Bayahni Bash

Bayahni Bash (sound it out as if you are reading english and it means "Good Morning" in Kurdish)! I am trying to learn a little bit of Kurkish because that is what language they speak in North Iraq. I am also trying to learn a bit of Turkish because everyone who runs the MWR palace is mostly Turkish.

The Turkish people (or at least the ones here) have figured out that Uncle Sam pays really really well for workers in a combat zone even if they aren't doing the shooting and hard work end of the deal. For those of you who don't already know -- the strykers and the infantry are out every day busting their butts for us. *Not to leave our CATA teams out -- they help do the hard work too; they are the ones crazy enough to enjoy all that action* Everyone else here is doing their job to support them either tactically or administratively. So a big three cheers for the strykers and infantry and CATAs!

The closest thing to a security blanked we have around here is when we see the strykers (like a tank, but on wheels; can go on land or in water) roll in after a misson and a few of them pop out of the top of it to give a victorious wave to all the people they are passing by. It is like their little parade float. *I'll try to snap a picture of it sometime*

Note: If any of you are interested in a high paying job and don't mind having to abide by some rules then you may want to research the jobs MWR offers here, or Titan, or US Army Contractors. There are several groups of people here working together: The US Military (mostly Army, Marines, and Airforce), Contractors (US, British, and other international companies), local nationals (translators and workers that help support us), and then a few embassy (US and Iraqi) workers. The military gets the lowest pay, but has the most support and best armor. We pay the local nationals very well according to their standards. The contractors get the highest pay, but they usually have the riskiest jobs (meaning less support for help if something happens).

I am amuzed to see everyone collaboratively working to keep this place going. There are a lot of people solving a lot of problems. Wish me strength and luck to do my job during this next year. And thanks Uncle Sam for allowing be to be a small part of something so grand!

Some Beach, Somewhere

I wish I were at the beach! It is really hot and really sandy here, but no soothing water. I think the heat and the sand and the fact that there is no water has just irritated these Iraqis into a fit of rage which is why all this is (and has been) going on now. I think if we all just took a time-out and went to the beach, everyone could come back refreshed and would be ready to work out all their problems.

Wanna Help?

Wanna help support your troops?
Here are a few helpful links that you can go to, give your deployed buddy's address (see previous blogs), and request that they receive any of the following:
Phone Cards
Care Packages
Books
Spiritual Literature
Help support your soldiers one click at a time :)

Army Fashion

The Halter One-Piece! (It is not currently being issued, but with a little time and effort I think I could arrange for it to be on the list :) Okay, just to let you know what we are wearing these days... the trusty old PT shorts and top with reflective ARMY logo, and here are a few pictures of the new digitized army uniforms. Enjoy your Army Fashion Update!

Is It Rude To Yawn?

I have absolutely no energy today. I have no reason for my fatigue besides the fact that my mind has been racing all day. Since I have nothing to say today, I'll ask a question. Is it rude to yawn during a meeting? I mean, maybe my brain just needs a little more oxygen at the moment. Sometimes it is from boredome, but more often than not it is just that I'm a bit tired. I might just need to smell the scent of lemon, or stretch, or have a piece of candy. Candy works if you are near the middle or end of the meeting, but you usually come to a crashing point pretty quickly after your sugar high ends. I might need to try getting more sleep...but I get 6-7 hours a sleep every night and by the looks of it, that's the norm. Back to my question, if I had my handy Etiquette or Miss Manners book I would get it out and see what she would say. I am guessing that if I question the presence of rudeness in an action, someone could probably interpret it that way. Or does it cancel out the rudeness if you cover your mouth when you yawn? hmmm...

TGIF

Thank God It's Friday!

We got our new room assignment yesterday, and since the other inhabitants had already moved out I was able to do most of my moving in last night! I am now in a small air-conditioned trailer with one other female. She is married also, her husband is active army like mine, and they are both getting deployed later this year! That's funny, huh!?!?! And she is also blonde :) Gotta love blondes.

Well, since my moving is mostly finished I am taking an evening at the pool. So if you need me, ring me at the palace pool (HAHahahah...) no really ;)

And most importantly, today is my husband's birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOOSNITZEL! I wish I were celebrating it with you. Have a piece of cake or something yummy - my treat!

I'll Sing A Song; You Sing A Song

Sing me a song, your the piano man...
Sing me a song tonight.
We're all in the mood for a melody
and you've got us feelin' alright.

PUMP, PUMP, PUMP IT UP!

2000 miles and one left turn...
Dear mom and dad, please send money
I'm so broke that it ain't funny
I don't need much, just enough to get me through

I WANT IT THAT WAY!

Millions of peaches, peaches for me
millions of peaches, peaches for free

Little bunny foo foo hopin' through the forest
up come the field mice bop 'em on the head!

