Welcome to Iraqi Kurdistan! My name is Haval, and you've come to the right place for your trip!  I was born in Erbil City. My family originally came from the town of Rawanduz, which is located on Hamilton Road. We were refugees for 3 months in Iran during the Second Gulf War in 1991. I was 8 years old at the time.  During the Civil War in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1994, my family moved from Erbil to Baghdad, where I learned to speak, read, and write in Arabic, and continued my studies. I lived in Baghdad for 3 years, and learned a lot about Saddam Hussein and the Arabic language.  In 1997, my family had to leave Baghdad for Erbil after Saddam's regime arrested my father. This is a long story that I will tell you when you visit.  In 2003, we fled to Rawanduz, in case Saddam's regime attacked Kurdistan. I was in my last year of high school, which is the most important year during a student's studies in Iraq. I remember I took all of my books with me, even with the 10 people in our Toyota Crowne. Somehow, I found space for my books.  I finished high school in August 2003. In 2004, I started studies at university. During my studies, I worked every night as a taxi driver. I wanted to learn English, but I didn't have the money, yet.  I decided to be a taxi driver in Erbil, and during that time, I met a very kind lady in 2010. She was teaching at an international school in Erbil, and she introduced me to many international teachers, NGO workers, and other foreigners who worked in Erbil. I improved my English with their help.  I must say, working as a taxi driver for teachers at the international school has changed my life. I met so many kind people, they treated me as one of their family, and I learned a lot from them.  In 2012, I met a Lonely Planet writer (this is very funny story). After my name was published in the Lonely Planet guide book, I started working as a tour guide. This is how I have had so much experience, driving customers for over a decade, which is why I am the original and #1 tour guide in Iraqi Kurdistan.  Currently, I live in Erbil with my wife, our two sons (Abdullah and Muhammad), and our daughter (Laren).  I'm available for day-trips, or longer itineraries around the region. I like honest and humble people; there's so much to learn from them in return. Some day I wish to travel the world. I have learned a lot from the people I meet and work with, and hope to learn more from you! It's great to learn about culture, language, and life experiences. I hope to have the opportunity to make your journey in Kurdistan a memorable one.  I can't wait to show you around our beautiful country! I guarantee that you will see the real Kurdistan!