The end of an era?

As you may have noticed, there has been rather a long (2 week) impasse which afforded me no time to post. I have been finding it even more difficult than usual to get into the swing of managing a rather intense work load this semester. What this means for Daily Hawler is that I neglected to post about a number of events significant only to those of us who live here, but significant none the less.

One of those significant (only to us) events was the change of leadership of our place of employ, which in some ways seemed to signify the end of an era... an era we knew to be only temporary. Last year was a period of flux in which a number of obstacles were overcome and some kinks ironed out (or at least a plan on how to iron them out was put in place). While the leader selected by the KRG for this period may have seemed controversial, I can say it was a good year for those in my department as we came together to plan our strategy for the year and beyond and were supported in the implementation of those plans. (It was also a good year because we all got to teach something we were passionate about - something which included content other than how best to improve English language skills).

Now we are beginning again with the third rector in 4 years. What will happen remains to be seen. In the meantime, I would like to share a few pictures of us at the farewell lunch given for the former rector:

Above sits my department, pleased to be having a buffet lunch at the "Sheraton" (as the university cafeteria was still not open at this time).

Below, a few staff contemplate the dessert cart.

The former rector comes to visit our humble corner of the restaurant.
Below is Cuma, our driver, in the parking lot of the "Sheraton" (in quotes as the real name is Erbil International Hotel) waiting for us to board the bus and travel the 0.4 km back to the university. (It was hot and we were wearing uncomfortable shoes, or we would have been more ashamed not to walk). Alas, RB is gone, lunch is over, and I no longer teach literature, but all good things must come to an end.