Intersting sites

There are so many new and interesting things here everyday... but today one of the best was experiencing the government "bank", which really isn't a bank at all, its jut a facility for bags and bags and bags and bags of cash to come in and the same going out. Literally while I was there for about 20 minutes, workers hauled in like 2o bags of money, when I say bags I mean stacks of money roped together and packaged, its about 3 1/2 feet by 2 feet. Each bag (though its Iraqi Dinar) is probably the equivalent of a couple thousand dollars. Anyway so government workers collect their pay this way and this is also how government agencies get their operating budgets. Everyone brings in a slip, they hand it over to the teller, the teller hands them a bag of cash and they walk out. Now the amazing thing is what happens just outside the door of this bank. This money (both in and out) is being transported in regular cars, trucks, taxis, etc. Tons of money in plain sight, but no one ever steals it! Its the craziest thing, because I know that if a petty criminal in the US knew that money was being handled this loosely they'd have found a way to steal bundles by now!

In other news I got my sim card today, so now I have a cell phone and will be able to tell what time it is since I don't own a watch.

I also went to my old company's compound tonight and met some folks, man am I glad to be here the way I am and not stuck in some compound like they are!

And of course it is hot here, though its cooled down a bit I've been told, the high is above 100 everyday, but its so dry I don't even sweat. A great thing about Erbil is that though its a developing city, it doesn't smell bad!! Hooray!