Neurotica ventures outside

On Friday the Neurotic Iraqi Wife ventured outside of the Green Zone for the first time in the two years that she's been back in Baghdad.

First thing I did was put the seat belt on, it was a natural reflex I guess. What are you doing? M asked nervously. No, dont put it on Neurotica, we dont use seat belts here, you will definitely look like an outsider if you do. So I immediately unbuckled it and sat back. As we approached the last checkpoint, M looked at me and said, this is it Neurotica, are you sure you still wanna do this? I looked him in the eye and said, M, please, we have planned this for a long time, dont worry about me, Im not scared what so ever, just drive on. He smiled and said ok this is it, this, Neurotica, IS the beginning of the RED ZONE. Welcome, welcome to your home. Welcome to Baghdad. The Real Baghdad. And so my journey began.

I coudnt believe that after almost two years, two years of being inside that gray place, that lifeless dull gray place, Im finally out. I finally got away from the prison of the Twalled green zone to my beautiful beautiful Baghdad. The real Baghdad. And it IS beautiful; I don’t care what anyone else says...

...And after nearly 29 years, 29 years of just memories, 29 years of just looking at old Polaroid photos, 29 years of nostalgia, I finally saw the house, or I should say what remained of the house I used to live in as a child. My God, a rush of feelings just like a film strip passed afore my eyes.

In spite of the progress by General Petraeus and the brave men and women under his command, Baghdad is still a dangerous place.  But Neurotica gives us hope that it won't be so very long before Baghdad is once again the city that it was at the very height of its history.