Everyday is an adventure. Everyday is surreal. Everyday I find myself both asking myself why I am here and feeling blessed that I am. Life is funny in that way, I suppose. Maybe that is how each day should be, continually challenging ourselves to step outside of our comfort zones so that we feel out of place, but also blessed.
Being here, though, in a warzone, that is, it is the little things in life that are magnetized. The goods are great and the bads are horrendous – here in Kabul we have no middle ground, that I quickly realized.
A few days, a coworker received a large box in the mail. Now normally mail day brings the good days to great. But this large box – oh, it changed the week, friends. Inside of this box was about 40 boxes of - straight from the hands of an all American, 7 year old, badge wearing, sweet and peaches, girl scout – Girl Scout Cookies. A skip in the step on the way out the door, a friendly hello and meetings even ended on time, with a pleasant “another cookie, before you go?”. Everyday brings surprises.
Yesterday, a more humorous surprise came my way - - and a bit more suddenly, which I am sure you will appreciate. Our security protocol is such that if you go to an outside building to ours, you are searched. Ok, makes sense. Well, I had traveled to an office of ours that I hadn’t been to before, from “the outside”.
“Ma’am, kindly step inside”, the nice guard asks, as the female guard is waving her baton at me. So, I step inside and hand her my purse to search. As I am unzipping my purse, I am getting more action than I have in quite some time. Now, maybe this is partially because I am in Afghanistan not allowed to really even look at men, but goodness me – this woman took her job very seriously. As I am trying to a. focus b. be a mature adult and not laugh c. figure about what the h e double hockey sticks is happening and if it is really protocol and d. no just start running, I simply look up toward to sky as she finishes my “body search” (f.u.l.l. body search, mind you), and like an obedient dog wait for her permission to leave. If TSA is looking, I suggest they give her a call.
Not only was my “search” an adventure, but it made me realize how lucky we are back in the states to not have to be searched each time we walk into work, school, etc. Sure, I think too much over here. But it is these little things that really make you think. So go out and buy some girl scout cookies and walk through those work doors with pride (no special attention for you).
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
It's All Relative
Yesterday morning I was annoyingly awoken by the changing of the guards, which made me think - maybe I spoke too soon about this normal thing. When I say changing of the guards, I don't mean the fancy speal they do at Arlington National Cemetery (how great would that be though?). What I do mean, is that at around 4am-ish the lovely gentleman who so kindly have watched over the house all night and patrolled now go home to their families and taking their place are more nice gentleman. Really, I am not being facetious, they are very kind. As the new guards come in, they are instructed to check their guns to ensure they are locked and loaded (ahh, I learn the meaning of locked and loaded! - but shouldn't it be loaded and then locked?). Well, we are in The Ghanny, so not everything is in tip top condition, so if you don't spiffy up that gun, you can imagine how many times you might have to ensure it is properly loaded, or locked - heck, I am not even going to pretend I know what they are doing. All, I know is that they are making that 'chich-chich' noise over and over and over again at 4 FREAKING AM. It was like a literally wake up call - no, Anna, your life is not normal. Better yet, the neighbor guards thought this was going to be a musscle fest, so they started flexing too. Hello, we are sleeping.
So I wake up all grumpy and get in the shower, only to realize that something had bit me in the middle of the night. I had 5 massive bumps on my back. Jeepers creepers - this was not my night. So I think, eh, I'll let it be, just watch them and make sure I don't keel over (you never know around here). Only to walk in the office and the office manager had broken out in full out hives. I tell her to go to the Dr. and she tells me that if she goes, she will be there for 2 days and they will "inject" her with something. What about a clinic, I say. Get this -- they are not open during the day. Don't worry, any kind of drug you want - you got it, but you never reeallly know what you are getting.
Normal - what is normal, anyway? I suppose its all relative. I am feeling settled and life is good.
Oh, and Baby Henry was born! Congrats Ryan, Shell and Belle, can't wait to meet him. :)
So I wake up all grumpy and get in the shower, only to realize that something had bit me in the middle of the night. I had 5 massive bumps on my back. Jeepers creepers - this was not my night. So I think, eh, I'll let it be, just watch them and make sure I don't keel over (you never know around here). Only to walk in the office and the office manager had broken out in full out hives. I tell her to go to the Dr. and she tells me that if she goes, she will be there for 2 days and they will "inject" her with something. What about a clinic, I say. Get this -- they are not open during the day. Don't worry, any kind of drug you want - you got it, but you never reeallly know what you are getting.
Normal - what is normal, anyway? I suppose its all relative. I am feeling settled and life is good.
Oh, and Baby Henry was born! Congrats Ryan, Shell and Belle, can't wait to meet him. :)
Monday, March 15, 2010
Dare I say... Normal
Alarm clock buzz, shower time, corn flakes with bananas, ride to work, work-work-work, hit the gym, socialize, dinner, zzzzs and repeat.
A few people have asked why I haven't written. The first response is that I have been working all day, everyday, but when I really thought about it, I didn't have anything exciting to write about. How about that... life in Kabul is normal.
