Life as an American Teacher in Iraq
Hannah and Colleen share their experiences of the roles and rules around what it means to be a man or a woman (or boy or girl) in Kurdish culture. Expectations and limitations for both men and women are a bit different than our experiences in the United States and anyone thinking to visit would do well to know what they might be getting into.
Hannah and Colleen explore the difficult and sometimes humorous world of social media in Iraq. If you've never had a new Facebook friend go through all ten years of your photos and comments and like or comment on every single one, you should check this out! If you have... join us anyway to see your social media posts in a new light.
Colleen and Hannah talk about how the idea of cleanliness has some interesting cultural rules and expectations in Northern Iraq that make people mop their patios daily but throw trash in the street. What is clean and what is not? How important is being clean? How did we adapt our lives and practices to their cultural standards and did we fight against it?
Learn more at servantgroup.org and send questions to hannah@servantgroup.org!
Hannah and Colleen talk about the beautiful extravagance of Kurdish hospitality and walk you through what it's like to go on a visit to a Kurdish or Middle Eastern home. Hospitality is a key cultural value and is both generous and overwhelming in Northern Iraq and sometimes even when we visit our Middle Eastern friends in the U.S.!
Learn more at servantgroup.org and send questions to hannah@servantgroup.org!
Hannah and Colleen talk about how Kurdish people respond to different kinds of crisis. Some big, some small, some medical, and some military -- the Kurds have seen it all and we have gained some perspective from them.
In the US we're pretty used to using our credit cards to pay for things and we're adding all sorts of new electronic payment methods. But in Northern Iraq, nearly everything is still done in cash. Hannah and Colleen discuss a few of the multitude of reasons for this, but more about the effect it has on every day life and how everyone navigates multiple currencies!
Hannah and Colleen chat about several key terms in Kurdish language and culture: sherma, aiba, and haram. All have meanings that connect to honor, shame, and what is allowable and what is forbidden. Cultural expectations and norms are part of what can be a challenge for a westerner. This podcast explores their shades of meaning and how we perceived them as we lived in the region.
Hannah and Colleen interview Robin, who (with her husband, Dave) took her two kids to live in Iraq. What did this do to her kids? Her family and their relationships? Listen to us ask her all about her stories and adventures from when she and her family lived in Iraq.
Learn more at www.ServantGroup.org or ask questions by emailing Hannah at hannah@servantgroup.org.
Hannah and Colleen chat about the various steps to the ever changing process of getting residency in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. This isn't the nuts and bolts, just the experiences from our perspective of foreign bureaucracy and how to walk through it. We are so grateful for our Kurdish friends who made it possible for us to navigate and made sure the government received all the correct paperwork.
Ask questions or contact us at Hannah@servantgroup.org!
Learn more over at ServantGroup.org.
Hannah and Colleen talk about the blessings and challenges of living on support and what that is. How do we deal with fear, trust, and other people's perceptions? How do we thrive in community as part of the body of Christ and what is the holy handshake? This episode is a personal look at many years of living through the provision and care of God through the generosity of others.
Ask questions or contact us at Hannah@servantgroup.org!
Learn more over at ServantGroup.org.