Friday August 28, 2009
Kabul

Arrived yesterday to a brand new airport which looks like a real airport and not a quonset hut - which was my memory from 2006. Kabul appears at first blush to be more pulled together - less rubble and more new construction. More guns too - trucks and SUV/tanks with men and guns at many intersections. Today at the grocery store there was a sentry on a raised platform across the street. Out my window I see yards of razor wire protecting our compound, and armed guards at our front gate (which was also the case in 06). The pictures above are from my bedroom window and the front balcony - you can see the razor wire in one and the courtyard in the other.

Friday and Saturday are weekend days so it is our opportunity to shop, rest and in my case prepare frantically for the first day of classes on Sunday. I have never taught Entrepreneurship before so am hoping to be at least one class ahead of my students! (Mike - if you are reading this I need you!) The other class is Principles of Business which is much more familiar to me.

My house is one of three faculty and staff guest houses. Mine is called Peach House - which was explained as we drove up and I saw the color. I'll send a picture of the front in the next post. There are three floors, with a total of 8 bedrooms, two kitchens and numerous bathrooms. My colleagues are mostly American - one Canadian and a woman from Kyrgyzstan. All are here for one year - some are on their second assignments. I am quite happy knowing I will be returning home in December for already I am missing all my favorite people.