I Traveled To Iraq To See What It’s Really Like And Was Amazed (17 Pics)
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Growing up, as most people in Europe, I was really afraid of Iraq. I mean everything I heard about the country certainly didn’t make it look like a great place to visit.
However, during my full-time travels over the last 6 years, I learned that quite often the places we’re most afraid of aren’t actually as bad as we might think. So I packed my bags, went to the Northern part of Iraq, called “Iraqi Kurdistan” and spent two weeks traveling all around the place, which completely astonished me.
I met some of the friendliest, kindest and nicest people I’ve ever met in my life and became even more convinced that the world is generally a much better place than we tend to see on the news. Let’s make peace. Not war.
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Growing up, as most people in Europe, I was really afraid of Iraq
But during my travels over the last 6 years I realized that sometimes the places we’re most afraid of aren’t actually as bad
So I packed my bags and went to the Northern part of Iraq, called “Iraqi Kurdistan”
And spent two weeks traveling all around the place, which completely astonished me
I visited amazing markets
Beautiful nature sights
Thought-provoking museums
Got destroyed at football by the super friendly local kids
Shared meals with the incredibly friendly local people
Went camping in the gorgeous mountains
And even walked on abandoned tanks, what?!
In Iraq I met some of the friendliest, kindest and nicest people I’ve ever met in my life
And became even more convinced that the world is generally a much better place than we tend to see on the news
Let’s make peace. Not war.
Watch this video to see all of my adventures around Iraq
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I wonder if a woman would have had the same positive experience.
Just to answer some of the comments below on this, as a woman and solo traveler we must use extreme caution traveling almost everywhere. As a woman on your own you are a walking target for crime and unwanted advanced, and in certain countries not as respected unless traveling with a man. Many will try to take advantage of you. This would be my concern if traveling alone anywhere in the middle east.
Any solo traveler, man or woman, is wise to exercise normal caution, wherever in the world they are. The one and the only place in the world where I was a victim of thieves was in Sweden ... And the thieves were not men... A good rule of thumb when traveling is that old advice "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".
I felt incredibly safe travelling on my own in New Zealand. Not so much in my home country Australia.
As a western woman living in the Middle East I find that is a very broad generalization. I've been more harassed in some western countries than I have in some middle eastern ones. I remember going back to the USA for a wedding after living between UAE, Oman and Saudi and feeling very unsafe because I had forgotten how to react to catcalling.
Kurdistan inhabitants are Muslim, but adherents to other religions are present as well – including Yarsanism, Yazidis, Alevis, Christians. They dont for hijabs and their women also help fight Isis.
I live here. Still perfectly alive and with positive experience :)
I don't know about Iraq but a friend of mine went to Iran all by herself and had a really great time, met interesting people and travelled around. I don't think it's all about the gender...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Why would you expect a woman travelling by herself to get into trouble in Iran?
I wonder if a woman would have had the same positive experience in Europe. Being Dutch myself I know for sure that there are lots of places in the Netherlands where a woman travelling alone would get in trouble if she assumed she was safe because she was travelling in a civilised western liberated country.
Really? I'm a Dutch woman and I have never felt unsafe here. And I bike through some "notorious" hoods daily.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's called MUSLIMS!
Iraqi Kurdistan is officially secular and has enacted a number of progressive laws in the years since the Gulf War.
Andrea, I know quite a few women who traveled around Iraqi Kurdistan solo and had absolutely no problems. So I'm pretty sure you'd be fine if you went there :)
He's 100% sure. Andrea. Go and get that positive experience!!!!!!!!!!!
My friend is a short female archaeologists with a mane of bright red hair, which she does not cover. She goes to Kurdistan every year to dig. She has not reported any problems. Sample size = 1.
No, she won't, but I don't think he's denying Islamic society is backwards about women. He's simply trying to show Iraq is not some sort of sandy bombing range. I would add that the Kurds in particular also have women warriors and in general are more feminist (relatively speaking) than others. Also, things are changing: for example, the new king of Saudi Arabia (of all places) is doing much pro-feminist reform.
Especially when they are giving the DEATH Penalty to Gays and CHILDREN and the SLAVE Auctions are STILL Operating other than THAT they're Great!
you mean the one that chopped that journalist to pieces, right??
I went to Iran on my own. The biggest threat to a woman there is probably the police.
In Kurdish parts probably yes!
