.... a different perspective..

Typically, my blog posts are relatively light hearted musings from my random thoughts.. but fans, today I'd thought I'd share an e-mail I recently recieved from my friend Tam who is currently working in Iraq. It truly gave me a different perspective on life in Iraq.

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Hello! I finally got a chance to come up for air. I am in Northern Iraq- Kurdistan right now.

My flight was cancelled so I had an entire unplanned day. I thought I would write you an email to tell you about Northern Iraq because if you watch the news- you would think the whole country was a bomb.

Iraqis take Fridays off-- the stores close and up here they all drive to the country and picnic. So yesterday It was beautiful Friday in the Spring- no shopping- no stores were open. In the North there are beautiful grassy mountains, flowers, streams, not unlike the US.

So we drove to the country to see these famous picnickers. I had always heard about this- but until I saw it for my own eyes- I had no idea. All of Erbil was out in the country having a picnic! Seriously every patch of the road side and country side was full of families picnicking. Their picnic include dancing, drinking tea, eating, playing games, children playing etc.

We went to this beautiful gully and crashed someone’s wedding. They made me Dance the Kurdish line dance and I am now in someone’s wedding video. “Oh who’s that- some American that showed up out of the blue”. They love Americans more than Americans do.

They salute us- they tell us how much they love us because we freed them from Saddam. So as an American- you are like a celebrity. We then found another picnic in a different area- and the guide decided we should invite ourselves for tea. Again- you would have thought I was Royalty- or president Bush himself- they made a huge deal about catering to me, preparing a special carpet and pillow for me to sit on etc. They took photos, video taped me etc. Maybe it was the red hair—who knows.

Today I helped the military hand out candy to kids on the street. This was my first experience walking around with the military- the Kurds love the military! Everyone came out to the street to wave and say hello. We were offered rides by everyone. What an experience! I had no idea that America was actually appreciated! and these military guys really do want to help the people here. They are here not because they are forced or because they have nothing else to do, but because they truly want to help the people here. It is refreshing. I've met so many military that are highly educated and left their jobs to come to Iraq because they believe in the cause.

After being in the North and seeing these people who were once tormented by a dictator- dancing around and eating Dolma in peace-- does give hope to the rest of the country.

Anyway- just thought I would share a few tid bits-other than the car bomb stories and civil war that you hear on CNN- hope all is well with you all!