My Trip to the U.S.A. Treasure of Baghdad's Diary December 5, 2005
This morning, I couldn’t sleep later than 6 o’clock. How could I and I am in New York City? I was so excited and wondering what I am going to do at the Committee to Protect Journalists.
At 8 a.m. I was dressed up and ready for a new adventure. J suggested that I go out and have a tour in the area while she and her sister get ready to have breakfast. I went out and walked to the same area where we had dinner last night. I am now addicted to Starbucks regular coffee. So, I went to Starbucks and had my daily regular coffee. Before I came to the US, I used to call coffee just “coffee” until I discovered that there are kinds of coffee. J told me that the kind I like is called the regular coffee. So, wherever I go I know how to ask for coffee! Isn’t that weird? Yes, I admit.
Looking at the people and how they were busy walking to their work and schools. I was fascinated by this. The city is very busy and big.
Walking for an hour, I returned back to the hotel and by that time J and her sister were ready to have breakfast. We had breakfast and talked about our plan. She was supposed to meet her book publisher at 11 a.m.
When I arrived to the United Sates, I did not have the time to buy a cell phone. So what J suggested is that I buy a sim card and put it in the cell phone I have with me. So we went to a T-Mobile shop and bought one.
At 10:30, I left J and her sister to go to the CPJ to meet with the members there to show me how they work and what they do. I was very excited for going there but I was so worried because I had to take my luggage with me to the committee and then to a hostel where I am supposed to spend the night at.
I took a taxi to the CPJ and made my way up to the 11th floor. I was first received by a nice young man, Ivan, who helped me a lot settle myself in the office. He showed me the office and introduced me to the staff who looked very happy and excited to see an Iraqi reporter coming from Iraq to work among them, although for a short time. I thought Ivan was an Iraqi American first. He looked like Iraqis a lot. He told me that he is Palestinian and on the permanent staff of the CPJ working as a Middle East researcher.
Ivan and I get along quickly. He is very simple and down to earth. We went out and bought some sandwiches for lunch. He also helped me and took me to Radio Shak to buy a converter to my laptop plug.
We returned back to the office and had lunch. The staff I met was so friendly and helpful to me. Most of them came and introduced themselves. We talked about Iraq and Baghdad a lot, and of course, about Saddam, who was standing shouting as a clown in the court on the day of his trial.
Ivan lives in an apartment that is close to the hostel I was supposed to go to, so he offered to come with me to show me how to take the subway. Heidi, another researcher at the CPJ accompanied us. We went to the hostele, left my luggage and the three of us went to have dinner. Ivan suggested a French restaurant he knows. We went, had dinner and left to walk the amazing streets of New York City. We went to Barnes & Noble bookstore where Heidi bought Shadid’s book, Night Draws Near. The bookstore was like a huge forest where anyone might be lost in it. It was huge and big. Books were lined up everywhere and men and women were sitting on the ground reading books.
A yellow book drew my attention. “Baghdad Burning” was put among books that deal with war on Iraq. I was surprised as I did not expect that Riverbend wrote a book. However, I was very proud and told the guys that Riverbend is an Iraqi blogger who many people read her blog.
I was very happy and excited and never thought this would come to an end one day when I’ll have to return to Iraq. Anyway, I decided to have fun and not to think of anything bothering. Ivan, Heidi and I kept walking while it was snowing. It was very cold but I was having a great time. we went to Lincoln Center where the Beaumont Theatre, New York State theater, New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and Tulliard School are.
We talked about a lot of things. I talked about the war in Iraq, Heidi talked about Russia and Ivan talked about the CPJ. We laughed and laughed and really had fun.
I returned back to the hostel after midnight where I took a shower and went to sleep to get ready for a new adventure.
This morning, I couldn’t sleep later than 6 o’clock. How could I and I am in New York City? I was so excited and wondering what I am going to do at the Committee to Protect Journalists.
At 8 a.m. I was dressed up and ready for a new adventure. J suggested that I go out and have a tour in the area while she and her sister get ready to have breakfast. I went out and walked to the same area where we had dinner last night. I am now addicted to Starbucks regular coffee. So, I went to Starbucks and had my daily regular coffee. Before I came to the US, I used to call coffee just “coffee” until I discovered that there are kinds of coffee. J told me that the kind I like is called the regular coffee. So, wherever I go I know how to ask for coffee! Isn’t that weird? Yes, I admit.
Looking at the people and how they were busy walking to their work and schools. I was fascinated by this. The city is very busy and big.
Walking for an hour, I returned back to the hotel and by that time J and her sister were ready to have breakfast. We had breakfast and talked about our plan. She was supposed to meet her book publisher at 11 a.m.