I do know they're NOT the same countries, but I was watching video of one Polish travel-vlogger Globstory on How is it in Iran - and she had pretty the same conclusion. The world is far better place than the news try to tell us - scared and not able to think on their own people are easier to manipulate and rule in general ;)
Regardless, I just want to say that your comment is quite annoying because this post is to spread positivity and open peoples eyes so they can see the reality of these people. You're here pointing out a flaw that is not entirely related to this post. Yes, the flaw is there, but that's not the point of the post. By bringing that point up, you sound as if you are trying to counter the statement that 'Iraq isn't as bad as the media makes it out the be'. And you'd be wrong in doing so. These places were far from perfect, but they were still much better before war and violence ravaged the,
She quite possibly could have, but she would have to maintain a much lower profile. Like, wear a scarf or something. I'm speaking from experience, btw. It can be done, but things aren't as advanced in those countries, so women have to exercise caution. It's best to travel with a male.
Steve Chu , the guy on Youtube who flies 1st class met a couple of women who were traveling Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Way to miss the point of this completely. This is a dumb, white thing to say.
I'm sure it was fine for you as a man. But I wonder if it was a woman just how different would the experience be...
To be fair, that sentiment is also valid for a woman traveling pretty much anywhere by herself
not true.
Go find out instead of judging from the Midwest. That was the whole point of this article. As a woman are you okay in America? Not really. It is pretty much the same worldwide. You’re not even safe where you are right now.
So you brought race into it in another comment, and now you're whining about how it's just soooo dangerous for women everywhere, even in America, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary. It must be hard living a life so full of racist and angry and afraid all the time. I feel for you. I hope you have a big, strong man with you wherever you go because you sound like you need it.
Kurdish areas are fine, heck, their girls are badass!
as I said to the comment above, this post is to spread positivity and open peoples eyes so they can see the reality of these people. You're here pointing out a flaw that is not entirely related to this post. Yes, the flaw is there, but that's not the point of the post. By bringing that point up, you sound as if you are trying to counter the statement that 'Iraq isn't as bad as the media makes it out the be'. And you'd be wrong in doing so. These places were far from perfect, but they were still much better before war and violence ravaged the,
You'd be surprised how safer for women the place can be as long as you behave correctly (e.g. wearing long clothes, headscarf, avoiding pictures of some buildings...). I've been to a few places around the Caucasus and the Middle East (not Irak but a friend of mine went to Erbil on her own), I've never had any issues. On the contrary, being a solo female traveler probably got me out of tricky situations (got a couple of free lifts or car repair for free)
Lola DM, please answer more of those people who seem to believe that every predominantly Muslim country has Saudi style sharia laws. "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again." (from 'An Essay on Criticism' (1711) by Alexander Pope)
Lets spread love not hate
YES!
Wow. Why were you down voted for saying yes and agreeing with spreading love and not hate?
Like those 2 Scandanavian Girls WHO went to Morrocco and Got Gang RAPED and BEHEADED?
Moroccans were outraged by that, it is not a depiction of the country or region, if you have to spread hate in any country were there is violence than you are only left with hate
and the video posted on you tube...
I wonder if a woman would have had the same positive experience.
Just to answer some of the comments below on this, as a woman and solo traveler we must use extreme caution traveling almost everywhere. As a woman on your own you are a walking target for crime and unwanted advanced, and in certain countries not as respected unless traveling with a man. Many will try to take advantage of you. This would be my concern if traveling alone anywhere in the middle east.
Any solo traveler, man or woman, is wise to exercise normal caution, wherever in the world they are. The one and the only place in the world where I was a victim of thieves was in Sweden ... And the thieves were not men... A good rule of thumb when traveling is that old advice "When in Rome, do as the Romans do".
I felt incredibly safe travelling on my own in New Zealand. Not so much in my home country Australia.
As a western woman living in the Middle East I find that is a very broad generalization. I've been more harassed in some western countries than I have in some middle eastern ones. I remember going back to the USA for a wedding after living between UAE, Oman and Saudi and feeling very unsafe because I had forgotten how to react to catcalling.
Kurdistan inhabitants are Muslim, but adherents to other religions are present as well – including Yarsanism, Yazidis, Alevis, Christians. They dont for hijabs and their women also help fight Isis.
I live here. Still perfectly alive and with positive experience :)
I don't know about Iraq but a friend of mine went to Iran all by herself and had a really great time, met interesting people and travelled around. I don't think it's all about the gender...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Why would you expect a woman travelling by herself to get into trouble in Iran?
I wonder if a woman would have had the same positive experience in Europe. Being Dutch myself I know for sure that there are lots of places in the Netherlands where a woman travelling alone would get in trouble if she assumed she was safe because she was travelling in a civilised western liberated country.
