A Normal Day for a Westerner in Baghdad!!

Taking off her black scarf immediately as she entered the restaurant, the westerner felt entering a place that is not in Iraq. Invited for lunch with an Iraqi friend who used to be scared to take her in public places normally, she felt free for the first time in Baghdad since she came two years ago. This westerner had never been in public places without putting on her "bullet-proof" scarf which she never forgets. This time, it was different! The restaurant was for high class people and no westerner has visited it previously.

"There were many people gathering and women wearing their modern clothes," she said delighted and happy to the extent that it was noticeable on her face and eyes.

In Baghdad after the US-led invasion, it became impossible for a westerner to work, live, or at least spend some time with friends. Journalists, contractors, foreign laborers and even anti-occupation NGO employees were abducted and taken hostages, some were beheaded by foreign fighters and remnants of Saddam's regime and some others survived and freed. This made large number of westerners who came to support this country leave it desperate and alone.

The question has to be asked, what is to be gained by scaring all these people out of Iraq? What would they gain in having no one from outside in Iraq?

It became so disgusting to make Iraq's friends scared in every moment they live in a country which was the safest among other countries.

Wake up Iraqis! Wake up, you, the government!! What the hell are you doing? When are you going to stop all of these disasters? Is it nice to see friends kidnapped, taken hostages, or beheaded? For God's sake! Would you imagine the same thing happening to you in their countries?

We have to restore the safety to Baghdad in order to restore the happiness and smile that we miss. Did you forget that we had the Arabian Nights?! Shahraiyar and Shahrazad are so sad. They want to do something but they feel that they are muted!!

A Salute to Baghdad College

Flipping through my photo album, I looked at my high school photos and remembered my friends and colleagues whom I miss a lot. Baghdad College, a high school that was founded by the Jesuits in 1932, was one of the most famous schools in Baghdad where appliers had to be subjected to a special IQ exam in order to join it. Graduating from this high school makes me feel so proud and grateful to all those who established it and taught and still teaching in it. My six years (1992-1998) of study in Baghdad College were the best times in my life. I gained knowledge in which not all the young men in my age were able to get. Unlike the other schools in Baghdad, Baghdad College was well-equipped and full of chemistry, biology, and physics laboratories, in addition to the English language practice laboratories, which were my favorite.
I don't have that huge thing to return the favor to this school except to mention how great it was in this blog and salute those who founded it.

In 1931 Jesuits were requested by Pope Pius XI (at the urging of the Chaldean Patriarch of Baghdad) to start schools in Baghdad. This they did, and more. In 1932 four Jesuits went to Baghdad and started a secondary school and then later in 1956 started another school Al Hikma University. Both came to a sudden halt in 1968 when the two schools were taken over by the Baathi Governemnt and the Jesuits expelled from the country. The Christians cherished the work of the Jesuits from the start and the earlier suspicions of Muslims dissolved once they realized that the Jesuits were not covertly trying to convert their sons but were offering them an excellent education. In fact Muslims are listed among the Jesuits' strongest supporters. They saw them as religious men whose only purpose was to take seriously Jesus' admonition to serve others. That service came in the form of education. Muslims and Christians alike came to realize that the Jesuits introduced to the Baghdad community unanticipated intellectual, spiritual and social benefits.

The most interesting part of the Baghdad College and Al-Hikma story does not concern buildings, curricula or huge campuses but concerns rather the people that built and used these creations. It still is the students, their families, the Jesuits and their colleagues that make us remember that "fleeting wisp of glory" with such emotion. This story of the Baghdad Jesuit adventure, which is related in Jesuits by the Tigris , focuses on the interaction between young American Jesuits and youthful Iraqi citizens and their families. Starting in 1932 it grew into a strong bond of affection and respect.

Much more than other Jesuits in their American schools the "Baghdadi" Jesuits entered the family lives of their students frequently and intimately through home visits to celebrate Muslim and Christian feast days as well as a myriad of social events, both happy and sad. There was much more than ordinary student-teacher bonding. On campus the Jesuits participated in games, debates, drama, contests, athletic events almost as much as the students. Jesuits became enthusiastic about their Iraqi charges when they noticed early on that there was a great affinity between these Iraqi students and themselves. Jesuits found the Iraqi students warm, hospitable, humorous, imaginative, receptive, hard-working and appreciative of educational opportunities. This story presents evidence that the Iraqis found the Jesuits happy, fun-loving and dedicated.

As the years went on Iraqis increasingly liked them and were proud of the two schools as part of the Iraqi scene. Each of the many government crises were opportunities for successive governments to force the Jesuits to leave. The fact that they were always allowed to continue is testimony to how widely Jesuits had been accepted. The exception was the Baathi coup in 1968. In spite of the Jesuits' strenuous efforts to remain in Iraq, they joined the long line of Jesuits in various lands at various times who were expelled from their adopted country.

