My First CS Meeting in Kurdistan

I have been a member of Couch Surfing for almost three (3) years. During that time I have attempted to stay active by at least meeting up with people if not actually surfing their couch. The couch surfing experience has allowed me to meet some interesting people, some of whom I still stay in contact with, and to experience things I never would have otherwise.

Even with such a positive view toward CS, last night was the first time I managed to get together with the group here in Erbil. They have met previously, but for one reason or another, I have been unable to get myself to go. Last night I had nothing else to do, and I had already told one of the visitors that I would attempt to go. At the last minute, I almost decided to just go to bed instead, but I knew that I would regret this later on... As much as I deal with people constantly, I am still very uncomfortable when it comes to meeting new people or dealing with groups. They say it gets easier with time and exposure, but all that seems to get easier is my ability to cover up my feelings while I am there. This is still a good thing as it allows me to have a great time instead of just wishing that I were there, but it is tiring and scary as well.

The meeting itself was actually a BBQ. We went to the hosts apartment, and he grilled chicken and beef kebabs on a little grill and we ate those and two or three kinds of salad (pasta and fatush) and, of course, hummus! Apparently fatush and hummus are required at all Lebanese eating gatherings. There were a wide range of people there. There was the Lebanese host, two Kurdish doctors (a psychiatrist and a generalist), a Polish woman who is teaching French, a social worker and NGO volunteer from Czech Republic, an English teacher from Ireland, and 3 of us English teachers from the US (Michigan, Cincinnati,Ohio, and San Diego, CA). There was also a former economist turned traveler from New Mexico. She has been traveling for two years now.

The eating and conversation from all was wonderful. We finished up the main dinner with desert. It was two people's birthdays, so we had a small cake and a lot of ice cream. As there were no candles, the two birthday people had to simultaneously blow out a lighter. Not nearly the same, but fun nonetheless. We also got to smell the flowers that they brought...they look like a type of daffodil with smaller leaves; don't know what they really are called :(

I rode home with the psychiatrist, and he told me about his place and how he wants to have another gathering in the mountains sometime in the spring. The mountains are beautiful, and it would be such a relaxing time. I hope it happens! We also got to talking about his research in PTSD. As we talked, I mentioned my interest in both the fact that the Iraqi Minister of Health, being a psychiatrist, is interested in implementing talk therapy in addition to just medication, and that I wanted to find out more about how psychology impacts education especially in post conflict areas. To this he responded that his friend and colleague is the head of the Iraqi Psychiatric Association and lives and teaches here in Erbil. Not only that, but he teaches in an Education college. He said he may be able to help me get a meeting with him in order to get more information or be pointed in the right direction.

I find this to be a wonderful opportunity that I may have. We shall see if it happens or not, but I will keep it in mind as something to continue to look forward to. This and the visit to the Social Work program that the university here has implemented. I need to take a look at this as well. So many things to do, and so little time to do them in!

It seems I finally have time to write once again. It seems that my energy is normally sapped by teaching and just basic living, and I have little left for things like writing and such. This week, however, has been a little different.

All this week I haven't had to actually teach any courses. The students have taken their finals and are on break until this Sunday. We are still waiting their results to see if they will need to repeat of if they can move on, but this is normal. During this time of no studentness, I have been sitting in my office trying to accomplish things that need to be done. Some of them personal, some professional, and one or two actually for this particular job. I would like to plan for my first lesson, but the books have yet to arrive, so doing this is not yet possible. Ahhh if only I could just be a little more proactive.

One may think that I am really enjoying this week without the students here, but truthfully, I feel extrememly weird being at an educational institution when there are no students. I have never liked the feeling as a student, a visitor, and now as a worker. It just seems wrong to have to take in such a site. I am looking forward to seeing the students once again on Sunday and trying to teach them things which may or may not be over their head (tough to tell when you don't know what it is).

I am looking forward to the weekend though. I am planing to go on a trip to another city here in Kurdistan. I haven't really been anywhere in all the time that I have been here, and I feel it is about time that I go out and explore the area a bit more. All I need to do is locate the taxis or buses that go. I was told an approximate cost, so I need to change some US dollars into Iraqi money so I can pay without too much difficulty.

Other than that, there is absolutely nothing happening here. It seems as if I really have no life here, and that is probably the case. I am busy applying for jobs and looking for programs to help me further my education. Hopefully I will settle upon something soon as I have to in order to do it. Who knows, I may end up spending another year here at this institution wathcing the students who started progress yet another year closer to graduation. Will I end up staying the four years that it will take for this to happen? Perhaps that is what is in the cards. I guess we shall see what happens with the applications I have already sent.