Dear Donna

Readers, this post is a reply to the comment left by Donna on the post "the REAL thing in Kurdistan". She asks:

Do you live permantly in Hawler?
I don't live permanently in Hawler, but this is my third year of life in Hawler. The university where I work is in a period of transition at the moment and we all had to reapply if we want to stay on. Hence it is uncertain how much longer I will be here...

Are you from the US?
Sorry... I'm Canadian. However, I was in London, UK when I decided to come here. I saw my current job being advertised in the Guardian and decided to take a risk and go somewhere completely different.

Is it safe or are there any problems there?
It is at least as safe here as it is in London. There have been no life-threatening incidents in the time have been here. Kirkuk, Mosul and Baghdad might as well be in other countries. (In fact, you need a visa to go to Baghdad from Kurdistan now). Problems? That's another story! But as to how the problems would affect you, I don't know. There are problems related to corruption. There is lack of electricity and clean water, lack of good health care, etc. But all of these are slowly improving and I am sure that you and your partner would be able to find solutions for most of the problems you would encounter.

I'd be really grateful if you could give me a message back and let me no what its like to live there...
This is a much more difficult question as I don't know about which aspect of life you would like to know about. I think you can tell a lot about what my life in Kurdistan is like from this blog... but others live different lives. In terms of social relations and work, this has been an easier year for me. My students are lovely and the ease with which I can, as a woman, walk around or sit in a cafe without being stared is getting better, but as far as weather goes... it has been the worst year yet; dry and dusty with lung cramping sand from Saudi getting into every nook and cranny of both your flat and your person.
If you want information beyond this, please send further questions along with an email address and I will delete your email from the post and reply to you in person.

Are there many women from other countries there with their partners?
Foreign women with Kurdish partners? A few, but truthfully, I don't know so many. A couple of our professors have Kurdish husbands, but from the Kurdish region of Turkey. I also know a Dutch woman with an Arab husband, but the other women I met with husbands from Iraq or Iraqi Kurdistan don't live here... all in the EU with their husbands. Of course I don't actually meet a lot of the foreign residents here (not enough time spent at the Edge, the Deutscherhof or Bakery & More), so I am not the best qualified person to answer this question. But I think if you came, you would be able to at least meet enough foreign women to make your stay a little easier.

If you decide to come, let me know as I will definately still be here in May.