LEAVING BAGHDAD: KEVORK MEDZADOURIAN LOOKS BACK ON IRAQ
by Termeh Mazhari
Philadelphia citypaper.net, PA
May 16 2007
Kevork Medzadourian’s memoir My 41 Years in Iraq (Tate Publishing,
$11.99) follows his adventures as an Armenian in the Middle East,
starting with his birth in 1927 and ending with his relocation to
Havertown in 1969. He recounts his experiences in Baghdad, where he
worked at the American Embassy as a procurement clerk, and writes
about how he courted his neighbor, Alice, whom he married in 1951.
Using simple, straightforward language, he details the hardships of
growing up in a country where military coups and bombs were part of
everyday life.
City Paper: Your book describes the horrors of living in Baghdad –
the constant fear of another coup, and of being shot by an officer.
What are some of your fonder memories of Iraq? Is there anything
you miss?
Kevork Medzadourian: Well, in 1954, my aunt visited us from America,
and she suggested that Iraq is not for us because we were not Arabs.
She said she would help us go to America. My answer was: Iraq is
a beautiful country, I was born here, I love Iraq. My wife, Alice,
and I also miss the weather. We miss the kindness of the Iraqi people.
Our home, our lives. But the U.S. has been a home for us now, and
that’s a consolation for us. We came to America for the safety of
our children.
CP: Do you think things have changed in Iraq from the time you were
living there?
KM: I do not think anything has changed fundamentally. Maybe it will
in the future, as we now have a new saddle on an old horse.
CP: Your book recalls the first 41 years of your life. What about
the 38 years that followed your arrival in the States? Any plans on
writing a sequel?
KM: Yes, actually. I’m in the process of writing a book from the time
we first arrived in Philadelphia until today. It’ll be ready in about
two years. In the book, there will be a lot of comparisons between
the Iraqi and the American way of life.
CP: Which culture do you prefer?
KM: No comparison can be made between the way of life in America
and in Iraq. Iraq is very slow-paced. There’s no rush in doing any
chores. In America, it is all rush. Everywhere you go, you have to
stand in line; buses and trains are always crowded. But for me and
my wife, it was a pleasure to be introduced to this culture.
CP: What did you think of Philadelphia when you arrived here in 1969?
KM: Riding the El from 69th Street to 15th Street was amazing. We
thought we were at an amusement park. Philadelphia is a beautiful
old historic city with tall buildings – which we had never seen. We
loved eating hot dogs, hoagies and cheesesteaks.
CP: In your book, you recall telling your wife that you would never
go back to Baghdad. That was in 1969. Did you ever go back?
KM: No, we never went back. We had the desire to go back, but we
were scared that there would be another coup and that we wouldn’t be
able to come back [to the U.S.]. Our friends there were scared. They
always wanted to leave. After living in America, going back to Iraq
would be like going back to prison.
Kevork Medzadourian
book signing and discussion, Wed., May 23, 7:30 p.m., free, Barnes &
Noble, 720 Lancaster Ave., Bryn Mawr, 610-520-0355
07/05/17/leaving-baghdad
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress