Days of My Life

Talk about daily life of a teenage girl in Iraq, and days of suffering and success. My nick name will be Sunshine..

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Update...

Hello friends , my grandparents arrived Mosul today , the spend 6 & half hour in the way , they were delayed for 2 hours .
Anyway they are fine .
Tomorrow is the big day , we will debouching at 7:30 am .
I can't wait tomorrow , I feel that the time is getting slower.
Excited Sunshine…

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Good news .....

Wow , the day before yesterday I heard a great news , my grandparent (who live in Baghdad) , will come to Mosul, they didn’t come to Mosul for a year and three months , not only them , they will also be accompanied by my parents' uncle & his wife , & we will all go to spend two days in the north , I am so happy & excited , it will be the first time I sleep in a hotel .
Two days of fun ,that's what I really need , no sound of explosions or shoots , I will see the waterfall again & guess what my grandpa said that we will go to the children city , & stay there till the midnight ,( they don’t have stroll bans) , I will have fun .
My grandpa decided to spend the first day in Dhook , there is a hotel near the children city , & in the next day we will go to the summer resorts , after that we will come back to Mosul .
My grandparent will come to Mosul the day after tomorrow , pray that they will have a safe trip & we will have fun.
I am toooo excited ..
Happy Sunshine….

Thursday, August 25, 2005

I can't change the world ...

Hello friends,
Sometimes I wish I had a lot of money to help the paupers , there is a lot of paupers in the country , I started to get spendable recently ,& sometimes I give It to the cleaner's children in the school , it is a simple money for me but they can bought a meal in that money , it is very nice to see them happy.
There are rich families in Mosul ,they have a lot of money, they don’t know how to spend it , they just show off , & buy their clothes & food from very expensive shops , while there is some shops sell the same things in the half value !! can you imagine that ? . they don’t think or realized that their money could vanish one day , if they didn’t spend it wisely , they don’t think about the poor families , there are some families don’t have money to buy food medicine for their children or new clothes .
You know that my mother's work in the village , every day she talk about her work & what happen there, the people in the village are so poor they don’t have even rug to sit on , once my mom told me that a women came to the hospital , & she didn’t have money to the hospitalization it is about 30 cents , she was in pain, so my mom pay for her hospitalization, when the doctors saw that they told my mom not to do that again !!! , because all the people in the village are paupers &may be they will came every day to the hospital to get a free hospitalization!!!!.
They told her not to sympathetic with them , are they heartless or what ? , can anyone see a person in pain & don’t have money for cue & don’t help him ? no , even if this person was enemy .
Yesterday my mom told me that another woman came to my mom & she was casualty in anemia , & she was faint , & she swooned , my mom took care of her , & asked the woman to drink some thing sweet , she told her that she don’t have money the Pepsi vial about 9 cents , off course my mom bought her Pepsi , & asked the driver of the succoring car to scrip her to her home , because she couldn’t walk, but he denied .why? this car is public he don’t have the validity to refuse that .
if the doctors don’t want to cure the paupers , they should tell them that attentively .
I anguished when I hear stories like these , my mom always told me that I can't change the world , there is a lot of people how don’t care about others , I can't fix every thing there is a lot of depravity in the world , she is right . I can't, but I can do something help these people.
In the orphan's asylum the condition is very bad & deplorable , the children there are in such seamy place , my grandma used to go to the orphan's asylum every year before the (eed) fiesta to get their size to bring them new clothes for eed , last year when she came back I saw her crying , I asked her for the reason , she told me that they don’t have heater & the weather was so cold , they don’t have healthy food , they don’t have even toys to play , no one care about these few girls & boys , in the next day we went to the market & bring them whet they need , they were so happy to have new & beautiful clothes , we don’t give the money to the administrative , because they don’t bring the children what they need , & bought heaters , healthy food , fans , clothes , or toys , they take the money & don’t spend it on the children , so my grandma used to go & buy these thing herself to make sure this money spent on these children ,these children don’t have parents & that make them sad & lonely , but if we bring them what they need they will be happy & forget there loneliness & may be in the future they will be doctors , engineers , teachers , may be.
After all of that , I hope I didn’t upset you .
Sunshine…

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Monday, August 22, 2005

Why did he do that ?...

