Aram

Ser-u-pe!

I partook in a small adventure today. One of the culinary type. So far, for the short time that I have been here, I have heard tale of a certain little dish called Ser-u-pe. After, hearing all the hype and growing in my excitement, i finally had the fabled dish. During our latest visit with KakAram, we ordered Ser-u-pe. Twenty or so minutes later, a man arrived with five bowls for all of us in the shop. The soupy concoction consisted of a little sheep brain, tongue, and feet. Now I know this might sound unusual, but after timidly tasting the first spoonful, i realized, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Kurds know what they’re doing when it comes to food. They can even make sheep brain and feet taste delicious. The grellowish brothy soup along with their flavorful tortilla type bread is definitely an experience worth having, and I’m proud to say that I have.

Much love,

Preston

Choni, Bashi?

Every time I start writing a blog i don’t know where to start or what to write about. There is just so much going on worth writing about and sharing.Experiencing the culture, playing soccer with kids, and my work withPLC fill up my days. I’ll try and give you a little glimpse.

When speaking of culture, the biggest culture shock I’ve had to deal with is the many restrictions to which women adhere. Men, by far, are able to be more relaxed than women in public. So many things that women do affect their reputations, such as not making direct eye contact with any man that’s not their husband. Women are not to go to the little side tea vendors or to little tea shops at night. As a man is leaving the house, he is not to say thank you to another man's wife if he is in the house by himself. This could be seen as infidelity. Also, a woman can have a job but it is much more respectable for her to work in the house from nine to five. Now before you run off thinking that this must be some male chauvinist society, know that the rules are not violently or unmercifully enforced (even though many rules are upheld by the law). They have to do more with how a woman portrays herself, and many of the restrictions seem to be out of respect and protection of a woman’s reputation (I’m saying this with only a few days experience, so I’m definitely no expert). In America women are almost expected to have jobs sometimes, and if a man were to tell his wife she couldn’t, it would be disrespectful. However, here a woman is respected by her husband when he provides for her entirely. The argument is that if a woman has to give birth and is expected to work in the house, a husband should be able to work and provide. Men also know too respect their women because of their reserved behavior. I’m guessing many of the restrictions also come from the Islamic religion.

If the southern people are known for their hospitality, then Kurdistan is the South of the Middle East. The people's kindness goes beyond hospitality. For example, I walk into a man’s house with a friend of PLC to discuss business. From the moment we entered the house we were greeted (choni, Bashi?), and served water, hot sweet tea (sweetest ever and delicious), and watermelon. Walking down the street people are so quick to say high, and people are very excited to have conversations in English. On thursday nights, there is a coffee shop get together where Kurdish and American people get together just to have conversations. There really is no hesitation in getting to know somebody here (besides the whole men and women not really talking thing). Also, Today I walked out the door and started playing soccer with six kids. Then I went to the market and ate the best falafel ever, told the man it was delicious, and he made us pay next to nothing. The examples of Kurdish kindness and hospitality are endless.

Working with PLC, the reason I”m here, is perhaps the most exciting thing to talk about. As I said in an earlier blog, I’m working a lot with PLC’s Klash extraordinaire KakAram. I’m also helping to plan a banquet for our kids that have gone through surgery, and working with doctors. Most of what I’ve done so far is work with Aram. A few days last week a fellow intern and I went to visit Aram. While we were there, communicating was definitely difficult, but after a few minutes we were laughing at each other and getting to know each other on a basic level. Of course, being the kurdish man he is, he served us tea and even showed us how he makes the sole to a Klash (I should have a video up). Seriously, he is one cool guy, and he is willing to listen to our new ideas for Klash even though his work has been a tradition for years.

The Klash is just one way that PLC creatively partners with people to raise funds for heart surgeries. It’s what I first connected with because of the people behind the shoe. To me, selling Klash is a simple yet inventive way to empower the Iraqi people and help these children, and working with Aram is the coolest.

Hope and love,

Preston

Doing What I Love!

Wednesday we began our work in the PLC office. Coming into this internship, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to be doing or if i would even have the skill set to be a benefit to PLC. However, after receiving our assignments today, my fears were relieved. We began our meeting discussing PLC and the approaches PLC takes in sharing its message, the message of life-saving heart surgeries! I couldn’t be more excited about the people and organization I’m working with. We were then shown the tasks for the summer, and it seemed like the variety of tasks matched up so well with our variety of interns.This really is a talented and driven bunch we have here. We have photographers who’s work you can’t take your eyes away from, and writers who do amazing things (by the end of the summer they’ll probably be writing in Kurdish). For my own tasks, I’ll be planning a banquet for our kids that have gone through surgery, working with our Klash maker, and visiting doctors. You know that feeling you get when your a kid when you make a gift for your parents or something that your really proud of. Well, that’s how I feel about these tasks. I have a chance to contribute to something that I really want to share. I’ll now be able make a mark on every aspect of how I first came to know PLC. To explain, these kids have a curable condition and deserve a healthy chance at life, but PLC takes this love a bit further by empowering the shoemakers who’s work is used to help make these surgeries possible. Also, I am pre-med, so having the honor to visit these doctors will be more beneficial than i can imagine. If I seem excited, it’s because I am, and I hope, no matter what organization it is, that everyone can connect with something that really drives them to make a difference. PLC has provided that for so many.

Once the tasks were received, we were off to the races. A room full of creative and zealous college kids, i’d say the room was a bit crazy. My friend Ben and I took out to the Bazaar to meet with our friend and Klash maker Aram. While we were there, he welcomed us, brought us tea, and made an entire Klash sole in front of us. It’s an art that is hard to explain (hopefully I’ll have a video up). Anyway, thanks for reading. Kurdistan (Iraq) is a wonderful place worth telling people about, and I hope to tell you more soon.

