A contributon to H`s ------HARD TIMES
As I entered Cwar Cra Hotel in Hewler (Erbil), I couldn’t stop receiving a vibe of staring eyes towards my friend and I. Two unmarried girls, entering this Hotel, 8 pm local Kurdistani time, was an unknown phenomena for the staff and the other man guests in the lobby. Miss, do you want to eat? No, kaka, we are here just because of work. We are expecting someone to arrive. Those whom I was expecting informed me that because of some difficulties in Koye they would be approximately an hour late. The receptionist couldn’t stop staring, and somehow, I understood that he was putting a question mark on our appearance in the lobby. Why are these girls sitting here alone? Why are they not being accompanied by a male guest, or any other form of leading role? At the end, he couldn’t help himself any longer, he pointed at me, ordering me to approach the desk. Every single person in the lobby followed my steps towards him. What is going on?
To chi akai lera? What are you doing here? Why are you here? Who are you expecting? Who are you? ETC....
At the end of a long and difficult conversation, I asked him if he was finished with the investigation and if I would help him any further. No, thanks, go and sit. We know the owner of the Hotel, and we spoke with him. He was begging for forgiveness, and was deeply apologizing. As if it could ever heal my bleeding heart. Is he apologizing of behalf of most of the men sitting in the lobby staring at us too? Is he apologizing on behalf of most of the staff? Is he apologizing on behalf of the way we (some of us- not to generalize) bring up our children to believe that the fittest space for women to act in is the private one?
Invalid space for independent women who are trying to work (and not the kind of work he was aiming at), but an honest job for the contribution and the purpose of developing Kurdistan. I am just glad that one of the staff members at the Hotel came to us after this receptionist had this very nerve breaking investigation with me. Why do you girls look so sad? Because of that mister in the desk. Miss, I saw what he did. He had no right to. He did not ask any of the other guests why they were there. It is not his right to ask about such things. You should complain to the owner, it is your right. ...........
I remember from previous contributions that I put empasis on the importance of breaking cultural codes or at least pushing some of the limits, so people can get used to other point of views. In this moment, it just seemd useless. The other staff memeber was the light in my darknes.. I thank ypu!
Invalid C...
søndag 26. oktober 2008
mandag 20. oktober 2008
Hard times
Last week was definetly one of the hardest weeks in Kurdistan. It's not the lack of electricity, lack of water or anything material. I could survive in a tent! (Yes I can,I've found that out)
It's the things you don't think about when you've grown up in Europe. The fact that you can pack up and go for a long walk,and no one would care. The fact that you can be a single woman and sit in a cafe with your laptop, and the waiter wouldn't approach you as if you were a prostitute. These are all things I cherish about "The West"!
The week in Duhok showed me just how hostile some people are to change. It's not the new generation, they thrive when being informed and taught about democracy and human rights.
It's the few parasites that still want to control the situation and wipe out any form of development. These voices were heard throughout our trip last week.
At a workshop where our participants were university students a few unwelcome guests made their views about "us westerners" quite heard. It's too complicated to fully go into,but it's a lose lose situation when it comes to reaching out to some here in Kurdistan.
When having nothing left to criticize, one of these "elders" attacked me for not speaking too good in Kurdish. The students (who the workshop was really for) corrected this man and told him that my Kurdish was flawless! Take that,you mean mean man!
If you try to show them that the West also has miscalculated things,and that looking up to them is sometimes dangerous, they criticize you for not knowing enough about Kurdistan. If you then tell them that some issues from the Western thinking should be implemented you are accused of being an orientalist.
Well well, I guess this was a wake up call.
/H
søndag 19. oktober 2008
Wedensday Oct. 9th
Workshop for the WCDI (Women can do it), a project designed to encourage women to participate in local politics and politics in general.
The week long course consisted of lectures in economy, politics and women's rights.
The last day of the course C and I were invited to hold a 4 hour workshop for them. I had a little presentation about the philosophical views of the 18th century Europe and countered them with a little bit of de Beauvoir.
Then we had a few games, just to see how they viewed women in the public sphere. All in all it was a good day. Needless to say, the participants were all women.
/H
mandag 6. oktober 2008
søndag 5. oktober 2008
Tribal law kills those lost in space
Wednesday 24th of September
For almost 14 nights in road I have been sleeping outside on the roof of mu aunt`s house. What a glorious feeling, it cannot be described as even perfect. While discovering thousands of stars and a silent surrounding, I was every single night right before falling asleep, lost in space. One night it got cold, so I moved my “bed” inside. As little afraid as I am, I made it a challenge 5 days after, and tried to sleep outside again. Well, what a huge mistake. About midnight right outside my aunt`s garage some persons were shooting at each other. I have no idea why or who they were, but I can reassure you that I covered my head very safely under my blanket as though it was bullet proof. All the neighbors came out to check what was going on. Well, I was so sick this night. I had a flue for two days which got worse on me this same night as I was stupid enough to sleep outside. Finally, I do not know who was shooting or why, but I did moved my “bed” inside again. Do you believe me when I say that I really look forward to the night I can sleep outside again?