Hello friends ,
The day before yesterday at 11 o'clock in the morning we saw some panzers & soldiers in front of our house . We knew that there is inspection , I arranged my room & kept repeating welcoming sentences with my self & then they left without checking our house .
Anyway , in the afternoon we were about to leave to visit a nearby relative house , but we saw the road closed by the American forces, we knew there is another inspection .
My mom opened the doors ,the family kept waiting, but this time I kept watching TV , & I was not sure that they will choose our house for inspection.
I was in the living room , when I heard the bell , & my father was talking with someone in English , I said FINALY .
They asked my Parents if we have gun & they were surprised when they knew that we don’t .. & surprised more when they saw me talking English fluently. . It was the first time I speak with some one in English.
My mother was a little bit uncomfortable in the beginning , but the soldiers were nice with us, except one ,he was rude, he crushed the TV remote control , squeezed a tube of gel on the ground & on the bed cover & sheets.
He also powdered two bottles of Baby powder on my mother clothes in side her closet & on the bed cover, that was unseemly deportment. He did that while he was searching my parents room alone.
The other soldiers didn’t break anything . however we were expecting the worst & more losses . .We heard that some houses were damaged , so we were afraid that could happen to us .
I believed that if we cooperate with them & welcome them, they will check our house with more graciousness.
Every time I hear people saying that the soldiers broke this & did that , I would say: come on they are targets all the time , they expect attacks in every minute , certainly they will be nervous.
But if they see a co-operative family they will be nice!!!!.
Give me a reason i am confused...
Sunshine...

Friday, August 19, 2005

My Asthma & the pollution...

I have asthma since I was four, as you now the weather in Iraq is very hot & the humidity is very high , & there is another reason that makes it difficult to breath ,it's the pollution.
The causes behind that are so many like the old cars , & the large no of cars that entered the country after the collapse of the X- regime, & that is because of the absence of authority on the ambit , & there is no excises nor customhouses , you can see the fume & smell it.
We shouldn't forget about the harm of explosion's & incinerating the garbage. In addition to the garbage spread in the streets. Burning the garbage, is very common here , because of the lack of the municipality services.
So many times I had to call my mom from my school to bring me the respiratory machine(Nebulizer Compressor Unit) ! The inhaler, now is no more of benefit. once my teacher saw my condition, she brought me a new type of bronchodilator drug , from England . Since I had started to take these new inhalers , I became much better .I could run & walk, even ascending the stairs easily .
But since last month my breathing started to get worse again , because the Inhalers were Emptied .we tried to find that kind of inhaler in Mosul , Baghdad , Dubai, & Jordan but unfortunately we couldn’t find them.
In the hospital there is a lot of announcements admonishing from smoking, but no one observes even the doctors. I had to go to the hospital for several times. I was so amazed from the doctor attitude he was smoking in the emergency room!
The hospital is very dirty &the medical care is so bad .
I went to the north of Iraq 3 times & I found a huge difference between here & there. There you can feel the pure cold air .
Oh, how can I forget the generator's fume, the generators in Iraq are very old & it expels a lot of dark fume . That is a very important & one of the basic reasons of pollution..
One of the bad days I had was when the factory of brimstone was burned in Mosul in 2003 , it's name is ( Al-Meshraque factory ) , that was a disaster , I was in the sixth class primary school , & I was in my way to the final exam on that day , my family worried about me, from another attack of asthma. it was a tough day , but the attack wasn't so bad & I didn't need hospitalization. Even the plants were badly affected by that fire. ,even in our garden many fruitful trees died.
These are additional things that make the life in Iraq very hard, spatially if you were asthmatic......
stay safe & enjoy your healthy environment ....
Sunshine....





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Wednesday, August 17, 2005

No comment !.

More pictures...

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

in front of the police station..

In side the police station ....

the exploded car...


some pieces from this car were found in our garden & roof...

Destruction in every where..


The mosque after the terrorists attacks ....

Monday, August 15, 2005

Tourists, you are so lucky...

Hello friends , nice to write for you a gain after a long time of absence .
I noticed that many families are traveling for touring , to Syria , Jordan , Lebanon, Turkey , Egypt, etc . I had never traveled to anywhere , but I think it is very nice to see how the people live , their habitudes , & their culture . it is very nice to show them how we live, & give them a lovely impression about us.
My father's cousin ,( she is in my age) went to Syria, Jordan & Egypt last summer holiday . when she came back I was so excited to know the important places & their cultures. she told me that she took a lot of photos , anyway when I saw them I was amazed ( only her pictures were apparent in the photos) I wanted to see the pyramids for example , the sea , but not her face or clothes !!! .
My mom had traveled with her family when she was a child to the Denmark & Germany, & she always tell me about her father's trips . & how my grandparents traveled round the world .At least I am lucky to have someone briefing me about the other countries…
In every time I see a report , a show or read a book about a country , I become more excited & more resolved to travel.
Last year we went to the northern part of Iraq .I had fun.
It was the first time I see the waterfall , that was so beautiful , I liked the sound of the waterfall , in a very quiet nature .
Although it took us only 35 minutes to arrive Duhook , but my father don’t like journeys , I only went there 3 times !! every time I ask him to go to a picnic in the holidays, he become angry & refuse . I can't persuade him , all what can I do is to hope that one day I can travel round the world !.
Enjoy your life …..
Sunshine ….

Friday, August 05, 2005

Wasn't fun ....

