September 11, 10 years on: your memories

[Richard Roman]

I  was in Singapore, for work and had just finished dinner with a friend and we were going off to meet some other friends when his phone went. he listened and then told me what had happened

[Fernando]

I was in Finland, and I remember it clearly because it happened the day before I went back to cases. My cousin had just come from Venezuela to visit us in Europe. The weather was still summer warm and the sky was blue. Then we got a phone call from one of our relatives and we turned on the TV.

I was still young and did not know what the World Trade Center was, I mean, I had seen it in movies, but did not know what it represented, so I was not scared when I saw it crumble, floor after floor. It wasn't until saw the logo of the BBC in the upper corner of the TV screen, that I realized that I was not watching fiction.

 

Then came the Pentagon, the victims, the speeches, the truth commission,  the conspiracy theories, the  wars...

[Jason]

I was sitting in my neighborhood chicken BBQ watching a movie with the owner in Daegu, South Korea. I heard the air raid whistles from the nearby military base and then the movie was interupted by the local news. Since my Korean wasn't very good back then... the owner simply told me, "Go home." I went outside and the streets were empty.
I rushed home and turned on AFN and got up-to-date information all night... I didn't sleep for days as I was constantly on the phone looking for missing friends.
Eventually, my two friends who were brothers and members of FDNY were found in the remains of the second tower.
I can never forget the day I felt helpless and so far away from home as the streets of Korea were silent for the first time in more than 60 years.
Please remember the lives that have been lost...

[Jaime Vicente Ruiz]

I was in Changchun.. an American co-teacher sent me a short message.  I didnt fully understand what was going on but it sounded like a big thing so i rushed to a nearby internet cafe to search the information since my school accomodation didnt have internet connection then.. After all the news I've read and watched that morning, I understood and felt the concern of my co-teacher for his relatives and for his country..

[Colby Colasanto]

I was in gym class playing softball with coach Sepko when received a phone call telling what had happened. Class was canceled and the students were told to return to our home room classes. Once there we sat and watched the news as this tragedy unfold. Soon after guidance councilors were sent to each of the home rooms to help grieving students. As you know I am not from New York but I am unfortunately close enough that this tragedy was keenly felt. The day was filled with tears and anger over what had happened, some had lost loved ones and some just didn't know if their loved ones were safe. Horrible day, one that I will never forget. American or not this was a tragedy, let us all in our own way remember those that were lost.

[Richard ridealgh]

I was in a city center back home in England and saw a swarm of people stood outside a TV rental shop watching the whole thing!

[Matt Keuler]

I was waiting in my intermediate drawing class in university- in Wisconsin- for the professor to show up... He came in quite late and said he was sorry, but he couldn't pull himself away from the TV.  I was about to say something angry to him and then he told us what happened.  After that class- classes were canceled for the day.

[Jason William Jelinek]

I was in Seoul, South Korea at a bar with my girlfriend at that time. Military Police came in and told me that if I was a soldier I needed to report back to my unit ASAP. When I asked them what was going on they said "we can't guarantee your safety. I thought it was some sort of drill so I went to my girlfriend's apartment and as soon as we turned on the TV it was on every channel.