Multiple waves

Although this is not my first trip to Kurdistan, I still feel hit by a shock wave. Compared to the first few times, I should not even dare to describe this time as a shock. If it is not suitable to call it a shock wave, then the closest sentence to describe my emotions nowadays is: a wave of known, but unwelcomed emotions. The first time I travelled to Iraqi Kurdistan alone, I found a type of method to calm myself down every time I felt insecure or invaded by negative, pessimistic or non-rational and frightening thoughts; all of these thoughts are as subjective as can be, it is very wrong of me to claim that all Kurds living in Kurdistan thinks like me or even possesses the same thoughts as me. My method is to always think of positive things, to accept this reality that the inhabitants have to deal with every single day, and be grateful for everything I have in my life in Norway. And it actually makes my staying in Kurdistan easier for every time I just declare myself of being lucky.

Let us go back a few days to get an overall picture of the trip back to Suleimany (As Sulaymaniyah ). We met at Gardermoen airport (Oslo, Norway) at 3 pm Sunday the 31st of August. At the airport, H met a girl she knew. The very first familiar face on our journey. After a bit delayed airplane, we arrived Berlin-Tegel airport (Berlin, Germany) at almost 8.pm. Even in this airplane, one of the flight assistants were an old friend of H. The second familiar person. We booked into the hotel, and went out to find someplace to eat. As we were looking for Alexander platz, we stopped a person and asked for direction. This person was a man, a Swedish man, also a tourist and as unknown in Berlin as us. Still we found this person as someone from back home (a Scandinavian neighbor). At 3.30 am, the 1st of September we were in the airport again, and started to check in for the next flight from Berlin to Suleimany. Our biggest concern at this moment was the luggage. Would we pass the weight control knowing we had approximately 10-15 kilos too much? During 90% of the flight I was sleeping, and I think H too. It was the most relaxing trip or travelling route to Iraqi Kurdistan ever. By the way, if you wonder which airplane company we used from Europe to Iraqi Kurdistan was Zozik Air, http://www.zozik-air.com/.

I remember last week I was sitting on a bus in Norway, and thinking how warm 40 Celsius must feel like. As you may know, in Norway we have summers best described as “green winters” (our project coordinator in Norwegian Peace Center used this term to describe the Norwegian summer). During the landing process of the airplane in Suleimany airport (Bakrajoo), I was thinking the same thought. Ironically, during the whole flight both H and I were a bit cold. At the same time, while watching out from the airplane window above the beautiful mountains surrounding Suleimany, knowing that we would be hit by a heat wave in the very moment stepping out of the airplane door and facing the Kurdistani environment, made me smile. A very brief moment before leaving the airplane, I stopped at this door opening, just to remind myself of why I came to Kurdistan and for what. The second step out of the door, the heat wave hit me, and I must admit I lost my breath for some few seconds. It was fantastic. I was ready to embrace what every that was to be shared with me. My waves of self declarations as being lucky made me happy.

The Suleimany International airport buss drove us to the main building. At the passport control I got some critique from the controller that I should have changed my passport to the new passports with international strip codes. I was polite and said that firstly it is accepted worldwide and it has a date of expire, and secondly, that they are very expensive in Norway (at least for me as student). Our luggage arrived punctually, and we met our relatives outside the airport. The visitors without any tickets are not allowed to enter this airport area because of security issues; one will meet hundreds of safety control stations and posts in Iraq. Some may complain about these control stations, but I am so happy for having them; it would be even more unsafe without them checking and supervising people entering and exiting the country.

Yesterday, munday 1st of September, was the first day of ramazan, (Ramadan- the fasting month in Islam), and therefore all of my relatives (all Muslims) were not eating at the time I arrived home. I ate something easy to digest, so I will be on the safe side, and not be hit by a wave of sickness. And at the same time, it is much nicer to eat dinner with the rest of the family. I am not an expert in Islam, but I think the basic idea of Ramadan is to fast from sunrise to sundown (no eating, drinking, smoking , no sexual interactions etc.)This is for appreciating all the food Allah has given us, and secondly, remind ourselves of those whom does not have as easy access to food and beverage as us. Between these hours the thoughts should be first and foremost be devoted to Allah and Allah`s goodness. I have heard that Cejn (Eid- celebrating the end of Ramadan with a special day- approximately 30 days after the starting day) is nice in Kurdistan, so I look forward to spend my very first Cejin here. I wish all Muslims around the world a good Ramadan month.

I put my old Sana Tel telephone sim card in the phone, and it worked. And even a greater surprise, the two main telephone companies Sana Tel and Asia Cell has got into contract with each other and therefore it is possible to call from a Sana Tel to an Asia Cell number. Imagine in Norway that it would not be possible to call from a Telenor number to Netcom, and that only in Stavanger Telenor is functioning in and Netcom in Bergen. How would you get in touch of someone based on these conditions if you had a Telenor number in Stavanger (because that is the only phone company working in this city), and you want to call someone in Bergen with a Netcom number?

This morning, Tuesday the 2nd of September, we arranged with both NPA (Norwegian People`s Aid) and PDA (People`s Development Association) to meet them for the first time in Suleimany. The main directors welcomed us warmly, and we had a general meeting with firstly NPA, and thereinafter, PDA. It was very exciting. We got a lot of valuable information for our work at PDA, and got to know the organization a bit more, the building they are staying in and some of the other workers. Anyway, we stayed with them until almost 2 pm, and decided to go home.

This was basically it for now, but I would like to end this session with a rather sad finishing. My grandfather (my mother`s father) is very sick, and I am living at his place. One can never know when a person will die even as sick as he is at this moment, but I wish that he will die peacefully. I feel so sorry for him, and so helpless. There is nothing I can do for him. He has always been a very calm and gentle man, now almost like a shrinked peach about to give in and surrender to his own destiny. I would like to show greatness towards my uncle and his wife (with their own two children) taking care of him. You (uncle and grandfather) will always have my respect. The waves of shocks, emotions, happy and sad feelings, and facing contradictory waves all over the place, will be much easier to handle in some few days.

Arnold and now I (C): I`ll be back….