Here's to 2011!

Well it's New Year's Eve here today - about 9 and a half hours ahead of the States.  I've showered, had some tea, Skyped, finished a good book and now settling in for the evening.  We have Fridays off and then Saturday due to the Holiday - something I never enjoyed with my other job as we worked all Holidays and just got paid for them.  It's been quite a year considering that on this date in 2009, Afghanistan wasn't even on my most remote of radars.  That's what I love about New Year's Eve - if you are open to new possibilities, you have no idea what the year will bring and it's always proven to bring something I never, ever expected.  Thankfully, I have a patient and understanding other half who really gets my need to wander not to mention my burgeoning addiction to experiencing and seeing new places and things.  The support makes it so much easier to be over here.  I'm also very grateful that my family and friends have made huge efforts to stay in touch on a regular basis, send plenty of goodies and therefore keep me very grounded and missing home - something I see as a barometer of good mental health.  Homesickness to me equates to still being tied to something and is a beneficial quality.  Too many people here are missing that because they've been doing this too long.

This coming year should be somewhat "normal" because I at least know where I will be ... I think.  I was just picked up for another year with my current company and will be working in Kandahar City from the base there.  Right now, we will largely be going back and forth, working much of our time there and then coming back to KAF for a few days every couple of weeks.  I like the new base and was even involved in planning it with my old job - weird - will have to share a container room with at least 1 other person.  The room also serves as our office and right now is cause for all of us assigned there to have to go back and forth, living from our suitcases as we are not provided with any permanent "home" - that sucks and will take some getting used to.  No place to place any personal items unless you want to haul them back and forth - we have 7 people assigned there with only 2 containers that sleep a max of 4 people each ... you see how much fun that will potentially be, but I very much like the team I am working with so I will be in good company.  I also have a 300 yard walk to the showers and bathrooms which is also less than desirable because I've spent most of the year with either my own bathroom (recently) or one I shared with 1 or 2 people.  But!  The base has a pool, is easily walkable and my container just needs some Hillbilly TLC and will be something to envy!  There are also tons of base kitties and a few dogs that wander around and let you hang with them and it's away from the big bosses which means a pretty relaxed environment.  I will adjust to the greatly decreased privacy and use of base shower and bathroom facilities ... at least I keep telling myself that, but it really is less than desirable.  However, no one can work the system in order to increase perks or living situations quite like the Wino! 

One of the base kitties who made himself at home on our security guy

Love these markets - I think this is where our food at the corporate compound originates - hygienic!

I think this was the bank building that was the victim of the explosions we saw - had driven past it that day

I am very happy about the new position.  I will be finished at the end of December 2011 and hopefully home in time to enjoy New Year's next year - which I hope will be in Vegas.  I will be managing a team of 5 local nationals who are actually implementing the work within the district I am assigned.  I have a weird, squatter district that needs an overhaul somethin' fierce - land clearance and allocation issues, infrastructure, schools, parks, economic development ... it really should be an interesting year and then I will finally return home and decide where I will be and what I will do next.  Hopefully something in a country that gives me more freedom to roam, is not such a violent shit-hole and is non-Muslim.  Or, something at home, but that doesn't seem too promising seeing that my field is based pretty much on development and growth and we aren't having much of that back in the US of A.  I have a year to think about it, so I'm not too concerned now.

As for Afghanistan... it's been pretty active over here with car and suicide bombings in combination with pretty regular rocket attacks.  I just found out that the one we had on Christmas killed a couple of people on base - way to ruin Christmas for those families for the rest of their lives. We had more attacks on base during the warmer months, but the fact that they are still doing it so frequently points to a change in strategy on their part - they usually pretty much close up shop and go back to their dirt hovels for the winter, but not this year.  Anyboom, I saw a huge explosion in the city while I was out in one of my parks doing a walking survey - really amazing to see from the hillside and it was a huge blast with an immense smoke cloud ...  We were all like, "what was that?" as you do while wondering in a park outside of any base when something explodes.  I'm irritated with myself because I had my camera in my hand to take pics of the project sites and could have snapped some great shots, but instead stood there with my pie hole hanging open, gawking at a large explosive plume of dirt. We had a rocket attack last night and totally expect one tonight for New Year's Eve - it's c-o-l-d out here at night and it's been taking up to an hour to give us an all clear before we can return to our rooms.  By then you are numb and wide awake.  I have a little sock and sandal combo going at night that never fails to entertain everyone else as "so American" - which I don't think is a compliment to my national heritage, but there's too much Hillbilly in the Wino to break old fashion statements!

I hope all of you have an excellent New Year's celebration and a happy and healthy 2011.  I have really appreciated the readership, comments and emails on and about this blog.  I hope to continue posting on a regular basis - I've been bad about regularity recently, but will be at a new base with plenty to observe and bitch about I'm sure, so things should pick up!

Drink of the Night - good and excellent news... it's red, not really allowed here and part of my namesake - Happy New Year to me!