Wednesday, April 30, 2008
More drama in Kabul....
Things again have been a little intense here in Kabul. Security has increased in the city and today there was an 8 hour standoff between the army and some insurgents here in the city. Apparently the attack was planned by Afghan intelligence and other government security forces, but the government is not saying whether these ‘insurgents’ are part of the Taleban group. The government is releasing little if any information about the shots fired and they are suppose to hold a press conference tomorrow. I found out from BBC News that most of this took place in the Gozgargah neighborhood which is like 10 minutes from the office. Our Communications Manager lives pretty close to the area, and told us it was insane getting into work today. It’s really bizarre to me that all this is going outside the confines of our compound.
I’ve been feeling quite sick again this week. I don’t think eating all the local food this past weekend was a good idea. I had a doctor’s appointment because I haven’t felt like eating for the past few days. They don’t want to give me anything yet, so I’m just waiting it out. Lots of gravol for me until my body adjusts to the food here. It really sucks being sick here. I can’t even believe to tell you. Most people say you won’t get sick until you’ve been here for about three weeks to a month, then it’ll hit. It officially hit!
I started Dari lessons today with this guy Shariff. He comes to the office and teaches us during lunch time and today was his first class with us. I’ve been trying to learn from the kalas (the women who clean the office and our houses), but it’s been super hard for me, not to have anything written down. This guy is amazing. I already feel like I’m getting it and he says that after 10 classes we should all be able to speak close to fluently. If I end up staying here longer I’ll get to take the classes where you learn how to read script as well. It’s a lot easier to learn than I imagined. There’s one basic sentence structure used and I already feel like I picked up some general conversational vocabulary which is good. Shariff is going to come twice a week to teach us, so I’m looking forward to that.
Until next time…..Khuda Hafiz (Good-bye)
I’ve been feeling quite sick again this week. I don’t think eating all the local food this past weekend was a good idea. I had a doctor’s appointment because I haven’t felt like eating for the past few days. They don’t want to give me anything yet, so I’m just waiting it out. Lots of gravol for me until my body adjusts to the food here. It really sucks being sick here. I can’t even believe to tell you. Most people say you won’t get sick until you’ve been here for about three weeks to a month, then it’ll hit. It officially hit!
I started Dari lessons today with this guy Shariff. He comes to the office and teaches us during lunch time and today was his first class with us. I’ve been trying to learn from the kalas (the women who clean the office and our houses), but it’s been super hard for me, not to have anything written down. This guy is amazing. I already feel like I’m getting it and he says that after 10 classes we should all be able to speak close to fluently. If I end up staying here longer I’ll get to take the classes where you learn how to read script as well. It’s a lot easier to learn than I imagined. There’s one basic sentence structure used and I already feel like I picked up some general conversational vocabulary which is good. Shariff is going to come twice a week to teach us, so I’m looking forward to that.
Until next time…..Khuda Hafiz (Good-bye)
Monday, April 28, 2008
Assasintation Attempt on President Karzai
Hello hello hello!!
Everything is okay in Kabul. I’m sure by now you have all seen on the news coverage on the assassination attempt of President Karzai. For those of you who didn’t see coverage, during the military parade on Independence Day, shots were fired towards President Karzai and a number of local ministers and diplomats. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and Karzai himself appeared on national television later yesterday afternoon to show that he was alive and okay. The shots were fired at a stadium, about a mile away from where we live.
Things have been a little insane security wise. People we not sure we’d be allowed to go to work today, but because of the increased police presence I guess things are okay. We were in lock down mode yesterday, so had to remain at our compound. Getting to work this morning was a huge pain. Tons of traffic, security check points and police, police, police. The security over the weekend was the same for the most part. We got pulled over on Friday night and had to present our passports. My boss was telling us they got even pulled out of their car and searched over the weekend. The police are still looking for the three Taliban members that got away, but most of us are sure that they are far gone by now.
Everything else is okay otherwise…no need to worry.
Everything is okay in Kabul. I’m sure by now you have all seen on the news coverage on the assassination attempt of President Karzai. For those of you who didn’t see coverage, during the military parade on Independence Day, shots were fired towards President Karzai and a number of local ministers and diplomats. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, and Karzai himself appeared on national television later yesterday afternoon to show that he was alive and okay. The shots were fired at a stadium, about a mile away from where we live.
Things have been a little insane security wise. People we not sure we’d be allowed to go to work today, but because of the increased police presence I guess things are okay. We were in lock down mode yesterday, so had to remain at our compound. Getting to work this morning was a huge pain. Tons of traffic, security check points and police, police, police. The security over the weekend was the same for the most part. We got pulled over on Friday night and had to present our passports. My boss was telling us they got even pulled out of their car and searched over the weekend. The police are still looking for the three Taliban members that got away, but most of us are sure that they are far gone by now.
Everything else is okay otherwise…no need to worry.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Visiting with the Mujahideen
We had the opportunity to visit a two small villages a couple hours north of Kabul during the long weekend. It's been great to get out of Kabul and see more of the countryside.
