Baghdad Girl

Blogging Since 2004

Thursday, August 06, 2009

A promise

Hello friends,

I once told you that I would never stop blogging, I didn't keep that promise and I am really sorry for that but I'll try to make it up to you and start blogging again. Let's turn that page and start another, a better one. This blog means a lot to me and you all mean a lot to me, I can't tell you how much, so I'll simply say '' Thank you''.

I'll tell you how I am living my life and how it is different for me that I am an Iraqi girl. I have been through horrible days but I got through it and I am going to look forward to a better future. These last three years changed me forever and I am grateful for that. I feel educated, my English is so much better and believe it or not, I read books!! I used to hate them and never saw myself reading one for fun but then I read a book and found out that books are magical things, I love them.
My first day at the university will be on 23-8-2009, I am afraid because its a new experience for me and I have no idea how it is going to be, please pray for me. I feel this post was a mess but its a start.

P.S. Please correct any mistake (spelling or grammar) you find and I'll be really grateful for that. I want to keep improving my English language and there is no better way than to learn from my mistakes :D



Raghda

posted by Raghda @ 2:13 PM  

23 Comments:

  • At 1:17 AM , Anonymous TheOldOne said...

    Hi Ragda,
    Congratulations again, you know you need to study harder, dont be afraid of anything... Be yourself.

    My English is not good as yours... I am not going to correct any mistakes.

    I will pray for you.

    Regards

     

  • At 12:29 PM , Blogger Katy said...

    Congratulations! University WILL go well for you! =)

     

  • At 2:29 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Hi Raghda,

    I have enjoyed reading your blog, and wanted to congratulate you on getting accepted to a University! I am currently taking a course on gender in the Middle East in America, and was wondering if most women you know attend Universities? Thanks for keeping us updated with your life, and I wish you success in school and life!

    Best,
    Mikayla

     

  • At 1:08 AM , Blogger Raghda said...

    Hello Mikayla,

    Thanks :D and yes of course all the women I know attend universities. Education is very important in my family, it doesn't matter whether you were a man or a woman..

     

  • At 7:20 AM , Anonymous Tom said...

    Hey, I used to read your blog years ago and have just re-visited. I live in Sydney and have been to the UAE, I can imagine you there. You seem to have grown up a lot since a few years ago.

    You have everything in front of you and I wish you happiness and propsperity for the future. If or when you return to Baghdad I hope it will be a happy time for you and your family.

    ps your English is tops mate!

     

  • At 7:30 AM , Blogger Raghda said...

    Thanks Tom, that means a lot to me

     

  • At 3:24 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Hi, Ragda I haven't read your blog in a long time. I thought I'd click on it today, and there you were! How exciting to hear you are starting University. That's really wonderful. We just adopted a new cat: 2 1/2 years old, black little female who tears around the house chasing her toy mouse!
    Glad to hear you sounding so happy! keep up the blog!
    XXX, Katy

     

  • At 6:07 PM , Anonymous From Baghdad said...

    Ramadan Kareem.

     

  • At 9:37 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    Not a mistake really, but instead of "P.S. Please correct any mistake (spelling or grammar) you find...", generally people will say "any mistakes you find". I suppose this is so you don't imply that there's only one.

    Your English and your writing are excellent. Good luck to you and to your country.

     

  • At 3:08 AM , Blogger liontooth.com said...

    Your english is fine, I'm happy to hear you are doing well. Good luck with school.

     

  • At 8:01 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Dear Ragda,
    This post is very coherent and the English is excelent. All the very best for your Univerity.

    There was only one very slight grammatical error:

    Beginning of the second paragraph, you should say

    "..and how it is different for me BECAUSE I am an Iraqi girl."


    Also when you write about yourself, in the top righthand corner of the blog page you say:

    ...and then I left Iraq FOR the bad situation.

    here

    it would be better to say

    either

    "AS A RESULT OF"

    or

    "BECAUSE OF"

    English conjunctions are very difficult !

    I greatly admire your ambition to make a better world, which you expressed in some of your earlier posts.

    my prayers are with you

    "Peacelover"

     

  • At 9:06 AM , Blogger Joe said...

    Well, you asked for it. As an English major you forced my hand. GOOD LUCK IN COLLEGE. Also, your English is pretty good. :-)

    Hello friends,

    I once told you that I would never stop blogging, BUT I didn't keep that promise and I am really sorry for that {PErIOD]. I'll try to make it up to you and start blogging again. Let's turn that page and start another, [DELETE ‘A’] better one. This blog means a lot to me and you all mean a lot to me, I can't tell you how much, so I'll simply say '' Thank you''.

    I'll tell you how I am living my life NOW and how DIFFERENT IT IS for me THEN WHEN I WAS an Iraqi girl. I have been through horrible days [COMMA], but I got through it and I am LOOKING forward to a better future. These last three years changed me forever and I am grateful for that. I feel educated, my English is so much better and believe it or not, I read books!! I used to hate them and never saw myself reading one for fun [COMMA], but then I read a book and found out that books are magical things, I love them.
    My first day at the university will be on 23-8-2009, AND I am afraid because IT’S – SHORT FOR IT IS – REMEMBER THE APOSTROPHE a new experience for me and I have no idea how it is going to be, please pray for me. I feel this post was a mess but IT’S a start.

