A Star from Mosul

For the third time this month, the headmistress repeats her promises to make us memorize the new national anthem :) I think I'll search for it and memorize it myself!!
My friend suggested that we add our own touch next Thursday: As soon as they start singing, we go to the yard and start Dabka (A Kurdish dance), and that as my friend said, will show how united we are. But who can do that?
We're getting a new sport teacher, maybe we'll get her to teach us to do dabka :)


Today, last year's sixth graders came to school, to get some stuff and see their teachers. We -this year's sixth graders- were the ones most jealous of course.. But days pass by quickly. One day, I'll come to school and the sixth graders will be jealous! Ameen.

Next Sunday, the exams will start, and I'll be busier.. Ramadhan is coming near too, and so we decided to have some fun before all this comes and prevents us from doing normal activities.. We're going to Duhok tomorrow inshallah. We'll sleep there and come back on Saturday. I will do my homework today, study for the exam tomorrow, and have as much fun as I can there.

The day, as fun as it was at first, ended up by the cleaning employee's going to the hospital (Heart attack or something), and one of the last year's sixth graders's brother being kidnapped..

A neighbor got killed by American soldiers yesterday.. And his black sign got hanged today.

I wanted to comment, but I didn't know what to say.. You tell me..

Treasure of Baghdad: "Now you, Iraqi people, the government whom you voted for forgot about you and started taking care of their allies rather than you. You are left with a dirty city, no place to have fun in, no clubs, no open roads, no services, no electricity, no fuel, no water, no safety, and no CONTROL at all. This government is hiding behind the Jersey Walls surrounding the Green Zone where the 5-star hotel will be built. This government which says it 'cares about you and about your safety' is building a new 5-star hotel. What a tragedy?! 'Long live the Tyrant.' As Twenty Four Steps to Liberty said."

An Average Iraqi: "Iraqi security officials on Monday variously accused the two Britons they detained of shooting at Iraqi forces or trying to plant explosives. Photographs of the two men in custody showed them in civilian clothes.
When British officials apparently sought to secure their release, riots erupted. Iraqi police cars circulated downtown, calling through loudspeakers for the public to help stop British forces from releasing the two. Heavy gunfire broke out and fighting raged for hours, as crowds swarmed British forces and set at least one armored vehicle on fire."

I couldn't have said more, read the whole thing at Hassan's blog.

School is so much fun, yes.. That's school this year. It's fun!

Suddenly, friends are much nicer, school is much easier, and I am much happier. Hope it stays that way..

4 days ago was Thrusday, the day in which all the school must stand in the school-yard and hear the headmistress preach.
We stood there under the sun not knowing what to do.. We haven't done this for a long time. Suddenly, the sport teacher (The one responsible to organize such activities) shouted: Istaree7 (Relax??)..My friend said "Oops, now that's a problem".. Usually, Istaree7 is followed by Ista3ed (Get ready) then we shout "Yahya al-Baath (Long live Baath)".. No one have told us what to do, so we (The 6 graders) just kept silent, and let the 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders do the job..
It seems that those grades have been traned, unlike us.. Yahya AlBaath is now replaced with "Yahya Al-Iraq" :)

Then the sport teacher ordered some students to bring the flag, and we were supposed to sing the national anthem.. What national anthem?? We started to sing "Watanu-n madda...", while first graders sang "Mawtiy, mawtiny..".. And since they seemed to be more professional, we stopped and let them sing, plus, we didn't know the whole song, just the "Mawtini, mautini" part :) When they finished, we clapped for them, after all, they saved the day!

The headmistress then told us that "The sport teacher will make you all memorize the national anthem, because, well, sadly you do not know it".. Well, I doubt she does!!

Away from school, Aya started walking! She walks fast, and for long distances.. We're proud of her (Although I walked when I was 8 months old). But she's now more capable of destroying.
The best feeling she gives me is when I go upstairs, she starts waving and sending kisses all the way till I'm out of sight.. It gives me a good push to start studying.

Away from Aya, I and mom had to crawl out of the kitchen 3 days ago, I was washing my cup, and she was working in the kitchen when shooting started, really close, we both sat on the ground, and because it took a long time, we crawled out.. Not the first time by the way.

Hassan talked about this in detail earlier:

Then, an American convoy comes from behind, at high speed, the car behind him is able to slip between two cars from the benzene queue, while my cousin is stuck, unable to move his car, only by a slight turn to the right, but doesn't create enough room for such a big car, the stryker never slowed down, it hit my cousin's car so hard it crushed his trunk, and sent his car inside the car in front of him, then went over the central island, in the WRONG SIDE direction, again my cousin hears cars screeching from a far, and bullets fired in the air.

One more thing, the only response he got from the US soldiers in the stryker was: "They waved".. What?
Why do I think that Bush (An irresponsible president) sent troops that are way far from being liberators, far from being polite and far from being responsible??

