Well, time is flying by and it's now the end of October with only 6 weeks left to go in this amazing country. Work goes on through its ups and down, mainly due to the areas we can and cannot access and then unexpected events taking place that are really difficult to predict. Since last writing, Mosul city has been liberated by the Iraqi and coalition forces so we started distributing cash to people who had fled their homes. Then the winter rains meant the bridges were unsafe to cross, so we had to cross by foot with a contingency to cross by boat if necessary. Crossing by foot meant provisions had to be carried across the bridges, so for the cafes selling kebabs and shawarma, 4 legged ingredients were brought in by wheelbarrow as shown below.
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Take away or delivery?
Working in previously ISIS held territory meant we came across some of their devious military tricks and don't worry I don't meant their booby traps. There is a hill where you used to run to the top and make a wish and miraculously you were supposed to meet the love of your life in the following week. After ISIS occupation, the hill lost some of its allure, but instead you could explore the tunnels they have dug underground providing secret escape routes. After checking safety protocol after one of our distributions, the team explored the tunnels and then ran up it just to see if the luck still applied. Sadly no distribution marriages have since followed.
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| Isis tinsel |
Distributions have entailed early mornings and long days in up to 50 degrees C, so you will agree it's important to chill out now and again and look after the team spirit. This is an Arabic restaurant with carpeted walls, floors and tables where we treated ourselves after a busy week.
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| Mandi Restaurant Erbil |
When we first accessed Mosul, we worked in the East side whilst the West side was in the process of being liberated. It was quite noisy at times and the air smelled like bonfire night. There is massive amount of destruction but you've seen the pictures in the press so I'm not adding any here. Thankfully now the West is liberated too so work in Mosul is more peaceful
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The view from the roof of our office across to West Mosul
Work wise, we have distributed cash and non - food items, such as blankets, cooking sets etc and we have separate lines for men and women. When we cross checkpoints, it is very ironic. It can sometimes take hours to cross so our team are charming towards the checkpoint soldiers and in the main we can push in at the front of the queue. How very un-British, I hear you cry. At distributions, however, we are so British. No pushing in, no shouting, take your turn and let through the elderly and disabled. My Iraqi team leader unfortunately does muddle some of his words sometimes and I was most concerned at one distribution when he ran off telling me he could hear shooting. Very alert and listening hard, I realised he meant shouting. What a relief!
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| No pushing please, we're British |
You will be pleased to know, it hasn't been all work and no play. We have R & R every 12 weeks and one of the nearest places to go used to be Lebanon (it hasn't moved but we now have to fly out of Kurdistan and into Iraq in order to leave the country - adding many hours to the journey). Lebanon has everything you could ask for, restaurants, culture, climate, sea and some things you don't, like a banging night life and traffic jams. After 3 months in a land locked country, it was bliss and so relaxing. Can't wait to go back sometime.
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| Tir in Lebanon |
You don't always need to leave Kurdistan to enjoy the outdoors. We went to Dohuk and found a trail to a local beauty spot. The mountains are snow capped for much of the year, so during the ridiculously hot summers the rivers are glacial and provide a great opportunity for cooling down. If you follow this irrigation channel for 20 minutes, balancing on the narrow wall on the left over a huge sheer drop or wade through the water, you end up at a turquoise pool filled with Iraqi men. Oh great. Then you walk, swim and climb up the river into smaller pools where there are fewer people. Rachel and I shared a lovely cup of chai made by some random lads who had their barbie and kettle over the charcoal in a tranquil pool up the river
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| Access to glacial pools and waterfalls |
So where is the romance in Erbil? Shannon, one of my housemates married her boyfriend here in Erbil. After months of chasing documents and unending bureaucratic checks, humiliation and disgust that as a woman you are only count as 1/2 a witness and if non Muslim, you don't count at all, eventually they got married. We celebrated in a lovely restaurant - the happy couple in the middle of the picture.
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| Shannon and Imad's wedding |
Prior to the Kurdish referendum, I went on another R & R, this time sailing in the Turkish Med. I know there are phones and internet in Turkey, but our beloved flotilla leaders took us to way- out places where the only access was by sea and not one ounce of retail therapy. Lovely clear, warm water for swimming and fresh fish. Great? Fabulous - except when you sail back into the real world and find out your flight is cancelled and you cannot get back to work. Terrible, I know.
The Iraqi government had taken exception to the massive yes vote for a Kurdish independence and closed the Kurdish airport. This meant a detour via Baghdad and many many hours waiting to be processed.
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| Escapism |
Generally I don't do the other 5 o'clock on holidays, but I was told sunrise in this particular harbour was exceptional.
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Worth getting up for
So, not much longer to go for me here in Kurdistan with many issues to be resolved. Will the coalition forces succeed in ridding the country entirely of ISIS, will the Kurds and Iraqis stop their quibbling over Kurdish independence (what will happen in Catalonia too?). Will Iraq return to a country of middle income means?
It has been a great experience for me as the first time working in the Middle East. Would I do it again - certainly. Great people even under the worst circumstances.
That's all from me for now.
Hope you enjoy the read
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