Turkey, Scotch and Nan

Happy Thanksgiving!  I am preparing for what will certainly be the most unusual holiday I have ever experienced.  I am thankful that while working with a majority of non-American citizens, I will still be able to enjoy Thanksgiving thanks to their love of turkey and our company being based in the US.  The meal itself will be prepared by the Afghan cooks and I know will at least include the all important bird, but then will be an odd assortment of local foods like nan bread, some curries and dahl.  I was informed that there would be excellent apple pie as well.  AND, everyone is apparently breaking out their contraband hooch - the meal itself is off of base at our office compound, so we dodged the all important no-alcohol-on-the-military-base ban - which, I might add, is regularly breached by many.  Especially the Polish, Irish and Germans...  So that will be my holiday here which I am certain will be much better than with my old company where they will be enjoying whatever Thanksgiving themed slop is provided at the DFAC.  I am truly thankful!!

Things here continue to be very interesting and I continue to enjoy the job as I navigate the programs and web of paperwork and processes.  We work closely with a significant number of Afghans who are in our employ.  The literally risk their lives to work with us on these projects - very educated and interesting men.  One was actually shot yesterday but luckily survived and will be fleeing the country ASAP I'm told.  As you can imagine, being educated - let alone working for aid organizations and other NGOs - puts them at risk of death on a daily basis.  Seriously amazing and I greatly respect them for that.  I also was very entertained by the fact that the young men here often hang out in the community parks to drink and smoke hash ... so much like the US!  The added bonus is that there's a thriving prostitution ring that operates in many of these parks late at night - men and men - also so much like the US!  See, we are bridging our differences already and all through the community park! 

Anysmokingtheherbinthepark, I am finding out some amazing things about how the women live and the culture operates here in the southern region of Afghanistan.  The facts are sadly jacking up some of my "big ideas" because they simply won't work here - more on that in another post.  I have also been told some incredible stories about the Taliban, their recruiting and some of the actual end users of suicide bombers - total bullshit!  More on that in another post too.  All in all, it's been great here so far and I'm going to be planning my next trip soon - it passes time and keeps my head in a good place!

This is a short one, but it had been awhile.  Hope everyone has an amazing Thanksgiving!  I will do another post soon.  Eat, drink and be merry!

Drink of the Night:  diet coke ... yawn