Happy Festivus!

Ah, Christmas in the Afghan Wonderland!  After a Christmas Eve of Skype, contraband scotch and many games of iPad solitaire, the big day finally arrived.  I took a walk today down to the boardwalk to grab a pizza since they wouldn't allow lowly civilians into the DFAC for the Christmas meal.  I saw Santa riding around on top of an MWRAP (large military vehicle) and then on top of a tank down the road - I also heard that Santa was shelling the Taliban as well which kind of cracked me up thinking about it.  Seriously, they were apparently dressed in Santa hats while firing off mortar rounds.  Now that's the true meaning of Christmas.  Surreal but comforting.

Thankfully for Skype and Facebook, Christmas here has been somewhat bearable because I at least feel in touch.  I am very thankful for my own room, including my own bathroom, and a TV with real television broadcasts to get me through.  Oh, and books and the iPad - I would have gone nuts without the distractions.  Everyone is in a pretty good mood today and making the best of where we all are for the Holidays.  I would love to be home this year - my sister's kids are getting a puppy and it's an adorable GoldenDoodle ... I want one ... and am missing all the snow as well.  I keep myself busy by planning vacations which has become a weird hobby for me but damn if it doesn't take your head someplace good!

Tomorrow is back to work and Monday is another convoy to the park and afternoon strolls through both of them in Arghandab, topped off with a meeting of the minds with the military on how we will move forward with the projects planned.  I finally found a female local national who works for us - she was able to go down to the women's section of the park and ask them questions from my survey.  I secretly hope to make the parks as nice and accommodating as I can for these women - life here for them is complete shit for the most part and I like the thought of them safely enjoying something another woman helped improve for them.  It's all about the sisterhood!

One of the interesting aspects about working over here is that Afghans, much like most impoverished citizens, are unable to think about the group or the future and rather just about their immediate survival.  Makes sense. So many of the projects that are constructed end up totally scuttled after people sweep in and steal and dismantle the parts to sell or re-use.  It's frustrating, sad, but mostly understandable considering their situation over here.  We are trying to teach community leadership skills so they can affect their own change and work more effectively within the government (which is incredibly corrupt) - I think most of them are just as frustrated as we are will the state of affairs.

I very much cannot wait to get the hell out of here in February for a much needed jaunt through Europe - hopefully the time will fly until then.  Hope you all have/had a very special Christmas with your families and friends!  Oh nice - we just had a rocket attack - F-them for doing that on Christmas.

Drink of the Night - hot cocoa with a side of Jingle Bells.