Yesterday, we took a trip to Sayat for a picnic. When we arrived we got a lot of attention from the locals. We literally stepped out of the car was were surrounded by locals, some trying to sell us stuff, others asking for money. We ended up moving away and finding our own spot away from the hustle. We hired some guys to build tents of us, and two of the guys went with one of our bodyguard to find a local to come and cook for us. We had some beef skewers and naan with salad, and then just took it easy. YES, i ate beef and I think I might be a converted meat eater now. All it took was being in Afghanistan. We rented a horse for an hour and just enjoyed being away from the crazyness that is Kabul. On the way back we stopped at a local stand on the side of he road for boolonye (spelling?), which is a traditional dish found throughout the country. It is basically a huge naan bread filled with potatoes and green onions. You eat it with a spicy red chutney. SOOO GOOD!!! In the evening, my friend Claudia, her husband and her husband's brother threw a party at their home in Tiamane. Claudia is from Mexico and has been wanting to throw a theme party for some time now. They totally went all out, lots of really good Mexican food and a ton of people who work here in Kabul.
This morning we ventured out to visit one of the locals, Ajmal, who works with us at Roshan. His family lives about an hour north of Kabul. He lives in the city during the week, but goes home each weekend to spend it with family. Ajmal came and met us in the morning here in Kabul with a few of his brothers and uncles to lead us safely to his village. His family owns a beautiful piece of land, situated between the mountains. He had set up an area outside under some mulberry trees with cushions and carpets for us to relax. We had lunch with him and his male relatives. His mom, sisters and cousins were not allowed to come out an eat with us even though they had cooked for our visit. They went all out and had made kabobs, lamb curry, salad, chickpea curry, potatoes, Kabul pilau and tons of fresh fruit. His family has seen it all in Afghanistan. One of his uncles who ate with us was part of the original Mujaheddin had fought against the Soviets during the war. He use to lead one of the armies during the war and told us that he had killed 2,000 Russians during the war. Our friend asked him how do you feel about killing so many people and what do you think of death. He told us that he thought God was great and would take care of him in the afterlife. Pretty interesting to hear stories firsthand.
Ajmal's family owns a lot of land in the village. In the summer there is an abundance of strawberries, mulberries and blackberries. His family has donated some of their land to the Roshan Social Programs so that a playground can be built in the community. There is nothing up as of yet, but hopefully there will be some development in the months to come.
After lunch, the three of us girls were taken to meet Ajmal's female relatives. His father has four wives, two of which were there, and he has twenty brothers and sisters. Only a few were around to meet with us. We sat with his sisters, aunts and mothers for some time talking. They were sooooo hospitable, I can't even begin to explain. They told us to come each and every weekend to come visit, when we are missing our families and home. They also told us they wanted us to come to their daughters wedding in the village. The women were so affectionate and so welcoming. I was really touched. We played with some of the kids and soon it was time to go, it's not safe for us to be out of Kabul past 5pm.
Tomorrow is the Mujahideen Independence Day so we are in lock down mode from 10pm tonight until 6am Monday morning. There are a number of potential threats, especially here in Kabul. We've heard through our security department that there could be a couple suicide bombings and there are some threats towards some embassies.
I have a tons of pictures from the weekend so I will post as soon as I can.
Yesterday, we took a trip to Sayat for a picnic. When we arrived we got a lot of attention from the locals. We literally stepped out of the car was were surrounded by locals, some trying to sell us stuff, others asking for money. We ended up moving away and finding our own spot away from the hustle. We hired some guys to build tents of us, and two of the guys went with one of our bodyguard to find a local to come and cook for us. We had some beef skewers and naan with salad, and then just took it easy. YES, i ate beef and I think I might be a converted meat eater now. All it took was being in Afghanistan. We rented a horse for an hour and just enjoyed being away from the crazyness that is Kabul. On the way back we stopped at a local stand on the side of he road for boolonye (spelling?), which is a traditional dish found throughout the country. It is basically a huge naan bread filled with potatoes and green onions. You eat it with a spicy red chutney. SOOO GOOD!!! In the evening, my friend Claudia, her husband and her husband's brother threw a party at their home in Tiamane. Claudia is from Mexico and has been wanting to throw a theme party for some time now. They totally went all out, lots of really good Mexican food and a ton of people who work here in Kabul.
This morning we ventured out to visit one of the locals, Ajmal, who works with us at Roshan. His family lives about an hour north of Kabul. He lives in the city during the week, but goes home each weekend to spend it with family. Ajmal came and met us in the morning here in Kabul with a few of his brothers and uncles to lead us safely to his village. His family owns a beautiful piece of land, situated between the mountains. He had set up an area outside under some mulberry trees with cushions and carpets for us to relax. We had lunch with him and his male relatives. His mom, sisters and cousins were not allowed to come out an eat with us even though they had cooked for our visit. They went all out and had made kabobs, lamb curry, salad, chickpea curry, potatoes, Kabul pilau and tons of fresh fruit. His family has seen it all in Afghanistan. One of his uncles who ate with us was part of the original Mujaheddin had fought against the Soviets during the war. He use to lead one of the armies during the war and told us that he had killed 2,000 Russians during the war. Our friend asked him how do you feel about killing so many people and what do you think of death. He told us that he thought God was great and would take care of him in the afterlife. Pretty interesting to hear stories firsthand.
Ajmal's family owns a lot of land in the village. In the summer there is an abundance of strawberries, mulberries and blackberries. His family has donated some of their land to the Roshan Social Programs so that a playground can be built in the community. There is nothing up as of yet, but hopefully there will be some development in the months to come.
