My friends in the UK say I must be mad to stay here, and my family would love us to return.

But it's not that simple. We can't just pack up our stuff and go. My kids have spent most of their lives here - my eldest was only two when we left Britain.

So we stay. We hope. We pray.

Newly painted concrete barriers have appeared. Photo by Julie

We moved into a house with 10 other adults from my husband's family. I didn't have the freedom to do what I wanted and had only my room as my space.

I had to learn a new language, culture and a new way of life. You can be surrounded by people but still feel lonely and homesick.

It was also the beginning of the sanctions. The country was starved of commercial goods - for example, disposable nappies were not available, TVs and electrical goods were not permitted. And I'm a coffee drinker, and I couldn't get hold of the stuff for months at a time.

IRAQ TIME LINE 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war 1990 2 August Iraq invades Kuwait 1990 6 August - UN imposes economic sanctions on Iraq 1991-1991 Gulf war 2003 20 March - American-led invasion begins with bombing campaign 2003 9 April - US forces advance into central Baghdad. 2003 14 December - Saddam Hussein captured in Tikrit 2006 February - a bomb attack on an important Shia shrine in Samarra unleashes sectarian violence 2006 30 December - Saddam Hussein is executed by hanging 2007 January - US "surge" strategy announced - thousands more US troops to be dispatched to shore up security in Baghdad.

The 2003 invasion was also a really distressing time. My mum would tell us about her life in World War II - but I would never have imagined that I would have to live through a war first-hand.

My neighbourhood lies next to the Tigris, about five kilometres (3 miles) from the Green Zone. It has a Shia majority, but is mixed with Sunnis and some Christians too.

Most of the families are well-established in the area - and we have relatively good community relations.

If you were to come here, you would notice the sounds of generators running all day and night, explosions in the background - but also birds singing in the trees.

Things are getting better. The surge really does seem to have made a difference, although the death toll is still so high.

It's alarming to hear some of the stories of what happens to people every day. Families are torn apart because of the sectarian divide.

A 'normal' life

Julie's neighbourhood lies near the Tigris. Photo by Julie.

In some ways my life is 'normal'. I'm now working for a logistics company after a decade as a housewife. I take my three girls to school and my son gets a ride with his teacher.

Their dad picks them up after school and takes them to private tutors.

This is a must because teaching is poor and classes are packed with more than 40 pupils. And I struggle with written Arabic, so I'm not much help.

But even the school run may be hit by the security situation.

The authorities may block off our roads with trucks, barbed wire and so on - all without any notice.

A five minute journey can become an hour's trip. All the small roads are now blocked with newly-painted concrete barriers.

Car bomb

Julie was less than 100 metres from a bomb attack

Back in January, I was less than 100 metres from a car bomb.

I was walking with my husband and my 17-year-old daughter through an area packed with people shopping.

Suddenly there was an explosion. A second of silence. Then a barrage of glass, metal, pieces of wood and shrapnel flew over our heads. A metallic piece from a neon sign landed a few inches from us.

My husband pulled me and my daughter onto the floor. We hid our heads under a parked car. Then people from the small side roads dragged us into their front doors, and gave us water and towels to clean our faces from the dust and dirt.

People were rushing around looking for lost relatives and coming into the alleyways covered in blood from flying glass.

An hour later, they captured another car bomber whose vehicle had broken down. His car had been packed with explosives, calor gas, nails and petrol canisters.

That event shows the two sides of life here. The violence, but also the support - from the extended family and the wider community. People who don't know you, have never seen you before, will rush to help you.

The future

Julie loves the endless sunshine in Baghdad. Photo by Julie.

I hope for a prosperous and peaceful Iraq in the future - and I do think it's possible.

They need to start putting society back together - from the bottom up. People need the basics to be back in place - like electricity.

But there are signs of progress. Everyone seems to be using mobile phones now.

Bizarrely, you can also find internet cafes everywhere. Even in poor areas there are these little oases of knowledge and connection.

Whenever I see young people they're chatting online, on Facebook.

Young people really want to grow up and be part of the world. So there is hope.

