Kabul to Dubai

Nothing is proving uneventful here in Afghanistan. Here's the latest unexpected experience. My traveling partner Jim and I head to the Kabul Int'l Airport arriving 4 hours early as instructed by our travel agent. After getting "felt up" by two different (1 smiled at me) female security agents (they apparently don't believe in the magnetic wands) we get to a bus which will take us to the terminal. There, two younger Afghan men make our acquaintance, speaking pretty good English, and get off at the same terminal area as Jim and I. They insist on helping us with our bags speaking with various security guards at checkpoints in route to the terminal. Once in our general terminal area (this is not designed like a US airport) they lead us to an EMPTY Afghan restaurant. There they tell Jim and I it is too early to get into the Ariana (our airline) terminal but this "international" restaurant was a safe place to wait... still no one in sight. The hair on the back of my neck is now standing but I continue to think the best. I pull out $5 and a tashakur (thank you) but did not get the response I was expecting. One of them said to me "oh no ma'am, we had to bribe your way to get into this terminal area so early before your flight so you owe us each $40". The hair on my neck was right and it's now only them and Jim and I in this deserted restaurant. I responded with a "I didn't see any money exchange hands" and Jim was just downright mad and came up with the right answer: "let me call my friend the Police Chief and ask about this". The fear immediately appeared in these guys' faces. I then pulled out my Ministry of Interior Criminal Investigations ID card to which they responded with even greater fear. They couldn't apologize and get out of there fast enough... I still gave him $5. We then quickly exited the restaurant and headed to the Ariana termain, interestingly without any problem. An afterthought: I should have taken their picture to really scare them. In the end, Jim and I believe the travel agency has a scam going with these guys.

Everything else from this point on to the road to Dubai was rather uneventful, comparatively speaking of course. After a couple of more body searches and two more scans of our bags we ultimately get into our waiting area to catch our Ariana (Afghan Airlines) flight to Dubai. The waiting area and ultimately the airplane was packed Pakistani's, Afghans, and folks of other origin I have no clue about. Needless to say, there was no organization for entry into the airplane, just a mad dash to cram into a bus which took us to our airplane which sat on the tarmac for an hour.

Let's leave it at, the smell was not particularly pleasant. But 2 1/2 hours later we were landing in Dubai. And now the rest of the story, but you will once again have to wait.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I'm finally taking a break from the rigors of Afghanistan departing on Tuesday afternoon and returning on Saturday late... never before spent Thanksgiving basking in the warm Persian Gulf waters. Actually, I'd rather be back in NH with friends and family on this, my favorite holiday. But if I have to be in this part of the world, The Movenpiick Hotel on Jumeirah Beach (you can Google it if you're wanting to share that experience with me) ain't a bad place to be.


I've been sharing with my Afghan friends the meaning behind Thanksgiving and they're fascinated by the similarities with many of their holidays. A time to give thanks to God for the many blessings he bestows on us and also a time to spend with family. Like us, they love to celebrate the holidays with their extended family, eating and just spending time together.

So, this will be my last blog for a week. And no, I will not take my computer so I can blog from there. But, I will take pictures and share stories upon my return.

I wish you all a most joyous and peaceful Thanksgiving. But, know that I will be giving thanks poolside with an umbrella drink in hand in an exotic land where the air and water is clean.

A New Day Upon Us

Asa and I were working on a very large translation project last week that needed a quick turnaround to help facilitate a funding proposal put together by my esteemed Afghan colleagues. The documents were quite technical even for Asa, so many of the words in the documents needed discussion so I could deduce the proper term for her; i.e., phlobotomy, ballistics. After a couple of gruelling days, I called in for translator reinforcements. The company sent two different male interpreters to help. So, the point of this blog... the pictures tell you.

Before the international community arrived here in Afghanistan, these types of activities... men and women outside of family working together... would never have occurred, and if so under the penalty of death by the Taliban. So, it was an epiphany when I looked up at Asa and these Gents working together... WOW!!!!! Not only was Asa working with a man, but the men were seeking out her help/guidance in front of others. And, when they made continual errors, Asa stepped in and chastised them for their errors. This is huge step forward for the people of Afghanistan and gives me faith the Taliban will not be allowed to return to full power even after the coalition departs.

