A powerful message of peace...

As readers to this blog may know, my daughter Eva - aka Nirgaz - has been busy raising three sons, working a part-time job, and performing volunteer work at a local mosque. Her husband - my son-in-law Meran - recently returned from over 2 years in Iraq is not only busy catching up with home life, but actively seeking the next chapter of his life. While I was visiting, he went on interviews with private corporations that want his expertise as they take advantage of economic opportunities in the rebuilding of Iraq. One day while we were having lunch, a phone call came in from a recruiter calling from North Carolina.

They were interested in both Meran and Eva, since Eva is also a competent linguist in Kurdish, Arabic, and a bit of Farsi (we won't mention Spanish...!) as well as her journalism background. Eva told me yesterday that the recruiters are taking about flying them to North Carolina for further in-person interviews.

Personally, I hope they go for it. Eva is concerned (and rightly so) about the education of the boys over there since the schools are not, in general, as good as here. I told her that if you want to make this work, you will have to get creative - search for American or International schools, or boarding schools, or even consider home schooling. She also has put a condition on her going to Meran, that they would have to build their own home there - no more staying with relatives! Hey, I am all for that one - been there, done that.

To slightly change the subject, I just found out my son-in-law was a movie extra. This past year, Kurdish filmmaker Bahman Ghobadi made a film entitled "Turtles Can Fly", filming on location in Iraqi Kurdistan. When the time came to film scenes with American soldiers, local American troops were approached, and decided to cooperate with the project. The unit Meran was attached to were among those chosen. Meran played a driver in some scenes...

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Hey, Sorry I have not been on so much lately...seems like I have had time to check mail and log off again...

Trishymouse says:
Jesus, don't DO that!

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
I got laid off for the summer though...along with many others...so maybe I will have more time until the fall when I get hired again...

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
What?

Trishymouse says:
I just sat down at my computer at home on my lunch break and BAM you message me. It's freakin' spooky!

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
What can I say...I must be a little clairvoyant

Trishymouse says:
Sorry to hear that (about the lay off)

Trishymouse says:
How's Meran coming with job hunting?

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Me and Meran saw a good movie on friday...Turtles can fly...a kurdish film...very good, but very sad...

Trishymouse says:
I'll make a note of it and check it out...

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
I will im you the site later...if you don't google it first...

Trishymouse says:
Kurdish cinema (middle east cinema in general) really is growing!

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Yea, the guy who did this one has made several films...and Meran was an extra in this one...he usually isn't that in to foreign films...

Trishymouse says:
How did Meran get to be an extra in this??

Trishymouse says:
I just found a good review by Roger Ebert on the film

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
They asked his unit to be involved as the US soldiers in the film....so he was one of the drivers...

Trishymouse says:
cool! You should post all of this on your blog 5 hours north!! I might do so if you don't beat me to it, on the waitingplace one...

Trishymouse says:
The review by Roger Ebert is very good, Eva - you should read it...

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
About Meran being in it, or my thoughts...?

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
I did right now...

Trishymouse says:
Ebert is the best critic in my opinion - very thoughtful...

Trishymouse says:
both

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Yes, very good articulation of the beauty of the film...

Trishymouse says:
Meran should be very proud to be in such a good film. Tell him I think it was great!

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
I cried at the end...it has a very sad ending...that is forshadowed at the beginning...but very good...

Trishymouse says:
I wonder if Meran and his family ran into creative people like that in the camps, who did what they had to, to get along?

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Probably...I should ask...

Trishymouse says:
Did the story ring true to Meran

Trishymouse says:
I will bug the Fargo Theatre to bring this one to town and show it...

Trishymouse says:
Now, back to Meran - what's the latest in job prospects, and staying here versus moving to Iraq, etc.?

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Yea, you should...ours came to a little local theatre that does low budget or foreign films...

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Well that guy from North Carolina called both Meran and I back and is interested in us both...they are thinking to have us fly up there for the next inteview session...so that is possiblity...

Trishymouse says:
yes!

Trishymouse says:
I SO hope you guys get the jobs. I'm thrilled they want BOTH of you!

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
They were especially taken with me, because lack of kurdish/english linguist in field of Journalism...

Trishymouse says:
I'm so proud of you

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Well I told them it had to be that way...I mean they were still intrested in him, but I told them I would not travel there without him (overseas that is)

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
I will let you go...later I love you

umsalih@hotmail.com says:
Meran also says thank you and hello...

Trishymouse says:
hello there Meran - and goodbye to both of you!

It's been awhile since either Eva or I posted, but for a really great reason - Meran is home!

He came home in mid-May. A week later my companion Christopher and I flew down to Nashville to see Meran, Eva, and the boys. We spent a hectic, busy, wonderful week with everyone. I got to do some Kurdish-style dancing at a womens-only graduation party. Another day we went on a tour of a large plantation with a private Civil War cemetery by the home, in Franklin, Tennessee. We went to the Tennessee Renaissance Festival again. Later in the week, we went to downtown Nashville, then to see the Parthenon. I even talked Eva into antiquing with me one day! The final weekend, the family had a big picnic at an area park by a lake, and we went on a two mile hike around the lake; we saw deer on the trail, and some Canadian geese flew over our heads (smart geese, waiting until it warmed up more before heading towards Fargo!)

While we were there, Meran spoke about opportunities for jobs with corporations going into Iraq for reconstruction that he will be checking out now that his Titan contract has run its course. He went on one interview but it didn't pan out. However, the next day a recruiting scout called from North Carolina. interested in Meran and Eva both, especially Eva due to her linguistic skills and background in journalism.

During this visit Salih, Bilal, and Mu'min were a bit more grown up, and we were able to get to know one another better. We even went to see a movie - "Madagascar" - during which Mu'min got sleepy and cranky, and he and I got to spend some quality one-on-one time in the hallway, me holding him and rocking him as he fell asleep waiting for his big brothers and Christopher to come out and get us after the movie finished!

All too soon, the week came to an end. But it VERY nice getting home and into my own bed, too! ;)