Merry Christmas All!

Or, Happy Feast of Helios, or Happy Hanukkah, Chanukah, Hannukah, Hannukha (pick your favorite spelling) or choose any other greeting you desire. I'm sticking with Christmas.

My Afghan translators wished me Merry Christmas yesterday as I departed work. We wish them Eid Mubarak (Happy Eid), so they reciprocate. See? It isn't really very hard to get along.

My thanks to all who've visted here for the past several months (whether or not you post comments). I hope this blog as given you a different perspective of Afghanistan than that perpetuated in the mainstream media.

My Christmas wish is that this long-suffering country somehow finds peace so that the wonderful people who live here can finally have something like a normal life. I'm suspecting that it is a wish that will take years to achieve and I hope the countries who've made commitments here have the courage to see it through.

So I guess a secondary wish is that the West develop a spine to see through a very tough job. Believe me, it's worth it!

We've had threatening skys and promises of snow.
It always seems to hit the mountains surrounding Kabul.

So our white Christmas is a bit distant, but at least visible.

Ironic symbol in an Islamic country.
Cross on an old guard tower near the Afghan Army base.

Is that what I think it is?

Yes! An Afghan florist selling Christmas Trees!
His shop is conveniently located near the Western Embassies.

My tree is a bit smaller.
Perfect fit for the wee room.

Visiting Afghan Schools

Another week without much going on in terms of violence. School is currently out except for the teacher's college and the University. Most schools have no heat or electricity, so the vacation that our kids get in the summer, happens in the winter here.

Schools in Kabul are well-attended and crowded. Don't think for one minute that the Afghans have no desire to learn and have their children, including girls, go to school. Over 6 million children are currently enrolled in school -- about 2 million are girls.

In spite of some acid-throwing incidents in Khandahar province a few weeks ago (girls going to school were targeted by thugs on motorcycles), attendance is way up across the country. Villagers apprehended the acid-throwing thugs and turned most over to the police (they were "roughed up a bit"). A few recieved summary and terminal justice at the hands of angry fathers. The Taliban, suffering a bit from poor PR at the moment, denied all responsibility for the attacks.

A typical elementary school in a poorer neighborhood.

Always curious kids swarm around the strange visitors.

School officials and children pose with a British visitor.
All the NATO forces do this sort of good will visit.

Teacher overcome with emotion as kids get new notebooks.

Posing with their new "Gringo" friend.
We jokingly refer to all Westerners as "Gringos."
Guns are nothing new with these kids.
Their fathers probably have AK's at home.
They were more amazed with his communication system.

Warm welcome to a girl's classroom.
Note the lack of desks. Nor is there electricity.
The only light is what comes through the window.

Girls getting new notebooks from a friendly Brit.
This room was large enough that two classes occupied the same space.

This room was roughly 15x12 and held 35 girls plus the teacher.

Passing out backpacks.

Headmaster accepting some teaching supplies.
An Afghan Major does the honors.

A BIG supply of colored chalk.

Posing with new backpacks.

Doggie Doings

For blogging buddy Ello, I had to start this out with the disclaimer that since my last post, Nothing Happened! There was no severed head in a bag by the bush at the end of the driveway. No ontoward shootings or blowings up. In fact, the week was pretty bloody...well...not bloody at all! There were threats of planned dastardly doings, but no, nothing materialized. Mornings have been crisp and the weather cool, skies clear. The roses are still blooming in the courtyard.

So let me talk about dogs.

This the sign on the gate where I work.
Pretty scary, eh?"

Here are the ever-vigilant guard dogs inspecting an intruder.

Gee! He didn't even stop!
He went right on into the people cave!

Ok, if the pack didn't scare you, how about Bob?

We call him "Bob" because of his tail...or lack thereof.
He's a pretty good daddy.

The Alpha pup hanging out with Dad.
Ever since the pups have been weaned, Bob is the primary care-giver.

Nothing like a nap on a warm dirt pile in the sun!

These two are almost always together.
There is a third white pup, but he hangs with the Alpha.

The Alpha pup!
Confident, fearless and the most vocal.
My favorite, but I always like the dominant dogs,
as my wife can attest from my own dogs at home.

The runt...the shy one.
She's sweet and cute, but hangs back.

Dreaming of goodies!
This is one of the "neighbor dogs" at Camp Dubbs.
He resides at the guard shack.
He's fond of Westerners, but not Afghans.
The guards provide him with his own food and water bowls.

Most of the feral dogs around the camp have become socialized. Which actually comes in handy, because they are a great early warning system. The dogs tend to be cautious approaching Afghans they don't know, but they don't hesitate approaching Westerners. They seem to speak English -- clever dogs!

They get plenty to eat via the French, Italians, Americans, Aussies, Ghurkas and the occassional Afghan. The Afghan officers in our building typically put their left-over food in the lid of the trash can and leave it out for the dogs. The dogs near our office don't even need to drink from puddles because they have a big bowl that gets refilled with fresh water all day by the Afghans and Ghurkas.