AUIS - American University of Iraq at Suleimaniya

I have decided to go work at the two year old American University of Iraq at Suleimaniya next year. I cannot wait.


I went over to visit a couple weeks ago and once I figure out how to put a link to a slideshow up I will post pics.

The kids there are fabulous - funny, motivated, driven and smart. It is a mix of Kurds from the region and Arabs from Baghdad and surrounding provinces. They all have interesting stories - a kid who worked with troops in Baghdad, a nephew of a leader of the Iraqi Islamic Party (I don't want to say who, not sure if it would be right). It is living history up there.

I love working directly with others - I love teaching - and want to contribute to helping Iraq get back on its feet.

In the long term (in coming years) I really want to do civic engagement work/ civil society building (not the idealistic kind) like at National Democratic Institute, I have even been trying to finagle my way into the government - Foreign Service and Civil Service, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs and Democracy Human Rights and Labor.

But it is very very hard to get into State I have found, even if you know people and even if you speak some Arabic and have some knowledge of the Middle East. My friend Andrea suggested going down there with huge signs saying "Hire me I speak Arabic," which is becoming more and more appealing each day.