Links
Archives
- 01/01/2003 - 02/01/2003
- 02/01/2003 - 03/01/2003
- 01/01/2004 - 02/01/2004
- 02/01/2004 - 03/01/2004
- 03/01/2004 - 04/01/2004
- 04/01/2004 - 05/01/2004
- 05/01/2004 - 06/01/2004
- 06/01/2004 - 07/01/2004
- 07/01/2004 - 08/01/2004
- 08/01/2004 - 09/01/2004
- 09/01/2004 - 10/01/2004
- 10/01/2004 - 11/01/2004
- 11/01/2004 - 12/01/2004
- 01/01/2005 - 02/01/2005
- 08/01/2007 - 09/01/2007
Time to once again open my life up a little in order to share the plethora of wealth I'm about to absorb. I'm going to be back in Iraq through September, so hop on board and check back every couple of days, I'll do my best to update as much as possible. Questions? dtate38@cox.net And check out the site I'm working with: http://www.billroggio.com Support independent journalism!
Tuesday, February 11, 2003
Roanoke Times Headlines: IRAQ TO ALLOW U-2 SURVEILLANCE
I can't believe I'm on my way to the Middle East as everyone around the world holds their breath waiting to see what the US will do. What is actually more unbelievable is that in two weeks, I have completely updated my gear and made my itinerary a reality, assuring that I have no option to turn back.
The days leading up to my leaving was very strange. Probably very similar to those journos and soldiers that do this on a regular basis. All sorts of thoughts are roaming my head: Will my wife be ok? Will I be ok? Did I do my will right? What happens if I get trapped in Iraq for a LONG time? Thousands of questions zipping through my head at once. Made me want to go get some anxiety medication.
Actually leaving wasn't too bad though. Thank god for such a lovely, caring, and seriously understanding wife. I can only guess what's going through her head.
The flight to Turkey was as long as I imagined. I left Roanoke early on the 10th only to sit in a Philadelphia bar for eight hours waiting for my connection to Munich ( bars aren't so bad!). The day changed over as we crossed the Atlantic. A breakfast beer and a short layover later and I was on my way to Ankara. This is where the true adventure begins, because at this point, I'm about to enter the Middle East, with no knowledge of the local languages (Kurdish, Turkish, or Arabic), no points of contact, and no idea if my goals are even realistic. All of this with a war on the horizon. No bother; if all goes well, I'll be on the Iraqi border in two days.
Once in Turkey, I realized my first indication that both Americans and Israelis are viewed VERY differently by much of the world. This would be more evident as the trip went on. The first encounter, however, happened as I entered the airport in Ankara and was forced to pay a $100 entry fee. Everyone else in the world paid no more than $20. I would soon find out this was because the US and Turkey were having some trade issues that filtered down to this form or retaliation.
Soon after that, I seemed to anger a porter with a meager $7 tip. I would also soon find out that a $7 tip in Turkey is HUGE. Obviously being a white westerner was the tip off.
For being in "Europe", it sure didn't seem like it. In Turkey, NOTHING is in English and so far, fewer people speak English than I expected (based on research). Also, what I've seen is more akin to a third world country than one of Europe. Houses, apartments, and buildings all crammed together on the hillsides. Dozens mosque towers popping out of the urban landscape. Ankara is definitely nothing special.
I figure out that there's only one flight to Diyarbakir a day and I've missed it, so I have to get a cab to take me to the nearest hotel. The nearest one, Hotel Star Gap, is more than 20 miles away. At least I got to see some of the city.
Everything is empty because of a holiday. Eid is one of the holiest times for Muslims and I happened to land in Turkey right in the middle of it. Even the hotel I'm in (a 3 star hotel - $65) is empty. This becomes reality when I go to get dinner in the restaurant and there is nobody in there except the waiter and chef. Things are so quiet, I end up eating with the hotel manager Deniz.
Deniz speaks some English and is the first Turk I've actually been able to talk to about the war. You can tell that Deniz is very concerned about war. He says the last war (1991) destroyed their economy and that things are still painful. He actually became visibly upset when I told him I thought war was inevitable.
