Friday 29 November: Day 141
With all the excitement at Garmian University, we forgot that yesterday was Thanksgiving! Last year I was in Rwanda, broiling fresh rabbit over a fire with my site mate Eric and good friend Jean, preparing to begin hiking the Congo-Nile Trail. This year we celebrated over traditional Kurdish food at a restaurant with a very special woman.
Hero (her actual name!) recently returned from the United States. Her son is afflicted with a rare genetic disorder which threatened to end his life early. A medical charity in DC accepted her long shot application for a fully-paid medical visit; she and her family were flown to America, slept in a five-star hotel, toured the National Mall and accepted two weeks of intensive medical care at a state-of-the-art hospital. They were treated like royalty. Her husband teared up when we met him and profusely thanked us on behalf of all Kurds, extended to all Americans. Her son, his face twisted but smiling, waved goodbye as they drove away.
This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful to be an American. I’m thankful to belong to a nation which can fly Hero’s son to our homeland and save his life. I’m thankful that despite our President, hero was greeted with “salam alekyum”s every ten minutes in DC. I’m thankful to serve that nation in whatever small way our work here is accomplishing. I’m thankful that we can get better, that the brightest future is forever our aspiration, that we will not sleep until we reach it.
I’m going to focus on giving thanks this week. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
پێزانین – gratitude
Saturday 30 November: Day 142
The year is almost over, and there’s so much to be thankful for. First and foremost, I’m thankful for Mitsu. You changed my life. I could and will write about it all, but I’m keeping it for another day.
I’m thankful that my brother Zach married a patient, strong partner, and that Jackie is now my way-cooler sister. I’m thankful that my mom has spent a year getting stronger and happier, and that she was there for us when we walked off that flight from Rwanda. I’m thankful that my dad is now engaged to his wonderful partner, Bee Jay, and that he’s remained patient with my continued antics.
We spent six months living the American Dream; we started broken and aimless, worked more than we slept, drove across the USA twice and made something beautiful out of it all. We’ve spent the past six months in a strange place that neither of us imagined we’d ever see and that we continue to fall deeper in love with. I’ve met more incredible friends, rebuilt lost relationships, seen more sunrises and laughed louder than anyone could rightfully ask for.
I’m thankful for 2019.
یادەوەری – memory
Sunday 1 December: Day 143
I’m thankful for the young beggar who stopped me on my way to buy lunch today. He sprinted over to me, his tan skin and silky black hair clean against his only shirt, every single tooth showing off in a smile that took my breath away. He practiced his English by translating “apple” and “banana” in Kurdish and lost his composure when I told him where I was from. We took a picture together, and I had to squat down so that we would be at eye level. This is what happiness looks like.
پەری – angel
Monday 2 December: Day 144
We started a new round of classes today. I’m teaching an Elementary (Level 2) class from 10 to 12; seven students, all around my age, eager to be treated like friends, not students. When I was a freshman at USF I led a study session for the other students in an Introduction to Ethics class and it had the same vibe as this English class: fraternal, democratic and earnest. My new students are as excited to be here and so am I.
I’m thankful for my awesome job. Mitsu and I do an exhausting amount of work and watching people “get it” is a satisfaction every teacher can relate to. I get to see that every day. I have amazing co-workers who make what could be a logistical torture into something more like a well-run circus performance, crazy but fun. Most excitingly, we’re getting to start a school, and in doing so make a lasting impression on the world. Not everyone gets to do that.
خوێندکار – students
Tuesday 3 December: Day 145
I’m thankful that literally every single person we’ve met here has treated us like family. The boys who run the cafe next to the school give us free coffee every day. Our students invite us to their homes for dinner every week. Akam’s family treats us like their youngest son and daughter. The security officers joke with us like we’re in on a secret, and the old men we pass in the market stop us to say hello and offer us a blessing. We haven’t met a single person who has shown us any disrespect, and we take that for granted too often. Not today.
رەحمەت – blessing
Wednesday 4 December: Day 146
Mitsu and I have started going to the gym every bight. She goes to the all-women’s gym (and will hopefully write about the unique vibe pretty soon). I go to a brand new sports center with my former student, Mehdi. He’s a terrific friend with some stories that probably shouldn’t be recorded here.
No, I want to take a minute to be grateful for my health. One of my students, a veterinarian, is dealing with a crippling health problem and had to drop the class. Another student has kidney stones; she came to class with an IV socket in her hand and regularly injects herself during the class time. We’ve seen more than one person missing limbs from wartime atrocities, and one of our good friends told us that she wears a tight hijab because her entire body was burned by a bomb as a young girl – we can only see the scars on her hand.
When I was in Rwanda, I ate less than a thousand calories a day for several months. I was sick regularly and eventually picked up a nasty stomach parasite from swimming in a lake. I smoked too much, maybe a pack a day. I had malaria and was in a bad place for a few days, barely remembering anything but the yellow tint of the world around me. Since coming to Kurdistan, we’ve been well-fed, active and responsible with our bad habits. Our health is good, and for the first time in my life, I’m actively aware of how thankful I should be.
تەندروستی – health
Thursday 5 December: Day 147
There was another attack last night, this time about 20 minutes away. People are saying that it was ISIS. No one is afraid that the violence will spread to Kalar, although we aren’t so sure. They killed two soldiers with gunfire.
Whether the attackers actually “belonged” to ISIS to not is irrelevant. Since their collapse, terrorists keep ISIS alive without officially belonging to any organization; the bastards claim that any action which destabilizes existing governments helps realize their vision of a stateless, Wahabi society. Criminals, ex-soldiers and the destitute – anyone who has “lost” society’s game – are drawn to the ideology.
I will write more about ISIS as I learn more. For now, I’m just thankful for our safety.
سەلامەتی – safety
certification 
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