The Real Beginning

Friday, September 30^th, 2011       

               We have finally moved into our new apartment at Zeri Land and the reality of my being here for an extended period of time suddenly feels a lot more comfortable.  Knowing that I have someplace to call “home” and provide some semblance of stability provides a calming effect to soothe over any lingering frustrations.  I no longer have to go and find a restaurant any time I want to eat, walk by a doorman on the way inside, and I can finally unpack all of my clothes.  Traveling with a suitcase is quite enjoyable, but living out of one gets old fast. 

               The apartment we have is pretty nice and for anyone who got the Skype tour you can see that there are quite a bit of bright colors.  It isn’t the Hilton, but it is certainly better than Ivy Hill in NJ.  I feel far safer here as well.  There are numerous mini-markets all around the neighborhood to provide us with most anything we would need.  For any larger purchases the Mazi Mall (grocery store) is just a short cab ride away.  Considering that most of the restaurants offer the same 5-7 dishes, I imagine that we will be eating at the apartment far more than dining out.  This is fine because I still can’t order anything at the restaurant besides basic dishes anyways. 

               I also got a chance to speak with just about everyone in my family within the past few days.  Although I am almost 6,000 miles away, it feels slightly closer to be here because now instead of calling we use Skype.  Being able to see the person you are talking to adds a personal element not available via telephone.  I should be able to maintain pretty consistent communication with everyone which certainly helps.  I have no real insights to share today as most things remain the same.  There are no new observations but I imagine there will be plenty once I finally start teaching....who knows when that will be.

Views on Time

Tuesday, September 27^th, 2011

               Yesterday we met with the Dean of the Engineering Department and he asked me what I thought the biggest difference was between Iraqi Kurdistan and the United States.  After thinking for a minute, I frankly told him that it was our views on time which took the honor of largest differentiation.  His being nearly 20 minutes late to our meeting certainly helped to influence my answer, but this lackadaisical attitude towards specific time management has been a prevalent issue we have continually faced. 

               In the US we view time as money, simple as that.  We look at a day and devise as many possible ways to extract value from it as humanly possible.  We talk on the phone while driving to work, use the internet to read the news while waiting, and truly treat our time as a precious commodity.  There is no doubt that we are far more productive in the US than workers are here in Iraq.  I find that Paige and I are regularly waiting around for no reason, sitting through pseudo-meetings in which I derive no benefit, and undertaking activities that could just as easily be achieved via email.  Today was one example in which I found myself thinking of going to the bar while sitting in a meeting because it was so frivolous I thought my head was going to explode. 

               This is not to say that the Iraqi method is all bad; there is certainly a great deal of benefit to be derived from a mindset as flexible as this one.  Workers, although stressed for similar reasons as Americans, bosses, co-workers, etc., seem generally happier.  They are able to leave work for personal matters far easier than their American counterparts; typically work fewer than 40 hours a week; receive a generous amount of holidays; and do not have the constant pressure of having their work dissected down to its most minute details.  Whereas in the US we constantly focus on the supply side of labor, in Iraq they seem to be much more attuned to the everyday worker.    

               There are inherent problems in both of our systems, but going back to my previous post the message remains the same: there is still something to be gained from this experience, despite the ongoing frustrations.  While the Iraqis would inevitably benefit from some American efficiency, we could certainly learn from their appreciation of life outside of work.  They spend more time with their families, conversing with friends, and enjoying the simpler things in life.  They work to make a living; they do not live to work.  In our search to produce value in every moment of life perhaps it is necessary to utilize our American efficiency to make time for what is what is truly important.  Looking back, those will be the days that we will remember as well spent.

Cultural Exchange

Sunday, September 25^th, 2011

               When you are living in another country you need to re-learn everything which had long since become part of a well known and fully established “routine.”  Communication, attitudes, daily habits, diet, structure of a workday, cultural norms, and thought processes are all vastly different from what we have become accustomed to.  Despite the frustrations that may come with being unable to ask a simple question, and at times being totally reliant on others, that is the beauty of an experience like this one.  It brings you to a new world entirely outside yourself.  I have travelled to many places, eaten the food, seen the landscapes, and talked to various people from around the world.  However, nothing compares to actually living with those same people and fully experiencing what it is like to walk a mile in their shoes.  Knowing you won’t be going home in a week or ten days makes a world of difference. 

               You are forced to learn.  Communication in almost every aspect is difficult.  You can gesture to indicate that you are hungry, but letting someone know that the hot water in your shower isn’t working is quite difficult.  Things that we often take for granted, i.e., the ability to communicate freely and easily, can be sorely missed.  The expectation to have a workday flow like clockwork runs by the wayside as every day seems amorphous and reactionary.  At home we have the ability to have all of our whims and fleeting desires satisfied; if you want to drink a beer while eating fried chicken, bowling, and watching football, you can surely find an establishment to meet your needs.  Here in Iraq, the availability of options is quite limited.  For 26 years I have known no other weekend but Saturday and Sunday; now, my weekend is Friday and Saturday.  Although it can be frustrating, I would be remiss if it was not difficult.  Frustration is a clear indication that things are truly different, and that is exactly what I was looking for. 