When I arrived to the United Sates, I did not have the time to buy a cell phone. So what J suggested is that I buy a sim card and put it in the cell phone I have with me. So we went to a T-Mobile shop and bought one.
At 10:30, I left J and her sister to go to the CPJ to meet with the members there to show me how they work and what they do. I was very excited for going there but I was so worried because I had to take my luggage with me to the committee and then to a hostel where I am supposed to spend the night at.
I took a taxi to the CPJ and made my way up to the 11th floor. I was first received by a nice young man, Ivan, who helped me a lot settle myself in the office. He showed me the office and introduced me to the staff who looked very happy and excited to see an Iraqi reporter coming from Iraq to work among them, although for a short time. I thought Ivan was an Iraqi American first. He looked like Iraqis a lot. He told me that he is Palestinian and on the permanent staff of the CPJ working as a Middle East researcher.
Ivan and I get along quickly. He is very simple and down to earth. We went out and bought some sandwiches for lunch. He also helped me and took me to Radio Shak to buy a converter to my laptop plug.
We returned back to the office and had lunch. The staff I met was so friendly and helpful to me. Most of them came and introduced themselves. We talked about Iraq and Baghdad a lot, and of course, about Saddam, who was standing shouting as a clown in the court on the day of his trial.
Ivan lives in an apartment that is close to the hostel I was supposed to go to, so he offered to come with me to show me how to take the subway. Heidi, another researcher at the CPJ accompanied us. We went to the hostele, left my luggage and the three of us went to have dinner. Ivan suggested a French restaurant he knows. We went, had dinner and left to walk the amazing streets of New York City. We went to Barnes & Noble bookstore where Heidi bought Shadid’s book, Night Draws Near. The bookstore was like a huge forest where anyone might be lost in it. It was huge and big. Books were lined up everywhere and men and women were sitting on the ground reading books.
A yellow book drew my attention. “Baghdad Burning” was put among books that deal with war on Iraq. I was surprised as I did not expect that Riverbend wrote a book. However, I was very proud and told the guys that Riverbend is an Iraqi blogger who many people read her blog.
I was very happy and excited and never thought this would come to an end one day when I’ll have to return to Iraq. Anyway, I decided to have fun and not to think of anything bothering. Ivan, Heidi and I kept walking while it was snowing. It was very cold but I was having a great time. we went to Lincoln Center where the Beaumont Theatre, New York State theater, New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera and Tulliard School are.
We talked about a lot of things. I talked about the war in Iraq, Heidi talked about Russia and Ivan talked about the CPJ. We laughed and laughed and really had fun.
I returned back to the hostel after midnight where I took a shower and went to sleep to get ready for a new adventure.
December, 6, 2005This morning, I went to the office with Ivan. We took the subway and arrived the office at 10:15. The first thing I did that Ivan introduced me to Joel Campagna, CPJ's senior program coordinator responsible for the Middle East. Joel expressed his delight of my presence at the committee. He gave me an idea about the work of the committee and asked me if I can work on a project about Iraqi journalists in Iraq. I was very excited to do it. Ivan emailed me the exact story with some contacts. I started working with high spirit. The desk I am using now is just like the ones we see in movies. I felt I am working inside a movie, not in real life.
Joel and the deputy manager of the committee whose name is also, Joel invited me for lunch in the city. We went to an Italian restaurant. At lunch, I told them about my life and how Iraq looks like in the eyes of its people who are struggling day after day to reach stability and safety. Then we returned back to the office to work.
I don’t know how I express how happy and delighted I am. I know very well that this won’t last for along time but at least I had the chance to meet new people and see how world looks like or at least how it should look like.
The operation and work is almost like in our office in Baghdad. The staff works as one team. Everyone is friendly and help each other. I started loving this place a lot. I think I am going to miss them a lot when I return back to Baghdad. They became close friends to me. I am having a great time with them.
After we finished work, Joel, Ivan, and Hani went to a café where we had some appetizers and beer. My phone ran and did not know the number, unless I found out that the caller is Shawn, who’s a friend of mine through blogging. Shawn and I have never met face to face. Our friendship was through the internet and the blog. I was introduced to Shawn through H, an Iraqi blogger who became also a friend of mine and whom I met in Baghdad previously. I was really happy to talk to him and have this chance to meet my friend whom I talk to only through internet.
After that I returned back to the hostile where I packed up my luggage as I am going to stay with Ivan in his apartment until the CPJ finds an apartment for me. Then Ivan and I had dinner in a French restaurant where I at something that I don’t remember its name except that it contained Mushroom and mash potatoes. It was very delicious. I liked it a lot.