I now have a bad flu, first it was Aya, then dad, then I and HNK!! It's flu season I guess, or, it's just Aya who's infected us all.

Okay, gotta go now, really sick!!

It was Okay, I saw my friends, we talked about the IQ test they had for passing the year.. They didn't pass the year by the way, there were 4 from my class, only one passed, with two others (One from my school and one from another), which makes them 3 in Mosul, while 4 passed from Baghdad, and none from the other cities.. It's still not determined whether they'll get to the university they want, and if they won't, then they're probably coming back to the 6th grade..

Anyway, I and my friends talked a lot and laughed till my face started to REALLY hurt. I still don't consider any one of them as a true friend, but I know I can't find anyone better in my school..

The teachers seem to be good, except for the Physics teacher.. I think we're going to have problems!! She keeps preaching and forgets to teach.

Many told me that I got thinner :( I can't believe that since I came back from Syria, I lost 2 kilos.. 2 kilos I strove to gain for a loong time. Hard work going by the wind, hard to gain again, not during school.

I have homework, I had to study Physics, Chemistry and Biology.. Finished. But I'm not feeling well now.. A little depressed maybe.

My cousin got hit by a stryker on purpose, yesterday(A car accident??), he's okay, but the car needs fixing. (Details by either me or Hassan soon), I saw him online today and I didn't know of it, he didn't speak about it, I knew it from mom later.. Now I understand why mom doesn't drive her car anymore, neither would dad teach me driving.. I knew why before, but today's accident added one more reason.

I really really don't feel like posting, but I just wanted you to know that school has begun. Less e-mails will be answered while less posts will be posted.

It's been a looong time since I visited laybird's blog, and going there just shocked me.. The worst picture I've seen.. The youngest Iraqi killed by American soldiers, in Mosul.

If you think you can stand seeing that, go there, otherwise, I strongly recommend that you do NOT go there..

School is coming soon.. It's on Monday. And although I was not feeling good about it yesterday, today, I thought about it and I think I'm ready to finally do this and get over with it.

Plans for my last year at school (Inshallah)..
1- I am going to have to make a schedule on my own, consult my cousin on it, and make it both comfortable and useful..
Let's do something like this (This is a test version):

For Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday:
A) Do the next day's homework, very well..
B) Make a little star on questions that have some little twist.. That's something I always do.
C) Write notes about everything, I don't want to re-think of things all over.
D) After finishing a chapter on any subject, read it all over.

For Thursday:
This is a day for ME, to recharge.. Use the Internet and take a look at things. AND, watch one TV (It's great on Thursday).

For Friday:
This day, I should read and write shorts about all the chapters I've finished in the week.

I think I'm being tough on myself.. Am I? I don't want to be tough.. Any better plans, from Iraqis who've experienced the sixth grade? I will ask relatives too.

2- I should always remember this.. This year is planned to be the last one in school.. That's it, I'll be finished. So, I have to do the best I can do, to make my parents proud, and prove myself.. Do extra work so I won't regret it later. And what if dad agrees for a scholarship or something? I should get good marks to deserve that. I don't want to put lots of hope on this, but putting it as a goal should have some impact on me.

3- Losing hope is the last thing I need, so here's a plan to get some extra help from God too. Before sleeping, read Qura'an, pray, and go to bed early. This will grant me peaceful nights inshallah.

4- Never forget the goal, never ever forget the goal.. You know I put a big paper on the wall when I was in the third grade, reminding myself with my two heros at that time, grandpa and uncle Ahmed. That worked, I got 98%. I want to get even more this year. I've got to get an average that I can say proudly, that can easily put me at the top of the list of any university, although my goal university is already decided.

I can probably study from 3-9 PM on every school day. Excluding prayers, this will be about 5 hours, well, I think I'll cancel the Internet or I'll be left with too short time to spare.. So people, I think I'll put the laptop, and everything that comes with the laptop in the case and see how much it takes 'til I come crawling to it :) Let's try to take it out on Thursdays only..

Okay, I still think that I'm being tough on myself.. I better watch out or else as they say: "شدي حيلكي بس ديري بالكي لا تقطعينو". Now, that's in Moslawi, and I will NOT translate it :)

I'm sure I'll come up with a better plan when school start and I see how it is.. Plus, I am sure I can not make a plan for a whole year!! I mean, I can't even predict what might happen in the current time!

A Sunni Arab teenager who died saving Shias during last week's stampede disaster in Baghdad has been hailed as a hero whose sacrifice should unify Iraq.

Othman al-Ubeydi drowned after rescuing at least three people who tumbled into the Tigris when Shia pilgrims panicked at rumours of a suicide bomber among them, leading to 1 005 deaths.

The 19-year-old student's face was on newspapers and television screens yesterday and the provincial council said that a street would be named after him.

