I had lunch with the Afghans today.

Because of the remoteness of our work location, MPRI pays to have lunch catered for our drivers and interpreters. Once in a while, I like to walk behind the warehouse to one of the two buildings in which they eat, and join them. I think this helps foster a good working environment, but more importantly, I am able to test the quality of food being served and illustrate to the vendor that I’m watching.

Typically, it is delicious, although I have had a few reports of bad meat.

Today we had the standard naan bread and Afghan rice with carrots, raisins, french fries, and meat. There was beef kabobs, fresh vegetables, yogurt, fruit, and soft drinks.

Interesting side note. There is a TV in the small room where the drivers stay during the day and eat their lunch. After we finished eating, the news came on. It was in Dari so I don’t know what was being said, but they flashed pictures of Palin, McCain, and Obama. A small political discussion ensued with me and a roomful of Afghans. Keep in mind that the future of their country rides on this election. They were avid supporters of McCain, even though his running mate is female and they think Obama is a Muslim. Hmm…

Look what followed me home, Ma!

Admittedly, most guys here send things home like rugs, scarfs, antique guns, wooden chests, etc. Not me. I'm sending an Afghan home.

The US Dept of State has streamlined the visa process for Afghan nationals who are interpretor/translators (IT) working for the US. Many of them have taken advantage of the program, to take a chance for the American dream.

My IT, Fida (pronounced like feta cheese), acquired his visa, saved some money and left Kabul today for the two-day multiple-stop plane trip to Dallas, TX. Much to Julie's consternation, I offered to let him stay at our home temporarily. Trust me, I didn't make the offer lightly--I think very highly of this young man.

He graduated from high school and medical school, and is a certified medical technician. That certification probably won't mean much to US medical facilities, but it's a start. While he worked for me as an IT, he moonlighted at the Afghan National Hospital. His father is a government official in the Ministry of Education and is a genuine believer in the importance of education—so much so that he fled to Pakistan with his family during the Taliban rule so his daughters could continue to go to school. Fida has three sisters, one who is married and two younger ones. He has two brothers, one older who is a doctor but works for MPRI as an interpreter/translator because it pays better.

His goal is to find employment, get his own place, become a US citizen, and save enough money to send for his family. He intends to enlist in the US Air Force, and if that doesn't work out, then he'll find work elsewhere. I have little doubt that he'll succeed somehow.

So if/when you see him around, please make him feel welcome. After all, our forefathers were all immigrants to the US once...

Out.

Yesterday was the ribbon cutting for the new Mechanics School at the Afghan National army (ANA) Logistics Command (LogCmd), Central Movement Agency. I first went to the office of the Deputy Minister of Defense, Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Minister Jawhari. General Shah Aga was there with some members of his staff. After meeting Minister Jawhari and some small talk, we left for LogCmd. Our vehicle was in the Minister’s convoy with security at the front & back. We took a route through the airport. After exiting the airport gate, I noticed several soldiers standing guard along the highway—more security for our convoy. We entered LogCmd and The Minister and staff were immediately whisked into a maintenance bay set up for an opening ceremony.

The event was started by a Muslim prayer by a Mullah, then several people spoke, including the Minister. We were, as usual, served chai (a weak green tea), dried corn, almonds, and raisins. After the opening ceremony, we were escorted around to see the various classrooms, maintenance areas, etc. Then we went into the Officer’s dining facility.

I wasn’t expecting lunch, but it was a pleasant surprise. The meal was served family-style, with heaping platters of food. Each place setting had a soda (mine was an orange soda from Pakistan), a bottle of water, and some soupy, strong yogurt in a bowl. First we were served soup. It had some leafy vegetables in it along with some other ingredients I didn’t recognize, and strong pepper seasoning. I was unsure of the etiquette in a dinner of Afghans (all male) but I quickly learned that there was no etiquette. Everybody reached for whatever they wanted. There was an Afghan staple of fried rice with raisins and naan which is a round flatbread, beef kabobs, spicy goat meat, fruit, and melon. Surprisingly, I didn’t get sick afterwards.

On the way out of the dining facility, I saw a senior Enlisted ANA soldier who was in my last supply class at Central Supply Depot. I said “Chotorasti?” (How are you?) to him and shook his hand. He beamed. I figured out later that I must have made his day. Here was an important American military advisor, traveling with the Deputy Minister of Defense, who acknowledged him. Cool.

I added some pictures to photobucket, but my camera is dying and half of them didn’t come out. Stupid camera.

Out.