First Day Off

It’s Friday and my first day off and it’s very welcomed. I am sitting the ‘Flower Café’, which international people (Expats) frequent because of the good food and free internet service, which is better than the office. It is situated on an empty street and 3 armed guards stand outside the concrete wall and barb wire. This is my first time here. Yesterday morning was interesting, thanks to a suicide car bombing downtown, which was targeting against a convoy of International Security Forces. The driver never hit the convoy, but did kill 6 poor ditch cleaners. I was in a meeting with UNICEF and other NGO’s when it happened, we were all locked down for 3 hours afterward s. Welcome to Kabul…..
I have been working 10 to 12 hour days, coming home dead tired. Still feeling stressed and overwhelmed by everything, but at least I have my health (touch wood ). Issue of human resources and budget are not my specialty and are taxing. Because I am the new guy and because no one in the water sector has been here, I get to hear all the frustrations. Although these people are great, giving and caring, they do complain of low wages. My Project Manager for example only makes $600 US a month. …by 10 PM, I am in bed, falling asleep is easy, even though the bed is not very comfortable, sags in the middle and what I would do for a real pillow. I seem to always wake up at around 3 ish, which pisses me off, eventually get back to sleep only to wake up at 5:30 – 6:00. The sun comes up at 7:00 and my room faces the morning sun, which is very nice. I have been here a week now and despite the rather un sanitary conditions, I have not had any diarrhea or stomach ache. I wash my hands up to 4 times a day – hard to keep them clean, as the dirt, dust, fumes is everywhere. I have been eating well , we have a very good male cook that prepares lunch and dinner, although we are never here to eat it when he prepares it, so it sits here waiting for us. He makes an awesome soup. I have been eating goat daily, lots of potatoes and rice. Lunch food is usually goat kabobs and only the men eat together. Fruit is plentiful, although it comes form Pakistan. Breakfast is usually cereal and flat bread with strong Arabic coffee. During the day I drink tea..they love their tea here! As I am living the French (4 of them – 3 women; Anne, Alice, Valeri and 1 guy Nick) there is wine here and from France no less. Beer is available also, so it’s all good. Two nights ago more French came over to the house for a dinner party of Rachlette cheese and potatoes and dry pork….yes, pork that was brought in by the French army, as one guy has connections. It was very enjoyable to meet these new people and indulged in wine and cheese, just wished I could understand French. We sit on big cushion around a big low table. One of the guests (Fred) has lived here for 6 years, which I was so surprised to hear. The noise of helicopters and planes are constant and all times of the day, most annoying. Upon advice, I am growing my beard, but not my hair and today will go shopping for some Afghan sweaters and the very common scarf, so I will slowly try to assimilate into Afghan. The supply of electricity sucks!! We have to rely on the generator for a few hours at night and I have only experienced the other source twice. The water supply for the house is a private well and we have many problems with pressure and the pump. Despite having a shower in the bathroom, the ole squat and bucket method is becoming common. The boss (Anne) has noticed my stress and has ordered me to not do anything with work today, so we will go jogging at a secure indoor track at a German built school and then play tennis later on in some run down court. I am starting to learn some Dari words, and to my surprise Dari is not Arabic, but Persian!!