http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_518_Ahmed_Out_Of_Baghdad.mp3 Ahmed Abdullah - who has been writing award-winning diaries for The Story for two years - has come to the United States. Plone 2.0 http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_518_Ahmed_Out_Of_Baghdad.mp3/logo.jpg http://thestory.org/archive/the_story_518_Ahmed_Out_Of_Baghdad.mp3 <h4>Ahmed Out of Baghdad<br /></h4><p class="imageleft"><img class="image-left" src="resolveuid/4d98d79634e9de6ae8be9ee5794d5a8b" alt="Ahmed Abdullah" height="140" width="100" />Ahmed's self portrait</p><p>It's been months in the making, but Ahmed Abdullah has finally come to the U.S.  He's here as a visiting scholar at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.<br /></p><p>Dick Gordon and Ahmed last saw one another in Baghdad five years ago. Now, they finally have a chance to catch up in person on everything that's happened in Ahmed's life: how his wife and children are faring in Damascus, how he nearly got caught in a cross-fire the day before he left Baghdad, and the death threat he received from a militia. <br /></p><p>Ahmed tells Dick that his mission here is to meet ordinary Americans, and then tell his own people about what he learns. Ahmed has dreamed about coming to America for years, but as he tells Dick, he already misses his home.</p><ul><li>Hear <a title="Ahmed's Diary" href="resolveuid/4707f53e03dff1525f68ad173bc13682" target="_self">Ahmed's Diary</a><br /></li></ul><a></a><a class="addbtn" href="http://www.publicradio.org/applications/formbuilder/user/form_display.php?form_code=608cc948ba9b" target="_self">Contact Us</a><br /> Mon, 19 May 2008 05:00:00