Mr. Marc, "it's Iraq." It is the most commonly used phrase around my jobsite and it has great meaning in my life. Six weeks ago I wrote that the job was gaining momentum, I was wrong, it's Iraq. Mechanical still has not started, the electrical design is taking twice as long as the contractor said it would and the steel frame roof crew is about as lost as I have ever seen any subcontractor in my life. John Lennon once wrote, "nobody told me there'd be days l...

This installment is a little late due to the leap year. Of course all the banks and Government offices were closed because of it, but we worked!! The weather here lately has been very similar to the weather in Philly, rainy, spring type days with an occasional cold snap and an occasional warm snap. But I know all too well that this will not last. Mid to late April brings a change and the heat will begin to build as it did last year. The job is actually g...

Installment number two has me trying to figure out where to start. I have had a very interesting two weeks. Still no contracts for electrical or mechanical, but not because I have not tried to get them signed. The last two weeks saw me meet with no less than six engineers, all while trying to explain to them what we are trying to do (engineers here are not that quick to understand). Part of me thinks they just do not understand and part of me thinks they want...

Well here goes, I have decided rather than email a select few, I will publish a blog and post pictures so if you would like to follow my employment in Iraq you can. Since this is my blog, I will write what I want and how I want, hopefully nobody will get offended, but if you do just remember you do not have to read it. My goal with doing this blog is to explain what stage of construction we are in, post pictures, as well as talk about the local culture and, my ...