Iraqi on Ipod

As a critic of consumerism, I don't usually plug products, but the new Ipod is such a thing of beauty that I'll make an exception. I've uploaded 8 hours of colloquial Iraqi lessons onto it, courtesy of Yasin AlKalesi's excellent course Modern Iraqi Arabic. For those interested, there's also a dictionary of Iraqi Arabic coming out in September which looks good. Anyone in London can get language courses from Grant & Cutlers bookshop near Oxford Street.

Anyhow, my beautiful new Ipod allows me to rollerblade into work while chanting Iraqi language excercises - to the bafflement of pedestrians. And when my brain is too frazzled to learn, there's enough room left over for 3000 MP3 songs - about 10 days of solid listening! Although currently I haven't uploaded much beyond the Cocktail soundtrack. Still feel a bit guilty spending £300 on the Ipod as a 25th birthday present to myself (no one else remembered, boo hoo) since that represents over a year's salary in Iraq today.

Salam Pax has recruited a lady blogger, Istar, in Basra. Somehow they're managing to do a bilingual Arabic and english blog - respect!