neurotic Iraqi wife
September 08, 2006
The Mind of an Iraqi Man...
It was the journey from hell...My first stop was Amsterdam...The security there was pretty tight...At the gate of the airline they take everyone individually and interview them...My turn came up and the lady looked at my passport...Asked me a few basic questions then she said, why do you have a British passport???I lived there for almost 12 years...Why did you go to Jordan???I was there on R&R...Why did you go to Kuwait???We were demobilizing from Baghdad...What about Egypt???It was a vacation...Your passport is very interesting, you have been to many different places...Yup, my R&R's...Your husband is Iraqi???Yes but he is a US citizen...She left me standing there for a few minutes then returned and asked me about who packed the bag, if I had electronics there and if I was carrying any liquids...So far not bad...She is clear she shouted...Good to go...
The flight from Amsterdam was horrible...As the hostess was giving out the entry forms to the US, she asked what my passport was...Told her, got the forms, and next to me the man said, where are you from originally...I said Iraq...The biggest smile on his face appeared...Me too, but Im Canadian...Hmm, umm ok, thats nice...I prepared to put my headset on cuz I had a feeling that the conversation wont be stopping at that...and honestly, when Im on a plane, I hate talking, for me its more of a reflecting kinda journey...I just shut the whole world out and go into my own self...he nudged me...uhoh...showed me his kids pictures...cute...spoke about the political situation in Iraq...nothing new...Spoke about his college days...ok cool...Spoke about his life...And I just sat there thinking, Oh God, Please please make him sleep or something...I opened my book, trying to give him a hint...the nudge again...
What are you reading, he asked...a book i picked up from the airport, a romance...Oh he said, Im over that ever since my teenage years...Ok nice to know...after a few minutes I switched the monitor on and started to watch a movie...Few minutes into it...Mr Nudge, nudged me AGAIN...Could you please help me figure the control...Sure I said...Showed him how to happily so he can get off my back...an hour later, as I was trying to doze off, Mr Nudge woke me up just to say I am Bored???OMG OMG OMG... That was it for me...I mean he just went overboard now...Its very difficult for me to actually sleep on a plane, and when I do its a blessing...So for him to actually wake me up just to tell me he is bored was just a big NO NO...Please Mr, could you leave me alone and let me sleep just for a few minutes...He gave me a shrug and continued by saying "I can't sleep on planes"...I mean he got under my skin so much that I was about to call the hostess and ask her to move me...But instead I put my headset on and turned the other way...Thank God, Mr Nudge Finally got the point...
I arrive at Detroit airport to catch my flight to my destination...I head to the passport check and as my turn came up, the woman took one look at my passport then waved the passport in the air and shouted at the top of her voice "We have an Iraqi born here"...You might as well tell them Im wearing black underwear too I thought...Sheesh...People started looking at me as if I had a disease...Then this big guy came and escorted me into a room filled with what looked like people from the Middle East..Please have a seat ma'am...Your name will be called...I have to catch a flight I said...Dont worry Ma'am...Ok, I take a seat and wait...10 minutes passed...20...30...40...45 minutes and I just couldnt sit there anymore...I go to one officer and said:
Me: Can you please tell me how much more will I be waiting???
Officer: I dont know Maam
Me: I have a plane to catch
Officer: The airline will fix that for you
Me: What exactly am I doing here???I have a British Passport which is a visa waiver status...
Officer: I dunno Maam, its part of a program you have enlisted in
Me: What Program???
Officer: I dunno Maam
Me: I thought you just said I enrolled into a program, and I dont remember signing anything that subjects me to waiting...
Officer: I dunno Maam, please have a seat...
Me: No, Im not gonna have a seat until you tell me whats going on...Ive been awake for more than 36 hours...I havent had a smoke in more than 10 hours,Im tired and exhausted and I want to catch my flight...
Officer: Sorry Maam I cant help you...
Me: Then what do YOU KNOW??? Dont you work here???
