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The Iraqi Ann Frank is still with us...

I am a regular reader of HNK's Blog, the narrative of a young Iraqi woman in Mosul going to Pharmacy College.

HNK does not post often enough for me, especially when her last post seemed so depressing as to be suicidal.

I read this blog as an American, as a father, as teacher, and sometimes I laugh and sometimes I cry.

Her latest post gives me confidence that HNK is too determined a woman to let fear or depression stop her (and has one wicked, subtle sense of humor as well). It is a long post; this is a short excerpt. I hope you'll go there and read the whole thing:

I confess,

That I just ran from the living room where my family are hearing news now.

I confess,

That sometimes, it’s better for you not knowing about things, even if that’s things are related to you. Sometimes it’s better for you not to know what is going on, because what is going on is still going on.

I confess,

That this month was one of the worse in my life, and I am glad that it’s end.

I confess,

That I really studied hard through this course and when the exams were on the door I was completely tired

I confess,

That even this tireness didn’t stop me to stay awake during the night and study hard for those exams.

I confess,

That I did well in the exams but I didn’t do the better I could. I didn’t get what I seek. My marks will not be the marks I was looking for.

I confess,

That I am not from that part of persons who are satisfied with the little they get.

I confess,

I want everything, every dream to come true and every inch of it to be a real.

I confess

If I will not be one of the first 10 students on my class, something really terrible will happen to me.

I confess,

That I feel lonely, that kind of feeling resemble to not even be sure that I am existing.

I confess,

That may be result from being alone with books for 2 weeks of exams.


I confess,

That I will start my second course in Pharmacy College next week.

I am hopping,

That I will be a better student this time.

I confess,

That I like the college without frog and without biology lectures


My final two thoughts: (1) I wish I could communicate this well in my native tongue as she does writing in a second language; (2) she is my surrogate for all the young Iraqi women and men I hope desperately will live long enough to build their own country in their own way.

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