PITTSFORD, N.Y. — A local man recently experienced a harrowing journey while backpacking through the Middle East during a time of heightened conflict. Matt Gentile, a 2024 graduate of St. John Fisher and a Wayne County native found himself in the midst of attacks in Iraq but is now safe in Turkey.
Despite the U.S. Department of State’s level four “do not travel” advisory, he embarked on a journey to Kurdistan, a region known for its rich culture and Kurdish hospitality.
He initially planned to visit Brazil but changed his plans after falling ill. Instead, he found a cheap flight to Iraq and decided to explore Kurdistan, a region spanning parts of Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Turkey.
During his stay, he was welcomed by the Kurdish people, who are known for their hospitality. However, his trip took a dramatic turn when news broke that the U.S. and Israel had attacked Iran.
Gentile flew into Erbil, Iraq, on Feb. 23 and traveled to Sulaymaniyah. It was during this time that Erbil’s U.S. military base was attacked, leading to the closure of the airport. This forced Gentile to plan his evacuation through Erbil to reach Turkey.
“And then I took a taxi three hours back to Erbil where the missiles were firing in. So, it felt really weird driving back to the city that was getting attacked. And they were only attacking the U.S. military base. They weren’t attacking like civilians or anything.”
Despite the tense situation, Gentile found comfort in the locals he befriended.
“I was with a lot of my local friends and they were like, yeah, you’ll be all right. This is everyday life for us, which was also crazy to hear. They kind of just go through this a lot. And yeah, so we just came up with a plan and I was like, all right, that’s what I’m doing and I gotta leave early, unfortunately.”
Muzhda and Kamaran, friends he met in the middle east, helped organized a bus trip for him, which involved a lengthy and complicated border crossing into Turkey. Kamaran is also a tour guide, he wasn’t Gentile’s tour guide but helped show him around just out of kindness.
His friend Ara, drove him back to the taxi station for his trip back to Erbil.
Muzhda and Matt Kamaran and Matt Matt and AraThe journey included a seven-hour border crossing and a 13-hour bus ride to Ankara. Upon reaching Turkey, Gentile faced additional challenges due to his American passport and Iraqi currency, leading to extensive searches and multiple checkpoints. He expressed gratitude for leaving when he did, as Erbil continues to face heavy attacks.
Despite the challenges, he expressed a strong desire to return to Kurdistan, praising the people and culture.
“The food was amazing. The people were the best people I’ve met easily, hands down,” he said. His story highlights the resilience and kindness of the Kurdish people amid ongoing conflict in the region.
“I definitely do not regret going. I was having a great time. Unfortunately, it’s in a part of the world where a lot of conflict is happening, but it’s the people that live there that I just feel really bad for because they’re just caught in the middle of it and they don’t make the place dangerous. The people were amazing and I really wish that the rest of the world would see that.”
Looking ahead, Gentile plans to fly to Spain this week. When asked if he would return to Iraq, he responded affirmatively, saying he would go back in a heartbeat. Despite the region’s turbulent history, he noted the unique hospitality he experienced, saying it was unlike anything he had ever encountered before.
Gentile said he is still in contact with the friends he made, who are providing him updates and saying they have lost power, and more attacks are happening. They said when they go outside, they can hear the missiles flying right over their houses.
He hopes safety for everyone in the region, will come soon.
You can learn more about Matt Gentile and his travels on his Instagram.
SJF Graduate describes unexpected adventure amid missile attacks in Middle East WHEC.com.
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