Kabul, Afghanistan - Day 2

Project Artemis Reunion - ladies reuniting and networking! 

Good morning :)

I most likely won't be posting on the blog/facebook until after we leave the country, so I wanted to send this email out instead. The less public it is that we're here, the better... So if you know people who might want to keep up with the Kabul adventures, feel free to forward this email along! :)

After a looong first day, last night's rest came quickly and deeply. Thank goodness. I know I'm tired when I'd rather sleep than eat dinner. I did manage a few slices of watermelon while I worked, but passed out soon after!

What a day it's been. I woke up at 4:30am to the melodic chanting 'call to prayer' from a huge, beautiful mosque just outside our compound of a hotel. The sun came up soon after, but I was already wide awake. Going to bed at 8:30 will do that, I suppose. I was starving, but breakfast didn't open until 6:30, so I figured why not just go running! INSIDE (yes mom and dad, I do have common sense...sometimes). The gym/spa/sauna/steam room/ outdoor lap pool honestly rivals any gym in the US. It's absolutely gorgeous, and memberships are actually available to the public. Our AUAF friends belong, and so does most of the contractor/expat community. I put on my lululemmon and my headphones on, strolled down to the gym and got on the treadmill for a good 45 minutes. All the jet lag seemed to melt away with every step. I (almost) felt like I was running outside as I watched the sun rise over the hotel walls. The mosque's shadow slowly crept into the courtyard. It was a great way to start the day. 

I had a quick and delicious breakfast in the hotel restaurant (gigantic buffets of Japanese, Afghan, Euro, American, and even Thai choices every day, every meal... It's amazing). We met with the President of the American University of Afghanistan and his wife, the Director of the American Chamber of Commerce. They were so lovely and so ready and willing to help in anyway they could. 

From there, we headed to our meeting with the Japanese Embassy. We went through 7 checkpoints once we entered the main compound's gate. Each Afghan guard asked the same questions, searched under our car, and asked for credentials. It's been amazing how prevalent the Afghan military and police are. They really have taken over the security situation in Kabul - you don't see American military anywhere! They are professional and helpful, even funny at times! They like to joke with us about all our purses and bags and cameras, since everywhere we go, we get searched multiple times. It does make me feel secure, knowing that everyone has to go through that. We finally got inside the Japanese Embassy as guests of the UN (the Agriculture and Commerce department). The reason for our meeting was because the Japanese Embassy and the UN are working on SO MANY sustainability projects throughout all of Afghanistan. They want to hire, train, and work with 10,000 Women graduates. They have already started projects hiring/training women whose businesses/skill sets focus on water conservation, bee keeping, farming, poultry, horticulture, saffron (to replace the lucrative opium trade) production, and more... It was fascinating and inspiring to hear about all they are doing for the Afghan people. There has been so much progress - it's just hard for Americans to see since all the media focuses on is the bombing and ridiculous Taliban activity. The majority of the people here are NOT that. They had to become that to survive - it's not their culture at all. It's amazing to see them finally finding their voices...

Hello with sunglasses. Sufi Restaurant - what an oasis of deliciousness!

Our second stop was at a restaurant called Sufi, where we had a Project Artemis (the Thunderbird funded program for Afghan women entrepreneurs) reunion for women graduates since 2005. It was INCREDIBLE!!!! These women's businesses have grown, they have hired more people, they have expanded, bought storefronts, etc. They were all so lovely and we ended up listening to their stories and eating the most delicious Afghan meal EVER for about 4 hours. What an experience to hear their life stories. To hear how before they started the Project Artemis or 10,000 Women programs, they had no voice. They were not allowed to say no, or to have an opinion. They didn't know how to represent their business, or talk about it to anyone. After the program they cried as they told us how they felt for the first time in their lives that they must fight for their right to live, speak, and be happy. It was an emotional day, as again, I was reminded just how blessed I am. These women have faced obstacles and difficulties in their life that I cannot even fathom. They are still successful and happy women. 

Lone woman...

Something I also found most inspiring was that their husbands, fathers, and sons have started a support group for them. All of these men have publicly declared their support of their women working and going to school. They have reiterated that their daughters will go to school and study before they marry. The mindset is changing. The people are changing.

We were invited by one of the women to her home for dinner on Thursday night. She is so excited to host us - I can't wait to eat dinner in one of their homes! 

Tonight we're off to the US Embassy for a special fireside dinner party with Thunderbird alumni living here in the country. We went to the market today so I could pick up water and fruit, and I found marshmallows! We are absolutely roasting marshmallows around the fire tonight. :)

As we've driven around the city, the poverty is humbling. The city is destroyed from so many years of war, and they are slowly rebuilding it with little to no machinery. Everything is done by hand. Today I saw a boy, probably 12 years old, shovel a pile of muddy looking cement, and literally tossing it up to the second story of a house they were building. The man on the second story picked up the "cement" and smeared it all over the wall. This process continued... No cement pourers, cranes, etc. These people have wheelbarrows and ladders. That's about it. It's pretty incredible. 

We've also had children standing in the middle of the road, who will press their faces up to the window and knock. Begging for money. The traffic is often so heavy, we don't move for quite a while. It's really difficult not to look at them... It's heartbreaking. Today a little child was knocking on the window with his blind and crippled father. It was awful. There are just so many people around town like this - as I said -- the poverty is overwhelming. I did learn a new term today -- there are several huge houses around town with massive gates. They are the "poppy mansions". Drug lords... 



Well... Sorry for the long email - I was so impressed with the day, and it's only 3:50pm. I had to write it down before I forgot. I love you all so much - thank you for sending me emails. It makes me happy to get back to my hotel room and hear from you. It's been emotional, seeing all this here... It is absolutely the most impoverished, most resilient, most hospitable, most eye opening experience ever. It's exhausting on the brain... ;)

Thunderbird has a saying, and I never quite understood how true it was until this trip. "Borders frequented by trade seldom need soldiers."

Love love love love to you.

xoxo
amy