After lunch, the three of us girls were taken to meet Ajmal's female relatives. His father has four wives, two of which were there, and he has twenty brothers and sisters. Only a few were around to meet with us. We sat with his sisters, aunts and mothers for some time talking. They were sooooo hospitable, I can't even begin to explain. They told us to come each and every weekend to come visit, when we are missing our families and home. They also told us they wanted us to come to their daughters wedding in the village. The women were so affectionate and so welcoming. I was really touched. We played with some of the kids and soon it was time to go, it's not safe for us to be out of Kabul past 5pm.
Tomorrow is the Mujahideen Independence Day so we are in lock down mode from 10pm tonight until 6am Monday morning. There are a number of potential threats, especially here in Kabul. We've heard through our security department that there could be a couple suicide bombings and there are some threats towards some embassies.
I have a tons of pictures from the weekend so I will post as soon as I can.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Some interesting news....
Afghanistan bans soap operas
Published: April 23, 2008 at 4:02 PM
KABUL, Afghanistan, April 23 (UPI) -- Afghanistan's government has barred soap operas from television stations in an effort to thwart liberal reforms, officials said.The Culture Ministry said the law came after senior officials' complaints regarding Indian-produced soaps, which frequently show women with their waists exposed, the Daily Telegraph reported.It is reported that three TV stations quickly canceled soap operas to comply with the Tuesday ban.Afghanistan's top independent station, Tolo TV, reportedly refused to cancel the shows, claiming the ban goes against the law. Tolo could be in legal trouble for airing a popular soap Tuesday evening, the report said.Afghan President Hamid Karzai reportedly has openly backed the ban."We want our television broadcasting to be based upon our society's moral standards," he said.The country is also considering bans on long hair for males, fashion jeans, pigeon races and women and men who aren't in the same family speaking in public areas, the Daily Telegraph said
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
I'm going to be famous...well sort of
So you know the voice on your cell phone which says the customer you are calling is unavailable, or when you call most companies and they make you go through all those annoying voice prompts. Well they need someone to be that annoying voice in English and they asked me to do it. I have to go to a local studio next week to record about 50-70 voice prompts. They sent me a list of the prompts yesterday so I can become familiar with the phrases and I guess practice. LOL
Tomorrow there is a trip to Sayat which is about an hour and a half drive from where we stay in Kabul. It is a popular picnic spot for families, so we will be venturing there tomorrow for a bit of an outing. I haven’t gotten to see much while I’ve been here so I’m excited to finally get out for a bit.
Last night we went to a UN salsa party for ex-pats in Kabul. It was really amazing to see the amount of people working here and the difference in ages and backgrounds. There are so many NGOs doing work here, I was truly surprised. You do see a strong NGO presence in the country, but just to have it all concentrated in one room, very interesting stuff.
Next week I also get to visit Kabul University to scout out potential ways we can advertise at the university for one of our upcoming marketing campaigns. It’ll be interesting to see what universities are like here and the interactions that take place within the institution.
I got a call last week from the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance (AKAM). They have a number of banks located throughout the world and they have asked me to help them write the annual report for the bank they have here in Kabul. Once my contract here is finished, I would potentially go to Tajikistan for a couple of weeks to write the report for the bank there. They want me to work closely with both organization and train the person who will write the report in the years to come. Very proactive in my opinion and I am very excited about this project. I will probably be meeting with someone from the bank here in Kabul next week to outline the project.
I’ve been trying to pick up Dari while I’ve been here and I am having a super tough time with the language. Everyone at the office speaks English, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to pick up another language. I found a Dari teacher here in Kabul and I am going to try and start lessons in the next week or so. I’ve been told if I have a couple lessons a week and keep practicing I should be close to fluent by the time I leave here.
I got a ton of e-mails this week from people so thank you to all of you who have been writing. It’s really nice to know that I have everyone’s support.
Tomorrow there is a trip to Sayat which is about an hour and a half drive from where we stay in Kabul. It is a popular picnic spot for families, so we will be venturing there tomorrow for a bit of an outing. I haven’t gotten to see much while I’ve been here so I’m excited to finally get out for a bit.
Last night we went to a UN salsa party for ex-pats in Kabul. It was really amazing to see the amount of people working here and the difference in ages and backgrounds. There are so many NGOs doing work here, I was truly surprised. You do see a strong NGO presence in the country, but just to have it all concentrated in one room, very interesting stuff.
Next week I also get to visit Kabul University to scout out potential ways we can advertise at the university for one of our upcoming marketing campaigns. It’ll be interesting to see what universities are like here and the interactions that take place within the institution.
I got a call last week from the Aga Khan Agency for Microfinance (AKAM). They have a number of banks located throughout the world and they have asked me to help them write the annual report for the bank they have here in Kabul. Once my contract here is finished, I would potentially go to Tajikistan for a couple of weeks to write the report for the bank there. They want me to work closely with both organization and train the person who will write the report in the years to come. Very proactive in my opinion and I am very excited about this project. I will probably be meeting with someone from the bank here in Kabul next week to outline the project.
I’ve been trying to pick up Dari while I’ve been here and I am having a super tough time with the language. Everyone at the office speaks English, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to pick up another language. I found a Dari teacher here in Kabul and I am going to try and start lessons in the next week or so. I’ve been told if I have a couple lessons a week and keep practicing I should be close to fluent by the time I leave here.
