Culture

It might be kind of obvious to say that the culture here is different, but it does deserve saying. I think the primary difference is an emphasis on family. It is hard for our staff when we ask them to leave their families and travel to Erbil for a couple of days, and sometimes up to a week. Typically when anyone travels around the country here for business they bring their family and that includes wife and children. Coming from a Western organization we have found that to be distracting to the business at hand and we do not allow anyone to bring their family. It is one of those things that I find it would be absurd to bring your family when you are expected to be working, but they find it inconceivable that we would ask them to leave their family behind. I cannot say which is better or worse, it is just different.

There is a definite emphasis on hospitality here. Any where you go you are offered tea. Guests are always invited in (if you are going to someones house you must remove your shoes) and offered tea and sweets. We now live one floor above our boss and she stopped by the other day to give us some cake. I, like a dolt, stood in the door chatting with her, and Kari invited her in and offered her tea.

Our boss had a baby and she said that so many people brought food and sweets. Now she has to return the bowls. She said that when you return a bowl you must return it with something in it, such as fruit or sweets. I thought that was a really nice tradition. The sense of community here is very strong. I think part of that is the culture, but the other part is because of what has happened to the Kurdish in the past. They are a very close-knit community, which can sometimes be a bit difficult for an outsider.

Next time you leave a dish at my house who knows what you will find in it when I return it.