In the land o'dust

Hi all,

So the cat's out of the bag, I am spending most of this most recent assignment in Kandahar, but that is JUST FINE. I have the same security as before, only even more beefed up. If the Aunties won't be cranky, I may post a photo in the getup they make me wear whenever we travel...

I am living on Kandahar Air Field (check out Rachel Maddow's piece on what living here is like, quite accurate) Everything is various shades of beige, and intolerably hot during the day; I go through two bottles of water just walking to the general store and back. But it is quite nice at night and three of the things I miss most while in Afghanistan are readily available (bagels, bacon and good coffee) so I am quite happy. It is a dry base, so the fourth and fifth items are still out of reach (red wine and gin) but we survive.

The base is a space the size of Disney Land filled with 30,000 or so international military personnel and contractors. They have dining halls of all sorts of nationalities (going to the S. Asian one tonight, will report back later) and I am thoroughly baffled by the "street" names. "All American Way" and "Screaming Eagle Blvd" Seriously guys? We ask the entire world to fight this war with us and then we make them live on cheesy American patriotic titled streets? I am embarrassed to be honest.

The general stores (PXs) here are hilarious. They are also split up by nationality and I will share some select humorous facts:

-The French PX has a pastry shop inside where you can get 'un cafe' and a variety of croissant.

-The Canadian PX is full of Hollister t-shirts and surf shorts (really?) Next door is a Tim Hortons (I felt like I was in an episode of How I Met Your Mother) ie, where I will get my bagel fix.

-The American PX has "Afghan Sports Club" t-shirts for sale as well as about 20 copies of the last season of Vampire Diaries and a huge romance novel section (really? How fast is THAT merchandise moving guys?)

Anyway, that is probably enough of an introduction for now. I am going to go drink another three bottles of water and try to get this dust out of my nose. Love you all. -A