I got a ton of e-mails this week from people so thank you to all of you who have been writing. It’s really nice to know that I have everyone’s support.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
More from Kabul
This past weekend I got to go to the Ismaili Council Office as a volunteer. Each year Afghanistan sends four students on full scholarship to a United Worlds College. Students can pick from a list of four schools in Canada, Italy, the United States and the United Kingdom. Over 200 students apply for the program. This year the Ismaili community decided to help the top-20 Ismaili applicants with their applications. Three of us went to read and help students with their applications. You can DEFINETLY see the gaps in the education system here and in the students’ ability to convey their thoughts and ideas. We also got to hear firsthand stories from these kids about their past. All the female students I spoke with had fled Afghanistan during the time of the Taliban and were living in awful circumstances. The amazing thing? Some still fought to go to school as refugees living in Pakistan. There is a desire and longing to be educated here. We really take for granted that education is available and that we are entitled to it living in Canada. We don’t have to fight to be educated. On the contrary, people fight with their parents not to go to school. But here, these girls want to go to school, they want something better for themselves. Each and every girl whose application I read talked about wanting to improve this country and educate people in their communities. Some of these girls are even doing that now, with the basic reading and writing skills they have. They are teaching young children, their neighbors, whose parents cannot afford to send them to school during their weekends and evenings off. This sense of community, probably one of the most beautiful and inspiring things I’ve seen here.
I’m really happy about is that I’m getting this interaction with the local people here. I was so worried I’d fall into this trap of coming to work everyday and going home after and hanging out with my friends, but I’m really happy this opportunity to help these kids presented itself this past weekend. I will write more this weekend. A bunch of us have planned some outings in the city so I should have more to report. For those of you who have Facebook, my pictures so far have been posted. I’m having some issues posting to my blog, but will try and figure it out this weekend.
If you have any questions or want me to write about something specific drop me a line at farahkurji@gmail.com
I’m really happy about is that I’m getting this interaction with the local people here. I was so worried I’d fall into this trap of coming to work everyday and going home after and hanging out with my friends, but I’m really happy this opportunity to help these kids presented itself this past weekend. I will write more this weekend. A bunch of us have planned some outings in the city so I should have more to report. For those of you who have Facebook, my pictures so far have been posted. I’m having some issues posting to my blog, but will try and figure it out this weekend.
If you have any questions or want me to write about something specific drop me a line at farahkurji@gmail.com
Friday, April 11, 2008
This week....
So sorry for not posting this week it has been pretty busy on my end.
Work has definitely been a challenge for me this week. I've been asked to rewrite the company's Corporate Handbook (basically an annual report without the financial docs) and their Corporate Sales Guide (a guide the services). These haven't been reviewed in about two years, so there are a number of changes to make. The guides are pretty messy in terms of vocabulary and grammar, so it has been quite a challenge for me. In addition, I'm trying to write the docs in a way that they are still easy to understand for the locals here. At my last two jobs I grew quite accustomed to being busy and working in a fast-paced environment, but working here is an ongoing challenge that I'm happy to say I'm trying to tackle each and everyday. I really had to remind myself this week to slow down a little and just take it easy. I'm use to being in a very different North American work environment and I need to constantly remind myself that it's not going to be the same here and I need rethink my expectations and how to function here. I need to take whatever I've learned from past experience and modify it for this situational environment, not simply just take what I know and apply it blindly. All I can say is there is a lot of work to be done here.
On Thursday, I got to visit our communications agency Altai, who have been operational in Kabul since basically the start of Roshan. They work with us to strategize for the Afghan market, create advertisements (billboards, print, radio ads and tv commercials), and also get the company's name out in the media. The visit was good in the sense that it allowed me to see the company's transformation and to see how far our brand and name has come in Afghanistan. Because of everything that has happened, it has been very hard to maintain any sort of data on the population. Altai has spearheaded collecting data here and conducts surveys with people throughout the country on an ongoing basis.
A lot of the ex-pat staff have left for meetings in Dubai this weekend, so there are very few of us around. A couple of us decided that we were going to cook dinner tomorrow night so we ventured out into the city to pick up some groceries. We got dropped across the street from this fruit/vegetable stand that some of the staff normally go to and as soon as we stepped out of the car people were asking us for money. It is probably one of the saddest things I've seen since I've been here. We live in such isolation from the city and its happenings, and it is so weird when you set foot in the city. People were trying to talk to us in English and tell us why they need money, women in burqas with their malnourished children holding their hands out, children trying to sell us gum and basically do anything for just a dollar. One boy kept asking us if we would come back tomorrow. I haven't experienced something like that since my travels in Central America, it was so heartbreaking to see. I can't even put it into words. I'm back at the compound now but I think a couple of us are going to venture out and visit a local mosque. I had gone last weekend for prayers after the school opening and the whole thing just touched me beyond belief. I've been wanting to go all week. You can see that it's people's faith in something bigger that really gets them through the hardship they face here.
I'm going to go volunteer tomorrow at the local Ismaili Council office with few of the staff from here. Some high school students have written scholarship applications and they need people to check and make sure everything is filled out properly so that these children can have the opportunity to attend proper schools. It should definitely be interesting.
More to come hopefully soon....
