Ever Wonder Where All of Iraq's Electricity Goes?

There are three types of electricity in our city: national (where everything (internet, outlets, lights) works), community (where only necessities (lights, fridge, outlets (ish) work), and none (where nothing works). Most of the time we're on national, but lately it feels like we're spending more and more time on community. Anyways that was just a preface to this post.

Thursday evening some of the interns (Lydia, Adam, Ben and I) took a taxi over to Parki Azadi's amusement park. [YESSSSSSSS THIS IS THE SAME AMUSEMENT PARK THE TOP GEAR GUYS WENT TO WHEN THE DROVE THROUGH KURDISTAN!!!!] 

We rode sketchy rides, ate delicious cotton candy, and met some teenage friends.

This park is open at night and everything always seems to be working. The electricity here is never off! I think this is why I don't get my a/c in the middle of the night or why I have to use the restroom in the dark, but after having so much fun last night I am ok with not always having electricity. 

Also when we arrived home we walked into a dark, dark house. Our electrical box thing (that's my technical term for it) blew. Sparks had come out of it and all of that jazz. So we had no electricity for the night/ morning. I blame the bumper cars.

last saturday

You would think that I would be a more efficient blogger since my job here is centered around PLC's blog. I'm sorry I haven't posted about what I've been up to these past weeks. So I'll just write a lot today!

Last Saturday (the 4th) we all went to Amna Suraka, or in English "Red Security." Amna Suraka was built to house the Kurds during Saddam's regime, it operated from 1979 until 1991 (at which point the Kurdish Peshmerga (armed Kurdish fighters) attacked and won control of the prison from Saddam's party). 

The first room you walk through is covered in broken glass pieces- a piece for each 182,000 victims under Saddam (an conservative estimate). The room's ceiling is covered in 5,400 small light-bulbs- each representing a village destroyed by Saddam Hussein. On Saturday I was sure this place was the most evil place I could ever have visited.

After the prison we walked to a park (Parki Azadi or Freedom Park). It use to be where public executions took place. Now it's where families go to picnic, children come to play, and an amusement park is running (and taking all of Iraq's electricity I think). Isn't that beautiful that instead of allowing Saddam Hussein to ruin this land, they turned it into a place where life can be happy and celebrated?

10 THINGS IRAQ HAS TAUGHT ME (so far)

Little boys have SO MUCH MORE ENERGY than nuclear fission.

Dressing stylish and modest is a sign of respect, not just for you, but for the people you are going to see.

Chickpeas are pretty good.

Drink water, think you’ve had enough? Drink some more.

Learn to live without electricity and the internet; you never know when it will go off.

Be hospitable- regardless of your material means. Give what you have, and remember that God is the ultimate provider.

Americans (in general) are weird- we’re loud, we’re ill-mannered (for the most part), we don’t like to lose ourselves to gain community, we want everyone to speak English, and we won’t take the time to listen to what others have to say. [I don't mean to step on any toes here, because I am still, constantly, learning how to live in another place).

Not every country has coffee. Stop being dependent on it and move on. (or learn to drink caffeinated tea).

When you’re on the phone say the “I love you” part first, it’s the most important and the call will end without you knowing it. (Again- learn to live without electricity and internet).

God is good, all the time. His plan is far greater than what I think should be, and glorifying Him even when I am disappointed and confused is what He asks of us.