Sunday, January 21, 2007

A Look Back in Time

It's funny to think how many things have happened in one year. Things we wished for and things we wished they never existed. A whole year with all its events is gone, and will never come back again. In all its good and bad memories, I've learned so much and grown more. And with the so many things and major changes that happened in my life during 2006, I find it hard to remember everything that happened in details. Some of them just seem so old and distant memories that as it they took place a very long time ago, not just a year! But I'm trying my best to write down everything here :)

The first nine months of 2006 were miserable to me. I had to stay at home all the time and do nothing but waiting to get here. The waiting process was so long, hard and it got painful when I learned that at some point it became fruitless when I got dropped off the scholarship program. Two weeks later I was back, and a month and a half after that I came here. Again, for the first time in 2006 I traveled ALONE from Baghdad to Jordan to London and then to the U.S... I haven't even taken a taxi by myself before when I was home, and suddenly I had to cross the world to the other side all by myself. It was really scary, but luckily, everything went just as perfect. And in 2006 and for the first time as well I live alone. Well, I do have a roommate but she is not home most of the time, so I consider myself living alone. And it's NOT fun at all.

In those months, I used to spend my time on the internet blogging and doing many other things. I remember that I used to stay up till 3 or 4 AM, that when the electricity permitted, of course! In early 2006 I was speaking on a radio show for the first time. WNR called me on the phone twice and interviewed me about students' lives, universities and how things were at college before and after the war. And on March, I was interviewed again, but this time on NPR, for the third anniversary of the war. And the show was live on the radio. It was a great experience.

I wrote several articles for newspapers and magazines on 2003 like the diary project with NEON Magazine, Mother Jones Magazine. I wrote an article for a students editorial magazine based in London in June. I also wrote an article for a Brazilian magazine about youth in Iraq in February.

In 2006, I went to the movie theatre for the first time in my life. First time was in Jordan in July with Attawie, Anarki and The Kid. The movie was Pirates of the Caribbean II and it was so much fun. Attawie and I kept laughing at the movie for days after that. Second time was also in Jordan with my mother and sister, and we watched Superman Returns. Third time was here in the U.S., last week with my friend and her husband, and we watched Night at the Museum.

Also, for the first time in 2006, I used my passport and traveled outside Iraq. I spent a month in Jordan, met Attawie after about three years, met the bloggers for the first time and had so much fun. I played foosball for the first time in Jordan as well. Baghdad Treasure and I made a team and we were the ultimate losers in scoring against our team!!! I laugh so hard every time I see the photos of that day and remember. I said I would never play it again if it's going to be the same result every time! :P


In 2006 I became a student again and started the first step in my graduate studies. And that's one of the best things that happened to me in the last year.

And finally, the biggest event of the year is my arriving to the U.S.!! Almost five months have passed and I still feel like it's my first week here! Still no friends and lonely, but I hope it won't be this way for long!

Here are some of my new year's resolutions:
  1. Well, the first thing to do for this year is to study hard and keep on my grades or even better them.
  2. Participate in the universities activities. (I almost did nothing in the previous semester!). I actually started doing that during the last week; I signed up for the Host Family program for the international students. I guess that will be very interesting.
  3. Make friends. Sometimes it's so boring and lonely here!
  4. I've always thought of making a scrapbook, I think I will make one this year. Still didn't decide what the theme is for it though.
  5. Go on more trips and explore the surrounding area.
  6. Write more posts :)
  7. Keep on praying.
  8. And of course, lose some weight! :P This resolution is on almost everybody's list yet I don’t think anyone really works hard on it! LOL

Morbido!

7 comments:

programmer craig said...

Hi Morbido,

I'm not sure why but this was (to me) one of your best posts yet :)

Have you thought about joining some of the university clubs? It's a good way to meet people with common interests. Just don't join the Foosball Club, I guess :P

Does your University have a gym for students? I decided to get back in shape a couple years ago, and joined a gym. Within a few months I was back to what I weighed in the Marines. I didn't even have to diet, I just went 3 days a week and did a nice easy workout. The weight just melted off. I've gotten to know quite a few people that way too... not close friends, but just people I work out with, now. Going to the gym has actually become something I look forward too, and it keeps me healthy too.

Good luck with all your resolutions! Although I'm sure you won't need luck :)

Anonymous said...

hi! i gained more friends in the university when i joined an organization. That was really fun because I was part of lots of activities. And fooseball - it was superfun playing with fellow-members then. ;-)

i wanted to loose weight too. ;-)

i believe 2006 was a great year for you!;-)

have fun there!

Lynnette In Minnesota said...

Yup, like everyone else said...join, join...something! :)

It's easier to make friends if you're all doing something you like.

Lose weight? Why? If I remember from the photo over at 24's none of you looked like you needed to lose weight. :)

I hope this next semester brings a little more fun and not just hard work! And of course more posts. lol!

David said...

Hi Morbido, I am happy to see your new post! :) You should be proud of your accomplishments in 2006! You have overcome some very difficult obstacles, persevered, worked hard, and achieved some important goals!

I can hardly believe that you never went to a movie theater before 2006! I have been going to movies since I was a small boy. I hope that you will have time to see more good movies at the theater in 2007. :)

Hey, I have played foosball too. I am terrible at foosball! ;) Once I met a young guy, about 15 years old, who was a foosball champion. He whipped me so bad that I was embarrassed! Still, it was amazing to watch him play. He could shoot the ball into the goal so fast that I couldn't even see it! I asked him how he got so good. He told me that he spent years at a reform school (a prison for kids - he stole a lot of stuff as a kid). They didn't have much to do during their free time except to play foosball, so he got really good. I haven't thought about him for many years. Hopefully, he has stayed out of trouble since I knew him.

I am sure that you will make some friends if you get involved in some activities. I made some good friends in college that way. Find something you like to do and then you will meet others who like the same thing. That's always a good way to begin a friendship. :) The Host Family program sounds promising too. I hope you meet a very nice host family!

Good luck with all your resolutions, especially the one about writing more posts! :)

Bassam Sebti said...

hahaha! yes, we lost the game but we won a great friendship and we had so much fun and great time altogether.

Anonymous said...

Everything will come together in due time. Of that, I'm sure. Happy belated New Year!

Anonymous said...

Great post! Sounds like u had a very interesting year.

Some advice from a 18-year old to a 22-year old:

GO OUT AND PARTY!!!!! You don't have to drink to have a good time...just get out of that dorm and go crazy!!

Have a good 2007!