Jill Carroll
Jill Carroll
Jill Carrollis an American former journalistwho was kidnapped and ultimately released in Iraq. Carroll was a reporter for the Christian Science Monitor at the time of her kidnapping. After finishing a fellowship at Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy she returned to work for the Monitor. After her release, Carroll wrote a series of articles on her recollection of her experiences in Iraq...
foreign seemed time
All I ever wanted to be was a foreign correspondent. It seemed the right time to try to make it happen.
accurate captive forced personal reflection taken
Things that I was forced to say while captive are now being taken by some as an accurate reflection of my personal views. They are not.
happiness happy love morbid sounds strange
I've never been as happy as I am here. It sounds strange and kind of morbid to say it, but I really love this place.
treated
I was treated well, but I don't know why I was kidnapped.
happy hit people threatened treated
I was treated very well. That's important people know that. They never said they would hit me, never threatened me in any way. I was just happy to be free, and I want to be with my family.
please quickly whatever
I am here. I am fine. Please just do whatever they want, give them whatever they want as quickly as possible.
encouragement essay hotel night note praise small
One night she slipped a note in my hotel mailbox. It was a small essay of encouragement and praise from out of the blue.
alive appreciate directly face finally luxuries outside step sun
I finally feel like I am alive again. I feel so good. To be able to step outside anytime, to feel the sun directly on your face - to see the whole sky. These are luxuries that we just don't appreciate every day.
alive finally
I finally feel like I am alive again. I feel so good.
few four goes half hour hours stays three
It stays on for about an hour and a half and then goes out for a few hours. Back in October, we would get three or four hours at a time.
cliff falling hit three waiting
It was like falling off a cliff for three months, waiting to hit the ground.
food given good guest kept treated
They treated me very well, like a guest given good food, kept safe, treated very, very well.
fear fearing speak threatened
At any rate, fearing retribution from my captors, I did not speak freely. Out of fear, I said I wasn't threatened. In fact, I was threatened many times.
forced last night propaganda
During my last night in captivity, my captors forced me to participate in a propaganda video.