My first concern for my safety came out of this conversation. Deniz comments: "You're brave for going to SE Turkey". It's one thing for your wife to say it, it's another thing when a local says it. I'm not sure if his concern is legitimate or biased. The SE of Turkey was until recently embroiled in a bloody civil war, much of which took place in Diyarbakir. If Deniz is a Turk, it would be understandable he would have those feelings about a Kurdish area. For me however, I shrugged it off. I knew this wasn't going to be a game when I left Virginia.
Later I would spend time in the lounge watching the Turkish national Tae Kwan Do team shoot pool and a copy of Blackhawk Down with Turkish overdubs. Interesting. I just hope the movie isn't an omen for the rest of my journey.
I can't believe I'm on my way to the Middle East as everyone around the world holds their breath waiting to see what the US will do. What is actually more unbelievable is that in two weeks, I have completely updated my gear and made my itinerary a reality, assuring that I have no option to turn back.
The days leading up to my leaving was very strange. Probably very similar to those journos and soldiers that do this on a regular basis. All sorts of thoughts are roaming my head: Will my wife be ok? Will I be ok? Did I do my will right? What happens if I get trapped in Iraq for a LONG time? Thousands of questions zipping through my head at once. Made me want to go get some anxiety medication.
Actually leaving wasn't too bad though. Thank god for such a lovely, caring, and seriously understanding wife. I can only guess what's going through her head.
The flight to Turkey was as long as I imagined. I left Roanoke early on the 10th only to sit in a Philadelphia bar for eight hours waiting for my connection to Munich ( bars aren't so bad!). The day changed over as we crossed the Atlantic. A breakfast beer and a short layover later and I was on my way to Ankara. This is where the true adventure begins, because at this point, I'm about to enter the Middle East, with no knowledge of the local languages (Kurdish, Turkish, or Arabic), no points of contact, and no idea if my goals are even realistic. All of this with a war on the horizon. No bother; if all goes well, I'll be on the Iraqi border in two days.
Once in Turkey, I realized my first indication that both Americans and Israelis are viewed VERY differently by much of the world. This would be more evident as the trip went on. The first encounter, however, happened as I entered the airport in Ankara and was forced to pay a $100 entry fee. Everyone else in the world paid no more than $20. I would soon find out this was because the US and Turkey were having some trade issues that filtered down to this form or retaliation.
Soon after that, I seemed to anger a porter with a meager $7 tip. I would also soon find out that a $7 tip in Turkey is HUGE. Obviously being a white westerner was the tip off.
For being in "Europe", it sure didn't seem like it. In Turkey, NOTHING is in English and so far, fewer people speak English than I expected (based on research). Also, what I've seen is more akin to a third world country than one of Europe. Houses, apartments, and buildings all crammed together on the hillsides. Dozens mosque towers popping out of the urban landscape. Ankara is definitely nothing special.
I figure out that there's only one flight to Diyarbakir a day and I've missed it, so I have to get a cab to take me to the nearest hotel. The nearest one, Hotel Star Gap, is more than 20 miles away. At least I got to see some of the city.
Everything is empty because of a holiday. Eid is one of the holiest times for Muslims and I happened to land in Turkey right in the middle of it. Even the hotel I'm in (a 3 star hotel - $65) is empty. This becomes reality when I go to get dinner in the restaurant and there is nobody in there except the waiter and chef. Things are so quiet, I end up eating with the hotel manager Deniz.
Deniz speaks some English and is the first Turk I've actually been able to talk to about the war. You can tell that Deniz is very concerned about war. He says the last war (1991) destroyed their economy and that things are still painful. He actually became visibly upset when I told him I thought war was inevitable.
My first concern for my safety came out of this conversation. Deniz comments: "You're brave for going to SE Turkey". It's one thing for your wife to say it, it's another thing when a local says it. I'm not sure if his concern is legitimate or biased. The SE of Turkey was until recently embroiled in a bloody civil war, much of which took place in Diyarbakir. If Deniz is a Turk, it would be understandable he would have those feelings about a Kurdish area. For me however, I shrugged it off. I knew this wasn't going to be a game when I left Virginia.
Later I would spend time in the lounge watching the Turkish national Tae Kwan Do team shoot pool and a copy of Blackhawk Down with Turkish overdubs. Interesting. I just hope the movie isn't an omen for the rest of my journey.
