Najwa Karam in Kurdistan!!

A lot has happened in the region (Especially Erbil), but it is all good news and development taking place as usual. The latest hot gossip is about the renowned Lebanese singer Najwa Karam, the reality is that this is no gossip and she is actually coming to Kurdistan to hold two concerts in Slemani and Erbil on the 3rth and 4th of December.

She is one of the Arab singers who has many fans in the region, some assume she has Kurdish blood in her. Posters, television and radio commercials and the newspapers are bombarded with adverts of the BIG event that people are all eagerly waiting for. I for one, am counting the days until she finally arrives—it will show to the Arab world just how welcoming and warm Kurdish people are.

I have no doubt she is better than many of the well known Iraqi artists who have not set foot into the region after the fall of the regime to hold any concerts.

Halloween in Kurdistan

…and so Kurds go trick or treating!!!.



October 31— Yes Yes Yes!!! it’s Halloween!! The ‘Halloween’ culture is pretty new here but somehow popular, in some suburbs children actually go around asking for sweets and treats… gradually the occasion is becoming familiar with the people here, especially the children.

The kids in Naz City seem to be well aware of the night and collect bags of lollies from each building; I can imagine how sick they feel now with all the candy.
For the first time, I celebrated Halloween last night with AKFA (American Kurdistan Friendship Association)—it was a very memorable night full of smiles and laughter.
I had my own scary Halloween trying to find the venue—in the dark driving through the ex-Korean/ ZAYTOON camp is not fun at all, but it was all okay in the end and we managed to find our way through.




(Above: the judges in a secret discussion to give the names of the winners for the best pumkin)

Once there, the nice food (frankly, anywhere when rice and meat is not the only option the food will surely be nice) and the friendly people made the evening extra special. There was prizes for the best dressed, and the best pumpkins as well. Did not participate in either one of the two—my artistic side is… let’s say not so good!!


Another eye catchy incident was the number of American men in Kurdish Clothes; I must admit I found it so attractive. Harry Shoot and a few others were in the traditional Kurdish clothing, it showed their love and respect to the Kurdish Culture—another proof that there is a close friendship between Americans and the Kurds.



Meanwhile I will continue to indulge in my much loved Reese’s Pieces Peanut Butter- candy in a crunch shell. Not from here. Sneaked a small pack out from the American troops… I don’t think they’d mind.

Trick or treat?? – treat for me…


Happy Halloween!!


(This was written two days prior to being loaded on the BLog, because of lack of net access) :) -- no harm done!!