Car Crashes and Kurdish Culture

Part 2 of our interview with Erik about life and culture in Iraq. Also, an amazing story of how he survived a 100mph crash on a highway!

Hannah and Colleen interview our friend and teammate, Erik, about his life and experiences teaching and living in Iraq as well as his studies of Kurdish history and culture.

Hannah and Colleen embark on the many uses of the Iraqi Kurdish Park and the many varieties of Recreation available in Kurdish parks. There's workout equipment, food carts, fairs, amusement parks, roller skating, strange statues and more! Come take a walk with us through our favorite and least favorite parks in Northern Iraq.

This is a special update episode! Hannah and Colleen interview Robin, who helped SGI rebuild schools in Turkey after the big earthquakes in 1999. Those connections and relationships have opened up paths for us to serve in relief work and hopefully with rebuilding after these more recent earthquakes. We're sending teams to help build shelters in the short term and hopefully continue to serve the area as they rebuild. https://servantgroup.org/relief-work-in-turkey-team-heading-over-soon/

Hannah and Colleen talk about Hannah's trip to visit our team members in Iraq. Where we used to be the ones who were visited, now we are the visitors. And we love taking care of our team members!

Hannah and Colleen continue their conversation about tourist sites in Iraq near Dohuk in this mini episode! Learn more at www.ServantGroup.org/Iraq and email Hannah at hannah@servantgroup.org with questions, comments, or suggestions!

Hannah and Colleen walk you through the favorite tourist sites for both locals and foreigners in Northern Iraq. Part two with the sites around Dohuk will come next! Some of these tourist sites in Iraq may surprise you! Learn more at www.ServantGroup.org/Iraq and email Hannah at hannah@servantgroup.org with questions, comments, or suggestions!

Hannah and Colleen have a conversation with Victoria, who went on our teacher training trip back in August of 2021. Hear her reactions, culture shock, what she learned, and whether or not she'd ever go back! Also find out about what to do when you break your ankle on a mountain hike! Lear more at www.ServantGroup.org/Iraq and email Hannah at hannah@servantgroup.org with questions, comments, or suggestions!

Hannah wraps up her research on the Chaldean Catholic Church with their modern history in Northern Iraq, the destruction by ISIS, and the various diasporas to the West. What is the fate of Alqosh now? What will happen in the future to the church as their numbers dwindle? We don't know, but we do share how we got where we are.  Learn more over at servantgroup.org/Iraq or email Hannah at hannah@servantgroup.org.

Hannah teaches Colleen more on the history and beliefs of the Chaldean Church in this, part two, of a three part series. This episode covers the re-unification of the Chaldean Catholic Church with Roman Catholic Church along with some of the distinguishing features of the Chaldean Catholic Church liturgy and tradition. Keep an eye out for the best sourdough starter ever! Yeah... that will make sense later. To learn more, visit our website at www.ServantGroup.org!