by Salma Idilbi


[Cartoons of the Syrian artist Ali Farzat]
 School "Peace House" amid the Star Plaza, the heart of the capital, Damascus, I spent all my time. Of age until the fourth and eighth centuries. It was one of the best private schools. Students belonging to families affordable. Merchants, officials, and what was then called the "middle class". In the same school, she studied the daughter of my aunt, which twenty years older than me. Many of the teachers at both the preparatory and secondary schools, was still practiced his profession. Most of its parameters who had come to the school short skirts, Srn veiled later.

Get to school when only a quarter of the eighth. Parameter "bully" or the article "military education", stands in front of the outer door. When a poor and are watching the girls from the colorful buses. Short stature. Is full. Straightening her hair is always black, soft, heavy, pouring on the small shoulders. Sodawan her eyes, coming from Atsallma overly aggressive. Stand firmly. Tight back. Kvaha Amadmoman as a result salute the flag. Do not miss any detail. Aware accommodate all the girls who troop single file drawer into the school bus. Girls who talk among them spin in the morning bus to the sound of Fairouz, narrowing the distance between their eyes and become what the Aabsat When a poor from the bus and walk towards the door of the small school. Miss N.. Do not miss any detail. Steal the smile from the mouths of students, Tantzaaha, Chdha and keep them in place Njhlh all. Laughter is forbidden. And smiling as well. Manbh its looks. Students guilty until proven otherwise. And the subject does not accept the joke. Humiliating slap in the face from here, pulling hair from there. Her husband, a martyr, a hero. Is it tough to be the wives of the martyrs to this extent? I was wondering. Allowed to take one of the students in her coat pocket, because that surely means to conceal her nails long or colored. Hair is always tied. The color of the strand must be black. "Braids" are prohibited.

To escape from the hands of Miss N.., It was impressive achievement Sbahia esteem. Gather in the large courtyard. Stand in the form of columns of Organization carefully. We do "morning greeting" clothed military. Pants and jacket its color khaki. Belt wraps _khasorna we call "range". On our shoulders stretching bands show a yellow or red on the stage of study, but very similar to the rank of officers. Ms N holds. The microphone like a professional singer. Start screaming. The sound is still stuck look back. "Get ready," you say becomes open Bta: Astaad. Nbaeid our feet a little stand by the right of the "battle." And then "relax" Bta also open. Our feet back right and annexing it to the status of the left break. "Tandem." Raise the left hand and place them upright on the shoulder of a student who stands before us. Hand should be tight and firm. Here also the subject of a joke is not likely at all. "One Arab Nation," n scream. Shouting should we answer it amounts to satisfy: with an eternal message. "Our goals," screamed again. Our part, we cry: unity, freedom, socialism. "Our leader forever." Should we answer: Comrade Hafez al-Assad. Then we do salute the flag and woe to those who do not sing or those who claim to sing. Ring the bell. We run towards the grand staircase to our ranks, we enter the cold and gloomy