AhmedElKhattabi

February26th2016
BeGrateful
Thisis2010,ImanAmazighkidfromLibya.Iplaysoccerinoneofthebestclubsin
NorthAfrica,akidwithdreamsandcleargoalstobecomeoneofthebestsoccerplayersinthe
world.Imalsoworkingonfinishingcollege.KeepinmindthateducationincludingUniversities,
arefreewhereIlive.Thisismystory.WhilereflectingImaskingbiggerquestions:arewe
thankfulforwhatwehave?orarewetakingwhatwehaveforgranted?Doyouknowthatwe
caneasilyloseallwhatwehaveinatragicway?
ImazighenarenativeNorthAfricans,theyareacivilizationthat'sover10,000yearsold.
ImazighenmeansThefreepeople.WewerepartoftheEgyptiancivilization.AnImazighen
familyfromLibyaruledEgyptformanygenerations,theyarecalledSheshonq,whichare
mentionedinthebible.WewerealsoahugepartoftheIslamiccivilizationinNorthAfricaand
EuropeunderthenameofAlAndalus,itsabout900yearsofcivilizationthatbroughtalotof
sciencetotheworld.WearementionedastheBerbersinhistory,itsnotourname.Berbers
iswhattheEuropeanscalledusasaninsultwhentheyinvadedNorthAfrica.Itcomesfromthe
wordbarbaric.Theydidntliketocallusthefreepeopleofcourse.Manyscientistsstilluse
thewordBerbertoday.
Iliveinoneofthesafestandrichestcountriesintheworld.Acountrythathasthe
higheststandardoflivinginAfrica,Libya.Weasregularpeoplearenotrichbutwehavefull
healthcoverage,andpayanunnoticedamountfortaxesandelectricity.Everythingischeap,
lifeisstableandwehaveaneasyaccessforeverythinggoingonintheworld.Basically
everythingweneedisprovided.Yes,lifeisnotperfectinmycountrybutitsbetterthanmostof
thecountriesintheworld.IvetraveledtomanycountriesandIalwaysfollowtheinternational

newstolearnaboutwhatsgoingintheworld,Ilovelearningaboutdifferentculturesand
lifestyles.Myproblemsarethenormaldailyproblems,familyissues,complicatedlove
relationships,andfinanciallynotabletohaveacaryet.Imtheonlypositiveenergyinmycircle.
Ireceivenosupport,thatsmybiggestissue.Thingslikethesedonotaffectapersonlikeme,
actually,itsonlymakingmestrongerandinsteadofwastingmytimewhiningaboutthe
negativeenergyaroundme.Imusingallthenegativeenergyasreasonsformetoreachmy
goals.HowcanIcomplainwhenmylifeisbetterthanmillionsofpeoplearoundtheworld?
Thisis2011now,ImplayinginahugesoccerclubinAsia.Imcelebratingthenewyear
andthegoodnewsthatIreceivedanofferfromasoccerclubinEurope.Mynextstepis
applyingforaEuropeanVisafrommycountry.Itookpermissionfrommycurrentsoccerclubto
leave,bookedaflightbackhomeandfinishedmylastdayofpracticetalkingwithmy
teammatesaboutwhatsgoingoninthenews.Clearlythereisahugepoliticalchange
happeningintheregionNorthAfricaandtheMiddleEastsupportedbydifferentgovernments.
MyteammatessaidthatmycountryLibyaisnext,andmyreplywasnaahwearegood.Im
arrivinghomehappytoseemyneighborhood,family,friendsandmygirl.Imalsoexcitedto
leavetoEuropeinMarch.
TodayisFebruary20th2011.InFebruary16th,fewpeopleintheeastsideofLibya
startedprotestingandaskingforconstitutionalrights.Itwasnotabigdeal,everyfewyears
somethingsimilarhappensandIsupportthat,whynot?Butnowtherearemanyliesand
rumorsonTV,anobviouswaveofdirectedmessagestomakethepeoplerebelagainst
governmentsintheregion.Theyareaskingpeopletorebelagainstthegovernment,promising
themabetterlife.Theyaresayingthatourarmystartedrapingwomenandkillingeveryone.
WhenIgooutsidetoseewhatsgoingon,Ifindnothingofwhattheyaretalkingabout.

