War could possibly be the most crude type of expression a human being can display. If you wish to experience such experiences, by all means head on out and do it. For those cooped up in school, playing video games, a war zone is not a form of gap year, lets go holiday in France effort.

If you into startups, head on out to China, where you will be blown away at the types of experiences and connections you can make. Life is much cheaper out there, connections made can set you up for life, learn a new language with a most powerful form of abstraction. I am pretty sure the chance of making decent business connections, in a once beautiful country that was Iraq now turned cess pit by corporate greed is pretty slim.

It is possible; if you wish to set yourself up as a most brilliant entrepreneur for single handedly transforming Iraq into a haven with your innovations, the world stoop before you, those odds are hard.

A place like China is far more advantageous for you, and if you want it... it can be dangerous too.

I did a similar thing. I quit my job at a big company and right now I am in Norway for a few months.

I am from the Philippines and believe it or not, I just experienced my first snow a few weeks ago.