This month’s featured country is Iraq. The country’s name has been in use since before the 6th century. An Arabic folk etymology for the name is "deeply rooted, well-watered; fertile.” The region of the country between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, often referred to as Mesopotamia, is the world's oldest civilization. It is here that mankind first began to read, write, create laws and live in cities under an organized government. The area has been home to continuous successive civilizations since the 6th millennium BC.
We recently interviewed a man who immigrated to the U.S. from Iraq with his family when he was a child. First, they moved to Syria in 1993; from there, they came to the U.S. in 1997. Currently, he lives in Texas.
Q. What are the cultural differences between Iraq and the U.S.?
A. The United States is a melting pot of cultural diversity. There are many types of races and religions in the U.S., and it is wonderful. In Iraq, everyone was predominantly Muslim and born in Iraq.
Q. What brought you to the U.S.?
A. We came to the U.S. to seek a better life because Saddam Hussein was killing innocent people.
Q. What is something most people don't know about your original country?
A. There are regular houses there. Nobody in Iraq lives in stone houses in the middle of the desert. The scenery is beautiful. There are big houses in the city and paved roads. People drive the latest cars and have the latest technology. There are also a lot of McDonald's everywhere, and a vast number of mountains. In many ways, it is just like the U.S.
Q. What do you miss the most?
A. I miss going to my grandparents' house and seeing my whole family there. I also miss the delicious kabobs and shwarmas. I can’t seem to find kabobs and shwarmas in the U.S. that taste the same as they did back home. The meat was so tender and juicy and had the freshest vegetables.
Q. What is the biggest misconception you encounter when people learn where you are originally from?
A. They seem to think everyone from Iraq is out to get them. They couldn’t be more wrong. Some of the nicest people I’ve ever met in my life were from Iraq.
Q. Any other comments to add?
A. Throughout my time in Iraq, I hadn’t seen any crimes committed due to religious beliefs. There are crazy people nowadays that think being a Muslim is about killing people of other religions. That is a horrible thing to do. These self-proclaimed “Muslims” could be white, black or brown. Those are the real terrorists and those are the people who everyone should avoid.
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