Some of you may recognize Hussein, a friend of mine who worked with me in Baghdad as an interpreter during both of my tours, in this photo. This is a shot from last week during our first bowling outing in Squirrel Hill since Hussein arrived in Pittsburgh last winter. Neither of us could be considered 'avid' bowlers, or even 'proficient' bowlers. Frankly, it's a stretch to even call us bowlers at all. But we settled on bowling as the evening's activity and gave it a shot. My initiation into the sport began at a young age in Selinsgrove at Super Bowl 522, with the after school program run by Mr. Rutkowski. He always hovered over anybody with two strikes in a row, to be there if they pulled off the "turkey." Most of us choked under the pressure. Hussein told me about the times before the war when his dad took him to the bowling alley in the Rasheed Hotel. If that name rings a bell, it's because that's one of the most famous landmarks in downtown Baghdad and the place where many foreign journalists stay and report from when in Iraq. Located just on the edge of the International Zone, it has also served as one of the most popular places to conduct diplomatic business in Baghdad. I have to admit that after two and a half years of nearly daily meetings at the Rasheed, I had no idea there was a bowling alley there, apparently under one of the night clubs. Hussein's father was killed in a suicide bombing in 2006 at a market a few blocks away from the Rasheed. His mother was also injured in the blast, but has since recovered and soon hopes to join Hussein here in Pittsburgh. Nearly every member of Hussein's family chose to serve as interpreters. Hussein worked with me both while I was in the Army and with the State Department and also ran missions with Blackwater security teams. His mother worked at the US Embassy, and his sister Wafaa served with Army units at Camp Liberty on the outskirts of Baghdad. Wafaa just arrived here in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, also under the Special Immigrant Visa program, set up to expedite the immigration of Iraqis who served with the U.S. Government. Hussein was able to bring his wife Nour and little boy Suleyman to the States as well. We've had good news on the job front lately, as first Hussein got a job as a security guard and then his wife was able to get a job in the same building on the cleaning crew. Wafaa is working on getting some interviews lined up. They are adapting well to their new lives but it is certainly full of challenges. While most of the people he works with have been friendly and helpful, he does feel that his Arab appearance and accent throws some people off at times and he has overheard some prejudiced comments. He has even found that mentioning his pride at serving with Americans in Iraq has sometimes backfired, due to the inescapable politics that unfortunately tend to dominate that entire topic. For many of us, the war will never be as personal as it has been for somebody like Hussein and his family. Keep them and the many others affected by this conflict in your thoughts as they continue their own personal reconstructions.
Some of you may recognize Hussein, a friend of mine who worked with me in Baghdad as an interpreter during both of my tours, in this photo. This is a shot from last week during our first bowling outing in Squirrel Hill since Hussein arrived in Pittsburgh last winter. Neither of us could be considered 'avid' bowlers, or even 'proficient' bowlers. Frankly, it's a stretch to even call us bowlers at all. But we settled on bowling as the evening's activity and gave it a shot. My initiation into the sport began at a young age in Selinsgrove at Super Bowl 522, with the after school program run by Mr. Rutkowski. He always hovered over anybody with two strikes in a row, to be there if they pulled off the "turkey." Most of us choked under the pressure. Hussein told me about the times before the war when his dad took him to the bowling alley in the Rasheed Hotel. If that name rings a bell, it's because that's one of the most famous landmarks in downtown Baghdad and the place where many foreign journalists stay and report from when in Iraq. Located just on the edge of the International Zone, it has also served as one of the most popular places to conduct diplomatic business in Baghdad. I have to admit that after two and a half years of nearly daily meetings at the Rasheed, I had no idea there was a bowling alley there, apparently under one of the night clubs. Hussein's father was killed in a suicide bombing in 2006 at a market a few blocks away from the Rasheed. His mother was also injured in the blast, but has since recovered and soon hopes to join Hussein here in Pittsburgh. Nearly every member of Hussein's family chose to serve as interpreters. Hussein worked with me both while I was in the Army and with the State Department and also ran missions with Blackwater security teams. His mother worked at the US Embassy, and his sister Wafaa served with Army units at Camp Liberty on the outskirts of Baghdad. Wafaa just arrived here in Pittsburgh a few weeks ago, also under the Special Immigrant Visa program, set up to expedite the immigration of Iraqis who served with the U.S. Government. Hussein was able to bring his wife Nour and little boy Suleyman to the States as well. We've had good news on the job front lately, as first Hussein got a job as a security guard and then his wife was able to get a job in the same building on the cleaning crew. Wafaa is working on getting some interviews lined up. They are adapting well to their new lives but it is certainly full of challenges. While most of the people he works with have been friendly and helpful, he does feel that his Arab appearance and accent throws some people off at times and he has overheard some prejudiced comments. He has even found that mentioning his pride at serving with Americans in Iraq has sometimes backfired, due to the inescapable politics that unfortunately tend to dominate that entire topic. For many of us, the war will never be as personal as it has been for somebody like Hussein and his family. Keep them and the many others affected by this conflict in your thoughts as they continue their own personal reconstructions.
