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Time to once again open my life up a little in order to share the plethora of wealth I'm about to absorb. I'm going to be back in Iraq through September, so hop on board and check back every couple of days, I'll do my best to update as much as possible. Questions? dtate38@cox.net And check out the site I'm working with: http://www.billroggio.com Support independent journalism!
Saturday, October 23, 2004
Having birthdays to me is like any other day. I guess when you hit a certain age, you just forget about the fact that birthdays are supposed to be special. Maybe it's just like that this year because I'm in Afghanistan and somewhat demoralized. I think today is a beer day.
We made it out of Kandahar on Wednesday the 13th. We decided that our health and sanitation where suffering too much to stay and get back with the military. Besides, we were told Thursday, at the earliest, to get to Kandahar Air Field. Then it would take another 3-5 days to get back, so we decided to find a truck for the trip home.
I have to admit, I was not keen on the idea. I had made the trip twice before, but travelling from Kandahar to Kabul during the elections was asking for trouble. However, Umit and I both decided to take the risk as Abdullah went home by taxi the day before and we were near desperate. No money, little sleep, no clients... it was time.
Our first attempt to get a truck fell through as I learned the guy setting it up didn't even know the driver. Didn't like that, so we moved to plan B. That was to get the Reuters guy to help us get a truck. Afterall, neither Umit or myself speak Pashtun, let alone the fact that we cannot speak to each other in the first place.
Everything went fine with plan B. The Reuters guys helped out in a big way and got us an Afghan extened-type van and a driver for about $115 (8 hours each way). But the drive would be dangerous and for the first time sine I have been in Afghanistan, I actually put a headscarf on to cover my face.
After loading all of our stuff into the van, my back which I strained the day before, was shot and I could barely sit or turn around. The drive would be nothing less than hellish. I remember saying to myself that if this driver leaves the road, I'm cuttiing his throat. Within five minutes of leaving the stadium, we were parked on some side street wwith the driver no where to be found and me in too much pain to cut anything. After about 10 minutes, some Talib looking guy comes up and is checking out the vehicle. Then he walks up and starts talking to Umit, who understands nothing of what the guy is saying.
I just sit in the back and hope the guy goes away and the driver comes back. After a few hairy minutes, the guy leaves. Five minutes later, the driver came back and got into an argument with the curious Talib-guy, but back he was and we were off.
The security on the road was pretty good. Lots of checkpoints and no trouble at all. One ANA guy laughed in amazement when he found out I was American. I assume most Afghans I run into out here think I'm nutty. Regardless, everything went fine and we made it home alive.
The ensuing week leading up to my birthday has been one long drag. I can't get into the meat of the problem because it is a personnel issue, but the fact is that things between Ahmet and I are history. He plainly told me he was doing things his way and if I didn't like it, too bad. Unfortunately, Ahmet is too valuable to lose at this buraeu. Since my time is up at the end of November, I wrote HQ to request that I come back to Turkey as the earliest conveniance and was given permission.
It really is too bad. I came here to help these guys and I got nothing but non-compliance from the get go. For three months I've been demanding morning meetings, but still, people don't get up until 11:00. The guys do what they want, whhen they want and use the communication barrier as a tool against me. So to make a long story short, there is nothing left for me to do here and it's time to wrap it up. I expect to stay until the president is announced here, then I'll head back to Istanbul and finish out my contract editing the news for english readers.
Back in the states, things are also hairy. I never said this, but at one point over the past few months, Heidi was offered a dream job in Raleigh, but negotiations fell through and the job offered turned down. I'm now in the process of looking for a new job outside of Roanoke and have offers being considered in Greensboro and Washington. All I can do now is wait my time out here so I can begin a new chapter in life somewhere else, with my wife this time.
We made it out of Kandahar on Wednesday the 13th. We decided that our health and sanitation where suffering too much to stay and get back with the military. Besides, we were told Thursday, at the earliest, to get to Kandahar Air Field. Then it would take another 3-5 days to get back, so we decided to find a truck for the trip home.
I have to admit, I was not keen on the idea. I had made the trip twice before, but travelling from Kandahar to Kabul during the elections was asking for trouble. However, Umit and I both decided to take the risk as Abdullah went home by taxi the day before and we were near desperate. No money, little sleep, no clients... it was time.
Our first attempt to get a truck fell through as I learned the guy setting it up didn't even know the driver. Didn't like that, so we moved to plan B. That was to get the Reuters guy to help us get a truck. Afterall, neither Umit or myself speak Pashtun, let alone the fact that we cannot speak to each other in the first place.
Everything went fine with plan B. The Reuters guys helped out in a big way and got us an Afghan extened-type van and a driver for about $115 (8 hours each way). But the drive would be dangerous and for the first time sine I have been in Afghanistan, I actually put a headscarf on to cover my face.
After loading all of our stuff into the van, my back which I strained the day before, was shot and I could barely sit or turn around. The drive would be nothing less than hellish. I remember saying to myself that if this driver leaves the road, I'm cuttiing his throat. Within five minutes of leaving the stadium, we were parked on some side street wwith the driver no where to be found and me in too much pain to cut anything. After about 10 minutes, some Talib looking guy comes up and is checking out the vehicle. Then he walks up and starts talking to Umit, who understands nothing of what the guy is saying.
I just sit in the back and hope the guy goes away and the driver comes back. After a few hairy minutes, the guy leaves. Five minutes later, the driver came back and got into an argument with the curious Talib-guy, but back he was and we were off.
The security on the road was pretty good. Lots of checkpoints and no trouble at all. One ANA guy laughed in amazement when he found out I was American. I assume most Afghans I run into out here think I'm nutty. Regardless, everything went fine and we made it home alive.
The ensuing week leading up to my birthday has been one long drag. I can't get into the meat of the problem because it is a personnel issue, but the fact is that things between Ahmet and I are history. He plainly told me he was doing things his way and if I didn't like it, too bad. Unfortunately, Ahmet is too valuable to lose at this buraeu. Since my time is up at the end of November, I wrote HQ to request that I come back to Turkey as the earliest conveniance and was given permission.
It really is too bad. I came here to help these guys and I got nothing but non-compliance from the get go. For three months I've been demanding morning meetings, but still, people don't get up until 11:00. The guys do what they want, whhen they want and use the communication barrier as a tool against me. So to make a long story short, there is nothing left for me to do here and it's time to wrap it up. I expect to stay until the president is announced here, then I'll head back to Istanbul and finish out my contract editing the news for english readers.
Back in the states, things are also hairy. I never said this, but at one point over the past few months, Heidi was offered a dream job in Raleigh, but negotiations fell through and the job offered turned down. I'm now in the process of looking for a new job outside of Roanoke and have offers being considered in Greensboro and Washington. All I can do now is wait my time out here so I can begin a new chapter in life somewhere else, with my wife this time.