Work has definitely been a challenge for me this week. I've been asked to rewrite the company's Corporate Handbook (basically an annual report without the financial docs) and their Corporate Sales Guide (a guide the services). These haven't been reviewed in about two years, so there are a number of changes to make. The guides are pretty messy in terms of vocabulary and grammar, so it has been quite a challenge for me. In addition, I'm trying to write the docs in a way that they are still easy to understand for the locals here. At my last two jobs I grew quite accustomed to being busy and working in a fast-paced environment, but working here is an ongoing challenge that I'm happy to say I'm trying to tackle each and everyday. I really had to remind myself this week to slow down a little and just take it easy. I'm use to being in a very different North American work environment and I need to constantly remind myself that it's not going to be the same here and I need rethink my expectations and how to function here. I need to take whatever I've learned from past experience and modify it for this situational environment, not simply just take what I know and apply it blindly. All I can say is there is a lot of work to be done here.
On Thursday, I got to visit our communications agency Altai, who have been operational in Kabul since basically the start of Roshan. They work with us to strategize for the Afghan market, create advertisements (billboards, print, radio ads and tv commercials), and also get the company's name out in the media. The visit was good in the sense that it allowed me to see the company's transformation and to see how far our brand and name has come in Afghanistan. Because of everything that has happened, it has been very hard to maintain any sort of data on the population. Altai has spearheaded collecting data here and conducts surveys with people throughout the country on an ongoing basis.
A lot of the ex-pat staff have left for meetings in Dubai this weekend, so there are very few of us around. A couple of us decided that we were going to cook dinner tomorrow night so we ventured out into the city to pick up some groceries. We got dropped across the street from this fruit/vegetable stand that some of the staff normally go to and as soon as we stepped out of the car people were asking us for money. It is probably one of the saddest things I've seen since I've been here. We live in such isolation from the city and its happenings, and it is so weird when you set foot in the city. People were trying to talk to us in English and tell us why they need money, women in burqas with their malnourished children holding their hands out, children trying to sell us gum and basically do anything for just a dollar. One boy kept asking us if we would come back tomorrow. I haven't experienced something like that since my travels in Central America, it was so heartbreaking to see. I can't even put it into words. I'm back at the compound now but I think a couple of us are going to venture out and visit a local mosque. I had gone last weekend for prayers after the school opening and the whole thing just touched me beyond belief. I've been wanting to go all week. You can see that it's people's faith in something bigger that really gets them through the hardship they face here.
I'm going to go volunteer tomorrow at the local Ismaili Council office with few of the staff from here. Some high school students have written scholarship applications and they need people to check and make sure everything is filled out properly so that these children can have the opportunity to attend proper schools. It should definitely be interesting.
More to come hopefully soon....
Monday, April 7, 2008
The reality....
I keep getting e-mails and facebook messages from people asking whats it really like in Kabul in terms of security? Do you feel safe? Do you have to wear a hijab? What's it like being a woman in Afghanistan? Therefore, I decided to dedicate this entry to answering some of those questions.
In terms of security my accommodation and office is very secure. I was having a conversation with someone else in my office about the security here and I was mentioning to her that it will really be hard to go back to reality or a North American lifestyle, even after being here for a week. I get into a secure vehicle with at least one guy in the morning to go to work, I'm not allowed to travel anywhere alone. I must keep full identification on me and a cell phone at all times. One of our volunteers ended up going by herself last weekend out and got stopped by the local police twice on her way to her destination. Two of the guys I've gotten to know here went out without identification and were detained by the police until someone could bring their passports to prove who they were. You really have to be cautious. Our cars are checked each time we leave a secure area for bombs or any sort of dangerous device. Once I'm at work I must go through a metal detector and put my bag through one of those airport style security scanners. I need to swipe a card that says I am on the premise and need to card to get in and out of all the rooms. To go to lunch I must leave my building and then show an armed guard some identification before I'm allowed to enter the dining hall. Overall, I generally feel safe, there are tons of armed guards wherever I go. Even the restaurants we eat at in town are stationed with guards who perform a number of checks before we're allowed in. There are moments, especially at night where you may feel a little uneasy. We have guard dogs and whenever I can hear them bark for an extended period of time in the middle of the night my stomach just drops. The part that makes me nervous is sleeping in my loft by myself. Even though I know our location is secure I've been sleeping with my lights on. Last night was the first night I slept with them off. I'm doing a lot of reading on Kabul right now and I feel like if I read that sort of material before I go to bed my imagination tends to get the better of me.
Being here has really made me appreciate having grown up in Canada. I lived in the same city for my whole childhood, I didn't have to escape and move into a refugee camp for five years like a lot of my co-workers. So many of the people I've met talk about how they spent time in Pakistan because it was just so bad here. I got an education and had the opportunity (and still have the opportunity for that matter) to pursue as much education as I want. I never had to be scared to go to school. I had the best learning aids and resources, supplies, books and teachers. I never had to fear practicing my religion. My culture wasn't destroyed or burned overnight. My parents didn't force me to get married at a young age and have children. When you travel and experience something like this you really realize how good you have it in Canada. In North America, we (including myself at times) get so wrapped up in drama with our friends, with what we wear, and how we look. After seeing this, it doesn't really matter. Everything else seems real insignificant.
