Goodbye

Ashlie and I fly out today around 5:15 pm. We won't arrive at our final destination until Wednesday morning around eleven, Afghan time- very early Wednesday morning, US time. So if we don't email until Thursday, that's why. We have to stay in two cities overnight on the way.

We are both so excited! I know I have really been looking forward to this all summer and incredibly, its here already. I am so thankful Ashlie is going with me. Two are better than one (especially when traveling more than thirty-six hours).

Adios everyone! I'll start posting pictures from the other side.

Wrecked

Yesterday, I drove through an unmarked intersection and a blue BMW smashed into the end of my car. It caused us to spin around a couple times before the car hit the curb and sent us up onto the grass.

As we were spinning, the strangest thing happened. I had this weird sensation that it was just like any other moment and didn't have the slightest worry that we would smash into something. I think I thought we were just going to slow to a stop. So it kind of surprised me when we smashed into the curb.

Ashlie and I were fine. We were on our way to an Indian store and in an unfamiliar part of town. The insurance agent called me today to get my statement. He told me that the other driver confessed it was her fault, even though she also did not have any signage, because she was going much faster than she should have been. We were both lucky she didn't T-bone me one second earlier. A few miles faster on her part, slower on mine, and who knows...

I'm still a little shaken up but not bad. Ashlie, my friend in the car, said that she saw them coming and tried to say something but nothing would come out. Later she told me that she had an uneasy feeling getting into my car (but that's not an uncommon sentiment for passengers entering my car anyway).

The agent also told me today that the car is totalled. Bye bye, little Kia... you had a good run.

I'm thankful God protected both of us. Ashlie happens to be the girl going over with me, and its funny that the car wrecked with us both in it. Please keep praying for safety- even before we get to Afghanistan.

Save the Crepe Paper

Today I bought all my pants for this fall. Something very, VERY important for pants you are buying to wear to a third world country is that they have an expandable waistline. I didn't know this last time, because I'd never gotten sick in other countries. But now I know, when you are sick for the fourth week in a row and people are still force feeding you food soaked in fat, an expandable waistline is not a feature you can compromise on.

Last year, I got sick the third day I arrived; it was September 13th, and I stayed sick for a long time. I mean a long time. I remember the day I got better- it was toward the end of November. Yes, it was nearly ten weeks that I didn't have solid poo.

I think my favorite thing about being sick was the crepe paper. Yes, you would sit or squat down in the bathroom, look around for the toilet paper, and instead, a bright pink roll of really thick crepe paper was waiting for you. At first it seemed ridiculous but then I decided it cheers up the bathroom more than regular toilet paper anyway.

I bring all this up to ask everyone to pray that I will stay well this fall. Although the crepe paper was really great, it would be even greater to not have to see so much of it.

Eyelash curlers and Cheerios

Mystery thrillers. Almond seeds. Longjohns. Eyelash curlers. Cheerios.

What do these have in common? They must be hard to come by in Afghanistan, as they are all things that people have asked me to bring them this fall. Its not an exhaustive list, either... I think there are about fourteen boxes being sent to my home in the next couple weeks. But that's ok, because I am a very light packer and shouldn't need too much room. I mean, what am I really going to need that I can't buy or that won't fit into a backpack?

Today is my last day in Keller. I can't say I'm sad to leave Texas and move back to Oklahoma, because I dearly love Oklahoma and I'm excited. But it is sad to leave so many fine people who have been such great friends; luckily its just a three hour drive.

So long, state of Texas. I promise to remember and tell everyone in Oklahoma that you are the only state that was once an independent nation, and that everything is bigger in Texas, and also not to mess with Texas. But we will be, as always, OK. (Not 'okay,' O-K. And by that we mean great!)

18 days

So, I have eighteen days left in the states which will hopefully be enough to accomplish the eighteen thousand things left to do. I will just do a thousand a day.

Tonight I have to say goodbye to all of the people in our Afghan ESL class who have become so dear to me over the last semester. Friday I pack up the office and my house, and Saturday is the going away party with all my Texan comrades. It should be fun- I hear everything is bigger in Texas.

When I get back to Oklahoma, my phone number will stay the same until it gets disconnected on July 31.

This blog won't be very exciting until I get over there, so if you are bored right now just check back again in the middle of August.

Pashto

The last few months I have been taking lessons for the local language, Pashto. Its an odd language. And its hard. (Arr!) The title of this blog is a common Pashto greeting: Don't be tired. Sturey mushe.

Said kind of like store eye mah shi, I am hoping that there will be some lively ones out there. Almost all of their greetings and farewells have completely different meanings than their English counterparts. For example...

As you come in, someone might say to you...

Sturey mushe! Don't be tired!
Pu xeyr raghle! You came in peace!
Aw pu xeyr ose! And may you live in peace!
Xwar mushe! May you not become poor!

And as you leave,

Du xoday paman! May God protect you!
Pu muxa de sha! May you face only goodness!

Summer Schedule

June 1st-23rd: Keller, TX

June 24th-29th: Edmond, OK

June 30th-July 6th: Keller, TX

July 7th-9th: Eureka Springs, AR

July 10th-18th: Keller, TX

July 19th-30th: Edmond, OK

August 1st: Afghanistan

December 7th: Back to Oklahoma