streets of kabul

at work

lots to do.. so lets hurry..
rita queen of speed

I am supposed to monitor a mobile theatre project on drug abuse awareness and work on peace building through theatre.. for that I will create a "train the trainer program" on participatory theatre and monitor another mobile theatre.
Basically I have less than two month to wrap up a project that started in April by another german, who gave a fuck about outcome or maybe had no clue how to manage a project. In any case he did basically nothing I could work with now. So I gotta pull something out in the next 7 weeks. Luckily someone started already with the theatre thing, they are already rehearsing, so I have only to monitor that one, write the proposals & give workshops and monitor the other theatre performances.. the final reports will be fun, with all the bits and pieces and budget reports.. blaeh.. but lets not think about that now..

There is a lot to be done so lets have fun!!

The best part is the "boys club":
this time I have a driver, who speaks german and is a big buddy of the guy who messed up this project.. this time I have an assistant, who speaks english and is a big buddy of the guy who messed up this project.. this time I have only man colleagues, who speak mainly dari and pashtu and who loved the guy who messed up this project..
the german is entering the biggest boys club ever (after mediothek) and is listening to the stories of the "outgoing" hero..
well I introduced myself as a dictator.. because now we are coming to work in time, following some of the rules from the DED, write lists and reports and follow deadlines!!

Here is a fab example for last weeks "getting to know the situation":
My assistant who is a medical doctor, has no clue about theatre, is getting tons of material from me to get into the basics of theatre understanding.. he sits down and translates some words.. i gave him some material to read in the hope he would find his way into the theories of theatre.. i go closer to the paper and read "shaving" "thighs" "hips" "boops"!

(doctor seb)

the following conversation took at least 20min.. i give you the essentials:

R- "what words are you translating?"
Dr. - "the words from your text"
R - "why don't you translate those in your free time and translate the you really find in my texts you can translate here, while you get paid by the DED?!"
Dr. - "mhmmhmm, yeah this are the words that i found in some of the medical texts i red last night .. i wanted to understand better"
R. - "sure, but why don't you translate those when you have finished the work that i gave you?"
Dr. - "Yeah i will tell my friends in the chat that i will translate them later"

afghan man.. always have an answer.. never grow up..
fabulous if you are in a good mood..
under pressure? i am going to hurt him!! a little :-)

an ordinary day in kabul

The morning starts with a wonderful view in the garden of my big old pal Timur jan!

Since i have this powerful oven, the first thing i am doing is to start this wonderful flames!

I have to leave the room.. brr.. to get my morning coffee and get some morning sport done.. otherwise i will be stiff and look like a butterfly fatty when arriving in the wonderland..

Than follows the hardest part. Go into the deep frozen bathroom and UNDRESS!!

The water is warm - only if we had electricity the night before.

Therefor I managed to wash my hair only ONCE so far.. I know that sounds terrible! And it was.. itchy!

Anyway, in afghan style, I fill up some water in a basket and woosh woosh finish as fast as i can!

germans would call it cat wash.. i call it kabul wash..

the morning pick up arrives with the nicest driver on the planed.. he warms up the car for me because i am ALWAYS freezing..

now i have 20 minutes to warm up while he is driving us through this incredible city..

we arrive at the DED office and before the work starts I have a coffee with the germans!


than I change cars and go with "my" driver to my real work place
the FCCS


to be continued!!

dubai adventures..

Of course the german tried to get information’s about the Afghan Consulate in Dubai but an address was not to find online.

So without an idea where to go I ask for a Hotel closed to the Terminal 2, were all the flights to disgusting or dangerous places on this planet start. And of course they knew where the afghan consulate is. Wonderful!! But I needed some sleep before going to that place without knowing what to expect. I was prepared for a fight to get my visa on the same day because my flight to Kabul was already booked for the next day. But surprisingly everything went very smooth. I had to pay 90$ (luckily I had enough money to pay the hotel and the visa and could even effort to have a little Indian dinner after the job was done).

The only problem was that this consulate was in the desert, somewhere at the ass of Dubai and I had to wait 6 hours before passport pick up. Well what to do? I walked around in the hope to find a mall and escape from the heat.. oh how much would I wish to sweat like this again!!

So I walked and walked and the only thing I could find was a business fair. Of course we are Dubai!! But after some more walks I found a little shop, where I could get some milk and a coke to give my body back what I just sweated out!

I went back and after a little power game of the officer “Madame where is ticket? “ “which ticket?” “Flight! We need flight ticket” “Sorry, I don’t have it here, it is in the Hotel” “we need ticket or we can not give passport! Go to Kham Air office to get proof” “where is the Kham Air office?” A finger points out in the dessert. I go out and look around, no office in sight.. of course not we are in the ass of Dubai! I go back “Sorry, I can not see an office” “Ah is ok we checked with airline” He hands me my passport with a fatherly smile. Welcome to Afghanistan! I tried and he accepted!

Unfortunately i made not a single picture. I went back, had a beer in the bar and went to sleep with my fellow Agnes!

getting started..

2 month in the bloody cold again. I almost forgot how this feels, like staying in full aircon for TWO month..

But lets start at the beginning of this spontaneous trip!

Starting in Bangkok was great.. a beer and a dinner with my wonderful lady.
Already in the taxi I felt alone! jammer jammer!!

That became worse in the plane and after landing in Dubai. I had the feeling I didn’t talk for weeks. But I had Agnes with me to keep me entertained - for those who do not know Agnes she is our first adopted child and is traveling now with me!! (Sorry Sarah, I had to take her from you).. she used to live in our bedroom.. and she used to be our model for the Bangkok house and other occasions.. (see pics)..

As you can see we took our little baby out in the country site too!!

Anyway, so I had Agnes with me and she helped me over this 1,5 days in Dubai.

I arrived without a hotel and without a Kabul visa.. but i was sure it is going to be alright and i will sit next day in my plane to kabul.. i have to tell the rest tomorrow .. Because we have a curfew now.. which is 11 and we are only allowed to take the cars from the DED, so no chance to move around at night much.. luckily l'atmo is right across my house and i can swoosh back home in no time.. hopp and gone..