Somepeopleareprotestingagainstthesechannelsandgovernments,othersbelieved
therumorsandbeginattackingpolicestationsaroundthecountry,stealingtheirweaponsand
takingovertheirfacilities.Othertrained,unknowngroups,areenteringthecountryillegally.
TheUnitedNationsarehavingmeetingstodecideiftheyshouldbombourgovernmentornot.
NowImveryworriedaboutthefutureofLibya.
ThisisFebruary26th2016.ImamasscommunicationstudentintheUnitedStates.
IleftLibyain2013.IfinishedbusinessschoolinLibyabutdroppedmysoccercareeraftermy
countrygotdestroyed.Icouldnotleavemyfamilyforthesocceroffersinthemiddleofthe
situation,andIlostalltheprofessionalopportunitieswhenIwasreadytoleavethem.Ihad
witnessedthekillingofaround50,000Libyancitizensin2011,Iusedtowakeupandsleepon
themelodyoftheN.A.T.Obombingthearmybases500feetawayofmyhouse,
soundinglike

abadlyblowncarspeakerandthefeelingofanearthquakeundermyfeet.Allthe
windowsinmyhomeshatteredbecauseofthebombing.
Mydailylifewaslikethemovie
EnemyattheGates.BelieveitornotmanypeopleinTripoliwhereIlivewerenotbothered,
includingme.Theyusedtolivetheirlifelikenothingwasgoingon.Everythingwasworking
normally.IusedtomakemymotheruncomfortablewhenIwouldcomehomealittlebitlate
somenights.OnetimeIwascomingbackhomeinthebusat11pm.Ourneighborhoodwas
surroundedbyarmybasesasImentionedearlier.Ileftthebusandwalkedtowardsmyhouse
throughadarkalleywithasportbaginmyhand.Threesoldierscrossedthestreetandran
towardsme.IheardthefootstepsbutIdidnotturnaroundtilltheypointedtheirweaponsatme
andsaidinonevoiceRaiseyourhands.TheythoughtIwasaspyoracriminalwhowas
tryingtokillthem.IyelledwithangerIlivehere.TheyaskedmeformynameandforwhatI
hadinmybag.Isaid,ImanathleteandIwasatpracticeearliertoday.Theytooktheir

weaponsdownandsmiledwitharelief.OneofthemsaidDontcomehomelate,youknowthe
situation.IsaidOkbutIkeptcominghomelateandnoonebotheredmeafterthat.
InOctober2011theLibyangovernmentgotcompletelydestroyed.Theunstable
situationcreatedmanymilitias.Isawdifferentmilitiasfightingovergovernmentbuildingsinmy
city.Eachmilitiathoughttheywerefightingfortherightcause.Onetime,twoofthestrongest
groupswerefightinginmyneighborhoodandbombedmyhousebyamistake.ThankGodthat
weleftthehouseoncethefightstartedandwhenwecamebackhomewefoundthehousein
ruinsanddestruction.
Today,mypeoplearedyingforridiculousreasons.Somehavebeenkickedoutoftheir
villagesbecausetheyhavesupportedtheformergovernment.Around1.5millionLibyan
citizenscantenterLibyabecausetheyareagainstthenewsystemandthemilitias.Thenew
governmentisweak,thearmyandthehomelandsecurityaredestroyed,mostofthemaredead
orinjailandtherestarefired.Thereisnosecurityjustmanymilitias.Someofthemaregood
andsomeofthemarenot.Mostlyyoungpeoplewithpower,followingordersofoldpeoplewith
ignorantmentalities.ThesituationinLibyaisexactlylikethemovieTheHungerGames
(Mockingjay,part1and2)Imean,imagineifsomepowerdestroystheUnitedStatesArmyand
itssecuritysystem.Whatwouldthearmedcitizensdotoeachother?Whatwouldthegangs
do?Thisvisualinourmindsshouldprovokeustoconsiderwhatwedohavetoday.Weshould
practicegratefulnessandletthissinkittohowwepracticeourdailylives.
MyinterviewwithmyfriendAshrafwhoalsolivedinLibyarevealed:Thesecuritylevelin
Libyatodayis0%.Multipleignorantteenagerswithweapons,controllingeverything.Theycan
begoodtoyoubuttheycanalsokidnapyouorstealyourproperty.Noonecanpunishthemor
protectyourrightsHealsoadded:Wedidntknowtheblessingsofasafe,stable,andsecure
lifewehaduntilwelostit.