You really see the difference in the way woman are treated. As soon as I landed here I could notice the difference. I was waiting for my luggage in Kabul airport and this woman was in a full burqa standing next to her husband. She just kept staring at me. It was really bizarre. When more men came around the area her husband looked at her, pointed at a corner in the airport and motioned her to move. I didn't think that I would see so many women wearing the burqa, whether they are forced into wearing it, or whether they have made the choice to wear it is not really my business. But, I was very amazed by this and that so many woman still do this, even after the reign of the Taliban. Foreigners are to wear headscarfs in the city and while commuting; however, at work we are not require to wear them. Everyone who I've spoken to has suggested that you always carry one on you at all times because you never really know what is going to happen. As soon as I jump in the car the hijab/headscarf goes on out of respect. When we eat in the city, we usually eat at restaurants for foreigners, no one normally wears a headscarf. At last weekends event we were all required to wear headscarfs because the government officials who had been invited were more traditional.
I have a lot more to say in this department but I'm at work right now and probably should be doing the five million things I need to do...I'll try and continue writing in a bit.
In terms of security my accommodation and office is very secure. I was having a conversation with someone else in my office about the security here and I was mentioning to her that it will really be hard to go back to reality or a North American lifestyle, even after being here for a week. I get into a secure vehicle with at least one guy in the morning to go to work, I'm not allowed to travel anywhere alone. I must keep full identification on me and a cell phone at all times. One of our volunteers ended up going by herself last weekend out and got stopped by the local police twice on her way to her destination. Two of the guys I've gotten to know here went out without identification and were detained by the police until someone could bring their passports to prove who they were. You really have to be cautious. Our cars are checked each time we leave a secure area for bombs or any sort of dangerous device. Once I'm at work I must go through a metal detector and put my bag through one of those airport style security scanners. I need to swipe a card that says I am on the premise and need to card to get in and out of all the rooms. To go to lunch I must leave my building and then show an armed guard some identification before I'm allowed to enter the dining hall. Overall, I generally feel safe, there are tons of armed guards wherever I go. Even the restaurants we eat at in town are stationed with guards who perform a number of checks before we're allowed in. There are moments, especially at night where you may feel a little uneasy. We have guard dogs and whenever I can hear them bark for an extended period of time in the middle of the night my stomach just drops. The part that makes me nervous is sleeping in my loft by myself. Even though I know our location is secure I've been sleeping with my lights on. Last night was the first night I slept with them off. I'm doing a lot of reading on Kabul right now and I feel like if I read that sort of material before I go to bed my imagination tends to get the better of me.
Being here has really made me appreciate having grown up in Canada. I lived in the same city for my whole childhood, I didn't have to escape and move into a refugee camp for five years like a lot of my co-workers. So many of the people I've met talk about how they spent time in Pakistan because it was just so bad here. I got an education and had the opportunity (and still have the opportunity for that matter) to pursue as much education as I want. I never had to be scared to go to school. I had the best learning aids and resources, supplies, books and teachers. I never had to fear practicing my religion. My culture wasn't destroyed or burned overnight. My parents didn't force me to get married at a young age and have children. When you travel and experience something like this you really realize how good you have it in Canada. In North America, we (including myself at times) get so wrapped up in drama with our friends, with what we wear, and how we look. After seeing this, it doesn't really matter. Everything else seems real insignificant.
You really see the difference in the way woman are treated. As soon as I landed here I could notice the difference. I was waiting for my luggage in Kabul airport and this woman was in a full burqa standing next to her husband. She just kept staring at me. It was really bizarre. When more men came around the area her husband looked at her, pointed at a corner in the airport and motioned her to move. I didn't think that I would see so many women wearing the burqa, whether they are forced into wearing it, or whether they have made the choice to wear it is not really my business. But, I was very amazed by this and that so many woman still do this, even after the reign of the Taliban. Foreigners are to wear headscarfs in the city and while commuting; however, at work we are not require to wear them. Everyone who I've spoken to has suggested that you always carry one on you at all times because you never really know what is going to happen. As soon as I jump in the car the hijab/headscarf goes on out of respect. When we eat in the city, we usually eat at restaurants for foreigners, no one normally wears a headscarf. At last weekends event we were all required to wear headscarfs because the government officials who had been invited were more traditional.
I have a lot more to say in this department but I'm at work right now and probably should be doing the five million things I need to do...I'll try and continue writing in a bit.
Friday, April 4, 2008
My frustration with the field...
For those of you who do not know one of my majors in university was International Development Studies. Those of you who went to school with me you probably remember my frustration with the field and the idea of 'development' itself. *I won't bore you with a rant on development here. This weekend with the school opening really raised alot more of those questions for me and brought on a lot of frustration.
Roshan's social programs wing, as I described in a previous entry, opened up the Hakim Nasir Khusro school this weekend here in Kabul. The area in which the school was opened is populated by numerous Ismailis so it made sense, Roshan being linked with the AKDN, to open a school in this area. The area is populated with a ton of children/youth and a refugee camp is located literally next door to the school where people ase living out of plastic.
About three to five years ago a Norwegian NGO came in and opened a school up in the same area. Looking at the school now the windows are broken, doors non-existent. The building is basically ravaged. In the ceremony yesterday Roshan handed over this school & playground (a half a million dollar investment) to the government/Ministry of Education. It's great that 7,000 students have access to a new building and new facilities, but really how long will this school last. Roshan simply built this school, but now are free from it. What is the fate of this new school now? In three years will it look the way it does now? Where is the infrastructure to keep this school maintained? It really made me realize that participatory development and community engagement is so important. Without community investment in the school, its fate is extremely questionable. Parents, teachers and students need to be consulted regarding the design, functionality and needs of the school; and need to be involved in the process so that they can mark it as theres.
