Recently, I crossed my longest-I've-ever-been-outside-of-the-united-states threshold, and it reminded me of this scene from Lord of the Rings, where the characters are first setting off on their journey, and Sam stops and says to Frodo, "If I take one more step, it'll be the farthest from home I've ever been". Aside from thinking that if Sam makes this speech every time he takes another step away from home that it'll take forever to get to Mordor, I also empathize with the thought that crossing these thresholds is meaningful on some level. Here's that scene:
Being reminded of a scene from a movie reminds me that I'm often reminded of another scene from another movie. You know in the beginning of Casablanca there's that bit of narration in which the entire phenomenon of Casablanca being a refugees' city is explained? Well if you don't here it is:
Soon after the opening there's another scene in a central area of Casablanca in which a plane takes off - the plane that all of the characters wish that they were on themselves. They all turn their heads to watch as the plane takes off. I feel like those characters every time I see the planes taking off from the airstrip - which is often as the airstrip is very busy. I hear the narrator's voice in my head at the end of the clip above saying "and wait... and wait... and wait..."
Wow that makes it sound like I want nothing more than to get out of here. No, I'm not miserable - in fact it looks like I'll be extending my time here by a few weeks, so this isn't even the half-way point for me just yet (another week and a half, or eleven days, or 264 hours, or 33 meals, or 1 laundry periods, or... (see? I'm not desperate to get out of here...) until the halfway point).
Rain.
The rain comes with a breeze that is most cooling on my mustache. |
Mail/Packages.
My mom did not think that this suitcase was going to make it to me mailed as it was. |
Seriously there was a windfall of awesomeness recently. |
My desk isn't normally this messy, I just wanted to take a picture of all the mail. |
Joshua Kramer
Kandahar Education Center
APO, AE 09355
It costs the same to send to that address as it does to anywhere in the US.
Things that taste like home.
This week the British cafe place finally had smoked salmon bagel listed as "in stock" on their menu. It tasted really good.
I mean, it was missing some tomato and some red onion - but I'm not complaining. |
Delicious. |
There was a new sign at the poo pond recently!
Very clever. |
Let's take a look at the before-and-after.
Before, when I had a smaller beard and shorter hair, and apparently didn't mind having a picture taken of me with earbuds. |
After, I have a bigger beard and longer hair. |
The other day, a guy laughed out loud when he came to me for help with something and I had no accent. True story.
OK, so there are these emails that go through a sensor on the special computer system we have here on KAF to make everyone aware of the same things. "KAF-all" emails. We get to send out information about programs and classes available at the Ed. Center once a week. This week, Christian included, sandwiched in between a couple of other bullet points, "everyone is invited to the Ed. Center to pet Josh's beard." The bullet point made it through the sensor, so either he wasn't reading it, or he thought it was funny. Hopefully he thought it was funny, because, you know... he's a censor. So far, there have been no takers, next time I think Christian is going to include something about it being good luck to pet my beard... we'll see how that works.
Until next time.
Hooray! Guess the Appel children are the most adorable! :)
ReplyDeleteHahaha... I love how the above post was anonymous!
ReplyDeleteFirst time commenting.. I just want to know how much it costs to pet the beard? And are there any specific items i am Not allowed to send?
ReplyDeleteBasically, you're not allowed to send alcohol. That's about it...
ReplyDeleteExxxxcellent. I have a package en route! I hope im gonna be famous and be on the internets!! O BoY!
ReplyDelete