These kinds of shootings are not unusual phenomena here; it happens every now and then. For two weeks ago, there was a big shooting drama in the city center. The court is located in the city center in the heart of the bazaar (down town shopping area), and two persons were brought from jail to be trialed. When they got out of the police vehicle, their family was standing there with their guns ready to rescue them from imprisonment. One policeman, one of the prisoners and a lawyer died, and a whole bunch of people got arrested. Talk about taking matters into your own hands, and not trusting the law and court system to judge fair and equally for everyone and politically independently without any form of corruption. While this action scene was going on down town, a lot of peoples` lives were put in danger to get killed by the hands of those shooting. Happy to inform that the new court halls (which are under construction) are located outside the city center.
To end this session even more sadly, the fight between the peshmerges of KRG and the Baghdad soldiers are still ongoing. The central government has decided to put a new border control station right besides the one already existing there, the one under the peshmerges supervision.
C. the space walker
For almost 14 nights in road I have been sleeping outside on the roof of mu aunt`s house. What a glorious feeling, it cannot be described as even perfect. While discovering thousands of stars and a silent surrounding, I was every single night right before falling asleep, lost in space. One night it got cold, so I moved my “bed” inside. As little afraid as I am, I made it a challenge 5 days after, and tried to sleep outside again. Well, what a huge mistake. About midnight right outside my aunt`s garage some persons were shooting at each other. I have no idea why or who they were, but I can reassure you that I covered my head very safely under my blanket as though it was bullet proof. All the neighbors came out to check what was going on. Well, I was so sick this night. I had a flue for two days which got worse on me this same night as I was stupid enough to sleep outside. Finally, I do not know who was shooting or why, but I did moved my “bed” inside again. Do you believe me when I say that I really look forward to the night I can sleep outside again?
These kinds of shootings are not unusual phenomena here; it happens every now and then. For two weeks ago, there was a big shooting drama in the city center. The court is located in the city center in the heart of the bazaar (down town shopping area), and two persons were brought from jail to be trialed. When they got out of the police vehicle, their family was standing there with their guns ready to rescue them from imprisonment. One policeman, one of the prisoners and a lawyer died, and a whole bunch of people got arrested. Talk about taking matters into your own hands, and not trusting the law and court system to judge fair and equally for everyone and politically independently without any form of corruption. While this action scene was going on down town, a lot of peoples` lives were put in danger to get killed by the hands of those shooting. Happy to inform that the new court halls (which are under construction) are located outside the city center.
To end this session even more sadly, the fight between the peshmerges of KRG and the Baghdad soldiers are still ongoing. The central government has decided to put a new border control station right besides the one already existing there, the one under the peshmerges supervision.
C. the space walker
Healing service
Friday 26th of September
Every single time I am here I try to tell myself not to forget that it almost customary law that workers in service oriented business does not need to show the customer respect nor be willing to deliver any kind of service. Off course you find very kind and polite people in the bazaar, trying their very best to sell you what ever in their shops, but every now and then you will find an office worker who does not answer you politely, or the women in the shopping mall who does not even look at you while shopping in her boutique. Or the hair dresser who tells you that you are so spoiled while drags your hair out from its roots. You have to beg for mercy half an hour in beforehand; “please, please, please do not cut my hair short! I like it as it is. Please do not cut the length!” These were the words coming out of my mouth last Friday the 26th of September telling the hair dresser. We were recommended a hairdresser who moved his shop from Baghdad to Suleimany “Sami” in Sharchnar. Well, one of the female workers took a grab on my hair and did reinsure me that she would not cut it short, not more than two fingers (even demonstrating it with putting two fingers towards eachother). I bet she took six fingers. Well, I should have learned until now. The same thing happened last time too in 2005, but it was much worse than now. Immediately I was a bit upset and even the rest of the day, but before falling asleep this Friday night I found myself smiling widely from ear to ear. I was thinking that if the biggest problem in Kurdistan and Iraq was hair (remember it does actually grow out faster than we expect), then the solution is just a piece of cake. But it is not something that grows again; this country needs healing…
