An hour passed, 2 hours, 3 hours, and the plane became like one box of sardines. The pilot announced that we were waiting for the weather to clear. You can hear the passengers talking, all of a sudden everyone became an expert on flying, visibility and weather!!!It was kinda funny...
There we were sitting for 3 hours in that darn thing, and Im right next to R, my excoworker, who just wouldnt stop complaining. OMG. By the fourth hour, I needed to smoke, and asked one of the flight attendants if we can disembark for a smoke. The answer was ofcurse no. A few minutes later and we were asked to grab our belongings and go back to the airport. I was soooo ready to cry. One of RJ's crew, knows me as Ive been travelling with them a long time. I asked him, do you think I will be outta here today? He smiled and said, I guarantee you, today you will be having dinner in Amman.
You could hear everyone's moans when the annoncement was made. Everyone was just so eager to leave. There were people who were waiting from the night before. So not a nice sight. Everyone kept asking whether we were actually gonna travel or not. Nobody knew. All the officials said was inshallah, if the weather clears. As we loooked through the window, we can see the dust. The dust turning orange. NOT GOOD. Everytime an announcement was made Id jump. And everyone else would gather around me asking me what was said, since I can understand arabic. And then one by one, airlines started getting cancelled. We found out that for insurance purposes, RJ does not keep its aircraft overnight in Baghdad, so we were all hoping that that will be the case. It was our only hope.
I went to some of teh security guards and asked if there was any other way out. Even a taxi, I dont care I just wanna leaaaaaaaaaaaaaaave!!! They all laughed, and asked me to be patient. They said as long as they did not unload our bags yet, then theres a chance.
5 Pm passed, then 6. Then 7 and 8 pm. They told us by 9 pm things will be more clearer and they will have more info. In the mean time, I was worried about HUBBY. He too was travelling that day. Lucky bastard, he made it to Kuwait. 9pm came and everyone was anxious. Still no word. 10 pm, and everyone just became antsy. The weather was still dusty outside. And we had a few blackouts in the airport. I kept thinking I would be really lucky if I made it. 11 Pm and still no word. We would see the officials walking and Id jump and ask them the latest news. I just gave up. I sat on the floor waiting. Waiting for anything. By 1 am, the passport control guy passed by me, looked down and saw that it was me. He couldnt believe that almost 13 hours ago he stamped my passport and I was still here.
When they announced that RJ was boarding, OMG. Everyone scrammed to the gate. the Passport guy ushered to me and pulled me to the top of the line. I said, I cant, Im with my coworkers. He called them to join me. You can imagine the stares I got from everyone. I felt really embarrased, but hey I will do anything just to leave!!! We had to go through the whole process of security checks, and the guys there recognized me. They said, see had you taken a taxi, you wouldnt have made it.
Ofcourse everyone knew where they were sitting so that didnt take much time. Everyone had their fingers crossed. Again things were taking longer than should be. Then the dreaded announcement. The pilot said, we are still waiting for a final weather check, and things dont loook that good. To say people started cursing, would be an understatement. R was ready to go strangle the pilot. I just couldnt believe my luck. I was tired, sleepy, and desperate. Half an hour later and the plane started moving. We held our breaths. Once it took off, and it was actually in the air, OMGGGGGGGGG, The clapping and the cheers were just inbelievable.
Once in Amman airport, I could barely open my eyes. One of the officials asked me something, I had no friggin clue what it was. I just looked at him like a lost puppy and said, Look, Im sorry, I dont know what you just said. Im tired, Im sleepy and I can barely concentrate. He smiled. Wow first time ever I see a jordanian offical smile. He said its ok, you can go, welcome to Amman.
I have more to say, but tomorrow is a long day. I finally made it. I finally saw HUBBY, and I finally got out of that prison. We arrived in Athens today, and I cant wait to just relax and see some civilization!!! The Athenian Civilization...
