I'm in Iraq and just thought I'd pass this lil story out to yall. I've already told it to the one and only Connie (ford4life69).
I was talking with one of the locals when I first got in country. He asked me where in America I'm from and I told him (with a puffed out chest and big ol grin of course) Texas. He got all excited and started hollering to the other locals and about every other he said was Texas. A group of locals (kids and adults mixed) came over to us talking in arabic real fast. The guy I was talking to translated some of their questions, things like "how many horses do you have" "do you know John Wayne" "how big is your ranch" "where are your spurs" "what color is your cowboy hat" and the sort.
It was pretty fun.
A week or two later we were out that way again and the same guy noticed me and shouted (with a thumbs up) "Hi Texas! Texas good!!!Texas good! My cowboy friend!" So naturaly I belted out a "yeeeehaaaaaa" for him and the kids all copied me as they ran next to our HMMWV. Me and the guys had a good laugh from that for a little while, then I sort of forgot about it.
Well, just the other day I ran into the fellow again. Before I recognized him he called out "Cowboy!!!!!" He came up to me with a little boy and said it was his son. The boy said (is suprisingly good english) that he knows 4 Texans, 3 soldiers and Pres Bush. He said all Texans are good people and he loves us. He told me something along the lines of "When American soldiers kill all the bad people and Iraq and America are friends he wants to move to Texas and be a cowboy"

When I was back in the states almost every news station was talking about protests and how we shouldnt be in Iraq and they dont want us there. I dont know what they're saying now but I can assure yall that these are a great bunch of people. I have meet a lot of locals and only a few of them had a grudge against America, but still said they'd rather we were here than Saddam.

I dunno, I just wanted to tell yall that little story. Wanted to talk to some good ol Texans I guess. That little kid got me sorta homesick. Just a little over a month now untill R&R!

Anyways yall take care and down a Shiner for me huh?!

 

Good post. It's good to hear from a fellow soldier.

...don't get complacent though. It only takes one time for someone to recogize a pattern and try to take advantage of the situation using the friendly crowds as a diversion.

RLTW

 

Thanks for what your doing over there for US back here, if you don't mind i'm going to place a link to this thread in the international forum.

 

Great post. I wish the general news would relay stories like that.

 

Thanks, 13MWZ. For what you do, and for some info the media doesn't want us to know.

 

Very nice story.
Thanks for your efforts over yonder.

 

1) Drink a Shiner - Done!

Keep your head down and your powder dry!

Ray

 

Be Cool On Your Stool Be Cool Be Safe And Dont Stick Your Fingers Where U Wouldnot Stick Face. . 1 Of My Bestfrends Are Over There So Cover Each Other *** Because We Have A Drag Race 2 Run When Yall Get Home.much Love 4 U Boys Take Care Of Your Self. 1 Bad 71

 

BigF350, we got some of your boys (and girls) here in camp with us. I struck up a conversation with a couple of them just to see if they would realy talk like the crocidile hunter. They did! That accent sounds so cool coming a good looking female!! I got to talking with one of her co-workers and he seemed to be as interested in Texas as I was in Australia. One of these days I'm going down there for a visit. I've been saying that for as many of my 26 years of life as I can remember, but it will happen one day!!!!!
I cant thank yall enough for your replys. RFXJ3, thanks for downin that cold one for me If I close my eyes and try real hard I can almost tase one!!

Bear Hunter, your absolutly right. Infact I got 'a talking to' by our PL about it. It's hard, but for their safety as well as ours that's the way it has to be. We are pretty carefull about not creating patterns though.

 

Great story.

Thanks for your service.

 

Great to hear it. The media in this country loves to report negative things but somehow forgets all the positive.

Kepp up he good work, it is greatly appreciated by us true Americans and Texans.

 

Hey Bryan, clean out your inbox.

 

Ha, sorry, it's clear now.

 

I saw this tread and wanted to pass it along. Our troops are pretty good about keeping it light when they need to.



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I spent a lot of time in Australia, so my question to you is this? Are you after city life or more country/bush life? If you say country and bush go to Darwin NT (Northern Territory) And visit Kakadu National forest, make sure you have heaps of time you're gonna need it. The folk up in the NT are tops and the food ain't too shabby either. If I weren't married I'd be living in Darwin. Never really like Sydney although it is a nice place I reckon, I mean if I were a drinking type then Kings Cross is the place for a good freak show. Be safe and if you get a chance head down under. You'll enjoy it.

www.kakaduaustralia.com.au