A Texan & A Kurd Found Love, Then Had To Tell Their Family

Jonathan Jackson was working as a contractor in Erbil, in the northern part of Iraq…not exactly the place most people would find love. When Jonathan first saw Rigien Bagekany, he thought she was the coffee lady, not his counterpart in the meeting. But he couldn’t take his eyes off her. They figured out dating in two different cultures and decided to get married, but then they had to tell their families. This story was produced for KOSU by Rachel Hubbard and Dustin Drew, with interviews recorded at StoryCorps, a renowned nonprofit organization celebrating the stories of everyday Americans. Thank you to Phillips Murrah law firm in Oklahoma City for sponsoring StoryCorps' visit to Oklahoma City.