In debt to the fruit and veg man

Fruit and Veg Shopping Iraq-style (not the man that features in this post)

Buying fresh fruit and veg in this country is best done on the side of the road. There are pop-up stalls everywhere offering the most in-season produce from Iraq, Iran, Turkey and Syria. They vary in quality and choice, but are always good value. There's one particular stall a couple of roads away from me which is conveniently on my route to and from the office. The owner has recently expanded his choice even further, including some more exotic things such as pineapple, avocado (amazing!) and coloured peppers (rather than just the local green ones). I have got in to the habit of just buying a very small amount every couple of days rather than stocking up in one go. It's a lot fresher that way. And when the owner has something new to try, he'll offer me a taster. A couple of weeks ago it was purple 'sweet' carrots (stained my fingers), last week it was a local sweet lemon even delivered with a 'sweet like you' comment!

Last week I was buying a few bits and when I came to pay I didn't have the right money. The guy immediately said 'don't worry, pay tomorrow'. And in that moment I knew I'd made it. I was in debt to the fruit and veg man, just like any ordinary resident. I won't deny that I was pretty chuffed about it.

There are so many wonderful things about living in Kurdistan, but I think the sense of community comes pretty much top of my list. This feeling that life is better shared, whether that's meals, money, simple conversation. When the fruit and veg man lets you delay payment it fosters that sense of trust and togetherness. When you shop at a pop up stall rather than getting in a car and going to a flashy supermarket it helps to build local relationships. When you can hear the kids playing on the bit of grass in the middle of your block while you cook your dinner you feel part of something. When your staff offer to bring you chicken soup when you have a cold you feel their genuine care. All of these seemingly small things add up to something big. It is these small habits and ways of life that create genuine community. So right now, I'd rather be in debt to the fruit and veg man, than buying pre-packed pretty produce in the faceless supermarket.