I'm Back

May 16, 2007

This was my first full day in Afghanistan. It was really good seeing everyone again. They are all very nice, have worked really hard, and they are very proud of their accomplishments. And they should be—they have done a terrific job.

This is the first time in my life that I have ‘security.’ I am staying with Maqsoda (our Program Manager who is Afghan-American and seems to be real bright). Until we find our own house, I will be here in the house run by the security company, which appears to be a bunch of British military guys who are studly. Out front are 3 guys with guns. Maqsoda and I are driven to work by 2 Afghan security guys in our Toyota Land Cruiser. We are required to wear our seat belts. In a place where it crosses my mind that we might be the target of an IED or suicide bomber it seems a bit incongruous to worry about seat belts, but it is what I am told to do so I do it.

Once the security guys drop us off, we are in the office—without guns. It seems very safe. Afzal says that everyone is a bit edgier these days, and that is understandable. But just driving through town it really doesn’t seem very dangerous.

According to Maqsoda, the real danger is spoken of only in hushed tones. It apparently is an insidious malady that strikes the unsuspecting and unprepared---chafing. Yes, that’s right, chafing. It seems the heat and humidity can give you a bad case of it. My ounce of prevention included talking to Matt and asking him about the prophylactic qualities of boxers on chafing. He recommended that I go the boxer-brief route, which I knew nothing of. So I hit Target for some boxer-briefs, loaded up some baby powder, and I have got to tell you I am filling pretty good right now. And if asked the Bill Clinton MTV question, ‘Boxers or Briefs’ I can legitimately answer ‘Yes.’

At lunch with everyone we had a nice discussion, though several staff are really quiet, either because they aren’t comfortable with me yet, or because their English is not so good. After a period of silence, we found out that each day they pick a topic and discuss. Yesterday’s topic was whether a child in the Amazon who dies without knowing Islam will go to heaven under Islamic doctrine? I really hope that I get to hear what these folks have to say, as it will provide an incredible insight into the culture of the country. Oh ya—the answer is that they think the kid gets into heaven.

This is really a country in which relationships are everything. I am supposed to go to India tomorrow (and Pakistan this weekend), but I realized today that my Visa into Afghanistan is single-entry, so I can’t come back if I leave. After doing some checking, Karim will call his brother-in-law who works in the Foreign Ministry to ask him to call his friend, the Afghan Ambassador to Pakistan, to see if I can get a Visa on Monday. It appears to just be a small-town with 25 million citizens.