September 11th

Has it really been five years? As I sat and watched the footage of the terrorist attack this week ...I felt as though it had just happened.

I had flown from a grass airstrip in Kasese Uganda to Entebbe. I took a taxi into the Kampala to pick up my airline tickets. I was flying to Turkey via United Arab Emerits to look at a plane. I also checked on flights from Turkey to the US for my Granddads funeral. I had just paid for my ticket to Turkey when the woman asked me if I heard about the plane crash in America? (That is not the kind of thing you want to hear when you have a ticket in your hand.)
She turned on the TV and we watched as the second plane crashed into the other tower. I couldn't believe my eyes.
I sat there numb watching and wondering what was happening.
The radio announced, "United Arab Emerits has attacked the United States!"
What!?
I was headed early in the morning to United Arab Emerits. Everyone in the office gasped and got very nervous. I am flying to Dubai in the morning and they are at war with the US. There is no way I can go to Dubai if you guys are attacking the US.
It was a very akward moment for everyone.
I cancelled my flight.
I was still thinking about my Granddad as I walked around Kampala. I stepped into a middle eastern shop and they all starred at me. They were Muslims from Iran. It was easy to tell who was American that day...just the looks on our faces.
I got a taxi over to the American club which is run by the US embassy and was met at the gate by the American marines. They let me in because I already had a reservation. We all huddled around the TVs. The razor wire and barracades didn't feel so safe.
I talked with Cheryl on the phone and she was glad that I had heard the news and was not headed to the Middle East.

Where were you on September 11th?