THE RADIO STORY

THE RADIO STORY

Hello,

When I first decided to come to Iraq, the only people that were allow to enter were Journalist

and a few other exceptions. So I went and got a media pass. I was helped by a radio station in

Fort Wayne, Indiana called WOWO. It is an AM talk radio. They was very quick to help.



Now I do not get paid anything from them, and do not want paid so the deal is good for me

in a way and for them very good.



So today is wednesday and I am supposed to call them every week at 8:35 AM Fort Wayne, time.

That is 5:35 PM Iraq time and the task is quite daunting. I must come to a city a day ahead.

Make sure the telephone system works. Enter the place and test it in some manner. I ask the

questions such as.. do you know how to call the USA. Now if they know English I may make progress.

If they do not it can be frustrating. Now to time this call to the second is not possible.

Here in Erbel they had 5 clocks on the wall, none of them correct. I hedge my bets and called.

The guy does not care that I want to call at exactly 5:33. I had to holler at him today.

"Try again!"

This is frustrating. I have lots of experience in the idiosyncracies of other cultures.

Sometimes there is a temptation to say the idiocy of other cultures, but let me finish the story.



So I call the Radio Station today.

I have e-mailed multiple times, plus when I was in the USA I called them and talked them

and emailed them also and tried my best to say. This is not a local call.

The one person gave me a 800 number. I said OK and thought.. wow!



Today I called,

They did not know I was calling!

So when I have the temptation to berate the local idiosyncracies or idiocies.

I know we are the same.