50.	How many telephones do you own?
	We use the telephone only for brief conversations. 

51.	If you read, what do you read?
	Amira and Ikhlas like to read about culture and history.

52.	Are you politically active?
	We all belong to the Arab Baath Socialist Party, but we are not 	active.
 
53.	What are your perceptions of the rest of the world?
	By watching TV it seems to us that the rest of the world is 
	very nice. 

	Family Dreams

54.	Are you satisfied with your lifestyle?
	No one is complaining about our lifestyle. It sounds strange, 
	but actually life is not that bad. We all have jobs or go to 	
	school. Money is sparse, but sufficient. The country is under 	
	embargo with an official unemployment rate of 70%. People 	
	complain a lot about the embargo. No more international 	
	contacts, no drugs, the devaluation of the Iraqi dinar and the 
	outrageous prices in the shops. 

55.	Do you consider yourselves better off than your parents 
	and grandparents?  
	We consider ourselves better off than our parents and 
	grandparents. We have a car, a TV, and think our life is easier.  
	The women's condition is more free, but still life is first 
	controlled by our fathers' and then by our husbands' decisions. 
	In any event, we don't envy the situation of the Western 	women. 

56.	What would your family like to own that you think 
	would make your lives better?
	No one is really asking for more than the end of the embargo.

57.	When and how are you planning for retirement?
	In Iraq people work for 30 years. After they have done their 
	time, they can retire. Alia as a teacher will retire when she
	turn 55.