But, then I received a disheartening insight shared by a local behaviorist. The Afghans are a naturally gentle and passive people. Given this, groups like the Taliban can come in and leverage huge influence with a just a few people, relatively speaking. He then compared the Taliban to playground bullies. It takes very few bullies to control the masses, they simply beat up a few and the others cower to them.

I'm putting my faith in the Asa's and other many wonderful Afghans I interact with on an almost daily basis. I speak with them about defiance... defying those who attempt to take away the quality of life they have learned and now relish. They listen and continually assure me the people will not allow a Taliban return, there is obvious anger in their faces when they speak of this. I've decided to err on the side of hope over cynicism.

Fashion Trend Setter

Those of you who know me personally realize how out of character it is for me to be fashion conscious. Yup, years as a poor college student followed by 25 years in the military, now greenhouse operator, did not at all contribute to any fashion sense. However, even I knew the outfits the company made us wear were just wrong. So, I changed that... now, that's something I am good at.


This picture depicts our company's newly approved women's outfit. It's a longer tunic (gotta be this general color blue) with scarf and khaki pants. One of the other ladies is pushing for authorization to wear a longer khaki skirt with boots... no skin can show when at the ministry outside of face and hands. This outfit is not only much more fashionable, but more in line with cultural sensitivities (displaying one's buttocks even under pants is innapropriate attire here) and exceedingly more comfortable.

I am buying my tunics through a lovely Afghan woman I met at the bazaar. She tailor makes them for me now so they fit my unusual body size for women in Afghanistan. She designs her own clothes and has hired a number of local women to do the sewing. Fair trade clothing!!! Needless to say, I have marketed her product with the company and she will now be the primary provider of tunics for all our company women (no clue how many but at least 10). The tunics (tailor made with beautiful and varied materials with complex embroidery) run for $25 and the company will reimburse for four. This should prove a great boost for her independent small business. The problem since I've worked this all out is that she left for her Hajj (obligatory religious trip for Muslims of means to go to Mecca, Saudi Arabia) and gone for 45 days.


Please note the pictures in the background. Ann's grandkids are becoming famous here (of course all believe they are my grandchildren but that's a different story for another time) as well as postcards and art work from other family members. Okay, let's be real it's really all about the candy dish which many of you have contributed to of late... thank you all.

Another push for some type of breakfast foods... I understand banana bread will ship. Homemade cookies (especially peanut butter) would also be appreciated. Our breakfast club gatherings are growing.

As always, your comments are greatly anticipated/appreciated by me and really contribute to the content of the blogs. So, please comment as you feel moved.

My New Digs

I thought pictures were worth a thousand words... my new office on the international military base. The first pictures shows the grand entryway leading up to the glorious wood panel door. Then, there's the view from afar, ensconsed in most scenic barbed wire on outriggers and satellite dishes that hum incessantly. And finally, our interior... my friend Michelle Sullivan would have a grand time decorating this interior and Kt would find some way to make the furniture look more appealing. As for us, it works and gets warm by noon now that winter is upon us.

Actually, we're now down to two people working in this grand office. My friend Scott, the Fireman Advisor, moved on to a new position here in Afghanistan as did his interpreter. Rick's (the counterterrorism advisor) interpreter is now working almost exclusively out of the Ministry as is Asa. So, it's just Rick and I and we're rarely there except for Big Ead week. 2nd day and we haven't killed each other yet.

Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid)

BIG EID

Well, this is my second reporting of Eid within the last 1 month and 10 days. I asked about the significance of this Eid and was much surprised by the significance of this four day celebration. It is a celebration of God's test of faith of Abraham.

Background, Gail's version, from the Old Testament (Christian Bible). Abraham and Sara had a a child named Isaac very late in their lives, a true blessing from God. One day when Isaac was still a lad, God ordered Abraham to build a sacrificial alter and sacrifice Isaac to Him, the almighty God. Abraham, while heartbroken (I can't even imagine the state of Sara), dutifully obeyed God's wish building an alter and prepared to sacrifice his much beloved and only child. Just before Abraham sacrificed Isaac, an angel came down and stopped him telling him God was only testing his faith and he had obviously passed. In response, Abraham with great joy sacrificed a young cow and I believe a lamb in honor of his God. Sorry if this is not totally accurate... you get the point though.

So, Big Eid is a Muslim celebration which honors Abraham's great faith to his God and God's favor upon Abraham by saving Isaac. To celebrate, every family slaughters an animal (usually a lamb/sheep), keeps 1/3 for the immediate family, presents 1/3 to friends/family, and provides 1/3 to the poor. Now, why this takes 4 days is beyond me and of course the holiday starts on a Monday which means four days later is Friday, their standard day off.

