I emailed GI Jane, who if you recall, is currently stationed somewhere at a base in Afghanistan. I had heard she mentioned me to Madame L in an email, something about an interview with an interpreter. When I heard this I immediately thought back to our last emails before she deployed, how she was anxious to get it over with and also that she be stationed somewhere relatively safer than out in the mountains in a tent somewhere.
My email was met with a very enthusiastic response, as only Jane can write. She seemed in good spirits if you don’t count the fact that she referred to daily life in Afghanistan as “prison-like”. She was also distressed about a close friend who is off on a very dangerous mission right now in what seems like a very unsafe part of the country. Seems like that applies to a growing amount of Afghanistan… unsafe.
She also told me that indeed she’d been telling an interpreter about me. He is an Afghani doctor that I guess translates for the Army, I found it completely flattering that of all the things she would be talking to him about, she was speaking of me and my podcast. The good doctor, evidently, could not believe that such interviews and such personal media outlets (me) exist. He seems eager to talk on my podcast!
Jane is the best. Not only was I excited to hear from her , but I was happy to hear she’s in a very mundane yet safe-sounding base. Hopefully she will come home soon and not be subjected anymore to that neverending, slow, mental-torture.
Now I must prepare questions that I want to ask the translator. Obviously he has things to say, but I will have my own queries for him on the subject of the present situation, the future outlook, and as an Afghani… how he would have liked to see the situation handled in terms of toppling the Taliban.
Let’s do this Radio Open Source style, if you’ve got questions you’d like me to ask, write them in the comments. Also, if you’re interested and willing, the skype out rates to Afghanistan are quite expensive and I no longer have a sponsor. There’s a tip jar to your left… send me a few dollars to fund the communication. (thanks!)
I repeat. Plan what your exit would look like, if push ever came to shove. At your workplace, there is not doubt a little sketch somewhere of which exit to take in the event of a fire or other emergency, someone has laid out the plan for you, should that time ever come. And when a fire does happen, it is unlikely that you will sit at your desk until the flames spread over your body. NO! You would most certainly respond to signs or indicators, such as the smell of smoke or an alarm.
Speaking of 4 wheeled vehicles that I normally avoid. You often hear about how the US has too many cars or too many big cars. Yet I think one point that deserves more attention, is Europe’s car addiction. Take the Netherlands; Im sure everyone things of bicycles.. but in fact.. highways full of traffic is also quite characteristic of the country. Today, en route through Belgium, near Antwerp and Brussels, huge traffic jams. And of course, on the outskirts of Paris.. I could have gotten out and walked here faster. Although all these countries have excellent rail systems, and even a decent bus option for collective international transport.. people still insist on the car. Even down in my dear Portugal… there are cars everywhere. People don’t even have money to buy them, but the wonders of credit will help to bring every man, woman, and of-driving-age child, a little hatchback with which to sit in traffic somewhere.