Interveiw #1 (dad)

Where were u when it started?

I was staying up late in the summer holiday with my friends in the diwaniya of my father. We all slept there and woke up around 5 from the sounds of the bombs and …. At first we didn’t believe what was happening and were in denial. we didn’t think it was gonna get this serious

What did it feel like to be in a war and have no power?

I had faith in god. I just one day at a time as I was 17, my family was more scared for me than myself, I was just a teenager and didn’t really imagine all of the dangers that could happen like a parent would.

How did u survive the invasion and what did it take from you?

People would send food, money… to each other (the parents). If they gave it to us, then we would give it to other people who were in need of it at that time 

How did you or your family help your country?

I passed foods like bread to the neighborhood in a truck 

My cousin and father would pass money out

Did u suffer a loss during the invasion?

No close relative or friend passed away during this time, I had one classmate in my high school who disappeared and was found dead after the invasion

Was there a difference before and after the invasion in your life?

Before the invasion, I thought that I can just count on my country and that everything is safe gonna be ok. But after, I realized that you never know whats gonna happen so u need to work your best, be independent, and make sure that no matter what happens u can find a way to survive on your own.

Could u hear tanks and missile from where u lived?

Yes, since our house was on a Main Street. We would see tanks passing by sometimes

What is one think that u can never forget about the ghazi?

Liberation day, the weather that day was so nice, we went out on the streets and were so happy, we saw soldiers who came back and would say hi to them, allot of family members came back with chocolate, I’ve Never been this happy to see chocolate.

Whats one moment you had with the Iraqi soldiers? 

My cousins and siblings (we were like 6 people) were in the car, the Iraqi soldiers stopped us and told us to get out of the car, so we did, they told us to face the car so that our backs were facing them, they wanted to scare us since they saw us as kids and took the chance to do so, in the end they just asked us some questions, laughed and then told us that we can leave.

Although it was a tough time, did u have any good memories during this time?

Most of the time it everything was pretty good, our house was packed with my aunts, uncles, and cousins, it made us grow closer and that was what made it a good time.