Stoners...

While here in near Herat, I'm staying at Camp Stone. There was just a major shift of military personnel so last night lots of people wandering around, many times with guns, and cars and movement and there is also a strange orange light as I walk towards the loo. No one else seems to know what it is or even has noticed it. I didn't the first few nights, but now that I've had a couple times leaving the office after sunset, I see it. One person suggested that there are lots of lights on over there - bright ones, and this is the way it shows up at a distance. I should read up on light and how it curves.

Been watching Fringe and totally enjoying the JJ Abrams takes on love and betrayal. It is encouraging to me that drama can articulate these things - I can enjoy it vicariously in my little room here sitting on a scarf that I paid too much for at the little bazaar here. I went through my bags to see what was where and repacked - am also accumulating laundry for the fluff and fold - I'm so delighted that they have that here - I really don't like doing my own laundry - though I did it in Arlington and Kabul.

I have requested time off for a vacation - while I'd like to the mongolian horseback ride - I think they require more notice than just a couple months - though I guess I should look into it. I know that on some level, my mom and sisters will be upset that I'm not visiting them - but that may happen too - Mom can come see me in Dc if I'm there very long and I can easily take a weekend and go to Chicago. So I think I will try to go to Croatia - it looks lovely and Dubrovnik sounds nice - and the Dalmatian Coast...water but not just beach - things to do but also quiet time to sleep and read and relax. I think it will be lovely. Getting there is a pain but I can go through Dubai maybe and spend a few days there too. Who knows. Or through Heathrow and see Brenna.

Patty told me to write through my bluespots. I haven't had a fullfledged one today - and I'm totally convinced that they are hormonally driven. Arranging theings a bit more here helps too - it is good to settle in even though it is temporary quarters. My nap was nice and I'll go to bed shortly - I'll just turn off the light at 9 and hope that will work okay for rachel and martin.

As I walk around the camp - either to the dining facility, or the toilet, or the office, I do get noticed because there aren't that many women, much less civilians, on the base. However, many of the young US military can tell at a glance that I'm at least their mom's age...so I am rendered gender neutral and elicit a "hello ma'am" or just "ma'am." But the Italians, many of them also quite young, actually seem to look at me (at least some of them do). I appreciate the looks from the Italians -- I feel like I'm viable at least as some one to be checked out.

More Kabul - still surreal

It is sad I think that most of the people are only happy when they are leaving - either leaving post for good or for one of the many R&Rs provided. Someone who I know from before, admittedly not that well, seems quite depressed to me and says she avoids people. Of course she also works in a very stressful office and after having met some of her coworkers, I can understand it a bit more.

Today we had early morning trainings on IEDs and various other explosive devices. After the morning of training, we had to wait for 1/2 hour for a ride back to the Embassy - but I was able to grap a nap before my afternoon training. That was a bit bizarre - some tensions in the rooms with some of the people. Also, a rather simplistic explanation offered by the trainer irritated me a bit. But we learned how to use the various toys that they have given us for our time here. And now I have a slight headache, had mexican food for dinner, and am now watching Harry Potter and cricket (cricket on computer, Harry on tv). I do like having a tv again - didn't have one in Cairo - did in the US and have one, however limited, here.

surreal white light kabul

I'm at the US Embassy compound in Kabul - the light from the sun reflects off the white concrete and is almost blinding. It is accompanied by heat, but tempered by the spring wind. It is eerily quiet much of the time. I walk by the green patches - lush green grass - with a variety of flowers including snapdragons and roses. The roses all look somewhat abused by the wind - once they have bloomed fully their petals turn out - as you walk by the large bunch of them, there is a faint puff of scent. A variety of people walk by - the local hires - mainly men outside it seems - the various military types, the suited men, the women with and without headscarfs - the women who wear skirts and thus reveal their legs which seems odd here. I wander in my kameez with long pants and sandals and my minimalist sweater which covers but doesn't really add any warmth.

The route to my hooch takes me on a little path shaded by a tree - there is a picnic table to the right. It adds a certain hominess to the rows of housing units. I'm in a two man sleeper which is occupied by a woman from Armenia who is here for six months. She has been very gracious in sharing this space...there is no storage and we sleep on bunkbeds. I have the top. We have a large flat screen LG tv w hich is hooked up to AFN network - thus i get to watch Star World and Star Movies - updated from the days I watched them in Pakistan. There are three channels that are Afghani - earlier today there were three young girls singing, their heads only partially covered by their dupattas.

A periodic source of noise are helicopters which seem to fly low over the compound. I haven't been here long enough to decipher the various paint jobs and marking to discern which entity is flying over my head...

My favorite and most common destination is the coffee place - they made nice cappucinos and ice coffees which are shots of espresso with ice and water. Still, caffein helps me get through the afternoon. I attended briefings today but was hit hard at 2 pm by fatigue and headache so came back to the hooch and took an hour nap. My iphone alarm is this irritating sound of an old fashioned phone - but it is very effective. Am meeting someone for dinner who I used to work with in south africa...which seems very remote from here.

I have to attend an all day security briefing tomorrow - and then something else on Sunday. The soonest I'll be leaving for Herat is Monday.