    P.S. Please correct any mistakeS (spelling or grammar) you find and I'll be really grateful for that. I want to keep improving my English DELETE ‘LANGUAGE’ and there is no better way than to learn from my mistakes :D

     

  • At 4:29 PM , Blogger jarvenpa said...

    Hi Ragda, it is good to hear more from you. I am sure you will be successful in the university. You have already proven that you have determination and grace.

     

  • At 7:55 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Dear Ragda,
    You do not need to feel any guilt or to apologize for not blogging "regularly." You have NOT broken your promise. You ARE still blogging! And all of us appreciate that. The older you get, the busier you will get as you take on more personal and worldly responsibilities. It's okay for there to be larger gaps between your blogs. If you ever have children, I imagine the gaps will be even larger!

    Congratulations, over and over, for doing so well in school, for getting accepted at two universities, and for discovering the joy of reading. That last one will take you very far.

    Your English has improved greatly over the years, and now appears to be much better than many Americans.

    One day, you WILL return to Iraq. The visit will undoubtedly be both happy and sad. But mostly I hope for you, that your visit will be peaceful and safe.

    This economy has been difficult the world over, myself included. I hope and pray that you father secures stable, secure employment that utilizes his skills and gives him both a strong sense of accomplishment and enough money to keep your family safe and well.

    My best to you on your continued journey,
    Lenny

     

  • At 10:55 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Radga the Baghdad Girl,

    I've read your blog off and on since 2004 when I first heard about it on NPR.

    Congratulations on all of your academic excellence and university future. Don't worry about your English - it is excellent.

    In Spanish, "te cuidas!" - take care!

    Mr. Monti

     

  • At 12:50 AM , Anonymous Brenda K said...

    Ragda!!

    I'm so glad to see that you are still blogging! Also, congratulations on your wonderful academic accomplishments - you are a great inspiration!!

    I have been following your blog off and on since I lived in Tokyo, Japan until a few years ago, and I have since returned to my home in California in 2004.

    I have had my own uphill battle since then (nothing like your real one, of course!), but things are finally starting to really look better these days.

    I love cats too. My husband and I now have four. We are professional musicians, and our first cat is our music director. It is always interesting to see how the cats react to the various types of music we play. You can see two of our cats' pictures on this site whenever you have time: www.myspace.com/thepanacheorchestra

    I promise that I will upload pictures of the younger two very soon - hopefully by this weekend!

    In the meantime, I wish you great success with your academic pursuits and thereafter, and I hope you and your family are safe and well and happy!

    Very best wishes,

    Brenda K

    P.S. Your English is better than that of many native English speakers!!

     

  • At 4:59 PM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

    Selam Raghda,

    I have enjoyed reading your blog, and I wanted to wish you best in school. Your English is very good, and it will take time to get better at it or if you have any mistakes you think you made just go step at a time, as you said no better way to improve than improving from mistakes. English is my second language as well, speaking Bosnian, English, German and French are often complicated, but dont worry you will do well with English and in school just study hard. I am also 18, and I moved to America because of the war in Bosnia, I came as refugee. I am required to write a question on blogs it is for my Women and Gender in the Middle East class. Although I am muslim, I took the class to see what else I could learn from blogs. Thank you for your time, best wishes in life and with school.

    Alema T.

     

  • At 3:55 PM , Blogger Grateful Child said...

    Hi Ragda...,
    ...and I'm pleased you're doing well and found this new inspiration in reading. Nothing like knowledge to set us free. I wish you well in your studies, and in your life.
    Perhaps you could toss a couple of comma's in here and there, but your english writing and dialog is very fluent and excellent, and I saw no mistakes in your colloquial use of words. Good luck to you Ragda, ...GC

     

  • At 9:12 AM , Blogger Unknown said...

    Hi Ragda
    Congrats for scoring such high marks in your exam. I have been regularly reading your blog. All the best for your university studies. Your english is just fine. This is Diana from Israeli Uncensored News

     

  • At 2:02 PM , Anonymous Jan Vafa said...

    Raghda,
    I just discovered your blog, and am very impressed. With what you may ask? First - your English is excellent. Second - that you have been able to succeed so well in school with all that has been going on in your life. Third - that you were accepted to TWO such prestigious universities. Fourth - that you have been able to maintain an honesty in your writing about all that is around and within you.

    Raghda, by now you must have finished your first term. I am sure you did well but I hope you also had a good experience. God bless you and keep you safe. May there be many Cats and kittens in your future.

    Jan

     

  • At 8:52 PM , Blogger fjb said...

    Raghda,
    I don't know if you ever check on your blog anymore, but I just wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten you. I wonder occasionally about how you're doing and whether you are still loving cats. Take care and be well.

     

  • At 9:31 PM , Blogger Unknown said...

    Hi Raghda,

    Almost finished with your first year of college now? I hope it has been everything that you hoped for so far. (I know my first year was full of all sorts of changes, many emotional ups and downs.)

    From across the world, I wish you all possible happiness - and hope you are able to laugh even when things aren't so happy, it always helps!

    -Jean from California

     

  • At 3:48 AM , Blogger Raghda said...

    I always check your comments my friends, thank tou and love you all

     

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