after_alex

This is my first Christmas in Afghanistan, and it’s very quiet around here. Usually there’s things to do, people to see, but with the holidays rolling around life’s pace has slowed down a bit. Now I finally can take a minute to breathe and pay tribute to the spiritual side of life. So, tonight I went to the “midnight” church service for Christmas.

One of the interesting features of mass is the immersion of so many different nationalities. Readings are sometimes in French, Tagalog, Italian, and of course English. More interesting is the types of people who come. There’s everyday NGO workers, and then there are also big shot military leaders.

Father Moretti and General McNeill. One survived the Taliban. The other commands NATO forces in Afghanistan.

Tonight’s service had its own perk – churchgoers were invited to the Italian Embassy for some Christmas chocolates and pastries. Good stuff. The place is absolutely amazing, and their Italian chef is superb.

Real champagne and liquid chocolate.

The Italian Embassy is itself a refreshing place for one to enjoy warm atmosphere, refined culture, and great architecture. And don’t forget the great food. This place is just a terrific advertisement for me to take a vacation in Italy. Man, what a Christmas. Happy Holidays…

I woke up this morning, to find myself in a winter wonderland.

Flower bushes survive under the snow tent.

Considering that only 2 months ago, you would be sweating your balls off from the heat, it’s amazing to see the transformation of Kabul from a parched, dusty wastebowl into a holiday wonderland.

Just in time, too. Today is the third day of Eid, the big Muslim holiday of the season…and Christmas is right around the corner.

Little Pakistan under a snow blanket.

These days, Kabul is pretty quiet. Not only is it Eid, but most internationals have left for some holiday refuge. It’s just me and one other colleague in this 10-bedroom mansion. Spooky? Maybe. With the snowfall last night, and everything closed b/c of holiday it just seems quiet. Maybe lonely. I’ve never done so much reading in one day before.

A snowed out broadband satellite.

It doesn’t help that the internet got taken out by the snow storm either. I had to drag my ass all the way to the roof and brush off the snow off the satellite. Apparently the snow interfered enough with the satellite’s solid curvature to mess up the connection.

Off-road heaven.

What I’m not looking forward to is the trek outside once all the snow starts melting. Snow and dirt roads are just recipe for disaster. However, if you’re interested in off-roading, then perhaps this is your game. Otherwise I am going to have to switch to boots and make sure the trousers stay in the dry. This should be fun. Merry Christmas, and Eid Mubarak.

Living in Afghanistan can do weird things to your personality after only a couple of months. I’d say that a large part of the twist in people’s seemingly everyday behavior comes from not only the clash of cultures here, but it’s also the shadow of an uncertain (and to some, ominous) security picture. Like unavoidable diseases or a drug addiction, people just don’t like to talk about what bad security can do to you here. Everyone knows it. But no one’s going to enjoy talking about it…and that can have weird affects on your behavior, from casual conversations to the deep examinations of the local political future.

One impact of such a repression of reality could be fear, but more often the turnout is humor, although sometimes it shows itself as neglect and even hysteria. Even writing a superficial inspection on the topic brings out a certain tug of psychological stress – from a casual acknowledgment of the real, to an expectation of the unseen, and a management of uncertainty. Kabul is hardly the violent picture of other places cast on CNN and BBC. But if you’re on the other side of the world somewhere, may we rest assured that on the ground, security is handled professionally when threats are not just news stories.

I’d say that the only way that daily life is possible here is with a focus on the positive. Luckily, in the business of development, incremental results can become encouraging guideposts for navigating one’s valuation of personal experience. Security is on the mind, but it is not the only goal. And for one, taking a cue from the hardiness of everyday people here could all the counseling that one needs. Take it in, and make it your everyday peace.

Alex
Kabul, Afghanistan
December 1, 2007