I'm an American soldier, an American
my brothers and my sisters I proudly make a stand
when liberty's in jeopardy
we'll always do what's right
we're out there on the front lines
sleep in peace tonight...

Okay, your turn :)

I have not been drinking, I just felt like singing.
Today was a good day.

Dedication Thursday --
*Miss my family
*givin' a quick shout out to all the girls
*All you American Soldiers stuck in the middle east,
keep your spirit up and your head down
* xoxox I LOVE MY HUSBAND WITH ALL MY HEART! xoxox

Haji Shop

Haji Shop is dedicated to the little shop inside the building where I work. It is nothing short of a mini flea market! And if they don't have it, they will find a way to get it for you. I think they are brilliant at "making a buck". They have everything a convenience store does, such as sodas, snacks, cigarettes, gum, ect...but then they also have random stuff like fans, blankets, towels, tunics, bug spray, hand wash, beads, bras, dvds. Among all those things, I currently have two favorites! I am their biggest fan of hot chaii tea and eti pop ket, something to the effect of a cupcake snack with chocolate on the top and bottom, and bits of chocolate icing filling the center. MMMMmmm.... That has been the highlight of my day -- twice! Thanks Uncle Sam! And Thanks Haji Shop!

Note To Self...

Note to self...
-Must get out of Iraq for next birthday
-Must bring money to work so that I can purchase phone
-Try to find shoulder holster for pistol; It sucks having to wear it around my belt where it almost drags my pants down
-Must wear clean underwear in case pants come down
-Love my husband more and more each day
-Determined to keep pants up :)

Note to self...
when you have a bad day, humor helps

The Jimmy Choo of Combat Boots

Okay, so if you are anyone who knows me you know that I love shoes. As Army regulations state (and for safety reasons) I must wear combat boots with my uniform no exceptions! Let's all say this together now, "Thanks, Uncle Sam!". Well, I have found this new desert combat boot that I call the jimmy choo of combat boots. They are made by Oakley actually. They are tan with really cool soles and look a lot like a hiking boot. They have been priced at between 125 and 250 US dollars! When I actually bought them I was in the store a while looking around. I tried several pairs on to make sure they were not too tight and not to loose, but just right. The retired military man who was in charge of supply at the time was friendly and told me about the cousin of a brother of a civil war veteran discount. Okay, totally untrue, but the fact is that they do price match. He gave me to hint at which price I should be asking for them, and I walked out of there with my new jimmy choo-esque combat boots for the price of $108 (and no tax, b/c I'm military). I can't tell much of a difference between the comfort levels among the boots, but who cares when they look that good and you get them for a great price;)

Spa Day Tuesday(s)

Well, today has been my day off if I've ever had one. I ate midnight chow last night around 1am. I had a delicious omelet with ham, cheese, bacon, bellpepper, mushrooms, and accidentally jalapenos. I just ordered it "everything with no onions" b/c I didn't see that little surprise hiding in the back. And I had a bowl of Smart Start with whole milk. I was full and happy and slept peacefully most of the night. We drink as much water as we can hold b/c of the extreme heat (111 degrees), but the kidney(s) won't hold it all night so that was my only mandatory wake-up.

Today was a spa day at MWR. That is one of our service organizations that stand for Moral, Welfare, and Recreation?. I think. They have huge tents set up with a gym, computer facility (which is where I am now!), games, tvs, ect. General fun to pass the time in a good way so that we aren't finding something "no good" to get into :) Tuesdays are their spa day. They have (for a small price) manicures, pedicures, waxing, massages, facials, and henna tattoos (funny -- 2 of the girls I'm with got one to be silly). It would have cut into my nap day or I would have gone there myself.

And finally my dear sweet husband got to email me! We were online at the same time, but somewhere between the blacklights and european keyboards (which he is still figuring out) we didn't get to talk much. He should have a contact number soon so we should be able to talk on the phone! YEAH!

Mar Haba!

Mar Haba (that's hello in Arabic)!

I would like to state that I love and miss my husband, WILLIAM! Hello to THE FAMILY and THE IN-LAWS and get those care packages ready :) And a special thanks to SARAH G, my favorite friend from Wisconsin who suggested I create this thing.

I have just taken the second longest trip on my life which has stopped only for a brief moment in Kuwait. My final destination is N. Iraq. We began flying at around 5am and ended about 15 flying hours and 5 layover hours later. Thank goodness I can sleep on planes or I think it would have been hell. I slept at least 8 of those hours, ate airline food 3 hours, and watched Bourne Supremecy (quality movie, by the way). The rest of the time was spend ascending or descending. You very well can't sleep when they are making sure your seat is up, that you are buckled, and the window covers are raised.

I need to share my computer now, so I'm out. To see more interesting facts about where I am check out the weather in Kuwait, google Camp Victory, and visit my homepage with mac. I will be putting more photos up shortly.