[Icelander]

I'm setting a new game in Iraq, the Dhi Qar province, at the end of 2011. The setting is based on the real world, but a few years before the start of gameplay, the game world and our real world parted company with the re-emergence of the supernatural.

So far, the supernatural is fairly subtle and the percentage of the population who believe in it is only slightly higher than in our world. Incidence of serious crime in most countries has gone up steadily since the mid-90s, though, with various unexplained mysteries taking place.

What I'm looking for is advice on the non-magical parts of the game. If anyone here has visited Iraq, in particular the parts that used to be the Multi-National Division - South East, can you give me guidelines on how to portray the society, people, language, cuisine, daily life, etc.?

I'm guessing Iraqi food has a lot of similarities to Syrian food, the fast food version of which I eat often. Are there important differences to keep in mind?

Where do you buy meals? Fast-food places with Western brand names? Falafel stands that look like the ones you find in Germany or Denmark? Street vendors grilling meat skewers without any of the modern conveniences I'd associate with a Westernised kebab place / falafel stand?

Do taxis or food vendors accept dollars or do you use dinars for everything?

How widespread is knowledge of English and how good is the English of a random taxi driver or food vendor? How about of the average patrol cop?

As a security contractor there to provide instruction for a software update (and new reporting protocols) for local law enforcement, a job projected to last around a month or two, what are your living conditions like? Do you use a hotel? Rent a furnished apartment?

What kind of housing and comfort do you get for a reasonable amount of money, i.e. something that a corporate sponsor that is not cheap, but not profligate, might arrange for a five man team of technicians and law enforcement instructors?