From Iraqi Kurdistan to Holland

Rudaw - By Wladimir van Wilgenburg

I’ve spent two months in the Kurdistan region of Iraq and got used to the heat, culture and tea. Now I’m back in the Netherlands where everything is more organized, rainy and cold. No more thee, ishkan street in Erbil or late night talks about Kurdish politics. No more taqay xoshi’s (celebratory gun fire) or talks with Kurdish peshmerga’s about their struggle with Saddam.

I arrived in Holland on 31st August. While I got at least four security checks at the Kurdish airport, I got no checks at the Dutch airport. My friend laughed and said this is because the Dutch authorities trust the Kurdish security checks. I rather think this is because of the advance technology, like Asayish head Esmat Argushi told me: if I would have Dutch technology, you would see almost no Asayish on the street.

Read More...