Iraq Road Trip (Soldier Took Me to His Home)

We traveled through Iraqi Kurdistan, heard Turkish airstrikes nearby, and picked up Ismat, a Peshmerga soldier who had fought ISIS, for an interview. We visited his home, shared tea and food with his family, and learned about the difficulties caused by the fighting near their village. We explored a striking blue-water waterfall and the mountain-top city of Amedi before returning to Erbil and reflecting on the region’s landscapes, history, hospitality, and military checkpoints.