Thursday, September 30, 2010

Afghanistan Day 131 : yesterday @ NMAA

This is how my day was supposed to go:

0800- Meet with Dept Head
0900-1200 Tutoring Teachers in  IMI & Lesson Planning
1200-1400 Dean's English Class
1400-1600 Meeting with Teacher Contractor Manager
1700-2200 Convoy home, reports, admin, my lesson planning, teaching at TL




This is how it went:

0800- Dept Head got tasked by Dean to do some priority thing
0900- no electric in computer lab building, cancel lab tutoring
1000- teachers dismissed early due to bus schedule, cancel lesson planning tutoring
1100-  the guy who was supposed to show up last week with a dictionary delivery calls and asks if he can bring the late delivery at 1130
1200- Dean is in meeting, can't begin teaching until 1235

1345- book guy shows up
1430 - meet with deptartment head, contractor isnt at work today.  discuss why a particular teacher is being paid but never shows up to work.  the explanation for why he hasnt been fired is: "he's so nice.  he's also handsome."
1530-1645 Mail call.
1700- prepare lesson
1800- 2230 TL workshop

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Afghanistan Day 129: NMAA

A Typical Day at NMAA


0500 wake up, shower, dress, get gear ready, check email, move gear outside of room

0700 convoy to NMAA

0800 Team Meeting

0900 Conduct training with department

1000 Training Cont'd

1100 inspect, inventory, and sign invoice of book delivery.  move and store delivery. 
1200 check on status of room being prepared for library (future home of freshly delivered books).

1230 check email, follow up on issues

1300 teach a general

1400 check on warehouse inventory, roster translations, orders, policy issues to press up to leadership, etc.

1500 convoy to mail call

1600 haul mail back to billeting and haul up stairs and inside

1700 check email, report to the people at the other base, change out of uniform


1800 lesson plan, prepare materials, answer emails, meet with other TEAM members


1900 win the war, single handedly/ teach at Thunder Lab

2000 check email, eat dinner, prepare laundry, go to the ATM, exercise, shower, communicate for non-work emails, visit with people from home duty station, prepare donations of humanitarian aid, clean weapon, clean room, make time for friends, floss, consult, blah blah blah.

2200 sleep, rinse, repeat.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Afghanistan Day 128: KAIA (continued)



 This random crew begged me to take their photo...they didn't even want a copy, they just liked the idea of having a photograph taken!
 The fence is always in my way, in this case I'm trying to catch the sunset before it's too late.
An afghan sunset.





Sunday, September 26, 2010

Afghanistan Day 127: KAIA

Roxy's birthday kindle. 
kaia






Gate guard grooming.
my helmet on not-me

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Afghanistan Day 126: NMAA

First dry run of Ground Zero, the curriculum I've been writing.  It was extremely successful and FUN.  : D







I love teaching the Generals.  They take everything seriously and work so hard.  They want to learn and increase their skill so much.  They want to be accomplished in speaking English and be able to communicate without assistance with US troops.

Monday, September 20, 2010

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Afghanistan Day 116: Humanitarian Aid, Kabul

These teachers work at the boys school, the same one where we sent the crayons.


Supplies for the class. 

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Afghanistan Day 112: Sept 11th

Today, to commemorate Sept 11th sacrifices, we had an Army Combat Patching Ceremony.  


I was also given a combat patch, which was punched on, in accordance with Army tradition.



This is what Col Naessens, my unit commander, said in an email to me after I emailed thanking him for recognizing me today: "You are part of the team, and I appreciate you deploying to Afghanistan.  Not many civilians do that!!!  Thanks for your service."

"NMAA- Educating Future Leaders of Character for the ANA"
     "Shohna ba Shohna" -- "Shoulder to Shoulder"

Friday, September 10, 2010

Afghanistan Day 110: NMAA


I was coined by General Caldwell.  This is an informal military award. Photos from earlier this week.






General Caldwell and the US Ambassador to UK.



Briefing about how literacy can be life or death.  

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Afghanistan Day 109: My new billet as Combat Photographer


Today we had distinguished visitors (dv) from all over- including several ambassadors, a bunch of US Generals from US branches, and the European/NATO Supreme Allied Commander.