Best wishes,

Preston

(Pictures top to bottom- Aram working sole, Aram's work station, Half of PLC office)

From Plane Ride to Bazaar

So let me tell ya something, Wal-Mart’s got nothing on Sulaymaniyah’s bazaar, but before we get to that let me tell you about the plane ride. Long is the word to describe it, but educational works as well. I hopped on a plane from Nashville to New York reeling with excitement and a bit of fear because going it alone is a first for me. While on the plane, I met an Indian college student who explained the seventh day adventist church to me which was cool and educational, and two hours later i was in New York. The people in the airport seemed so trendy but maybe that’s just the stereotype I put on New Yorkers (Josh Baltz). After a couple hours in the airport i met the first of nine extremely cool interns that I will be working with, Sophie. From NYC, I was then off to Istanbul where I met a woman on the plane who convinced me to go backpacking across South America. This is where the long part comes in. The plane ride was around 10 hours, and once we were in Istanbul Sophie and I had to wait 14 hours for our next flight. It turned out to be ok though. We ate some Turkish food, drank some turkish coffee, and met all but two of the rest of the interns. Ben, Esther, Alex, DBuc, Claire, and Josh are their names, and they’re all so cool (the other two are arriving Wednesday). I feel like each person has an amazing and unique story, and working with them is going to be amazing. Then it was off to Salaymaniyah, where on the plane I met an Iraqi man that was really excited just to speak English with me. Adnan, cool guy.

When we arrived in Suly, the time was three in the morning, so we all went back to the house and crashed. However, eleven o’clock the next morning we were woken up to a surprise. Our mission for the day was to find a list of necessary and optional supplies for our summer in Iraq. We were given the list and some cash, nothing more. What a great way to first learn about and experience how to live in Suly. We went to the bus stop, chaotically squeezed on a bus, and took off to the Bazaar. Before, I go any further with, let me briefly explain Suly. It’s a large city that is actually very modern, which surprised me and my American perspective of Iraq. Their architecture isn’t at all uniform, which makes it beautiful. Concrete buildings are in all sorts of cool designs, and the people here dress really sharp. Fellas wear nice button up shirts and gel up their hair. For them, dressing well is a way of showing respect, even just going to the store. Back to the bazaar, it is a massive, and when i say massive, I mean massive market where you walk around on the sidewalk and can find anything you could ever need. You can even buy a squirrel as a pet, complete with a pretty collar around its neck. Luckily, on the bus we met an extremely nice an hospitable Kurdish guy named Hajjin (probably spelled wrong). The entire afternoon he helped us find everything we needed, such as SIM cards, cheap cell phones, and fruit smoothies (legit melons were used at that). Seriously he was a great guy that I hope we hang out with again soon. After, the bazaar we came back and ate a delicious meat salad (because I had more hamburger meet than salad). After supper we gathered in the living room and worshiped together. Josh Gigs, a long term intern, shared a great story about his life and we all sang some great songs together (Jeremy, one of the head honchos, can really play). It felt like true church, sitting in the middle of Iraq, sharing experiences, and singing to God not because it’s the routine but because God’s love is worth celebrating together.

As the days go on, I’ll be getting more into a work routine in the PLC office and I’ll be sharing with you more and more information about the life-saving work of PLC. Also, I’m definitely going to update the blog more frequently. There are just to many details to fit into one blog.

Best wishes,

Preston

(pictures above from top to bottom: Hanging out with Hajjin, Klash shoemaker shop, Pet squirrel, The PLC house)

So, I like to think that part of the reason I am going to Iraq is because of Juicy Fruit. Yes, that delicious gum. Let me explain. When I was little, a man that went to my church, Mr. Thornton, always gave all the little kids and I pieces of Juicy Fruit. It seemed just a kind little gesture, but as time went on more of these little gestures really made an impact on me. I eventually asked him to be my mentor during confirmation. Through these last few months of preparing to work with the Preemptive Love Coalition, I’ve been pondering alot about how our lives are filled with and shaped by selfless gestures that eventually culminate into something beautiful. I’ve always loved Mother Teresa’s view that we cannot do great things, only small things with great love (not quoted properly, I know), and throughout these last few months of raising money, I’ve had so many people go out of their way to help me raise the funds needed to get to Iraq. Wether it be through helping me cook 180 half chickens, giving me travel advice, donating to my trip, or praying for me, so many people have made investments in my cause that have helped me tremendously, and through this internship I hope to continue with this love given to me and share it with the families of Iraq. I am excited to contribute to the mission of PLC in any way possible and see the culmination of lots of love from lots of people helping to eradicate the backlog of heart surgeries needed by Iraqi children. Through these surgeries, children receive another chance at life, and people are able to look past there ethnic and cultural walls that keep us apart in order to help.

Thank you to everyone who has helped make this possible for me, and now I hope to extend the invitation to you to continue with PLC and I in helping these Iraqi children. The Preemptive Love Coalition now has the opportunity to help more kids receive heart surgeries in a shorter amount of time than ever before through their REMEDY MISSION program. REMEDY MISSIONS are international pediatric surgery teams brought to Iraq to help provide heart surgeries for children in need while also providing training for local doctors. PLC will be able to help provide 30 kids with life-saving heart surgeries at a fraction of the normal cost, and training local doctors helps insure the improvement of Iraqi Healthcare. Please, check out this amazing chance to save lives! The website for the REMEDY MISSION is:

www.preemptivelove.org/remedy

I’ll keep you updated on my time in Iraq and the work of PLC (on a weekly basis maybe). Thanks for reading and please check in again soon.