This is just to let you know that that wonderfully punjent and inescapable garlicy fermented smell of kimchi is finally contained to just the inside of my fridge. Where was I was able to get kimchi in Iraq? Well... I spent Saturday afternoon on the Korean peace-keeping-forces base: a new friend -LC Go- met me at the gate and guided me through an afternoon which was much like my first day of work in Seoul some years ago.
First I went to the boss' office (in this case, the first-star general) and drank tea and chatted politely about what I was doing in Kurdistan and how long I would be there... after which he welcomed me and gave me a commemorative coin (I will eventually figure out a use for this). Then I went to the next office to relive the experience. Then I met up with Go Sonsaeng nim and a couple of translators (Korean-English and Korean-Arabic and some Kurdish staff members).
And finally, I was able to go to the dining hall for a Korean lunch with that last group and a couple of people who I met at a Korean-Kurdish friendship event (an event I will post about when I receive the photos): For all those who like Korean food, they served Jjajang-pap, twigim, kamja- hobak dwenjjang jige, kimchi and takwan. And after lunch, the cook packed me some small containers of kimchi, Korean sauces and sesame oil to take home and tide me over until my next visit.
Although it was a military base, it was in fact one of the least hostile and friendliest environments I have been in since I have arrived here. 'Hama', a lovely local staff member drove me home (stinking up his car with the fermented cabbage -a smell which he says he has gotten used to). Unfortunately, the next time I go just won't be the same as LC Go -the friendliest of the friendly- leaves for Korea today.
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