A remarkable phenomenon is the number of biennial reunions of the Jesuits and their graduates. Why do hundreds of middle aged Iraqis spend long weekends every two years with post middle age American Jesuits in order to celebrate two schools from which Jesuits were dismissed 25 years ago? Why have two and a half decades not dimmed memories of activities and routines of everyday school life? Why has the hostility between Iraq and the United States not weakened the bonds of friendship between these Iraqi students and their American teachers - not even frayed them? First time visitors to these reunions find the excitement, the enjoyment and the camaraderie of both parties beyond belief. This book is an attempt to explain this latter phenomenon as well as to respond to an alumni request for a record of the Jesuit Baghdad adventure which they can pass on to their children.

The Jesuits, themselves, were sensitive to the needs of the Iraqi churches and offered a great deal of pastoral assistance outside of their classrooms. Their primary reason for being educators in Iraq was to help rejuvenate the native church. The Jesuits intended to strengthen the Christians in the practice of their faith in a Muslim world; they welcomed Muslim students also - it would have been unthinkable not to. In this educational setting these Christians and Muslims got to know one another intimately. In this context also the Christians developed a patriotism and pride in a society of which they were a part.

*The arrival of the Jesuits in 1932, the start of World War II in 1941, the start of the Republic in 1958 and the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1969.


Note: The source of the background is: http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/jmac/bag/bag.htm

Another thing!! While I was navigating in the web, I found a poem by an Iraqi graduate of the Baghdad College, Dr Sabah Aris. The poem is amazing and so moving to the extent it made feel i am the one speaking.

The Legend of Baghdad College
By Dr Sabah Aris

At Christmas time, I was back Home

Where the past has slept, and memories roam,

Where the Palm Trees stand,

With Graceful pride, That hides the pain,

They have inside,

I remembered when, from the cup of knowledge,

I came to drink,

And of a place we know,

I began to think,

Where the lessons of life,

I once have learned,

So, to Baghdad College, I now returned,

The streets were dark,

Yet I could see,

My withered desk, At Class, One E

As I moved my hand, to touch the walls

I felt the bricks, begin to cry,

As neither of us,

Could say Goodbye…

The years will pass, and the walls will fall,

Yet the BC Legend, will stand up tall,

And always live, in you and I

For legends born,

Will never die …

Some releif in Baghdad cafés

Sitting on a chair and playing dominos, an old man called for tea in a Baghdadi café.

watching him made me remember pictures of some Baghdadi cafés in one of my father's favorite books, "Heritage of Baghdad".

Among a mixture of smoke rising from cigarettes and Argeelas [water pipes], Iraqi men spend most of their time talking about past, present, future and other problems in cafés.
Escaping from the daily problems like water and electricity cut offs, unemployment, terrorism, lack of security and general chaos, the cafés became the center of political and social debate among them.

In Baghdad, there are ancient cafés that are no longer considered normal cafés rather than centers for intellectuals and educated people. As an example, Al-Mustansirya café that was built in 1587 on the banks of the Tigris and restored in the 1960s. Its walls are filled with old photographs of poets and long-dead Iraqi singer Mohammed al-Qobbanji.
Another one, al-Shahbandar, a century-old café in which those who adore knowledge and wisdom gather in. Many of them, buy books from the Muttanabi street and then sit and enjoy discussing the content of these books.

Before the US-led invasion, people used to spend much time in the cafes they used to go to. But after that and because of the lack of security, they stopped staying for late hours like they used to do previously escaping the hard life they go through. In Adhamiya in northern Baghdad, for example, cafes used to stay up to early hours of the morning. Now, at 10 p.m., these cafés are almost occupied by ghosts and maybe some sleeping cats.

Now, Baghdadis are deprived even from escaping. They have to face all these problems at their homes!!

"I miss Baghdad"

When I was waiting at the Baghdad International Airport for a flight to Erbil last month, an American friend of mine started asking me about Baghdad as he's never been here before the war. I took a long breath and said, "I miss Baghdad."

He asked me how come I miss Baghdad while I live in it. "It is not the same Baghdad. I feel I live in another city and I do miss Baghdad," I answered.

Remembering how Baghdad was beautiful, I started describing how amazing it was. Starting from the nice streets like Abu Nawwas, I felt I am talking about my soul, my soul which was crushed twice. Once when Saddam and his gang were not loyal to it and second, when the American troops crushed what was left.

My friend whom I was accompanying told me one thing, "Bassam, you should leave this country. It's been fucked up!" expressing that he hates to say that. My reaction appeared on my face immediately. "I know," I said sadly and as if my heart was telling me "No, no. don't do that."
"I will come back. don't worry," I said.

When the plane took off, I started looking at the city and said, "Oh my God! It looks so beautiful." Then memories flahsed back in my mind: playing with my cousins near the great Sharzad and Shahrayar statue in Abu Nawwas St., going to the amazing Baghdad Island, spending Eid with friends and relatives in Baghdad's cafés and restaurants, enjoying the fireworks during the celebrations, enjoy visiting the Baghdad International Fair, going to picnics with my friends and colleagues of school, going to the swimming pools in the five stars hotels, and so on.

"Welcome in Erbil International Airport …," the airhostess said waking me up.