Sure I have some funny stories, but they are not PG-rated, so you are going to need to skype me for those.
A month ago, when I was getting on a plane, never would I have though that life in Kabul would feel so (dare I say it) normal. Wednesday I am going to a new yoga class and Friday we are going shopping. Today was so beautiful I spent 3 hours reading reports outside in the gleaming sunshine. Everyday, I meet more fantastically brilliant people. The work is getting better by the day.
There are down sides, as there are to anything, but I prefer to look up.
So as I settled in, I would love to hear about your adventures.
A few people have asked why I haven't written. The first response is that I have been working all day, everyday, but when I really thought about it, I didn't have anything exciting to write about. How about that... life in Kabul is normal.
Sure I have some funny stories, but they are not PG-rated, so you are going to need to skype me for those.
A month ago, when I was getting on a plane, never would I have though that life in Kabul would feel so (dare I say it) normal. Wednesday I am going to a new yoga class and Friday we are going shopping. Today was so beautiful I spent 3 hours reading reports outside in the gleaming sunshine. Everyday, I meet more fantastically brilliant people. The work is getting better by the day.
There are down sides, as there are to anything, but I prefer to look up.
So as I settled in, I would love to hear about your adventures.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
Closer to You
Some days I really don't feel like I am halfway across the world and to me, those are the best days. I suppose it gets easier, being gone, that is. But, it will never be normal and I will never stop missing friends and family. Every day I think about you, know that. :)
There are things, that make home feel so much closer.
Oddly enough at 1:30am last night I was reminded of that. Last night I went out to dinner with a fabulous group of ladies. In fact, for a few hours it was as if we weren't even in a war zone. The food was fantastic and the company even better. People here are amazing and how they do what they do, I am amazed by each of them. After dinner we went out for drinks. Some go out for the company and others to forget (if you know what I mean). The trick is to find those who are there for the company and avoid those who are there to forget.
The night went well and I make my way home around midnight, cuddled up in bed and lights out. Doozing off I saw something bright in the sky, blurred though as I didn't have my glasses on. Here, it is like you have a 6th sense ... always cautious of something, you know? I'm thinking its a drone a plane or a street light. Anyway, so instead of pulling my sleep mask down or closing the curtains, I put my glasses on, pick my head up and look up.
There it is, looking back at me, as if to tell me there YOU are and here we all are, the moon. Oddly, it made me feel at home, because I know that we are all underneath that same moon. Crazy, I know, but true, is it not?
It is the small things that remind me of home. My mom gave me this beautiful neclace that is on my bed post (makes my tear up everytime I look at it), and it makes me feel like she is right there. I have a picture of my girl friends on my dresser and it makes me smile each morning.
Skyping, facebook messages, gchats and emails light up my nights and days like you would not believe. It can turn the most stressful day right around. And mail, mail is even better. :)
Henry, my Godson, really just whenever I think about him. Everyone knows about him and every time I go shopping I look for something. I am afraid to buy something with his name on it, in case they change it though (he is due in two weeks). But, because I can't be there, I bring him here.
So, thank you. Thank you for supporting me and for being here, you are all thought about much more than you know. I always say its the little things that make a big difference.
So again, as I look out at that beautiful moon, know that even though thousands of miles away, we are still under the same sky.
There are things, that make home feel so much closer.
Oddly enough at 1:30am last night I was reminded of that. Last night I went out to dinner with a fabulous group of ladies. In fact, for a few hours it was as if we weren't even in a war zone. The food was fantastic and the company even better. People here are amazing and how they do what they do, I am amazed by each of them. After dinner we went out for drinks. Some go out for the company and others to forget (if you know what I mean). The trick is to find those who are there for the company and avoid those who are there to forget.
The night went well and I make my way home around midnight, cuddled up in bed and lights out. Doozing off I saw something bright in the sky, blurred though as I didn't have my glasses on. Here, it is like you have a 6th sense ... always cautious of something, you know? I'm thinking its a drone a plane or a street light. Anyway, so instead of pulling my sleep mask down or closing the curtains, I put my glasses on, pick my head up and look up.
There it is, looking back at me, as if to tell me there YOU are and here we all are, the moon. Oddly, it made me feel at home, because I know that we are all underneath that same moon. Crazy, I know, but true, is it not?
It is the small things that remind me of home. My mom gave me this beautiful neclace that is on my bed post (makes my tear up everytime I look at it), and it makes me feel like she is right there. I have a picture of my girl friends on my dresser and it makes me smile each morning.
Skyping, facebook messages, gchats and emails light up my nights and days like you would not believe. It can turn the most stressful day right around. And mail, mail is even better. :)
Henry, my Godson, really just whenever I think about him. Everyone knows about him and every time I go shopping I look for something. I am afraid to buy something with his name on it, in case they change it though (he is due in two weeks). But, because I can't be there, I bring him here.
So, thank you. Thank you for supporting me and for being here, you are all thought about much more than you know. I always say its the little things that make a big difference.
So again, as I look out at that beautiful moon, know that even though thousands of miles away, we are still under the same sky.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)