G3 Dinner

Unfortunately don't have anything interesting to say about this picture.

We played Cho Gu and shared a special dinner with the G3 staff. The G3 section is the ROK staff I work with the most. You can see CPT Park in the second row!

This is in one of their dining facilites. Over our shoulders, the President of the Republic of Korea tells the Division "You are Korea"

mint mojito

I'm not sure which care package this came in, but thanks for the Orbit gum "exotic new flavor" Mint Mojito!

...and the contract is awarded to

the lowest bidder!

I'm in Iraq. I know this. I don't expect much, really. But I don't expected to be electrocuted while in the shower. (mom, don't worry, I am ok)

The US female population on this camp is very small. Thus, our bathroom is very small. Its a little container with 2 toilets, 1 sink, 2 shower stalls. We recently replaced the water heater and one of my guys tells me that its probably not grounded (anyone? is this true?).

Sketchy contractors, shoddy construction. And apparantly equally poor electrical work. I never thought I'd miss electrical codes and inspections and certifications, but I do.

My guys tell me the local electrician came in to fix it, but I still use one of my shower shoes to turn the faucet on and off.

Remorse

All over the news (even here) is the VA Tech killings.

All over the South Korean news is the VA Tech killings.

During a brief to the MNC-I Commanding General, the Zaytun Division commander stated that as a Korean he was ashamed and embarassed that the shooter was a young Korean.

Yesterday, the topic during my-almost-daily-English-lesson with the one-star was about "crazy" people and the pressure in Korean society to excel in academics. He also was deeply saddened.

Walking to the Korean morning briefing, the ROK Chaplain stopped me and put his hand on his heart and said he was very saddened about the "Virginia university shootings".

Girls Nite Out (?)

Sorry for the break in posting. I couldn't get to the website from my work computer or from the internet connection in my room! Well, I'm in my room now, and our ISP comes out of Italy. So, I'm learning to read Italian - dad's family would be proud.

salva come bozza = save draft
pubblica = publish
visualizza blog = view blog

The CG hosted a dinner for the women officers, and invited me!


One ROK (male) officer theory on the girl dinner was that the women soldiers here don't get to have any fun. They have to live together in a concertina-wired section of the camp AND they don't get to wear shorts! I couldn't believe that. Anyway, this theory doesn't have much to back it up. While I was doing the KKFD preperations and whatnot, I was in the 'dressing room' with all the girls. A few English words here and there, but no real conversation. Though there was a lot of giggling.

I'm pretty sure that everyone thinks that Iraq is all desert and dust. And from other accounts, yes, its is the desert. But as the picture shows you, at least here in Irbil, we've to got grass. and weeds. and poppies. and these little yellow stalks.


It really is pretty here. There are mountains to the East - which people tell me is Iran. Yay. And the weather is still pleasant; all in all, no complaints.

Extension...

Report on troop extension... read this:

Hmm, well, I haven't heard if I'm extended officially, but I wouldn't doubt it. I mean, I love my country, and I love the Army, but this is ridiculous. The burden of this war is shouldered by young soldiers and their families. Unless you have a personal tie to this war, I get the feeling that the rest of the country doesn't care.

On the bright side, that's an additional $18,000 I'll earn.

Mmm. Well. Back to the Korean Army's contribution to the coalition.

The final KKFD performance was the other night. Oh, I am so glad that is over. I didn't have the time or energy to rehearse as much as they'd have liked. Tuesday night was the big night - local important people and local press was on hand.

According to the US types in the audience, while I was on stage, the Korean soldiers were chanting "We! Love! Ah-Mah-To!" I didn't hear it, I was too horrified that I was actually playing, poorly at that, in front of all these people.


SSG Kim was the girl playing piano during our song. She also was modeling a traditional Kurdish costume (pictured here), played during the drum circle and helped with the Tae Kwon Do demonstration. It was her hanbok I wore the other night.

Fun with the Enlisteds.

Usually its the ROK officers we interact with - there are so many of them. But the enlisteds are the fun ones. They're in this for the shortest time possible - 2 years of mandatory service as an enlisted versus 3 for officers. More than you'd think spent significant time in the US (or Canada). They're a lot of fun and we try to take care of them the best we can - invite them to eat at our DFAC or give them junk food from our care packages. Typically their English is better than the average officer, so its easy to joke around with them.

Feeling left out, they asked if we would play soccer with them. It was more fun playing with them than with the senior officers - they would actually play with us, instead of kicking the ball around us. (Most of us Americans aren't good at soccer - they all think I'm the best player, and I haven't played in years)