Staying in Erbil for some work did not make me forget about Baghdad. The bad news continue as usual. Watching the news in my hotel room, "dozens of Iraqis were killed in three car bombs in central Baghdad," the CNN reporter said.

One day, I was alone in the hotel as I did not have much work to do, so I decided to hang out and buy some clothes from a nearby commercial street.

"Are you from Baghdad?" a Kurdish clothes store owner asked me.
"Yes," I replied. Then he started talking in a perfect Iraqi dialect.
"How is Baghdad?" he asked.
"Fifty, fifty," I replied.
"Oh! I miss Baghdad," he said. I was shocked.
"Really?!" I exclaimed.
"Yes, I used to go to Baghdad back in the eighties. It was so beautiful. Is it the same now?" he asked.
"No, you will never know it," I said.
"I cannot go there," he said.
"Why?" I wondered.
"Because I am a Kurd," he said.
"So what? You should come but you should be careful of the strangers who came from outside Baghdad and trying to destroy it," I said.
"Baghdad was so nice and beautiful. I used to bring my family and enjoy the modern life in it," he said.

Returning back to the hotel walking, I remembered a very well-known Iraqi song, called "Baghdad", by a wonderful Iraqi singer, Kadhum Al-Sahir.
"Her eyes are my home and my bed and her ribs are my pillow. She wipes away all the sadness of my life if her finger touches my forehead. Embrace me, you the most beautiful women. Baghdad, Baghdad."

A Friday Tour

Having graduated from a private college, I had to buy the curriculum unlike students of state universities whose education was free. Every Friday, I used to enjoy going to one of the most famous and beautiful streets in Baghdad.

Al-Mutannabi Street in Baghdad is a well-known book market named after the most famous poet in the Arab history, Abu Al-Tayyib Al-Mutanabi (915-965 A.C.).

I used to go there with my friends and some classmates in college. I bought different kinds of books, mostly English poetry and novels. However, the half-mile long street was lined on both sides of the street with books ranging from 1980s computer manuals to linguistics textbooks, copies of the Quran, medical and engineering schools text books.

Back in 199s when Iraq was under the Embargo, this street was never empty. Even people who were starving for food used to go there; some never bought a book but came to water their thirsty souls with walking among books and knowledge hoping they could find something cheap to buy and read.

For three decades, book owners in this street were not allowed to sell any book that opposed the former regime. However, such books were still sold secretly there.

After the fall of the former regime, Al-Mutannabi Street is again filled with customers, from communists to clerics, who would once have faced jail or execution for reading some of the materials that opposes the government.

The street is open for customers seven days a week but the most crowded day is Friday in which dozens of educated people, intellectuals, scholars, students, university professors, etc. come by and spend hours in this wonderful place to carry on improvement and to get knowledge despite the bad situation the country is going through.

baghdadtreasure@gmail.com

Wine and Grief

Today, I preferred to post a poem about Baghdad. I hope u like it. This poem is written by a well known Iraqi poet, called Mudhaffar Al-Nawwab.

Wine and Grief
By Mudhaffar Al-Nawwab

The tavern is asleep.

Forgive me, I will leave now.

My heart is filled with wine and grief:

I wish I could roll in the sand

And the scent of melon

On the banks of the Tigris.
...
I hear an infant crying in his cradle:

Please God, let him have a homeland

I lived without one!
...
Baghdad wakes up from her dream,

Naked;

She washes her beauty with dew

And twilight blueness;

She goes inside to God

And comes out carrying the Sun

And some mint tea from Basra.

The banks of the Tigris are still asleep:

The informant forgot his report

On the table and is gone.

The report says: the wine is bad.

He lies about everything,

Even about the wine!

The Magic Stick!!

The day before yesterday, I was reading a local newspaper and suddenly a headline drew my attention. "What should we do and what the Municipality should do".
Back in the 1980s, I remember how Baghdad was clean and neat. The streets were so clean, traffic signs everywhere and traffic policemen stood monitoring if someone violates the law. People were so clean and organized.

Today, Baghdad looks miserable, dirty, and terrible. It is strange that this dirtiness increased after the invasion of the Americans to Iraq. Tanks and humvee hummers, completed the tragedy by driving on the sidewalks and destroying all the fences of the highways.

The author of the article in the newspaper said whenever an official of the Baghdad Municipality appears on TV, he says "we don't have that magic stick." Does cleaning the streets need a magic stick? Where are all the money Iraq has? Then, the author moves to criticize the people for being so uncooperative to clean their city. But the problem is that Iraqis now do not respect law and order as they did not previously. I know it is hard to say but that is the truth. These people did not make Baghdad clean and organized because they respected the law. They did that because they were afraid of Saddam! Yes, Saddam. Being a tyrant, he used to punish the people severely to the extent he forced the people respect law.

Iraqis should RESPECT law. They should be aware that the cradle of civilization is collapsing day after day and the only way to restore it is to work as one hand to prevent that. It is not difficult.

Just today, I read on a website that the World Bank allocated 85 million dollars to Baghdad Municipality projects, which include water projects, sewerage, and major designs of the capital. The question comes, what happened to the 85 million dollars????! Stolen of course!