Sorry I haven't updated this in a while.
Since Jan. 28th I have been in the city of Dahuk in the Kurdistan area of Iraq. While here, I was caught by the travel ban, which was just lifted on Feb. 1st. I however won't get back to my home base, Palace in Mosul(aka Camp Freedom) til Feb 5th. Since Mosul is a hot area I have to wait for a PSD team to arrive with someone and hitch a ride back.
I finished up my IT related work here in the first two days, so I have been playing a sort of tourist. In case I didn't say it before Kurdistan is almost an entirely different country, we are loved here.
Here in Dahuk, travel is more limited in ErBil, mainly because there is an Army Major here in charge of the PAO (Public Affairs Office) compound that USACE is a part of says so. So we travel with Pesha Merga guards. They are a great bunch and all battle hardened. They all fought the Replublican guard here in the north. They are slowly teacjing me a little Kurdish. That is all I need my fifth language to butcher.
So I have been visiting projects with the USACE construction reps. Mostly schools in poverty ridden areas. When we get there the kids swarm us. Alot speak english very well.Sort of like Darrell before he has his coffee in the morning. (Sorry Darrell! lol) I have pics and short videos I will post soon. These kids are the real reason we are here.
The mountains here remind me alot of home, except there are no trees. Not because they won't grow here, but because Saddam order everything burned to make it hard on the Kurds. Erosion of the mountains can be seen everywhere.
When I get back to Camp Freedom I will post the pics.
The election up here was completely different than in the rest of the country.They were very open, of all the Kurds I met the first thing they did when they met you on election day or the day after they showed you their right index finger with its blue tip from the ink.
Got to see two other countries today, Syria and Turkey. Could have thrown a rock and hit both. Also saw a 1000 year old bridge in the northern most city of Zakoh. Yes I got pictures and yes I Will post them later. lol
God Bless
Frank
2 comments:
Frank,
How's your job going?
Stay Safe!
Greg
Hey there Frank. I got your blog link from a mutual friend (and co-worker). Thanks for sharing the experiences. Looking forward to the pictures!!! Glad to hear things are going well after the election. With any luck, we'll get that country on the right track soon!! Stay safe, and try to enjoy the mission. :)
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