Ubeydi was sitting down to breakfast last Wednesday when loudspeakers from his Sunni mosque said Shias needed help at the al-Aima bridge, where Iraq's deadliest disaster since the 2003 invasion was unfolding.

While hundreds were crushed to death on the bridge, hundreds more jumped or fell into the river. Witnesses said that the teenager, a strong swimmer and wrestler who trained at a gym, repeatedly dived in and saved between three and seven people. However he was exhausted when he tried to save a large woman, and she reportedly pulled him under.

Iraq's government and media called Ubeydi a martyr of national unity whose heroic sacrifice should reconcile Shias and Sunnis, rival Muslim sects which have edged towards civil war.

"He showed that we are all brothers," said the Shia Prime Minister, Ibrahim al-Jaafari, while visiting the family.

Ubeydi's father, Ali, said that his studious son had passed the supreme test of humanity, setting an example for the country. "He turned his soul into a bridge to save others."

Source.

Since I'm not watching much TV, I haven't heard of this story till I called my friend.. Then, I forgot about it, and was reminded of it by Mr.Othman Ali, my Chemistry teacher, who was commenting on how he and the teenage hero have the same name, and same interests.

If only more Iraqis were like Othman, whether like the 19 yr, or my teacher.. I know that my teacher is an amazing person, an honest, staight-forward and a hard-working teacher.. I don't know anything about Al-Obeydi though, but that he did a heroic act that probably means that he had so much love and courage in his heart..

As my Physics teacher said, we should've done something to deserve all the mess we're living in, and for sure we've done.. Iraqis lie, they lie and lie, and when things change, they lie again.. Many proved so.

Life takes its path and sometimes there are people to blame. Of course there are bad people in this world. Good, bad, it happens unfortunately. But in a way I think if there was more focus on the good, more good would happen.

Andrea Corr

I'm sure many will be inspired by him..

BREAKING news

God I'm so happy..

You know when you are really waiting for something, expecting that thing and then it takes too long and doesn't happen?
It's happened to me.. I forgot about the thing, but then suddenly today, it all came at once!

Mom went to college today, she was told that there is a package that was sent to her in the post-office. THe package has been waiting there for a month, and since we left to Syria, we didn't know of it earlier.. Anyway, we had to pay 7500 dinnars (5$) because we didn't pick the package earlier.. Mom didn't know what the package was, she only knew it was from Holland.. So, she decided to wait for dad and then go to the Post Office..

And while she was still in her room, an employee came and gave her a package.. Now, this one was NOT from Holland, it was from the United States of America. Mom opened the package, there was a letter too.. TO MEEE. From a dear dear friend :) Anyway, the package was 4 CDs (RedHat Enterprise Linux 4), I knew it was in the way, but it was sent on june, 16th I forgot about it :) The university received the package on the 4th of July as it says on the package!! How come I didn't get them before! I think the stamps are too old !!

Mom finished working, dad came and picked her up, and then he went to the postal office.. We had no idea what was in the second package. Anyway, dad came back with a big package, full of CDs :) First, we thought it was for mom (I don't remember I ordered anything from Holland), then when I saw the first CD, I knew what it was.. Those were the Ubuntu CDs I ordered months ago.. It was sent on the 30th of June, then received by the Post Office on the 1st of August!! Took one month!

Notes to self:
I've ordered 10 CDs (For 20, 10 live CDs and 10 Install CDs), going to give 4 to cousins, 1 to an aunt, 2 for myself (Now, those are mine, I'm just being generous and giving them away :) ), 1 for dad, and I think I'll give two of my cousins double so they can give to friends.. So, let recount:
2 to A (As I thank you gift for copying the RedHat linux 3 for me)
2 to Harith (And I'll give him the old RedHat Linux 3 CDs I have too).
1 to O (As a thank you gift for lending me Fedora)
1 to Hassan (If you still do not want to try Linux, I can give it to someone else, really).
2 to self (As a thank you gift for giving to everyone else)
1 to dad (As a thank you gift for being my dad, paying the 7500 ID, and so we wouldn't end up fighting on who lost the CDs)
1 to aunt (As a thank you gift for being my aunt)

Note to you:
You too can order CDs for your own, but remember to share with friends. Share the spirit of Ubuntu :)
Alright, I'm so happy.. I was jumping just one hour ago.. I've got MAIL! Two packages in one day.. It feels good..

As a human being, I am repulsed and tormented by the photos of war you have published. As an American, I am both disgraced by and outraged at what our government has done, and continues to do, especially in the name of 9/11. I am a native New Yorker who was there that day and lost many dear friends; this is not justice for them or me. It may seem an odd thing to say thank you for: grotesque, painful images that are supposed to be "too real" for us, but I do thank you, and salute you, for showing us the truth of what our troops are going through, and, more importantly, allowing us to finally begin looking in the mirror.

--K. Frederick

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