Officer: Please take a seat Maam
By that time, my eyes filled up with tears and I just wanted to go back home...I didnt even care if my bad attitude would have resulted in them sending me home...At that point nothing mattered except maybe a puff of a cigarrette...I succumbed to the situation and watched as the room emptied and people's names were called out...I was the last in the room when a lady asked me to have my fingertips scanned, a picture taken and then go with her to identify my bag...Where am I going I asked??? You sending me home??? No Maam, you will be on your way to catch the flight...Just identify your bag and you will be on your way...
I go to the belt and its empty...I scan the bags on the floor for a pink ribbon suitcase...(I always have a ribbon on the handle incase someone has an identical bag)...No Pink ribbon...No Bag... mine was none to be seen...Pre Baghdad I woulda wailed and made a scene, but infact, I just shrugged and said My bag aint here, its probably lost, just my luck...Its ok the officer said, contact the airlines and they will find it for you...Hmm, yeah, sure...I go through security, a machine that blows air on you to check for explosives...then off I went running to find the closest smoking area...The Sky Box, the only place in Detroit airport...Its a sports bar...I sat there ordered a coke, smoked 10 cigarettes and emailed HUBBY..."Bag is lost, had a bad trip, just get me Opti Free lense solution as I cant open my eyes and btw Im in a very bad mood" End of email...
This trip was just awful...I mean really awful...24 hours from point of take off to point of arrival...The gruelling wait and that annoying Mr nudge...Never again I said to HUBBY...Never again...Forget the Chocolate Pancakes, I will get the recipe and do them myself...I usually am not rude to anyone, but I think its the lack of nicotine that just fired me up...And the fact that my passport was waved in the air just like a criminal's...I felt like I was in a cartoon where all arrows where pointing "She is Iraqi Born, she is a terrorist" Oh well...Security wise I think its great cuz I feel much safer, but to have all eyes on you, I mean that aint cool...
I arrive here hoping to have some relaxing time, but the weather is just horrible...raining all day long with thunder and lightening...My one phobia in the world...Skies cleared yeterday and not a drop of rain, which was great...I got my offer for Baghdad, and received my country clearance...Im just waiting to see the results from HUBBY's interview...Once he gets the offer, we will be on our way...But this time, we wont be together...This time he will be outside the GZ...Somewhere very dangerous...While I will be protected within the T walls of the GZ...Im still trying to convince him to change his mind...That stubborn mind...The mind of a Middle Eastern Man...The Mind...The Mind of an Iraqi Man...
The flight from Amsterdam was horrible...As the hostess was giving out the entry forms to the US, she asked what my passport was...Told her, got the forms, and next to me the man said, where are you from originally...I said Iraq...The biggest smile on his face appeared...Me too, but Im Canadian...Hmm, umm ok, thats nice...I prepared to put my headset on cuz I had a feeling that the conversation wont be stopping at that...and honestly, when Im on a plane, I hate talking, for me its more of a reflecting kinda journey...I just shut the whole world out and go into my own self...he nudged me...uhoh...showed me his kids pictures...cute...spoke about the political situation in Iraq...nothing new...Spoke about his college days...ok cool...Spoke about his life...And I just sat there thinking, Oh God, Please please make him sleep or something...I opened my book, trying to give him a hint...the nudge again...
What are you reading, he asked...a book i picked up from the airport, a romance...Oh he said, Im over that ever since my teenage years...Ok nice to know...after a few minutes I switched the monitor on and started to watch a movie...Few minutes into it...Mr Nudge, nudged me AGAIN...Could you please help me figure the control...Sure I said...Showed him how to happily so he can get off my back...an hour later, as I was trying to doze off, Mr Nudge woke me up just to say I am Bored???OMG OMG OMG... That was it for me...I mean he just went overboard now...Its very difficult for me to actually sleep on a plane, and when I do its a blessing...So for him to actually wake me up just to tell me he is bored was just a big NO NO...Please Mr, could you leave me alone and let me sleep just for a few minutes...He gave me a shrug and continued by saying "I can't sleep on planes"...I mean he got under my skin so much that I was about to call the hostess and ask her to move me...But instead I put my headset on and turned the other way...Thank God, Mr Nudge Finally got the point...