This community we know does not have the skills to improve or maintain the school. Nor, have they themselves been given a chance to contribute or invest in the school. You drive down the streets of Kabul and still see each and every impoverished person with a cell phone in hand. Everyone has a cell phone, not having one isn't an option over here. If each parent of these 7,000 student invested even one dollar into the school there would be that sense of ownership over the school, that sense of this is ours and we need to take care of and protect it. In Canada or the USA, if a school needs something, money for a class trip, new sports uniforms and new gym, it is the parents or PTA who comes together to improve the situation, even just a little.
The headmaster in a conversation with a colleague here claimed that it wasn't really his school. He had no control over it. It wasn't a safe place in Kabul. During the day, the school area was filled with students beyond belief. But then at nighttime it's a different story. Men bring woman around, there is weaponry on site, drugs being used....it's hard to really feel you are celebrating something like a school opening when you hear stories/comments like that. What can we do about that? How can you control that?
I was writing a blog entry yesterday in the office before the event, very similar to this one. I was upset and frustrated by what would be the fate of this school. On my way out I somehow deleted the post I had wrote and then had to get over to the school right away. I got into the van and things just shifted. Driving up to the school I could see groups of girls holding hands and running to the school, smiles on their faces, singing in the streets. It literally brought a smile to my face and made me forget all this frustration I had. At the end of the day these girls have something, some form of education, something in the end, that will hopefully inspire and push them to reach new heights. Education can be an empowering thing and for these girls and boys I really pray that it will be. But what I really hope, deep down is that this school is still standing and continuing to educate many for thirty, forty, fifty years to come.
Roshan's social programs wing, as I described in a previous entry, opened up the Hakim Nasir Khusro school this weekend here in Kabul. The area in which the school was opened is populated by numerous Ismailis so it made sense, Roshan being linked with the AKDN, to open a school in this area. The area is populated with a ton of children/youth and a refugee camp is located literally next door to the school where people ase living out of plastic.
About three to five years ago a Norwegian NGO came in and opened a school up in the same area. Looking at the school now the windows are broken, doors non-existent. The building is basically ravaged. In the ceremony yesterday Roshan handed over this school & playground (a half a million dollar investment) to the government/Ministry of Education. It's great that 7,000 students have access to a new building and new facilities, but really how long will this school last. Roshan simply built this school, but now are free from it. What is the fate of this new school now? In three years will it look the way it does now? Where is the infrastructure to keep this school maintained? It really made me realize that participatory development and community engagement is so important. Without community investment in the school, its fate is extremely questionable. Parents, teachers and students need to be consulted regarding the design, functionality and needs of the school; and need to be involved in the process so that they can mark it as theres.
This community we know does not have the skills to improve or maintain the school. Nor, have they themselves been given a chance to contribute or invest in the school. You drive down the streets of Kabul and still see each and every impoverished person with a cell phone in hand. Everyone has a cell phone, not having one isn't an option over here. If each parent of these 7,000 student invested even one dollar into the school there would be that sense of ownership over the school, that sense of this is ours and we need to take care of and protect it. In Canada or the USA, if a school needs something, money for a class trip, new sports uniforms and new gym, it is the parents or PTA who comes together to improve the situation, even just a little.
The headmaster in a conversation with a colleague here claimed that it wasn't really his school. He had no control over it. It wasn't a safe place in Kabul. During the day, the school area was filled with students beyond belief. But then at nighttime it's a different story. Men bring woman around, there is weaponry on site, drugs being used....it's hard to really feel you are celebrating something like a school opening when you hear stories/comments like that. What can we do about that? How can you control that?
I was writing a blog entry yesterday in the office before the event, very similar to this one. I was upset and frustrated by what would be the fate of this school. On my way out I somehow deleted the post I had wrote and then had to get over to the school right away. I got into the van and things just shifted. Driving up to the school I could see groups of girls holding hands and running to the school, smiles on their faces, singing in the streets. It literally brought a smile to my face and made me forget all this frustration I had. At the end of the day these girls have something, some form of education, something in the end, that will hopefully inspire and push them to reach new heights. Education can be an empowering thing and for these girls and boys I really pray that it will be. But what I really hope, deep down is that this school is still standing and continuing to educate many for thirty, forty, fifty years to come.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Strawberries, betty crocker cake and the Rachael Ray Show with Arabic subtitles....
So today was real day 1 at work. The re-opening of the Hakim Nasir Khusro School is taking place this Saturday so most of my day was spent preparing for the event. The school is located in Kabul and between 6,000 and 7,000 students attend school each day, in three shifts. Classes use to take place outside and in tents because there wasn't room inside the one building they did have. Roshan Social Programs, the corporate responsibility arm of Roshan, decided to take it on as one of their projects. They have invested close to $400,000 into the school and another $110,000 into the playground. The building now has three floors, with thirty classrooms (all with electricity), toilet and shower facilities, and a first aid area. To read more on the school and Roshan's social programs see: http://www.roshan.af/socialprograms/?page_id=311 At the opening on Saturday I will be sure to take pictures so you can all see the improvements that have been made.
It's funny how at work you don't even notice you are in Afghanistan really. We do have a number of locals who work at the office but it's only in the 20 minutes I spend to and from work that I really realize that I'm in Kabul. Going to work you see beggars and tons of children along the streets. You see unlivable housing conditions, dead animals on the backs of bicycles and goats and donkeys wandering on the streets. You see the police and armed guards looking into cars. However, at work and in the compound is a different story. From the outside the office and compound look like nothing great, but inside we have the best of the best.
