6 Months In Kabul: Carrying A Heavy Load

Problog

Hello and welcome to my blog. It is a blog about an Air Force Physician that was reluctantly deployed to Kabul, Afghanistan for 6 months.

I have to admit, I did not exactly volunteer for the deployment, and I was a little anxious about how it would all turn out. I ended up making the best of it, and surprisingly, I actually had a pleasant, life changing, experience.

I decided to keep the blog up and running because I kept on hearing, "Why is it that you only hear the bad news coming from Iraq and Afghanistan." I figured that I was helping spread a positive message about what we are doing over. Even more important, I wanted to continue to spread the word about the plight of the Afghan people, 99.9% of which are the most incredibly friendly people that you will ever meet. The title picture is a great example of that. I have never encountered such genuinely warm and friendly people. It was so strange to see so many people with so little material objects, yet at the same time, filled with so much of the joy that comes with close family ties, abundant friends, and a close knit community. We could definetly learn a lot from them.

You may notice, as you read the blog in its entirety, my arc. I shift from focusing on myself and my personal comforts, to shifting my focus on the Afghan cause. It is very easy to get distracted by the hustle of daily life and the comforts that the U.S. provides. It is really a challenge to awake from that coma and to start to care and think about the welfare of other people unrelated to you. I think it really took me about 4 or 5 months before I really opened my eyes and became personally affected by what I was experiencing. I hope I was able to recreate it.

I have tried to keep the blog squeaky clean so as to not offend anyone (or get me in trouble-I am still in the military). Even though I am a political junky with very strong personal opinions I have been steadfast in keeping this site free of any politics. I was called to do a job and I tried to do it to the best of my ability regardless of my political stance.

I recreated the blog to read more like a book, or should I say blook (get used to the corniness it only gets worse from here) just to make it an easier read. I have removed some names and pictures just to keep it more anonymous. I hope that it helps in making it less about me and more about the cause.

Lastly, in the spirit of the blog, I decided to include the Chipin Widget that I used to raise money for Nazia. If I get any additional money I will send the funds to The Women of Hope Project and someone over in Kabul will discretely give it to her (unless I hear otherwise). You can also contribute directly to the Women of Hope Project website. They are a wonderful cause. If you enjoy this blog then feel free to contribute. I am sure that once you read her story you will be very moved.

So kick back. Get ready to hopefully laugh and definitely cry.
If you like what you read then post a comment. I will be continuously editing this site in an attempt to improve it. Who knows maybe one day it will become a book!

Enjoy. Thanks for reading.

-Shazdoc

Monday, April 14, 2008

Carrying A Heavy Load

"If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, you will be fired with enthusiasm. "
-Vince LombardiUS football coach (1913 - 1970)

"Never despair; but if you do, work on in despair."
-Edmund BurkeIrish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797)

Those are 2 good deployment related quotes. I am working on a deployment tips blog. I will let you know when it is up and running.

The interpreters came back from dropping off the donations. They actually went to a couple of different locations. They took a lot of videos so my camera's memory got full very fast. I have not been able to load a photobook because the office computers are kind of restrictive. I should be getting internet in my room very soon and then I will load a bunch more photos and videos.

There must be something in the water in Kabul because kids over here are just so darn cute!

This kid did not even mind getting a pink hat.

I received a grey bear that is actually meant for patients after they had a heart bypass. It is really flat and hard. You are suppose to hold it up against your chest when you cough to help reduce the pain.

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Here is how it arrived.

Here is the child getting it. The kid looks so excited to get it.

Look how excited the little girl is. The other boy is looking on very curious.

She is carrying a heavy load.

Today I received a box from Freedom Pens. Take a look.

I was sent 5 handmade wooden pens. I used them to write a bunch of thank you notes tonight. On their website they say that they have shipped 73,134 Pens Shipped to the Middle East. Here is their website.

http://www.freedompens.org/?gclid=CNKY8_CMipACFRHTXgodVBLyLQ

They deserve a spot on my Spotlight on Community Service site.

I also learned that I have been sponsored by another school. This time it is a 2nd grade class. Here is the care package that was sent from them. I have a lot of fun communicating with different classrooms.