Exactly two weeks ago was the first anniversary of Middle East Diary. I had planned to do a special entry commemorating the date and thanking all the wonderful readers and contributors and commentators for helping to create this forum. However, the date slipped by and I forgot all about it in the scramble to pack up, head to Iraq and then take off for a year-long leave in the States.
I'll be on a fellowship all of next year -- studying Farsi, sectarianism within Islam and other topics related to the region -- and I'm not sure what's going to happen with the blog, or the bureau for that matter. I'll keep you posted. There's no immediate danger of the bureau being shuttered, though I probably won't be able to maintain a blog called "Middle East Diary" from the verdant oasis of Cambridge, Mass.
In the meantime, I'm scheduled to make one last trip to Baghdad before the fellowship begins. I plan to blog through those final weeks on the job and then khallas, as we say in Arabic. Finished.
Please stay tuned for the last Baghdad postings. And a year or so from now, inshallah, look for Middle East Diary 2.0!
Thanks for all your support and feedback this past year. I'll miss you.
Salaam!
Hannah, thank you for this wonderful year of blogging. I've appreciated your view point so much. Hope you have a great year in MA--I'll be watching for your next venture in reporting--we need writers like you more than ever. Best to you and your family.
Posted by: Laura | June 07, 2008 at 04:16 PM
Please, find someone else to post. We must get the information out.
Posted by: Bev Bean | June 07, 2008 at 04:26 PM
Hannah, All grown up! Makes a fellow Okie proud! Have followed your blog for a while now. Nice to see a new realistic perspective on the region. Good Luck and have a great year off. I'm sure your Mom will love having back on this side of the world. Say hi to B for me.
Posted by: Denise | June 09, 2008 at 10:19 AM