As for me, the Ministry is closed down for five days and I'm stuck on the international military installation. Today, Monday, I went and got a pedicure and eyebrow job... not that horrible torture string but they're not into the hot wax so pretty much just plucked the heck out of me. Yes, I also worked catching up on many of my flagrant administrative oversights and started a significant project for presentation to my Director when he returns from holiday... only 3 more days to go.

MY FRIDAYS

FRIDAY MORNING COFFEE CLUB

HARRY on the left: Puerto Rican Jewish guy who's nuclear family now lives on an island just outside Seattle, WA. Wife, two childrern. He is a retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and here in Afghanistan he mentors on transportation of supplies/equipment for the national police. He was awarded THREE Purple Hearts during his military career... truly a national hero. Note: USAF cup in his hand, present from me to rub it in about the USAF. Humor is tough to come by here.

KELLY on the right: Has a home in South Carolina where his wife and son live, his daughter is married and off on her own. His son was severely wounded in Iraq as a soldier and now significantly handicapped but progressing well. Kelly's Dad was career Air Force, so he was raised all over. He joined the US Army at a young age and retired as a Command Sergeant Major (highest enlisted rank in the Army) and here serves as an advisor on enlisted personnel matters.

QC not here: Took the picture. QC and his wife Apple live on Lake Martin outside Montgomery Alabama. QC is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the USAF. Here, he is a mentor to the National Police Academy

History of Friday Mornings: I do not have washers/dryers in the Grant House where I live and am supposed to do laundry in the connex down the road. However, I'm just not at all comfortable walking back and forth with all the security guards watching/cackling and there is definitely no place comfortable inside the connex. So, one of the guys in the Conn House invited me to use theirs which I started doing. As an aside, I do have a "laundry guy" that works in the house during the day along with a cleaning guy. But, I'm just not comfortable with the way he washes/dries especially my "delicates" and the fact his hands alway appears dirty and he folds the clothes on the dirty floor. Given these factors, I do my own thank you.

Back to my story. So, I started meandering over to the Conn House early on Friday mornings before anyone else occupied the laundry facilities, bringing a book or postcards to write off to you. Well, all of this takes a couple of hours and my coffee "low light" was coming on every week... not good for others around me. Then one day I wandered upstairs in the house where to my great joy I found a pot of coffee made and no one around... I stole, yes my friends, STOLE. Well that did not bode well for me, so the following week I brought over some coffee to more than adequately replace the previous weeks. This time I got busted!! Well, the gents up there welcomed me with open arms and my dreaded laundry drag has evolved in a much anticipated weekly gathering to discuss political, social, and Afghan development topics. The coffee has gotten better too with the support of friends like Michelle who's been keeping me in the "good stuff". Other friends/friends family have provided a wonderful supply of quality peanut butter and some jellies which I now serve on some really good bread I abscond from the European dining facility on Thursday nights. Oh ya, some crandberries supplied by my friend Kt. Nothing real exciting, but those Friday mornings are now becoming an event I look forward to every week. Any donations of mailable breakfast food for this gathering would be greatly appreciated by our coffee club.

OFF TO THE BAZAAR

Sorry, you'll have to wait til next week for the bazaar story... this is my bazaar club.

Death in Afghanistan

I was meandering on the outskirts of Kabul when we came upon this cemetary. For some strange reason the concept of cemetaries in Afghanistan just never occurred to me despite the fact I'm continually surrounded by death. I would have liked to have gotten up closer to take better pictures but that was just not an option in this neighborhood so I hope you all understand. NOTE: I believe the 3 men alongside the truck filled with stones in the 2nd picture are the burial crew.

