Jay Farrington

Baghdad Letters: an American Couple in Iraq, 1966-67 Jay Farrington

Baghdad Letters  is a collection of correspondence, journals and photographs compiled by a young couple from Texas in Iraq from September1966 to May 1967. From the book: Baghdad preferred professors with a Texas accent since the Iraqis had problems understanding the oil field personnel working there, most of whom were from places like Odessa, Texas. On the flight from London, I told a British soldier, 'I'm going to Baghdad to teach English.' He threw his head back and laughed, 'My God, you don't even SPEAK it!' he said. This isn't just a different culture, or even civilization. It is a different Time, a different world. In the desert at midnight we came upon a road block. An Iraqi soldier with a machine gun shined a light in our faces and filthy troops crowded around the car to look at us. 'Where you go?' 'Baghdad,' I said. 'La,' (No) he said, looking at Carole, 'You stay tonight with me.' I tried not to show the jolt of fear that went through me. But the women are getting college degrees, even going into engineering, I've heard- My students may be the first, and someday things may change.