CONSERVATIVE CITY
The economics graduate's dream project - to open a cafe that emulates the Damascus cafe culture - has come to fruition, and many locals are delighted.
"What I love about this place is the library and the good service. This place is quiet and free from people who try to restrict our freedom," said Samana Sajjad, a 23-year-old woman who works as a local radio presenter.
"After a long day, it's a place where you can forget your worries by listening to Fairouz and reading a book."
Located where the Euphrates and Tigris rivers merge near the Gulf, Basra was for centuries a melting pot of Arabs, Persians, Turks, Indians and Greeks who left their cultural imprint.
After Saddam was toppled, conservative Shi'ite-led parties took power in Basra, bringing with them a religiously restrictive lifestyle.
Young people in Basra took part in protests in September which turned violent, complaining of unemployment, lack of services and corruption.
Basra's oil fields bring in the vast majority of Iraq's oil wealth but the city suffers from power and water shortages like much of the country.
