Daily notebook from Duhok 2016

[Anthea]

Iraqi holidays, no clue about their meaning.

Just sit back - relax and enjoy yourself

[Anthea]

It has been freezing here minus 10 last night

Have you got any snow yet?

[Piling]

No the weather is quite good, 9ºc-13ºc.

Perhaps the next week snow is coming with -1 -3 ºc ?

Generally the coldest month in Kurdistan is February so winter might be front of us not behind.

[Anthea]

Do the Kurds in Duhok celebrate the anniversary of the Republic of Mahabad?

Do we (especially you) know more about Kurdish history than the Kurds do?

[Piling]

There is an officiel celebration in Erbil. In Duhok, I don't know, perhaps in KDP places.

Concerning knowledge about history, educational system is weird here (as in Iraq) : when they enter in 7th, children have to choice between a scientific cursus or a literary/humanities one : so if in a scientific school, there is no history/geography courses. Only sciences and languages.

So you have teens who do not even know where is China

[Anthea]

There is an officiel celebration in Erbil. In Duhok, I don't know, perhaps in KDP places.

Concerning knowledge about history, educational system is weird here (as in Iraq) : when they enter in 7th, children have to choice between a scientific cursus or a literary/humanities one : so if in a scientific school, there is no history/geography courses. Only sciences and languages.

So you have teens who do not even know where is China

They are breeding a generation of morons

[Piling]

Teachers' strike reaches Duhok. They are learning the French way of life

[Anthea]

Teachers' strike reaches Duhok. They are learning the French way of life

Why are they/you on strike?

I take it you have joined the strike

I know that French - any excuse for a holiday

[Piling]

I can't follow the movement, I am not paid (well un-paid concerning teachers) by the KRG. I might care of 300 students only by myself and my poor boss

[Anthea]

I can't follow the movement, I am not paid (well un-paid concerning teachers) by the KRG. I might care of 300 students only by myself and my poor boss

SHOCK HORROR

I thought you were earning a fortune over there

[Anthea]

I believe that Londoner and others are still having problems logging onto this forum

Please could you post and email so that if people are having difficulties they could email you and let you know?

[Anthea]

As I promised some months ago, an English chronicle :

The curious things I found in Kurdish markets

https://medium.com/@MickKelly3/the-curi ... .qy68m8gus

I laughed at the thought of snail face and hand cream

I have stopped laughing

BBC News

The key ingredients of South Korea's skincare success

If you have never used a Korean face cream made from snail slime, then you may be missing out

Likewise you may be being left behind if you don't spend an hour or two each week wearing a Korean face mask made from seaweed.

These are two products at the forefront of the latest big trend to hit the global skin care and cosmetics industry - the boom in such items developed and made in South Korea.

Link to Full Article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35408764

I am still in SHOCK

[Piling]

In fact, when I see a picture of snails, I am HUNGRY

Trying to appease the teachers' strike, the minister gives them another day-off in the week.

So, the working week will be 4 days.

Here, each days = 2 courses of 40 mn.

When I tell to the teachers here how many hours theor French colleagues have to work they are in shock

[Anthea]

Here, each days = 2 courses of 40 mn.

So in future you will actually be paid for working a total of approximately 5 1/2 hours worked over a 4 day period

My maths MUST be wrong

[Anthea]

I think you have discovered why Kurdistan has financial problems

If other workers are paid on a similar basis to that of teachers - then it is a wonder anything ever gets done