Verbal Wreckage

So when you live in house with 13 people you've never met before it's quite easy to notice traits about yourself you wouldn't have otherwise noticed. Whenever you're taken out of your element certain things stand out that didn't stand out before. Here are some of the more comical things I have noticed about myself...
1. If someone asks me a question I was entirely unprepared for my face freezes as my brain tries to quickly sort out what was asked. At one point I was told there was twitching involved.
2. I have a tendency to think of many different ways to say one simple sentence. Then I can't decide which one to say first so my mouth tries to spit them all out simultaneously. This results in massive verbal wreckage.
3. Many people's brand of sarcasm escapes me. I knew this somewhat before hand but it's become more evident all over again being around new people. It's rough.

Aformentioned Rooftop Terrace

This is the view from my roof. 

Ismail Khayat

This small stone was a gift.

Each intern was given one by an artist named Ismail Khayat who works with PLC. It looks simple but what it represents is much bigger than you could guess.

Ismail was a young man in the 80's during the Iraq-Iran war. Iran cut off the water supply to the river that ran through Ismail's village leaving the village quite desperate. As a form of protest he went to the river and drew fish and other pictures on to the stones to put life back where the water used to be.  He also made it a personal mission to try and illustrate the 182,000 Kurds that were killed by Saddam Hussein as part of the Anfal policies (kurdish genocide). Ismail figures he will never be able to draw every individual that is now buried in the hills of Kurdistan. But he will still try.

A few photos

Picture 1: taken out the window of a second floor business in the bazaar

Picture 2: Daniel, Preston, Josh, Lauren and Esther. Esther is telling us about her first home visit to Leah's house. Leah is an infant who has down syndrome and is also in need of heart surgery. 

Picture 3: A case of klash. Klash are handmade shoes that are very common in here in Kurdistan. The creation process is amazing. Check it out here.

Picture 4: Real proof I'm in Iraq! Me, Esther and Lauren take a break on a bench.

Truth.

Everyone should have a rooftop terrace in their lives. You can borrow mine but it's in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq so you'll have to come over first.

Google

While trying to find a photo for the header of this blog I googled images of Iraq. What came up was terrifying. There were very graphic pictures of war, fighting, anger, despair, tragedy and so on. No wonder we all feel no connection to Iraqi and other people in war torn situations. Our lives, thank goodness, look nothing like that. Maybe we feel a pang of empathy or a sigh of relief because none of their problems are our problems when we see those pictures but we think we have nothing in common with those people. Well, that's not right. I'm going to reckon that all over the world...
there are kids who want to stay up late and play instead of going to sleep
there are teenagers who giggle, gossip and go through awkward phases
there are parents who live and breathe for their children's well-being
there are educators who try to prepare future generations for whatever they may face
there are employees who do an honest days work to provide for themselves and their families
there are medical professionals who live to help others live
...these things are culture-less.

While in Kurdistan I hope to see and henceforth show friends and family at home a glimpse into lives that are far away but all of sudden won't seem so foreign.

I-Rack or E-Rock?

This gem of a blog will follow me throughout my time in northern Iraq working with Preemptive Love Coalition. 

To better understand what PLC does....

They seem pretty amazing right!