               Having an open mind, always seeking to improve, and wanting to become a “student of the world” are qualities that I admire in others and strive to maintain in myself.  The American way is not utopian, and such xenophobic attitudes should be quickly dismissed.  Every culture has its own strengths and weaknesses.  It is through cultural exchange and dialogue that we can continue to re-define success, hone our methods of attaining it, and challenge our own values to find truth.  I have already learned a great deal from the Kurdish people and there is no doubt that this year will prove to be a worthy teacher.     I can only hope that they learn as much from me as I will from them. 

SLEEP

Friday, September 23rd, 2011

             After about 50 hours without sleep, not counting the few hours scattered in a jam-packed plane or a car, I felt like I could comfortably pass out on a pile of rocks and still be alright.  I was a walking zombie.  When I went to bed at 6:30pm on Thursday evening I don’t think I have ever been so excited to go to bed.  It is now 3am and I am wide awake.  Despite further throwing my sleep schedule into disarray, I have to say that I feel pretty good.  

               The hotel we are temporarily staying in is quite nice.  Unlike the Motel Ribar, we have Western toilets (thank God), internet, and cable.  We were told that we would be here for 2-3 days before we moved into our fully furnished apartment at Zeri Land.   Since then the time frame has jumped to 4-5 days; subsequently, and still in the same exact conversation, it went up to 5-6 days.  While things like this can easily become a source of frustration for someone who enjoys tight planning and control, I find myself just letting it go.  There is no reason to fret about small things and it is easier to just laugh it off and move on.  The upside to this mentality is that when the time comes for me to take time off, or if I ever make a mistake, I will most certainly expect the same laissez-faire attitude in return.  Adjusting to Kurdish life already! 

Arrival

Thursday, September 22, 2011

               Leaving to come to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq for 14 months brought up a wide array of emotions.  The excitement of an opportunity like this and the stories that come with it was entirely too good to pass up.  In a tight domestic labor market, it also seems that I have chosen a good time for this foray into the Middle East.  This region is constantly brimming with headline news, for better or worse, which the rest of the world anxiously gobbles up.  I look forward to truly immersing myself in the Kurdish culture and seeing the world from their perspective.  In the event that they someday become a state, as they probably should, I am sure that my time here will prove to be useful if I decide to try my luck with an international organization or the US government.  

               Despite the clear opportunities that lay before me there is naturally a sense of hesitancy.  Should I have been more patient and applied to more jobs back at home?  Am I prepared for the loneliness that will undoubtedly arise as an American facing a huge language and cultural barrier?  Will this opportunity push my career forward in a meaningful way?  These are all questions that I wrestled with for quite some time after leaving here in July.  In the end, despite potential negatives, the benefits of this experience were too great to pass up.  This is especially considering that opportunities for adventures like these will likely decrease over time.  

               So here I am in Duhok.  The trip was smooth at nearly every turn except the last.    I got to JFK alright, thank you to Nate, check-in and the flight were smooth, even a 7 hour layover in Istanbul seemed manageable (although I never want to do it again).  The only hiccup, and it was a quite severe one at that, was once we got to Iraq.  We arrived to the parking lot of Erbil International Airport, large suitcases in hand, and searched for our driver.  The only problem was that he was nowhere to be found.  I scoured the lot and found nothing.  Cabs would gladly take us to Duhok for $100, a 2.5 hour ride, but we didn’t even have a place to stay.  This is where a little luck and good karma stepped in.  

               One of the people we had met at our NGO site visits was actually at the airport parking lot at the same exact time; this was an odd coincidence for 2:30am early Thursday morning.  He had been communicating with Paige so we thought there might be a chance he would be there, but we had no expectation of actually seeing him.  Shavan (I’m sure the spelling is wrong) let us use his phone to call our university contacts.  After three different people yielded 3 different answering machines we finally got through.  They had apparently forgotten to send a driver because they thought we weren’t coming in until the next day.  Ouch.  Their solution was to spend the night in Erbil and they would pick us up tomorrow.  Not a terrible idea, but after 24 hours of travel the last two things we needed to hear were: a) you need to wait around some more, and b) your apartment still isn’t ready yet.  

Luckily for us, Shavan and his family really came to the rescue.  They not only waited with us the whole time we were trying to sort this out, but they also secured a cab for us and Shavan came with us to make sure it was ok.  When the Motel Ribar (same place I stayed the first time in Iraq) seemed to be closed, our university contact didn’t really have a backup solution for us.  Luckily for us (again), Shavan came through and invited us to stay at his house with his family.  He even paid for the $100 cab, and I will definitely do my best to get the university to reimburse him.  If it wasn’t for this strange coincidence coupled with their overwhelming desire to help out, we would be stranded at the Erbil International Airport with nowhere to go.  To say the least, I am thankful.  

I also have a feeling that the experience of these past few hours is going to be a portent for my time in Kurdistan.  There will be inefficiencies and organizational mishaps that would drive any well oiled American organization up a tree; however, despite some blundering, the kind-hearted nature and good graces of the Kurdish people will shine through in force and still cause everything to be alright.  I am excited to get things started.