Somepeopleregretsupportingthe2011war,mostlybecauseitwasfullysupportedwith
foreignagendas.Othersarestillstubborntoadmitthattheywerewrong,speciallythosewho
madefinancialbenefitsfromthechangeorlosttheirkidsinthismovement.SometimesIfeel
likenoneofthisistrue,justaverybadnightmarethatIwishifIcouldwakeupfrom.Other
timesIfeellikewearelivinghistory,likeifthiswarwasthesourmedicinethatwillmakeyou
feelbetterlater.Nationsneedtosuffersometimessotheycanlearnfromtheirmistakesand
improve.Imwonderingifwegainedanythingfromgettingridofthedictatorship.Istillcant
findanybenefitssotheanswerisclear.MyfriendRaefsaid:wedidntgainanybenefitsfrom
thewar,theyplayedus.
WhenIthinkabouthowwomenrightswerebefore2011,Iremembertheyhadtheright
todoandbewhatevertheywantedinthecountry,likedriving,studyingandworkinginany
governmentposition,withtheexceptionofbeingapresident.Noonecanbeapresidentexcept
Gaddafi,buttheyworkedinhighpositionsclosetoGaddafi,evenhisbodyguardswere
women.Theyweren'treallyphysicallydefendinghim,butitwasmoreofasymbolicwaytosay
Libyanwomenarestrong.Womenwerefullyprotectedbythegovernment.Theywere
respectedinsuchwaythatevenourcountryneighbourstreatedthemcarefullyandrespectfully
whentheyvisitedthem,becausetheyknewtheconsequences.Today,legallywestillhavethe
samewomenrightsandevenmore.Thoserightsarenotrespectedfromanyoneanymore
becausewedonthaveastronggovernmenttoprotectthewomenrightsorthehumanrights
overall.
Libyausedtobethespotforjobopportunitiestomanycitizensfromaroundtheworld.
WehadmanyAmericanswhousedtoworkindifferentfields,frombasketballplayersto
Doctors.WealsohadthousandsofEuropeansandAsians,plusmillionsofMiddleEasterners
andAfricans.SomecountriesinNorthAfricawouldhavefinancialcrisesiftheydonthave

accesstoLibya.Someofthemstartedsufferingalreadybecauseoftheunstablesituationin
Libya.MyfriendAshrafsaid:Libyaisahugerichcountrywithasmallpopulation,soforeigners
usedtobenefitfromthejobopportunitiesfromjanitorstoCEOSinoilcompanies.Itseems
thatmyLibyanfriendsarerealizingwhatIverealized.
Whatsreallysadiswatchingtheyounggenerationlosingalltheirdreamsaftertheyhad
aclearfuture.Alltheyoungpeopleincludingmehavechangedthedirectionofourfuture,not
bychoice.MyfriendAshrafsaid:In2010,Iusedtobeamedicalschoolstudent,mygoalwas
tofinishmyschool,thengetascholarshipfromtheLibyangovernmenttogetmydoctoratefrom
AmericaorCanada.ThenIwouldcomebackhomeandworkinmycountry.Ashrafdropped
medicalschoolnow,andistryingtofindadifferentcareerforhim.
LifewouldhavebeenbetterfortheLibyanpeopleandAfricaingeneralifthischaos
didnthappen.Probablythisisoneofthemainreasonswhytheywantedtogetridoftheformer
government,becausemanygovernmentsandhugecompaniesbenefitfromtheunstableAfrica.
Wehavedifferentkindsofnaturalresourcesinthiscontinent,butitspeoplearenotbenefiting
fromtheirresources.Mostoftheresourcesgotobiginternationalcompaniesforcheappricesif
notforfree.MyfriendRaefsaid:Libyawasimprovingbeforethiswar,wenoticedthechanges
after2005,thegovernmenthadaplantomakeitlikeDubaibutinabiggerscale.Wewitnessed
morefreedomofspeech,thereleaseofmanypoliticalactivists,raisingtheminimumsalary,
providingjobs,andthebuildingofhugeprojectslikehotels,resorts,airportsandtrainstations.
Itwouldhavebeenoneofthemostsuccessfulcountriesintheworldtodayifthewardidnt
happen.
IstronglybelievethatLibyawillcomebackstrongerfromthisexperience.Imsharing
mystorywithyoujusttoopenyoureyesaboutwhatwehaveandcanloseinablink.Attheend
oftheday,itwasntaniceexperienceevenifwefixthesituationnow.Ineverexpectedeven

inmyworstnightmaresthatthiswouldhappentoLibya.MyfriendAshrafsaid:Iwasgreedily
thinkingaboutwhatmorecouldIhave,insteadofbeingthankfulforwhatIhave.Itoldagroup
ofstudentsintheUnitedStatesaboutmystory,Iaskedthemiftheywerethankfulforthelife
providedforthemhereoriftheyretakingtheirlifeforgranted?theiranswerwasWetakeour
lifeforgranted.Obviouslyusashumans,wedontappreciatewhatwehavetillweloseit.

WorksCited
Raef.PersonalInterview.February26th,2016.
Ashraf.PersonalInterview.February26th,2016.
Elkhattabi,Ahmed.

Schoolstudents.Survey.February26th,2016.