I've sat down to write in this blog about 10 times but, I'm always pulled away by something. I have left the big city for the country now. Well, not exactly THE country. More like, I can see most of the country from where I'm at!!!!! It's hard for someone from the Eastern United States to imagine that there is even a place like this one! There is nothing in each direction for as far as the eye can see. Somehow though, and maybe it's the people I'm with but it doesn't feel like I'm exposed or that I'll never get home. It feels more like.......Breathing room.. It's hard to explain.
My wife is doing better now than when I first left. She was very upset when I first got here. I began to feel very guilty for doing this but, she seems to be settling in now and relaxing now that I'm in camp. I would love to talk about the people I'm working with but due to security, I must be very careful. The people here are very polite and friendly. I think that surprised me more than anything else about the trip. It might just be the situation that we're in but, whatever, I like it. Now that I'm in camp, I will just have the daily grind so there won't be much to tell over the next few weeks but, I will give all the grisly details no matter how monotonous it gets.
My body is adjusting to eating fresh, no preservative food. I thought I'd be eating Iraqi cuisine but, the camp project manager cooks us.....Hamburgers, hot dogs, fresh fish, spaghetti...Etc...Etc..... Oh!! I had the most interesting drink I think I've ever had in my life here! Our chief cook handed me an orange drink in a very thin can. I have a deep respect for him because first, he is here with us and second, he was a warrior in the iran/IRAQ war. I normally despise orange soda and the like but when I drank this.........It was orange!!! I don't mean flavored or added or any of that I mean.....There was an orange crushed up and placed into the can!!!!! WOW I said at first so as to not offend him.....I thought I was going to be sick....You know ....Lumpy drink. Then I realized that it was pieces of orange!! Fantastic. He knew I had never had anything like it and he smiled wide and laughed and slapped me on the back.
That's how it is here. People want to give to you and you want to give to them just as much. You share something you know that very few people share. I like it greatly. Now, on to the 'Other' side of the fence, things are a little different. I don't even know how to describe them. They are friendly enough but, they have such animosity towards everyone and everything. They are treated well by us but there is so much theivery and infighting there that I don't think any of them trust any two others. But, enough of that because, I haven't known them long enough to judge them and.....who am I to judge another man?
I will write again soon with more Iraqi things to talk about. For now, I am safe and having the adventure that I thought I would here!!!!
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