C. in search of alternative medicine.
Every single time I am here I try to tell myself not to forget that it almost customary law that workers in service oriented business does not need to show the customer respect nor be willing to deliver any kind of service. Off course you find very kind and polite people in the bazaar, trying their very best to sell you what ever in their shops, but every now and then you will find an office worker who does not answer you politely, or the women in the shopping mall who does not even look at you while shopping in her boutique. Or the hair dresser who tells you that you are so spoiled while drags your hair out from its roots. You have to beg for mercy half an hour in beforehand; “please, please, please do not cut my hair short! I like it as it is. Please do not cut the length!” These were the words coming out of my mouth last Friday the 26th of September telling the hair dresser. We were recommended a hairdresser who moved his shop from Baghdad to Suleimany “Sami” in Sharchnar. Well, one of the female workers took a grab on my hair and did reinsure me that she would not cut it short, not more than two fingers (even demonstrating it with putting two fingers towards eachother). I bet she took six fingers. Well, I should have learned until now. The same thing happened last time too in 2005, but it was much worse than now. Immediately I was a bit upset and even the rest of the day, but before falling asleep this Friday night I found myself smiling widely from ear to ear. I was thinking that if the biggest problem in Kurdistan and Iraq was hair (remember it does actually grow out faster than we expect), then the solution is just a piece of cake. But it is not something that grows again; this country needs healing…
C. in search of alternative medicine.
Mental programming
Friday the 19th of September
H., her relatives, my cousin and I spend a wonderful evening in this most extreme American inspired bowling hall. The evening of the 19th of September was warm enough to stay outside. I am describing this event very shortly just to mention the main point; we smoked nargile (water pipe) in the garden. It awakened such a peaceful feeling within due to the simple reason; it was breaking cultural codes. It made me happy though I am aware that it may sound a bit foolish. Somehow it is not ok for women to smoke in Kurdistan, and this view of women smoking was a bit strange for the men. The small bushes settled for the purpose of defining the line between the areas where the men and families could sit seperated were so simplistic that all the men were looking into the “forbidden zone”. Do you get the picture or do you need a further demonstration? I think these breakages of cultural codes will change the mentality of the people. The main challenge in the mental programming of the people is to find courage enough fighters who most surely will in the first face loose all the battles.
C. is for cultural shorish (revolution) in Kurdistan.
H., her relatives, my cousin and I spend a wonderful evening in this most extreme American inspired bowling hall. The evening of the 19th of September was warm enough to stay outside. I am describing this event very shortly just to mention the main point; we smoked nargile (water pipe) in the garden. It awakened such a peaceful feeling within due to the simple reason; it was breaking cultural codes. It made me happy though I am aware that it may sound a bit foolish. Somehow it is not ok for women to smoke in Kurdistan, and this view of women smoking was a bit strange for the men. The small bushes settled for the purpose of defining the line between the areas where the men and families could sit seperated were so simplistic that all the men were looking into the “forbidden zone”. Do you get the picture or do you need a further demonstration? I think these breakages of cultural codes will change the mentality of the people. The main challenge in the mental programming of the people is to find courage enough fighters who most surely will in the first face loose all the battles.
C. is for cultural shorish (revolution) in Kurdistan.
Fun times
+-+Kopi.JPG)
The ever so famous "Tûy Malik"+-+Kopi.JPG)
The man in my life,also known as grandpapa+-+Kopi.JPG)
Kele u pache,ser u pe..a delight+-+Kopi.JPG)
First day of work back from eid.
Today we'll plan the workshop that C and I will hold on thursday. It will be quite interesting.
I thought I'd just post some photos from my week off.
/H
onsdag 1. oktober 2008
Sorry sorry sorry
I'm sorry for not blogging for a while, we're in the middle of the muslim holiday also known as "Eid" and "Cejn". It can be compared to christmas, with food and sweets and visits from family and friends.
Next week will be a week full of activity. C and I have a workshop to present during a week-long course prepared by the organization for their trainers. It will be interesting to translate a western form of gender-democracy workshop into a Kurdish context,and also into the Kurdish language. The organization hasn't been good at engaging us in the organization's work. In fact, they have not tried to integrate us in their activities. I've given up trying to push them ,and will just go with the flow.
Tonight we went up to Sar chinar again, walked around in the chilly weather and stopped at restaurant Paris. We ordered grilled fish, and it grilled on the fire right infront of our eyes. Kurdish fish, under kurdish skies with a mix of Arab and Kurdish friends. This might be the life...
/H
ps: I miss the one with the green eyes..
Next week will be a week full of activity. C and I have a workshop to present during a week-long course prepared by the organization for their trainers. It will be interesting to translate a western form of gender-democracy workshop into a Kurdish context,and also into the Kurdish language. The organization hasn't been good at engaging us in the organization's work. In fact, they have not tried to integrate us in their activities. I've given up trying to push them ,and will just go with the flow.
Tonight we went up to Sar chinar again, walked around in the chilly weather and stopped at restaurant Paris. We ordered grilled fish, and it grilled on the fire right infront of our eyes. Kurdish fish, under kurdish skies with a mix of Arab and Kurdish friends. This might be the life...
/H
ps: I miss the one with the green eyes..
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