Really? I'm a Dutch woman and I have never felt unsafe here. And I bike through some "notorious" hoods daily.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's called MUSLIMS!
Iraqi Kurdistan is officially secular and has enacted a number of progressive laws in the years since the Gulf War.
Andrea, I know quite a few women who traveled around Iraqi Kurdistan solo and had absolutely no problems. So I'm pretty sure you'd be fine if you went there :)
He's 100% sure. Andrea. Go and get that positive experience!!!!!!!!!!!
My friend is a short female archaeologists with a mane of bright red hair, which she does not cover. She goes to Kurdistan every year to dig. She has not reported any problems. Sample size = 1.
No, she won't, but I don't think he's denying Islamic society is backwards about women. He's simply trying to show Iraq is not some sort of sandy bombing range. I would add that the Kurds in particular also have women warriors and in general are more feminist (relatively speaking) than others. Also, things are changing: for example, the new king of Saudi Arabia (of all places) is doing much pro-feminist reform.
Especially when they are giving the DEATH Penalty to Gays and CHILDREN and the SLAVE Auctions are STILL Operating other than THAT they're Great!
you mean the one that chopped that journalist to pieces, right??
I went to Iran on my own. The biggest threat to a woman there is probably the police.
In Kurdish parts probably yes!
I do know they're NOT the same countries, but I was watching video of one Polish travel-vlogger Globstory on How is it in Iran - and she had pretty the same conclusion. The world is far better place than the news try to tell us - scared and not able to think on their own people are easier to manipulate and rule in general ;)
Regardless, I just want to say that your comment is quite annoying because this post is to spread positivity and open peoples eyes so they can see the reality of these people. You're here pointing out a flaw that is not entirely related to this post. Yes, the flaw is there, but that's not the point of the post. By bringing that point up, you sound as if you are trying to counter the statement that 'Iraq isn't as bad as the media makes it out the be'. And you'd be wrong in doing so. These places were far from perfect, but they were still much better before war and violence ravaged the,
She quite possibly could have, but she would have to maintain a much lower profile. Like, wear a scarf or something. I'm speaking from experience, btw. It can be done, but things aren't as advanced in those countries, so women have to exercise caution. It's best to travel with a male.
Steve Chu , the guy on Youtube who flies 1st class met a couple of women who were traveling Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Way to miss the point of this completely. This is a dumb, white thing to say.
I'm sure it was fine for you as a man. But I wonder if it was a woman just how different would the experience be...
To be fair, that sentiment is also valid for a woman traveling pretty much anywhere by herself
not true.
Go find out instead of judging from the Midwest. That was the whole point of this article. As a woman are you okay in America? Not really. It is pretty much the same worldwide. You’re not even safe where you are right now.
So you brought race into it in another comment, and now you're whining about how it's just soooo dangerous for women everywhere, even in America, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary. It must be hard living a life so full of racist and angry and afraid all the time. I feel for you. I hope you have a big, strong man with you wherever you go because you sound like you need it.
Kurdish areas are fine, heck, their girls are badass!
as I said to the comment above, this post is to spread positivity and open peoples eyes so they can see the reality of these people. You're here pointing out a flaw that is not entirely related to this post. Yes, the flaw is there, but that's not the point of the post. By bringing that point up, you sound as if you are trying to counter the statement that 'Iraq isn't as bad as the media makes it out the be'. And you'd be wrong in doing so. These places were far from perfect, but they were still much better before war and violence ravaged the,
You'd be surprised how safer for women the place can be as long as you behave correctly (e.g. wearing long clothes, headscarf, avoiding pictures of some buildings...). I've been to a few places around the Caucasus and the Middle East (not Irak but a friend of mine went to Erbil on her own), I've never had any issues. On the contrary, being a solo female traveler probably got me out of tricky situations (got a couple of free lifts or car repair for free)
Lola DM, please answer more of those people who seem to believe that every predominantly Muslim country has Saudi style sharia laws. "A little learning is a dang'rous thing; Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, And drinking largely sobers us again." (from 'An Essay on Criticism' (1711) by Alexander Pope)
Lets spread love not hate
YES!
Wow. Why were you down voted for saying yes and agreeing with spreading love and not hate?
Like those 2 Scandanavian Girls WHO went to Morrocco and Got Gang RAPED and BEHEADED?
Moroccans were outraged by that, it is not a depiction of the country or region, if you have to spread hate in any country were there is violence than you are only left with hate
and the video posted on you tube...