[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e1W3NB1gEEg/TxFeVJ6kwCI/AAAAAAAABNw/HVVXEj-9RJQjTD2y90vCrTwDbAcrcWBmQCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252842%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697438721132249122″ caption=”Kurdistan (42).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (42).jpg” image_size=”957×1600″ ]

In December 2011 I began working for Mercy Corps in Iraq. Having come from my only other expat posting in Afghanistan, the cultural shock was quite something. Here are some of the images of the early days in Iraq’s Autonomous Kurdish  region.

[peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-vYg3xmA7Y-Y/TxF-uGjLZ1I/AAAAAAAABQ0/5foYFtpc9b0-74xG1lb3j8qQ7T99qMgjwCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252836%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697474334097631058″ caption=”Kurdistan (36).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (36).JPG” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9CP0qf154qs/TxF-GYM3-mI/AAAAAAAABQw/3Lella2aaJAQY806Qn2kjsNdXqii_IkjwCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252835%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697473651641154146″ caption=”Kurdistan (35).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (35).JPG” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-T_in999VaSw/TxF9an0XzbI/AAAAAAAABQs/JdaX__6vZsod3aUpGRjydt8yJhuk9kSlQCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252862%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697472899919105458″ caption=”Kurdistan (62).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (62).jpg” image_size=”957×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7GY6rfoUsbI/TxF8yag-7CI/AAAAAAAABQo/koXhIVD6hRoX-DoAWUvx3sUz7AuBRvQ-QCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252861%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697472209153354786″ caption=”Kurdistan (61).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (61).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Ht5sT-S0v-w/TxF8RWWv0EI/AAAAAAAABQk/d2hZr4S9gOwCQFmgon4qL7-2c6Jr2x-zACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252859%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697471641100996674″ caption=”Kurdistan (59).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (59).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-nK4F1XQRMrk/TxF7UjBH01I/AAAAAAAABQY/cY-ABH8D1jwBvHSDM7FhO7-VQL2uyMbWgCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252834%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697470596527936338″ caption=”Kurdistan (34).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (34).JPG” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qv0aIGcmK3w/TxF6uhkodYI/AAAAAAAABQU/08azl6V4yX0hbig5vLJrKiD37-KesPmdACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252856%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697469943304975746″ caption=”Kurdistan (56).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (56).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-IZqoi1o8XJw/TxF6a9gigQI/AAAAAAAABQQ/bcwC5GPgQiUpRKIYDxaQpyBnVjxe_QangCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252833%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697469607206617346″ caption=”Kurdistan (33).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (33).JPG” image_size=”1200×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h7aKDCqwdBs/TxF53EWv5SI/AAAAAAAABQM/vlDTGWOTmIEelBdr4ki3biCb9cc-TREygCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252832%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697468990569309474″ caption=”Kurdistan (32).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (32).JPG” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_TVJXKDGEPg/TxF5Y6iQZ8I/AAAAAAAABQI/HnyUqhTX0NQNn–bNZytR2gp0eXPcq6OwCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252855%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697468472537147330″ caption=”Kurdistan (55).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (55).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-X66o2mapkeg/TxF5KB4xgYI/AAAAAAAABQE/LZeJ0B5-P7wUGRFEAct7Ip1cBpV_hIjvACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252854%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697468216812601730″ caption=”Kurdistan (54).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (54).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wqqGNprLqRs/TxF4-MOCdMI/AAAAAAAABQA/0K0czPXXhmc1xThhbyx3oOt6x5Wxxc8UACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252853%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697468013427717314″ caption=”Kurdistan (53).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (53).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-E0KVDbu5804/TxF4srLvazI/AAAAAAAABP8/SeBx37szofYdSHRL9JvSQgJlBmHe9hAhACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252852%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697467712501934898″ caption=”Kurdistan (52).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (52).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-L7DWqLucZ4k/TxF4eIlqPVI/AAAAAAAABP4/jihNXrU23vY9ZMqpylWVO-iAV7fq8E1AgCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252851%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697467462697237842″ caption=”Kurdistan (51).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (51).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_M-7nMTppk4/TxF4P8_qpcI/AAAAAAAABP0/9qp4qfNKoE8HKvtC8wF6WhqPdbCIa24XgCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252829%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697467219066922434″ caption=”Kurdistan (29).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (29).JPG” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hAFyCPKSLk4/TxF35XlsnZI/AAAAAAAABPw/mdyihTapeA4yEVnj_l8WhBAbs0PCMqVzACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252828%2529.JPG” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697466831068765586″ caption=”Kurdistan (28).JPG” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (28).JPG” image_size=”1600×1200″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Zl518OKQBt0/TxF3YcqTwOI/AAAAAAAABPs/ssn-N9AJCzQRwoI5ly6QOFjo14vEosLPgCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252850%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697466265494601954″ caption=”Kurdistan (50).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (50).jpg” image_size=”957×1600″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jRzk2p8cTDI/TxF3GVlJtxI/AAAAAAAABPo/RX6G82ucbcwFugYkValK97GaTjwdcPqwACHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252849%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697465954356279058″ caption=”Kurdistan (49).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (49).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UJ64FdjBo6c/TxF1GspZXeI/AAAAAAAABPU/Q2xRnqlya_ouc4Y-6102Ob6EIczZNvcZgCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252843%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697463761524841954″ caption=”Kurdistan (43).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (43).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-rFMX81A7cjA/TxFd4ZJSOzI/AAAAAAAABNo/DT7GaYBv4vQ_CRLKcQvtZsXnyM1VGm1ZQCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252840%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697438227004275506″ caption=”Kurdistan (40).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (40).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ] [peg-image src=”https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0U3fAFfjG1Y/TxFdJgi0_5I/AAAAAAAABNk/0cuNJ0xB-BI_s4UpIIzA17nGl98zNDOCgCHM/s144-o/Kurdistan%2B%252839%2529.jpg” href=”https://picasaweb.google.com/116037646631888832329/Kurdistan?authkey=Gv1sRgCKm3rLeyuIiRmgE#5697437421536608146″ caption=”Kurdistan (39).jpg” type=”image” alt=”Kurdistan (39).jpg” image_size=”1600×957″ ]