(I really am in Kuwait!)
(Oil)
(lots of water towers all around the city)
Yesterday, Matt had the day off from work so we took advantage and got out of the house for a little bit. Did I mention that the work week is from Sunday - Thursday here? Friday and Saturday are the weekend and most people attend church on Friday. It's going to take some getting used to. I have no clue what today is... maybe when the kids start school I'll be able to keep track better.
Back to Arafjahn... Camp Arafjahn is an army base about 45 minutes from where we live in the city. It's made up of mainly deployed soldiers who are away from their family for a year. After driving through the several checkpoints (it is VERY secure, I assure you) we headed toward the PX to see what kind of goodies we could find to make us feel a little more normal here. We passed by army tanks and various vehicles that are just fresh out of Iraq. I never thought I would be seeing that first hand! I would have loved, loved, loved to snap a million pictures but Matt said I couldn't so I took his word for it. I really didn't want my camera confiscated!
It really was an experience for me, I must admit. I didn't expect it to be, but it made a big impact on me. We drove by huge tents with soldiers sitting outside them, just like you see in the movies. Only, these were REAL deployed soldiers living in REAL tents just 45 minutes from my nice air conditioned apartment. We were stopped by several of them in the BX telling us they hadn't seen kids for months and it was refreshing to see ours. They were complete strangers to us and my kids were strangers to them, but somehow there was a bond between them. I know it made them miss their own children and wives.... I could go on and on, but I won't. Just keep the soldiers in your prayers, because I'm now seeing before my own eyes the "other side" of the deployment. It must feel so lonely and the days must feel so long. Matt always told me it was the simple things, like being able to walk into a trailer and order a Subway sandwich that kept him feeling like he could make it. A Subway sandwich! It sounds crazy, but after living overseas and experiencing the little things I've experienced, I get it. Keep the soldiers in your prayers!!!
I'm posting some pictures of things we saw on the way out there. We passed a lot of oil plants from here to there. They were very secured as well, with barbed wire fences the entire length, just along the coast. Did I mention how cheap gas is here? I can fill up my car for about 3 dinar, which is a full tank of gas... about $10! I do like that. I also like the sunshine.
On an entirely different note, I changed some settings around on the comments. Let me know if it's any easier now to leave a comment. It makes me feel like people are reading and will keep me motivated to keep going on this. If not, I may fizzle out. Thank you for all the emails!
8 comments:
I love every word you write and my friends do also. What a picture into a world that is so alien to us. Your depiction of the soldiers and your thoughts moved me to tears. PLEASE keep this up.
Nana
So glad you made it there safely. Love reading about all the unusual place you are getting to experience. Stay safe and know we are out hear reading!
Thank you for making this real for us. I too was moved by your words. Many of these young men are away from their families for the first time, and I can imagine just how home sick they are.
Thanks for letting me read your blog and giving me an inside to this different world! Keep the pics coming!!
I echo the words of Nana!! I couldn't have said it better.
Is there an address that we could send packages too? or if we sent stuff to you, could you pass on to the soliders? Would love to do something to help. I have also always heard from other friends who have family overseas that it is just the simple things and knowing that they have our support.
Karen, I'll see what I can find out. I'm not sure, but I could ask around. Thanks for asking!
This post made me cry! I just cannot even imagine what the soldiers must endure each day. Makes me that much more thankful for what they do for us.
My Uncle Jerry is deployed over there right now. I believe he is in Iraq, though it changes from time to time. I just can't imagine what they are going through right now. Thanks for all the posts.
Post a Comment