daily struggles in kabul..

actually banal, but no day is like the other

Thursday, Nov 22, 2007
workshops are the most unpredictable thing on this planet..
today i was standing in front of some silent bodies.. too my surprise it was quite hard to convert the theory on peace building in to something lively and concrete.. into their daily life..

i thought that would be a great discussion today.. but instead they all looked at me and had no clue what to do.. M and his girlfriend are new.. ok.. but the rest seems to just be physically sitting in front of me and left their brains outside..
i was also not really myself.. so it could be both.. the doctor helped a lot to rescue the day.. and i found out that he actually learned already a lot in this past weeks.. today my special honor goes to the doctor..

Sunday, Nov 25, 2007
i get up in the morning, i still feel like shit after a weekend in fever.. but i get up and even manage to wash myself a little before leaving the house (the bathroom is now down to 2 C in the mornings).. my driver is telling me that i should not wear my winter jacket, because it is still warm.. one of the german colleagues calls me a rampensau because my picture happens to be in a brochure of a restaurant.. my doctor assistant greats me with the pleasant welcome of smoking in our NON smoking office, because i was not there.. that is enough for this day.. i call all workshop members and excuse myself for being sick as a pig..
i go back home, make myself a soup.. cry crocodile tears into the pot, because i feel so sorry for myself.. than i fall into a long lasting fever nightmare sleep.. i change my shirt every hour and feel better by sunset..

Monday, Nov 26, 2007
i wake up and energy is back into my body.. i am doing morning sport! and washing my entire body (feeling very wealthy).. enough energy to fight with the dragon.. simple stuff, nothing good enough to be mentioned here.. but a long lasting fight, so that the morning driver asked me after arriving in the ded office if i want to go in the future directly with my driver from my house to the other office.. grrreat.. half an hour more sleep.. and no more drives with the dragon..
i have to tell my wonderful girlfriend about my nightmares.. they just won't let go off me.. was easier to get rid of the fever.. but she can talk me out of it..
the workshop goes great.. everybody is there and 7 people and i are having fun.. in the evening i spent 30$ on pizza and go to bed early.. a wonderful day..

Tuesday, Nov 27, 2007

the radio starts at 6.30 and i listen a while to the news that i am usually listen to during the morning sport.. it is not dark anymore when i am finally swinging my legs out of the bed.. with a very silent (not to disturb the dragon with my good mood) whistle on my lips i prepare my coffee.. this is going to be a hair washing morning.. the oven is awaiting me in the room.. the foam is all over me and than it gives a very deep loud sound.. i think either is the generator of the neighbors exploded or the dragon finally imploded from bad mood.. i carry on taking care for my hairs.. while bbc stops broadcasting and i have to switch to the french channel.. just to listen to some voices in the morning..

while i am drying my hairs in my warm room the boss calls.. and gives me the news..

Suicide car bomber kills two civilians, wounds four in Afghanistan.
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
A suicide car bomber ignited a huge blast Tuesday near two armored vehicles used by US-led coalition troops in Kabul, killing at least two civilians and destroying the wall of a nearby house, witnesses and officials said.
A purported spokesman for the Hezb-i-Islami armed group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The armored vehicles were damaged, but no troops were wounded, said Lt. Col. David Johnson, a coalition spokesman. Four other people, including two Pakistani road construction workers were wounded in the blast, said Dr. Mohammad Musa from Kabul's Wazir Akbar Khan hospital.

The explosion happened in wazir akbar khan, so i call all my friends living there.. nobody injured all good.. so we can enjoy the "white city".. morning at home..
it doesn't take long to figure out that not many died and the city is cleared again.. well back into the car with the dragon..

after another discussion with my driver what time i want him to pick me up and what time he thinks is the best to pick me up, i arrive in my office for not more than an hour work.. because today i promised a friend of mine to come to their house for lunch and they show me how to make quabuli.. the driver decided he is coming in the time he thought it would be best (i really don't want to complain about afghan man but they just PISS ME OFF sometimes) so we are half an hour late in the place he just could not find.. of courses this was not his fault but the fault of the stupid afghan lady who described the way to him.. honestly.. it wasn't that difficult to find.. if he would have just for one second turn off his all dominating knowing dig and listen with his ears to this afghan woman..

anyway we found it and i learned my cooking lesson.. on the way back i tried to make him understand that i don't want my driver to label my friends as stupid just because he does not know the city.. he probably did not understand because his testosterones were boiling the whole day.. so i just left him alone and sit now back in my chair to finally prepare the workshop tomorrow..

i am looking forward to every discussion, fight, sunshine on my shoulders, talks and nice moments in this place.. but i am mainly looking forward to the moment when the plain takes off and crosses the hindukusch.. farewell kabul.. this is going to be my last visit.. i am almost certain..