The First Flight Has Changed My Life
As a graduate student in economics, it is much easier to have a conversation with you,
rather than tell you my life story. Kirkuk, a city of 1 million people, is where I saw the world for
my first time. It is a city rich in oil in Kurdistan-Iraq, also called the “black gold city.” Those are
all nice facts but it still is not the best place to spend your entire life, there is plenty of corruption,
political and security issues, etc. Because of this, I dreamed of coming to the United States to
study, and that dream came true.
October 12, 2011, 12 AM, it was a chilly night in Erbil city (Kurdistan’s capital city). I
had never felt so excited before in my life. I had spent 2 days shopping for this moment. The
people travelling consisted of me and Juliet, a colleague and a friendly, mature girl, whom I
was supposed to meet at the airport main gate that night. One of my best friends, “Sarkawt”,
helped me get a taxi to the biggest airport in the hopefully growing region in north Iraq. “Call
me as soon as you have chance to, take care of yourself,” Sarkawt said, with his usual smile in
such situations, although his true meaning is questionable. The taxi was waiting for me. “Sama!”
as only my close friends and family call me. “Get in the car now! There is no time to waste.”
When the taxi started moving, I heard somebody yelling, “Do not forget gate and terminal
numbers,” I was glad that the taxi driver seemed like he had never heard of those English terms!
I gave my friend a last victory gesture from the taxi window; however, I was worried about
losing my way to the terminals and gates. So, I held the flight confirmation letter tightly in my
hand, as a small kid would do. I believed that it would help me. Although the airport is only
about 10 minutes from the city downtown, the taxi driver asked for more than the usual ride cost.
Most people there have never traveled by plane in their entire life. Some of them
rather than tell you my life story. Kirkuk, a city of 1 million people, is where I saw the world for
my first time. It is a city rich in oil in Kurdistan-Iraq, also called the “black gold city.” Those are
all nice facts but it still is not the best place to spend your entire life, there is plenty of corruption,
political and security issues, etc. Because of this, I dreamed of coming to the United States to
study, and that dream came true.
October 12, 2011, 12 AM, it was a chilly night in Erbil city (Kurdistan’s capital city). I
had never felt so excited before in my life. I had spent 2 days shopping for this moment. The
people travelling consisted of me and Juliet, a colleague and a friendly, mature girl, whom I
was supposed to meet at the airport main gate that night. One of my best friends, “Sarkawt”,
helped me get a taxi to the biggest airport in the hopefully growing region in north Iraq. “Call
me as soon as you have chance to, take care of yourself,” Sarkawt said, with his usual smile in
such situations, although his true meaning is questionable. The taxi was waiting for me. “Sama!”
as only my close friends and family call me. “Get in the car now! There is no time to waste.”
When the taxi started moving, I heard somebody yelling, “Do not forget gate and terminal
numbers,” I was glad that the taxi driver seemed like he had never heard of those English terms!
I gave my friend a last victory gesture from the taxi window; however, I was worried about
losing my way to the terminals and gates. So, I held the flight confirmation letter tightly in my
hand, as a small kid would do. I believed that it would help me. Although the airport is only
about 10 minutes from the city downtown, the taxi driver asked for more than the usual ride cost.
Most people there have never traveled by plane in their entire life. Some of them