Coffee. And Thai Food.

We've figured it out, Green Beans Coffee has a mafia-like hold over coffee in the camp area... the dfac coffee is awful, thus after breakfast and dinner we'll walk to the coffee container, and spend $ on good {better} coffee. My battle buddy orders a latte and I usually go for the spiced chai. mmmm.





We're still here in Kuwait - though tonight we'll do our pre-travel briefing and then sometime tomorrow we'll be leaving. The camp here has a pretty nice set up, and they try to keep the transient troops entertained - big MWR tents with movie screens, movie watching booths - you can check out a movie and watch it on your own tv/dvd w/headphones, internet cafe, foosball, pool. The USO here is very comfortable... lot of couches, carpet, bean bag chairs... I fell asleep there not once, but twice yesterday.

Yesterday, I went to get a massage (yes, there is a beauty salon here) and the girl who did it was Thai! She was like "we same-same"; she's been in Kuwait for a few years and her sister and brother live here as well. She asked what Thai food I was missing, and this morning she brought me som thom & khao ni aow...never thought I'd get this in Kuwait.

Kuwait. and the Air Force Marathon - backwards.

So...I'm here in Kuwait for a few days waiting to fly out to Germany and I've been trying to stretch the fun I'm having here ... taking my time at meals, sleeping whenever I feel like it, procrastinating on finishing my homework assignment..

Anyway, I traveled down here with another Soldier from Zaytun, and we discovered that there was a 5k Fun Run, so we gave that a whirl - well, we each won if it had been a race! He was the first boy, and 5 minutes later, I was the first girl! Zaytun sweep :)

This morning I decided to run again...went out the little check point, took a left instead of the right we took for the 5k, and I see all these people running towards me. More so than the normal morning run. And most of them are wearing Air Force PT uniforms. And a little bit further, I smiled and waved at this guy and he giggles and says "Hey! You're going the wrong way!" Uh, then I come across a water point. I ask one of the volunteers what's going on and he's like "Oh, its the Air Force Marathon!"

Me and T

Me and Tino, originally uploaded by ~*nma*~.

....well, not only am I missing my korean sister, I'm leaving the guy acting as my older brother! When I return from R&R, T will be on his way back home. While I'm happy he's finally returning to his family (after fifteen freaking months here), I will sorely miss his friendship.

**this was taken tuesday morning, after a nice, slow jog where we argued the first 1/2 mile (as our days usually begin - in argument, just like a brother I imagine) or so, we fell into our usual rhythm of point/counterpoint conversation ..this time about the recent testimony, though usually not about such heavy topics.

My Korean Sister ....

Me & CPT Park, originally uploaded by ~*nma*~.

Went back to Korea!!!

My job (since, you know, the world is all about me) just got, like, a million times harder.

CPT Park was such a delight - each morning she was smiling and had already done the work I was going to ask her to do for the day and had the answers before I asked the question... She advocated for me and my team, fought her staff on my behalf, giggled with me about boys... ah! I'm so missing her right now!

We've got a new group of ROKs in, and I'm just lacking the energy right now to develop relationships... I figure when I return from R&R I'll feel better and a bit more energized... we'll see in October :)

Jonah

This is an old church/temple. Very old. Apparently, this is where Jonah preached God's message to the people of Ninevah. {If you've forgotten your Bible stories, here's the one about Jonah}

Mosul sits in the Iraqi province of Ninewah and a Chaplain told me this Ninewah was the same as Jonah's Ninevah.

Along for the Ride

Truck, originally uploaded by ~*nma*~.

I needed to get to Mosul and another team going to Mosul needed an additional person, so I tagged along. I haven't been in HMMWV in years thanks to working at an Air Force base in my last assignment. It was a relatively short trip - about 2 hours maybe.

We arrived early in the morning and it was like entering a different war. Irbil and Zaytun are so quiet, dark and comparatively safe, but Mosul is a different story. Despite the early morning mortar attacks and constant activity, I was happy to be with Americans and on a larger, more populated camp.

apologies

Yikes, its been awhile since I've posted - I know this b/c the emails have been of the "haven't heard from you in awhile - you ok?" type. Apologies!

I'm up to my eyeballs in catch up work due to a quick trip to Mosul last week to take care of some other work before the end of the fiscal year. I ended up on a convoy with the border team, which, was a first. The convoy was fine, we didn't get blown up (yay!). I did get some teasing - one guy wasn't used to a girl-voice on the radio. Hmmph.

Getting away from my office was a nice break, but being in Mosul reminded me of the good things about Irbil and Camp Zaytun. The daily rocket attacks, the number of people be-bopping around, the constant noise from the airfield and generators - its QUIET at Zaytun.

Pictures soon...