As an Iraqi national and an American citizen, I possess a unique perspective when contrasting the two countries. Growing up in Iraq I experienced and witnessed different forms of oppression and injustice. At the age of four, my childhood was stripped from me. My father was threatened, my neighbor was kidnapped and killed, and a missile hit my elementary school during class periods. Life in America might not be perfect, but I’m grateful and thankful to be living in such a wonderful country. The major differences I’ve noticed between Iraq and America are: the education system, government system, and the aspect of safety.
The first important difference between the two countries is the education system. In America it's important to let children …show more content…
While walking home from school in Jenison, Michigan the fear of being kidnapped is nonexistent. There have been a few terrorist attacks against the United States, but it's not an invaded country. There is no need for parents to check up on their kids after every explosion because there are no explosions happening in Jenison. We have all these safety drills in case of emergency threats, and every time we have one I can’t help the chuckle that escapes my mouth. However, in Iraq even elementary school kids are expected to have cell phones so they can assure their parents that they made it to school safely. In the first grade, a missile hit my school while we were still in class. The windows shattered dramatically and all I remember is seeing a wave of rushing parents coming to get their kids. My mom left our house the moment she heard the loud sound of the explosion and made her way over to my primary school. She picked me up and bolted out of the building leaving behind my backpack and books. I also wasn’t allowed to go outside on my own in Baghdad, which led to me learning how to ride a bike in my sisters bedroom. I am partially convinced that Iraqis are delirious because the reaction to hearing a bomb during class shouldn’t be ‘oh that one was loud it must have been close. Ok, back to the lesson.’ I realized that if Iraqis waited in anticipation and worried about every bomb and explosion then life would stop. There comes a point where it just becomes part of your life and its stops shocking you. Life in America isn’t always safe, but when compared to Iraq it sounds like
The first important difference between the two countries is the education system. In America it's important to let children …show more content…
While walking home from school in Jenison, Michigan the fear of being kidnapped is nonexistent. There have been a few terrorist attacks against the United States, but it's not an invaded country. There is no need for parents to check up on their kids after every explosion because there are no explosions happening in Jenison. We have all these safety drills in case of emergency threats, and every time we have one I can’t help the chuckle that escapes my mouth. However, in Iraq even elementary school kids are expected to have cell phones so they can assure their parents that they made it to school safely. In the first grade, a missile hit my school while we were still in class. The windows shattered dramatically and all I remember is seeing a wave of rushing parents coming to get their kids. My mom left our house the moment she heard the loud sound of the explosion and made her way over to my primary school. She picked me up and bolted out of the building leaving behind my backpack and books. I also wasn’t allowed to go outside on my own in Baghdad, which led to me learning how to ride a bike in my sisters bedroom. I am partially convinced that Iraqis are delirious because the reaction to hearing a bomb during class shouldn’t be ‘oh that one was loud it must have been close. Ok, back to the lesson.’ I realized that if Iraqis waited in anticipation and worried about every bomb and explosion then life would stop. There comes a point where it just becomes part of your life and its stops shocking you. Life in America isn’t always safe, but when compared to Iraq it sounds like