I arrive at Detroit airport to catch my flight to my destination...I head to the passport check and as my turn came up, the woman took one look at my passport then waved the passport in the air and shouted at the top of her voice "We have an Iraqi born here"...You might as well tell them Im wearing black underwear too I thought...Sheesh...People started looking at me as if I had a disease...Then this big guy came and escorted me into a room filled with what looked like people from the Middle East..Please have a seat ma'am...Your name will be called...I have to catch a flight I said...Dont worry Ma'am...Ok, I take a seat and wait...10 minutes passed...20...30...40...45 minutes and I just couldnt sit there anymore...I go to one officer and said:
Me: Can you please tell me how much more will I be waiting???
Officer: I dont know Maam
Me: I have a plane to catch
Officer: The airline will fix that for you
Me: What exactly am I doing here???I have a British Passport which is a visa waiver status...
Officer: I dunno Maam, its part of a program you have enlisted in
Me: What Program???
Officer: I dunno Maam
Me: I thought you just said I enrolled into a program, and I dont remember signing anything that subjects me to waiting...
Officer: I dunno Maam, please have a seat...
Me: No, Im not gonna have a seat until you tell me whats going on...Ive been awake for more than 36 hours...I havent had a smoke in more than 10 hours,Im tired and exhausted and I want to catch my flight...
Officer: Sorry Maam I cant help you...
Me: Then what do YOU KNOW??? Dont you work here???
Officer: Please take a seat Maam
By that time, my eyes filled up with tears and I just wanted to go back home...I didnt even care if my bad attitude would have resulted in them sending me home...At that point nothing mattered except maybe a puff of a cigarrette...I succumbed to the situation and watched as the room emptied and people's names were called out...I was the last in the room when a lady asked me to have my fingertips scanned, a picture taken and then go with her to identify my bag...Where am I going I asked??? You sending me home??? No Maam, you will be on your way to catch the flight...Just identify your bag and you will be on your way...
I go to the belt and its empty...I scan the bags on the floor for a pink ribbon suitcase...(I always have a ribbon on the handle incase someone has an identical bag)...No Pink ribbon...No Bag... mine was none to be seen...Pre Baghdad I woulda wailed and made a scene, but infact, I just shrugged and said My bag aint here, its probably lost, just my luck...Its ok the officer said, contact the airlines and they will find it for you...Hmm, yeah, sure...I go through security, a machine that blows air on you to check for explosives...then off I went running to find the closest smoking area...The Sky Box, the only place in Detroit airport...Its a sports bar...I sat there ordered a coke, smoked 10 cigarettes and emailed HUBBY..."Bag is lost, had a bad trip, just get me Opti Free lense solution as I cant open my eyes and btw Im in a very bad mood" End of email...
This trip was just awful...I mean really awful...24 hours from point of take off to point of arrival...The gruelling wait and that annoying Mr nudge...Never again I said to HUBBY...Never again...Forget the Chocolate Pancakes, I will get the recipe and do them myself...I usually am not rude to anyone, but I think its the lack of nicotine that just fired me up...And the fact that my passport was waved in the air just like a criminal's...I felt like I was in a cartoon where all arrows where pointing "She is Iraqi Born, she is a terrorist" Oh well...Security wise I think its great cuz I feel much safer, but to have all eyes on you, I mean that aint cool...
I arrive here hoping to have some relaxing time, but the weather is just horrible...raining all day long with thunder and lightening...My one phobia in the world...Skies cleared yeterday and not a drop of rain, which was great...I got my offer for Baghdad, and received my country clearance...Im just waiting to see the results from HUBBY's interview...Once he gets the offer, we will be on our way...But this time, we wont be together...This time he will be outside the GZ...Somewhere very dangerous...While I will be protected within the T walls of the GZ...Im still trying to convince him to change his mind...That stubborn mind...The mind of a Middle Eastern Man...The Mind...The Mind of an Iraqi Man...