So, I asked Asa what the traditions were when someone died and here's what she told me:

When a person dies, usually at home, the family hand carries the the body to a "special place". At that place, the body is stripped of all clothes and thoroughly cleaned. The special person in the special place then completely wraps the body in white cloth ensuring the eyes and mouth are permanently closed (for some reason she emphasized this point). The family returns later to retrieve the body and carries it to the Mosque where there is a funeral type ceremony and friends/family grieve. From there the body is taken to the cemetary on some type of makeshift stretcher by male members of the family, no casket, placed in the ground and buried in "dirt". This all normally occurs within 24 hours of the death, so I assume there is no embalming in Afghanistan. After 7, 30 and 40 days (don't hold me to those specific numbers) there are more religious ceremonies honoring the dead person in either a family member's home or the Mosque. At the conclusion of 40 days, all mourning is over and the person is no longer in their lives. An interesting concept but given the short life expectancy here, it makes a lot of sense... no one would ever be happy. I did ask if the stones (actually, rocks) were marked with the persons name and she confirmed that yes, someone writes the name on the stone but it is not engraved. And, it is not customary for the family to visit the grave site after the 40 day period.

I then asked if they believed the person had a soul that passed after death. Yes, when the person dies they are taken by two angels to some type of middle ground (she gave me a name, but I forget) to remain until The Final Day. On this day, God determines if they go to heaven or hell... both locations are now vacant. So, what happens to the soul in this middle ground? Well, that depends on how solemn they lived their lives. If they lived a relatively sinless life, no one lives a sinless life according to Asa, the living(?) conditions for the soul are good. If they lived a sin filled life (and that doesn't take much in the Muslim faith), they are punished throughout this middle group period. I'm obviously not Muslim, but I've decided to be less sinful just in case ;-}.

Obviously, this is a Reader's Digest version of their beliefs and practices but it's factual. And, unlike weddings, funerals are cheap. I tried to explain the concept of the Irish wake to Asa but it was beyond her comprehension.

Much peace and joy to you all.

Winter is Coming!

Once out of central Kabul I have discovered there are cords of wood stashed in the poorest sections of the "suburbs". Needless to say, I've yet to see wood stacked like we do back home. Indeed, it's just piled high like you see in the picture. Turns out firewood is a most valued commodity here in Afghanistan.

Out in the suburbs, the Afghans both heat and cook with wood which to me makes sense given the total lack of utilities I've observed out there. As a result of the high demand for wood in a country with limited rainfall many of the natural forests have been stripped away over the last 30 years or so (constant war) resulting in significant erosion, desert conditions in areas once bountiful, and now a shortage of firewood to keep people fed and warm. I've been told this causes significant stress amongst the poor as the winter season draws on, causing thefts (people need to keep their children warm and fed) and consequently significant violence. Inside Kabul where I live, the electricity is pretty consistent which generates our heat source. Of course it goes out on occasion, but I have plenty of beddings to deal with it. Once again, I'm blessed even here in Afghanistan.

In response, the international community is working with the Afghan government to restore many of the historic forests but needless to say that will take years. As always, I remain hopeful but not confident this important environmental project will generate results even years out.

A few updates: The "clean" bathroom at the Ministry is available again!!!!! Unfortunately, I was evicted from my office at the international base and moved to a 2nd story "can" along the base perimeter... no bathrooms within easy walking distance. Many of our supply convoys coming through Pakistan are not getting through which is really cutting short many of our "nice to have things." No soymilk anymore. The military convenience store (PX) is rather bare too... tissues and NyQuil are hot commodities as is candy (my bowl at the ministry is getting thin). Fortunately, I have friends who've hooked me up with the tissues and NyQuil ... please do not send either... and my sister Karen sent some Halloween candy recently. Asa is now the #1 law student at her private university in Kabul... of 400 students.

That's all for now folks. Fortunately the internet is being kind to me so I will try to continue to send you stories.

FIRST RECEPTION IN AFGHANISTAN

I attended my first reception here in Afghanistan last week, very pleasant. In the picture you will see the two Directors I am fortunate enough to mentor, both very high powerful officials in the Afghan national police. The gentleman on the far right is another, but I do not mentor him.

The event was hosted by the European Police Headquarters staff for the Afghan specialized police, their visiting European Union delegation from Brussels, and a few other people of influence all working in a cooperative effort to help return rule of law and safety for the wonderful people of Afghanistan.

Interestingly, there was an open bar (Muslims and all) but it was a European sponsored event. After the initial meet and greet, a wonderful buffet of Afghan and European foods was presented and dinner was served. During the dinner I had a wonderful opportunity to mix with just an amazing group of people, just socializing. At the conclusion of dining, informal festivities were held to recognize both the European delegation and our Afghan counterparts with token gifts exchanged. A most civilized evening.

Big blog hug goes out to our newest family member, Gabriel who I'm told is most healthy and beautiful. Okay, hugs for Joey, Steph and Maddie too.