It's funny how at work you don't even notice you are in Afghanistan really. We do have a number of locals who work at the office but it's only in the 20 minutes I spend to and from work that I really realize that I'm in Kabul. Going to work you see beggars and tons of children along the streets. You see unlivable housing conditions, dead animals on the backs of bicycles and goats and donkeys wandering on the streets. You see the police and armed guards looking into cars. However, at work and in the compound is a different story. From the outside the office and compound look like nothing great, but inside we have the best of the best.
I have a loft style apartment (without a kitchen to myself) with beautiful furniture, full cable (I can watch the Rachael Ray Show, Grey's Anatomy, BBC News, MTV, and the Tyra Banks show LOL) and a work area. In the compound, we get breakfast and dinner, and at work the ex-pats and foreigners have their own cafeteria with North Americanized and Indian/Pakistani food. You forget you are in a warn torn country until the clock hits 5:30 and you climb in one of our secure vans to head back to the compound. Then back at the compound we watch our Americanized television shows, workout at the gym, play some table tennis, eat a special dinner, take a hot shower, surf the net and sleep.
I'm a little sad that we don't really get to experience more of Kabul, but due to the safety issues I can see where it's coming from. We get a report each week about where we are allowed to go ie. approved restaurants, as well as places we should avoid. It's a bit of a bubble here.
I'm a little sad that we don't really get to experience more of Kabul, but due to the safety issues I can see where it's coming from. We get a report each week about where we are allowed to go ie. approved restaurants, as well as places we should avoid. It's a bit of a bubble here.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Finally here!!!!!!!!!!!
I finally touched down in Kabul this morning and let me say this whole journey has been an experience in itself. Millions of lines, interesting people, passport check points, cabbies, vans and planes, and ultimately too much luggage!!
After landing this morning, I spent another two hours in the airport going through immigration and looking for my bags. It turned out that the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai was flying out today, so they essentially shut down everything at the airport. Someone from Roshan came and picked me up and got everything taken care of for me which was very helpful. There was no way I would have been able to navigate through hordes of people in the Kabul airport alone. We were headed towards the office when our driver realized the three main routes we could take to the office we shut down. It was good in a way because I got see a large part of the city.
I'm truly astounded by what's going on here. You see pictures in magazines and newspapers, and news coverage on TV, but it does not prepare you for what you see here. I have never seen so much devastation and poverty in my life. It's so heartbreaking driving through the city and not being able to do anything at all for these people. You always here the Canadian and US governments pledging more aid to rebuild Afghanistan, and even just being here for one day, you don't see that much in that respect. There is the odd building being reconstructed and a road or two here or there, but after seeing it first hand you really wish more could be done.
We finally made it to the office after our trek around Kabul where I had my orientation and security briefing. There are a lot of security measures undertaken for our safety, especially in light of the January bombing of the Sereena hotel, the threats by the Taliban on foreigners and the latest threats on telecommunications companies, including Roshan. Unfortunately, I cannot discuss it in detail, but rest assure that I'm probably in one of the safest places in Kabul.
I also spent some time getting set up at the office this afternoon. I've been assigned a cell phone and laptop. It's an exciting time at Roshan, because it seems there are a number of changes occurring in the Marketing and Communications area and there are a couple projects I'm getting really excited about working on. Roshan does extensive work in terms of funding and setting up social programs in Afghanistan. This Saturday one of our schools is opening, so tomorrow I've been warned is going to be pretty chaotic in terms of getting ready for that.
More to come....
After landing this morning, I spent another two hours in the airport going through immigration and looking for my bags. It turned out that the President of Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai was flying out today, so they essentially shut down everything at the airport. Someone from Roshan came and picked me up and got everything taken care of for me which was very helpful. There was no way I would have been able to navigate through hordes of people in the Kabul airport alone. We were headed towards the office when our driver realized the three main routes we could take to the office we shut down. It was good in a way because I got see a large part of the city.
I'm truly astounded by what's going on here. You see pictures in magazines and newspapers, and news coverage on TV, but it does not prepare you for what you see here. I have never seen so much devastation and poverty in my life. It's so heartbreaking driving through the city and not being able to do anything at all for these people. You always here the Canadian and US governments pledging more aid to rebuild Afghanistan, and even just being here for one day, you don't see that much in that respect. There is the odd building being reconstructed and a road or two here or there, but after seeing it first hand you really wish more could be done.
We finally made it to the office after our trek around Kabul where I had my orientation and security briefing. There are a lot of security measures undertaken for our safety, especially in light of the January bombing of the Sereena hotel, the threats by the Taliban on foreigners and the latest threats on telecommunications companies, including Roshan. Unfortunately, I cannot discuss it in detail, but rest assure that I'm probably in one of the safest places in Kabul.
I also spent some time getting set up at the office this afternoon. I've been assigned a cell phone and laptop. It's an exciting time at Roshan, because it seems there are a number of changes occurring in the Marketing and Communications area and there are a couple projects I'm getting really excited about working on. Roshan does extensive work in terms of funding and setting up social programs in Afghanistan. This Saturday one of our schools is opening, so tomorrow I've been warned is going to be pretty chaotic in terms of getting ready for that.
More to come....
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