8 Comments:
Wow - what a nightmare of a trip! I'm trying to find something positive about it. You reached your destination safely. That's a good thing. You also got the job and the clearance. I don't know what to say about the rest of the journey. You could look at it like God gave you another "opportunity" to learn patience, while keeping a good attitude. It seems like you're doing real well in overcoming your previous tendency towards impatience. As annoying as he was, the man on the plane was probably delighted to be sitting next to such an attractive woman and wanted your attention.
I encountered a real bothersome man on an early morning 9 hour flight from Tahiti to LA. I was REAL tired and just wanted to sleep. I got a couple pillows and laid down across 3 seats. My husband was stretched out across 5 seats in the row in front of me. This guy across the aisle and up a row from me took his shoes off, stood in the aisle against his seat and started playing some weird game of "footsie" with me. I was almost asleep and he slid his foot under my pillow and started moving it around! I tried to ignore him, thinking he would knock it off. No such luck. I finally sat up, glared at him, turned around and laid down in the other direction. But, that didn't stop him. He slid his foot under my feet on the seat and kept at it. Thought about waking my husband up, but knew that would create a scene. I was soooo tired, I didn't have the energy or want a confrontation. I ignored and put up with it as long as I could stand it. I just wanted him to leave me alone so I could go to sleep! I sat up again, moved to the third seat from the aisle and glared at him. If looks could kill, he'd be dead! He finally got the message and sat down. I was real annoyed, but pleased with the fact that I didn't give him the "tongue lashing" I wanted to, creating an uncomfortable scene for everyone around us.
What is it with men on planes? One time I was sitting in the middle of 3 seats. The guy on my right was reading a newspaper, so his face was hidden behind the pages. He cut loose with a silent, but DEADLY fart that you could cut with a knife. I was close to gagging and I looked at the woman on my left, hoping she didn't think I was the perpetrator.
Welcome to the USA.
Don't mind the door man, they are contracted to the lowest bidder...
Are you here to stay or just passing thru?
Iraqi Wife,
I am surprised you are even still thinking of going back to Iraq.
I read a very tragic story about a murdered Iraqi engineer http://www.grd.usace.army.mil/news/releases/recon083106.html
A good man murdered by the worst kind of evil.
Iraq will always have a need for talented engineers! Now is not the time to do it. The violence is getting worse not better. How efficient/effective can reconstruction be under these circumstances? Nobody other than the USA--who feels a real obligation to try and help--would even try such a thing!
The wonderful blogger Mesopotamian has been forced to flee the neighborhood where his family has lived forever. (He hints at leaving altogether.) Bloggers Morbid Smile, 24 Steps, and Baghdad Treasure are in the USA. Healing Iraq is waiting to come.
Flying is not what it used to be. It used to be an adventure to look forward to with hot meals and great service. No more of that, thanks to 911 terrorists. Customer service has gone out the window and we have great security instead. *sigh* Sorry you had such a time of it.
By all means, go get those chocolate pancakes! Don't let a lousy trip deny you the pleasure, now that you are in the US.
Stay safe NIW.
The Greates Mind in the World, Welcome Back ;
:)
NIW,
Welcome back to the blogsphere...
Don't think and worry about the gruiling hours you spent at the airport as long as you got to see HUBBY, right?
Hope every thing goes well for both of you on your new jobs, and guess what, while you are reading this comment, get ready for grabbing some marshmallows to eat!
Sorry about your difficult trip. Get some Nicotine gum before you fly again, it may not make the process any easier, but it will totally take the edge off of those withdrawals. I learned that trick a few years ago when I traveled overseas... Best of luck... and thanks for your blog.
I'm a little confused. If you are going back to Iraq, how come you flew to the States. Seems a bit off course, but clearly I must be missing something. Anyway, hope all is well. Wished you'd not go back to Iraq, but best of luck none the less.
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