The Trials of an American Dilettante

Monday, March 01, 2010

Afghanistan Reloaded

Cold and rainy, Afghanistan in February is not the most pleasant place. Well, I suppose Afghanistan in any month is not the most pleasant place, but February is particularly bad. Gray skies complement the gray buildings. Drizzle makes everything inescapably cold. The dirty landscape becomes one of mud and sludge. Fog obscures the mountains making Kabul look like an isolated bog.

To add to the dreary feeling is Afghanistan, there is the filth. And there is the polluted air, the traffic, the blue-turned-gray burkas of the oppressed women, the bad roads, the destroyed buildings, the malnourished look of the populace, the haggard stares and the ubiquitous poverty.

And there's everyone else's negativity. Afghanistan is doomed, people say with no resources held by a cultural of oppression, war and corruption. Trapped in tiny trailers working 12 hour days, it is little wonder that people get in a bad mood.

During the Marti Gras party, I saw people cut loose, releasing the stress they held is several
bad ways. There were a couple of fights from Aussies, several incidents of public urination and the groping Turkish Ambassador. College frat parties have fewer incidents. Afghanistan seeps into even isolated compounds.

And then there was the bombing at the Safi hotel. Rocked awake at 4 am, I thought I was dreaming. "Incoming! Duck and cover!" Exhausted from work and confused, I rolled over and went back to sleep. The following morning, I barely remembered it until others mentioned it. Lockdowns and heightened security riddled the next few days.

Oh, and then an earthquake. I awoke inexplicably at 2 am. I lay awake for about 5 minutes wondering why. Then, the room rocked for a good 20 seconds. I guess I have some dog in me, sensing the vibrations.

Not to mention my work, which is always, always, absolutely fucked up.

At the bar, I met a USDA guy and asked him if Afghanistan was truly hopeless.

"What do you mean?" he asked confused.

"I mean, everybody says they have no resources."

"No, not at all, the whole country is farmable. They have plenty of water. There's lots of rain, rivers everywhere and run off from the mountain snow. They just need a good irrigation system and some education on farming techniques."

Well, I guess there is hope after all.