Zahra

My name is Zahra Rifaat and I am 12 years old girl. I am in 6th grade. After I and my family were forced to leave my beloved country, we came to live in Syria now. We left because of the worsened security situation in Iraq.

Every time I remembered that group of armed men who came into my school with big frightening guns, I get scared. When one day an explosion happened very close to our house in south of Baghdad took place, we decided it wasn't worth it to stay, and that we should leave. It was 8 months ago. I remember that day very well. I was crying and feeling very sad.

Right now, I am going to school here. And I have new friends but I still can't wait to go back to my home country, to my friends.

What I like? I like making new friends; I love reading and playing soccer. I wish one day I learn how to use a computer and speak English.

Ahmed Makkiyah

Ahmed is providing translation for webchats.

After the Iraqi liberation the in 2003, I recall that me and my father we were very optimistic and excited about the future of Iraq from the early days of war believing that Saddam Hussein wasn't a good leader for Iraq.

My views and predictions were contrary to most of my friends views and opinions about this war, I've reached a point to argue about why I believe it's a liberation not an occupation?!.

From 2003 to 2006 a three successful years of college passed with a dream to have a bachelor degree in English literature major aiming to get MA degree after that.

on 14th of November 2006 Unfortunately I lost my dad due to a barbaric assassination killing him at once riddled in the neck with four bullets, the terrorists assassinated him while he was driving to his work ,this tragic incident coincided with my second day of my fourth year in college which is the last , WHAT A SHOCK !!

Until today I see dreams that I have BA degree and all my family are celebrating and when I woke up I found my self colliding with the melancholic reality, I didn't only lost my beloved father I lost every thing including my self mental image, me and my family fled our home next day leaving all the nice memory behind us.

I want to conclude with this statement : ''We must accept finite disappointment, but we must never lose infinite hope.'' By Martin Luther King

Mirna Sadiq, 16

Mirna is in the 8th grade.

"I was a student in Iraq yet due to the bad security situation, now I live in Syria. I was able to register as a student in the Syrian schools. I live with my mother and brother who is younger than me. My uncles sometimes support us with some finance."

"I like sports especially swimming. I like to listen to rap music. I love to learn English. I like landscapes and traveling. I like to make new friends."

"I don't want to go back to Iraq due to the sectarian and ethnic divisions. My hope is for the situation to get better and for the people to realize that this is only harming the civilian people."

Barazan Sadiq, 15

Barazan is the 7th grade.

"I live with my mother and sister. My father died when I was three years old. I live in Syria for 8 months now. I feel uncomfortable living here. I have no friends or relatives here but that becomes not as important when I think when we will be doing if our savings were done."

"I usually listen to classic music especially when I am frustrated and desperate."

"I wish to have many friends. I like communicating with people through email. I love soccer games."

"I know a little bit of English and I am keen to learn more because I simply live this language."

"Thinking of the time when I almost got kidnapped, and the problems my mother had to bare because of the fact that we are Christians, makes me unwilling to go back to Iraq. Our neighbors trying to force us to convert to Islam is another reason made me resent the Arab world."

Questions from Kelly Martin, Collinsville IL

Kelly Martin from Collinsville high school sent these questions via email for Firas, Ahmed and Alaa (whose friends in Damascus call him David).

Kelly: Do many people have their own computers, or are many internet cafes?
Firas: From my perspective not too many Iraqis have PCs here in Syria, the majority of Iraqis can't afford to buy PCs, and however, Iraqi people are eager to learn about PCs and how to benefit from it especially from the internet!
The internet for the Iraqis become their only window to the outside world, they consider this service as the only way to communicate with their friends, relatives, beloved, parents….etc, who live in Iraq and other countries, the availability of internet cafes are good in some areas but the service are monitored by an admin in the café, and a lot of facilities are blocked including the voice chat and web cam in most of the cafes in Damascus, the reasons for this are unknown to me.

Kelly: What do you spend your days doing?
Ahmed: I spent most of my days reading E-books and self education myself, communicating with my friends via internet is daily activity.

Kelly: I'm sorry to hear that your Iraq credentials are holding you back from continuing your studies. Do you believe that you will be able to receive them eventually and resume your formal education?
David: In regard to my school papers, I can't go to the area I used to live in because I and my family are threatened to be killed if we go back. And I am very sad about this. Years are passing away. My peers are in their last year in high school and I am still in my tenth grade. I can't finish my studies because of those threats. I can't wait to pursue my study for it is my ambition.

Email your questions or set up a web conference

Students and teachers — if your class cannot participate in a web conference with Iraqi students living in Syria, you can still get in touch with them by email or by instant message. To send your questions by email or to schedule a web conference, click here or a send a message ferastot@gmail.com.

To send questions by IM, use one of the following screen names:

Yahoo messenger: ferastot
Gmail chat: ferastot
Skype: firas.mageed

Be sure to indicate your name, the school you attend in the US, and which student(s) your questions are for. If you are emailing to set up a conference, please include specific dates and times.

I will do my best to get your questions answered the same day they are posted, but keep in mind there is a seven hour time difference between Damascus and New York. (When it is noon in New York, it's 7 PM in Damascus.)