Last Sunday we went to our relative’s house, I was sooo excited because I didn’t see them since a year and a half, yes, year and half.!!!
Anyway, that day was like (eed) festivity, I wore my best clothes & got ready before my family (I told you I was so excited!).
We persuaded my grandma to come with us, she kept praying all way long.
Previously, women used to talk about the kids, the housework, fashion & shopping. While men talk about politic subjects, their work & cars. I get bored with both. However, that was in the past, now men & women talk about the bad situation, their bad scary experiences& their losses.
All the talk was about who was killed & who was abducted …….
When the host said listen to this story about D. family, one of the guests said:
-oh, my God.
-Do you know this story?
- No.
-why did you say oh my god? It could be something good.
- I don’t know.
That was the only funny story we laughed at.
You can see the people now, expect bad things all the time, & they became pessimist.
When I reached home, I said to my grandpa, now I know every one who was killed & abducted.
Moreover, I said to my mom, that staying home is more fun.
However, it’s important to see people, even if the talk was prosaic (so baffler)!
Yesterday we went to another relative’s house, they have a graduation occasion. H. (the daughter who graduated) became a pharmacist. I wish that her father were still a live, to share her her success & happiness. The terrorists murdered her father few months ago.(I know I know you want to hear the whole story ).
My mom will write about that…...
Keep waiting her post…
Sunshine…

Sunshine made a mistake again ...

I made a tiny mistake again, I wrote shear instead of share.
Of course I want you to Share it & not to shear it(cut)…..
Remember the old say (He who makes no mistakes makes nothing) …
This picture became the background of my computer.Thank you sender.
Enjoy it...
Sunshine….

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Never ever give up !

On of my blog readers sent me this picture, with very nice & supportive words…
Let us shear it together …
Sunshine…

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Be yourself ...

In the last few months, I noticed a very big difference in my interests even in my personality. The things I was interested in , now I consider it petty , & sometimes I wonder why I considered these things very important, &wonder who was that girl?! . I was so interested about the singers’ news (the Insider), their interviews & the way they dress. I hated the reports programs & the shows I mentioned in my previous post, now I watch two reports every day! I couldn’t imagine that one day I will watch reports, never.
Why was that? Because that was not me, I was trying to be like the girls, to emulate them. I was trying to get friends, but I did not. My
Mother kept telling me to be who I am . I realized what she was talking about when I saw Simon in American Idol , ( but I am not trying to be like Simon , I am more affectionate & friendly with people ). He was different ,& he didn’t mind that .
Last year my mom bought a CD for Julio, when I heard the first song, I wondered if she really likes that kind of singing. Now I listen to Julio all day! Now he is my favorite singer. ! (Sorry Julio)
When I talk with the girls in my age, I feel like I am a stranger among them. But I also feel that I know who I am , & what I really want , & I don’t want to echoing other people anymore.
Now I don’t feel shame or regret about that, I think it is ok to make mistakes, but I feel proud about who I am know.
Be yourself…
Sunshine…

Finally, we finished it...

Finally, we finished the curtain. We will hang it under the stairs , do you like it ? .

Women in my country...

Iraqi women:
I will not pretend that our women are as free as women in America, western countries, & in other foreign countries. In fact they are of different factions, I suggest to divide these factions into three :
-Let me start with the best faction, the highly educated women:
They have collegiate attestations; this faction consists of two levels, --*level one. They’re doctors, engineers, pharmacists, and those have PHD in different specialties.
* Level two, They also have collegiate attestations, they graduated from the scientific or literary collages.
Those educated women form a good ratio; I can’t give numbers because I don’t have statistics. But I know they are many, because most families we know their women are collegians. And ignoring this faction is unfair.
-The second faction:
Women finished their high school education, or at least primary education. They are either working women or not.
The third faction:
Women didn’t go to school, (illiterates) some of them are land girls, charwomen, mendicants, etc or stayed home. Most of them are in the villages, although some of them live in the cities.
The backwardness increased in Iraq after the gulf war, due to the neediness .And that was among girls & boys .Specially after the economical sanctions, many poor children stopped attending schools, although they get free education, some of them had to work & sustain their families, others stayed at home to save the other costs like, stationeries, clothes, bags, shoes….etc.
That was about education &women in my country.
Let me tell you about women independency &liberty in declaring their opinions &deciding their life style with respect to our traditions, ethics& religion. I see that people from different countries misjudge that. They are exaggerating about that too.
For example, my grandmothers have strong personality, and I think they are a little bit bossy. They had their own jobs, (now they are retired), they always discuss life matters, with friends, neighbors, family members and relatives. They always have their own opinions even about the politics.Specialy know a days, when my grandparents & Dad, discuss the Constitution, I can tell you my grandma is the most enthusiastic one among them during the discussion.
Discussions. She follows the news channels, & read the newspapers. She can lead any discussion so easily.
I don’t want to generalize any of these factions, but to have them all in our society is a fact.
You deserve to know the truth…
Sunshine…

Monday, August 01, 2005

Surprise..

Surprise, Surprise, after a long long time, my aunt Rose started to post again.
Enjoy reading her blog, but don’t forget Sunshine & Mama.
Happy Sunshine...