The Poor Man

My role here in Afghanistan is a special one as I am able to work directly with local Afghan nationals. I work with an organization called AGCHO - Afghanistan Geodetic and Cartographic Head Office. About a year ago a group of nine AGCHO employees were selected to learn how to produce map products. My organization has been sending over mentors ever since to continue to teach the students and to oversee their production. That is my role. I am lucky in that I have two additional people helping me while I am here, one is our first foreign partner from Canada (I tend to make fun of him alot). The other is a gentlemen from my organization who focuses on geographic names (the correct, local names for towns, cities, villages etc.)


The students work approximately six and a half days a week. But do keep in mind that their days are a bit shorter then ours. I would say they actually work an average of 4-5 hours a day. The students are rather young most being in their 20-30's. Many of the students have attended university and I would consider them to be a part of the professional working class. For their efforts/work they are paid a salary of $150 a month. This is enough for them to support their families and live a decent life.

Being American and living the lifestyle that I do $150 seems like so little to me. I want to feel sorry for them because they make so much less then I do and do not have the standard of living that I do. Yet someone who I felt sorry for very easily put things into perspective for me.

On Tuesday we had a going away party for the person who I was replacing and another mentor who worked with AGCHO. The Americans/Canadian all pooled some money (probably around $70) to buy lunch for everyone, approximately 18 people. We sent the students out into town to work their magic. They returned with 18 8x6x4 containers full of rice (mixed with carrots, raisins, and some kind of meat) 18 kabobs (a large piece of nAn (bread) filled with several pieces of seasoned meat (think Gyro)) a large pile of nAn (which is AMAZING!) a container of fresh veggies (onions and peppers mostly) a large bag of bananas, a large bowl of apples, and another large bowl of a small fruit that reminded me of peaches. The food tasted fabulous and we had a great send off.

Before and during the meal I noticed a man hanging around our building peeking into the door and windows. I assumed he was a gardner as he was in the garden area. His clothes were dirty and a little ragged, but he kept his shirt tucked in and his hat on. After the meal the left over rice/meat and nAn was piled together and handed to this man. (I had been told that the left over foods were given to the outside workers, so I was not surprised by this) The left over fruit remained in the room as many of the students were still munching on it. At the end of the day I asked the remaining students if they would like to take the fruit home as we were going to be away from the office for three days and I did not want it to go to waste. Instead of accepting my offer to take the food home one of my student got up, called to the man I had noticed earlier and offered the food to him. My student told me later that he was a very poor man. I felt extremely humbled and touched by this gesture. Here were people whom I felt were poor and in need of a helping hand, helping someone who they felt were in need of a helping hand. I could not have felt more humbled and fortunate that I did at that moment.

Settling In

     Going to a new place, where you don't know anyone, don't know your way around, and don't fully understand the job you are to do can be very daunting.  Throughout my traveling process and the first few days in camp I ocasionally found that I was second guessing myself and my decision, wondering if I had made the right decision or if I was even qualified to do the job I was being presented with.  I was excited but, uncertain of my abilities and what I would be able to achieve. 
     It didn't take long for me to realize that I could indeed make a difference and an impact and do a good job.  Within a few hours with the students and learning the ropes I could tell I was catching on quickly and begining to understand what was going on.  Obviously, I can't expect to know everything instantly, but I was able to see that I could indeed be of use.
     The students all speak Dari and we use a translator to communicate.  However, after a year of working with American's many of the students are able to communicate to some extent with the instructors.  I am trying to pick up a few words in Dari, so far I have hello and good-bye...when I can remember them!  I hope to learn more soon

Afghanistan

Yesterday I arrived at my new home.  After a night of very little sleep I proceded to the airport where I was loaded into a a huge cargo plane (C-117) and flown into Kabul.  The change in planes was almost like being upgraded to first class.  By that I mean I had as much room as I could possibly have wanted on the place.  It was this big open bay with a big piece of Machinery anchored in the middle.  There were maybe eight passengers who could chose from any of the fold down seats on the sides of the aircraft.  Not necessarily the most comfortable seats ever, however once the seatbelt sign came off we could walk around and I made myself a little bed on the floor to stretch out and rest for a bit.  It would have been perfect had the floors not been hard medal and had I not been freezing my butt off!

I figure that I had gotten maybe four hours of sleep since I set off on Tuesday, so I was about ready to drop when I got here.  Filling out paperwork I noticed my hand shaking and figured that was a pretty good indicator.  After a dinner at the DFAC I headed over to my temporary housing and I was out!  I slept so soundly that I didn't wake up at all to the bluegrass band that was playing right outside my door.  I woke up refreshed and ready to take on the world!

New Continent!

     Local Qatar time: 3am, Central time: 7pm, Lets just say my body is severly confused as I am wide awake. So I will write my first entry of this blog. Leaving DC Tuesday night I boarded the biggest plane that I have ever been on, they cruely made us board from the front of the plane so that we had to walk through the first class cabin into Economy (first class gets lots of room and chairs that actually go horizontal! Economy was SLIGHTLY more squished.  I was lucky in that I only had to share the three seats in my particular section with one other person, however, somehow his feet still ended up in my space! My brilliant idea of sleeping through the flight did not go well, I just am not good at sleeping while sitting up, and my butt got sore! Luckily the airline was equipped with these personal entertainment devices that have you the option of watching hundreds of movies or tv shows or playing various games. So instead of actually sleeping, I ate a few meals, watched a couple movies, and tried to keep my butt from growing numb!
     Arriving in Qatar the first thing I noticed was while standing in line at immigration was that I was the tallest person there...kind of a strange feeling. Once on the base I found exploring it to be interesting. All of the military employees always have to be in their uniform or pt gear, so at the bar (yes there is a bar, but you can only have three a night!) everyone is hanging out in their workout clothes, with the exception of the few of us who don't have too...we kind of stick out. The bar area is open all night long, and people continue to hang out all night long.  It is definately like another world, being unaccustomed to the ways of the military I had to ask how to do simple things such as get food from the DFAC (Dining Facility) and I had no clue where the bathrooms/showers were located. It can definately be a humbling experience.
     I am staying in a tent for the night with a few other people who are also passing through the base. Everyone else seems to be accustomed to the local time and I am still on state time, so after not being able to sleep it was getting up and dressed in the dark so as not to disturb the others. I need to go back in a few hours and put all of my stuff back together so I can catch a flight to my final destination. I am looking forward to getting there and settling in.

Hello Friends & Family,

Welcome to Sarah's Adventure Blog! This blog has been created by Sarah's family so that she can share stories and posts about her adventure in Afghanistan. We thought it would be a great way to keep in touch and let her know we are thinking of her. She will always be in our thoughts and prayers as she goes where no Arnold has ever gone before! Feel free to wish her well!

Sarah we love you so much and can't wait to hear about your great adventure! You are such a special woman who we love and admire. Please come home safely!

Hugs & Kisses,
Mom, Dad, Rachael, Mike, Emily, Steven, Melissa & Baby E