My Egyptian writer friend Ahmed Al-Aidy took this photo in New York in 2004. It was in November and after the whole three months in the States, some of my friends from the unique International Iowa Creative Writing Program and I stayed in NY for a couple of days. From there I flew to Frankfurt and then to Tashkent. That year actually was the start of my new life as a completely new person on Planet Earth. I am not sure if I became a better person, but I know I became more tolerant, more compassionate and more courageous.