City College of New York

Students in Damascus and students in Brooklyn chatted for a few minutes today. Here's some of what they said.

BROOKLYN: Hi. My name is Andrea. My classmates are standing beside me.
The professor has stepped out. We will wait till she comes back
DAMASCUS: nice to meet you Anderea
BKLYN: too bad you can't see us
DMSCS: next time we will i hope
BKLYN: Here are our names... Mayra, Edie, Anita, Nikki, Saidah, Carlette, Ekraam, Shaquan, Juanita, Domingo, Sherriann, Naomi, Clara, and the professor is back.
What are your names?
DMSCS: from right to left Ahmed the translator, Firas the coordinator, Nawar an iraq student
this is me waving Ahmed
BKLYN: we're waving back
DMSCS: nive to meet you all
^^
BKLYN: Nawar, how is your father
DMSCS: Hi my name is Firas Majeed the coordinator of the webcast.
i'm pleased to annonce our first webcast session, i hope both parties will enjoy and benifit from this experience.
this is Firas
beside him is Nawar
ANd this is Alaa
BKLYN: Hi Alaa
DMSCS: hi
Nawar said: he is good
BKLYN: Have you been able to go back to school Alaa?
I'm glad Nawar
DMSCS:
Thanks to you he siad
Alaa said : NO , i don't have my high school credentials
BKLYN: What was your education like in Iraq?
DMSCS: he said : i'm willing to risk and go back to iraq to get them
BKLYN: So that means that the education in Iraq was good
DMSCS: i was very good as a student
BKLYN: Do you think the school and the teachers was good
DMSCS: he said : in waht era you mean ?
what *
BKLYN: During the time you were in school, what was the school like?
Is Marwan there?
DMSCS: in both times the education was good , but the security situation is the only challenge we face as students ( Alaa said
yes
wait please we will call him
Marwan has come
this is Marwan
i hope you saw him
BKLYN: Is it safe to go back to school in Iraq? What are the challenges?
Hi Marwan
DMSCS: hi he said
BKLYN: the girls think your cute
DMSCS: he said thanks
BKLYN: great smile
can you guys get to the US
America
DMSCS: he said : i'm very please talking with you
BKLYN: Do you think a democracy is desirable in Iraq
How are you Samer
if you're there
DMSCS: Democracy is just a head line we see and hear but in fact there is no such thing called democracy in Iraq " he said
BKLYN: Great answer!
that is your reality
DMSCS: Samir will come here in a minute please wait
yes this is our reality
he said
BKLYN: We only see headlines also. Can you tell us what is really going on in Iraq now?
ok
DMSCS: about coming to the states no it's out of question from a lot of iraqis
he said
BKLYN: sorry to hear that
why is it out of the question
DMSCS: this is Smair
BKLYN: Hi Samir
DMSCS: sorry Samir
hey
BKLYN: We're waving back
DMSCS: ^^
BKLYN: Are you guys tired?
what does ^^ mean?
DMSCS: no , on the contrary they guys are very excited to talk with you
BKLYN: So are we!
DMSCS: ^^ means a happy face
BKLYN: in that case ^^
DMSCS: Marwan want to ask you a question
BKLYN: Samer we believe you will become a doctor!
you can ask us questions also
What do you think about Americans
Honestly!
DMSCS: Samir said thanks for your hopes about me , but it's easier said than done .
BKLYN: Over here to
You just have to want it
DONT GIVE UP
DMSCS: Marwan said " as American , i think they are peacefull people , and they are very educaated and want to live peacefully
BKLYN: that's true for everybody except....BUSH
What was your question Marwan
DMSCS: Marwan question is " do you think after what happened to the iraqi people , and all the "
misery we face is easy to iraqi individual to live in US the country who invade us ?"
is it *
BKLYN: Again, it's Bush, not us. Most American are against the war.
But soon new elections are coming up and change is coming.
Personally WE WOULD WELCOME YOU
DMSCS: Marwan said " what is the image of the iraqis in the eyes of the American people "?
thnkas
thks
BKLYN: 98% of the students in this class are not American born
DMSCS: Aha
so it's a multi cultural school ?
BKLYN: We see that you are suffering, but headlines tell us that we are helping the Iraqis.
All Public school in New York City are multi-culturals
you would fit right in
DMSCS: this is all media talk " Marwan said
BKLYN: In your opinion, what is the purpose of Americans invading Iraq?
DMSCS: Marwan asking " what is your opinion about the iraqs (honestly )
?
BKLYN: We think you are people just like us who want peace and stability.
DMSCS: the cafe admin came and he said that we have to close the webcast session
we have only five minutes left
BKLYN: Were you in favor of Sadam Hussein before the war?
DMSCS: firas said : this is a pleasure to him " and all the guys here are pleased to do that again
of course you were in favour Marwan said
we were *
this is Ali on the cam now
BKLYN: that's a shocker. we heard so many horrible things
Hi Ali
We know you have to go now, so thank you for your time, and your honesty. Good Bye from BKLYN, NY
Salam
DMSCS: we hope next time you guys over there can open your webcams and dedicate more time to discuss alot of things
Salam ^___^
BKLYN: Absolutely, we will be working on that
We're waving good bye also
DMSCS: OK see you we all said that
ok bye