Crossing Baghdad - Ahmed
- 14 Mar 07, 11:26 AM
As part of Salam Pax's Window on Iraq series of text, audio and video blogs, Baghdad student Ahmed's first audio entry describes the difficulties of student life in Iraq's capital.
These days the most difficult thing in my life is going through the streets of Baghdad. Besides the bombs and explosions we have to deal with many other troubles which guarantee a late arrival at university.
I travel to university in a taxi I hire with a couple of friends and while this makes travelling to university cheap as a group of young men in a car it also means that we get stopped at every check point.
There are also many new laws which make it even more difficult. For example there is the odd and even law; on one day only cars with odd numbers are allowed on the roads and only even numbers on the next. The aim was to reduce the number of cars on the streets and to keep the car bombs in check. But for us it means that we must have two cars to really be able to move around daily or use unreliable, crowded buses.
Another law strange law prohibits you from using a mobile phone when in a car. Not while driving but just while sitting in a car within sight of a check point. They are afraid you might trigger a bomb. But how do you call your family to tell them you are late because of road blocks not because you have been kidnapped? Or that the car bomb they just heard about is not near you and you’re still alive? For us mobile phones are our lifelines.
On a good day getting to my university is only a 15 minute drive. On foot it is half hours away. I know because I recently had to walk all the way.
I had an exam on the day the new security plan started and found that no cars were allowed to cross the bridge.
It was strange but nice to be walking on the streets with no cars. But I am my friends saw a couple of American Humvees on the side of the road we thought that could be trouble. You have to be careful when walking near American Army vehicles. They could be attacked and you end up as a casualty of that or the Americans might panic and shoot you. We found a small side street and quickly got into it.
In the end I had to run as the exam was going to start without me. I was allowed in even though I was five minutes late and I sat for 15 minutes catching my breath before even looking at the questions.
I have not yet received my grades but I have a feeling that my best score is going to be for the test on that day.
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Hi Ahmed ,
Good Luck in your exams . I have followed your blog from the very beginning and your insight and bravery have been a privilege to behold . Here in Dublin Ireland it is difficult to imagine the problems you must face , hope the studies pay off . Best of luck and happy st. patrick's day !
Your Friend ,
Simon
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