#1512 | Thursday, August 1st, 2002
I was in my 3rd period chemistry class in Queens,NY when the news came over the PA system. At first i thought, this can't be that bad stuff has happened like this before. But the next period which is my lunch period was pure chaos. Rumors were flying rampant..."oh the white house has been hit...theres a mall on fire.." and then finally i heard that the towers had collapsed. At first i thought hey he might be exaggerating like everyone else. But as the day went on it became clear that it was very serious. I will never forget hearing countless names being called over the loudspeaker for kids to meet their parents in the lobby. And i was left to think what is happening. As if that weren't sign enough that this was a dire situation, 7th period rolls around and we get dismissed and told that school was cancelled for the next day. I couldn't beleive that when the announcement was made kids stood up and cheered. It made me sick. I didn't find out till i got home what had truly happened. I could see the smoke on my walk home from school and i could smell it from my room. I'll never forget that night me and my sister(who wasn't sure what happened to a few friends of hers) took a walk up on grand avenue in maspeth. We walked around till almost 5 in the morning. The whole time being constantly reminded of the rescue efforts being forged by the glow of lights from the city. Its a day i'll never forget. I hope that in the future people can come back and read whats posted here and know what we all think as these tragedies transpired.
Francis | 17 | New York

#1513 | Thursday, August 1st, 2002
It was the end of school, i had P.E for the last lesson. I, and probably the whole school was in the dark of the event because we only use our telivisons for school vidoes and things like that. I live fearly close to my school. So i was one of few kids to see it first. But, the damage had already been done. I was really confused...(since living in England i wasn't that familiar with the Twin Towers) what has happened? why has it happened? more importantly "how many people got hurt or worse...have died." when i saw all the footage...them just..falling..it made me gasp and my stomach churn. I quickly called my friend, trying to presude her to watch the analogue channels. "Don't you care!, i shouted down the reciver. you've really got to see this ! something really bad has happened! people are hurt!" i swore at her and slammed the reciver down at her saying she was wathing a music channel.Hour after hour i carried on, watching not wanting to move away. To me now, i feel guilty that at the same night i felt safe and secure in my bed while people where suffering..i don't know why..but what iv'e found out is when the towers collasped, only one thing beneath the rubble remianed standing...and that was the spirit of Americia... and all it's virtues...courage..love..and reliability ..and acceptence..God bless America for the future..
Kathryn | 13 | United Kingdom

#1514 | Thursday, August 1st, 2002
I know its a little late, but what the hell, here goes. That day changed my life as it did the whole world. I thought maybe we are living in the end times only because I had never before seen or imagined anything like this to ever happen. My first reaction was, "Send them all (Muslims/Arabs) back home." I remembered a discussion I had with this BandlaDeshi guy named Raqib, prior to 9/11. We were talking about World History, one of his favorite subjects. I told him that I was once told that Italians have Black/African in them. He said that Italy was once conquered by the Moors, who were Black Arabs and that Spain was also conquered by them too. I said, "It's a good thing they didn't
succeed." Raqib said proudly, "They should've taken all of Europe." I got mad when he said that and he later apologized. I told him, "If you foreigners can't stand America so much, then why the hell are you here."
So on Sept. 11th I thought about Raqib and all of his other Muslim friends who probably have similar thoughts about Americans, and how easy it is for any foreigner to get in. Is there any way to prevent them from getting in. The only way I could think of is if they do away with the open door policy. No more immigrants of Arabian descent. I know its prejudice, but I have to admit after 9/11 I am a little prejudice against Muslim/Arabs. I am of Mexican descent, but first, I am American, and I know that by saying words like "No more immigrants", that means Latinos as well. I am fourth generation Mex/American, so I don't know Mexico. But from what I do know, I sure am glad that I wasn't born there. I know that what I am suggesting will never happen, its virually impossible. I guess thats whats so scary about the whole thing. The realization that America is not safe from foreign attack. Foreigners will still come, and then one day "BOOM!" It will happen again.
I was 4 months pregnant on 9/11 and wondered why I was bringing a child into this crazy world? The answer I came up with was, "It was already crazy to begin with."In the words of the great Billy Joel, "We didn't start the fire.....It was always burning since the worlds been turning."
J | 23 | Texas

#1515 | Thursday, August 1st, 2002
Here in Australia, the first plane struck at 10:48pm on September 11, so most of the drama actually unfolded early on the 12th. I was up on the computer working at an essay due the next day, but when the news broke on the TV, I couldn't work anymore, I didn't go to bed until about 3am because I was so transfixed by what I was seeing. It was so surreal - even though I am about as far from NYC as possible, I still felt some fear as things happened one after the other - how much longer would this go on?

I didn't finish the essay but it was ok - we had an extension due to the circumstances, as many people were in the same position as me.

It was particularly sobering for me, having visited New York, and having stood on the roof of the South WTC Tower exactly 2 months earlier, on 11 July 2001.
Wade | 19 | Australia

#1516 | Saturday, August 3rd, 2002
I spent the morning of Sept. 11th cleaning the house while listening to some of my favorite CD's. Usually I have the TV on, but this day I had decided to listen to music instead. My roommate came running into our house around 11 am shouting, "There are planes flying into buildings all over the place!". She grabbed me by the hand, and led me into the living room. We turned on the TV and watched the coverage. After not being able to speak for several minutes, I ran to the phone and called my little sister, who had just found out a few days earlier that she was pregnant for the first time. I really needed to hear her voice and make sure she was ok. After talking to her, I called another sister and my mother. Nothing is more reassuring in a time like that than to hear the voice of someone dear to you. About an hour later, the phone rang. I answered with a "Hello", but there was no response on the other end. I said "Hello" again, and the person responded with, "I just wanted to hear your voice", and then they hung up. I recognized the voice as belonging to my ex-girlfriend. Our relationship had ended almost a year earlier on a bad note, after being together for 4 years. That phone call brought a feeling of warmth and security to my heart. I will remember it till the day I die.
Jeff | 33 | Indiana

<< | < | showing 1512-1516 of 2527 | > | >>

welcome
view / browse
search
about


link us



website: wherewereyou.org
All entries are copyright their original authors.