Army Stupid, but home for the Holidays

Am posting on holiday leave from home, enjoying the cold weather and the chaos that is my home. Had a great Christmas and New Year's - was a blessing to be here - and now am just enjoying the remaining day of vacation with the family. My parents flew out on Xmas day - somehow avoiding the 'blizzard' that hit much of the country - and spent a couple of days, which was a nice touch. Les and I were even able to get away for a night to relax and recharge. So, all in all, has been a great time.

Being home on leave reminds me of being on vacation, actually. You know that feeling where you are really enjoying yourself, yet you know in the back of your mind there is a clock ticking and in a few days, you will be getting back on the plane for reality. I want to fully reintegrate with the family, etc, but everyone knows that in a few days, I am back in Yemen and we will have to endure another three months of this. However, the upside is that this is the final goodbye - have done three of them already (two more than most people get!) so should not be so bad.

Another interesting side to this is that this leave is the longest I have been at home in many many years - cannot recall the last time I was at home for 15 consecutive days. Though Les and I are glad to see each other, going from 9 months of separation (with two visits in there) to 15 days of togetherness has not been entirely frictionless... On the balance though, it has been a great two weeks.

Getting here was a pain. The Army motto 'Army Strong' should be 'Army Stupid' - because the Army rises to a whole new level of stupidity. The Army runs the theater leave (R&R) program, and it is designed for folks in Iraq and Afghanistan. Basically, I left my apartment in Sana'a mid-day on Thursday the 17th. A Gulf Air flight to Bahrain, followed by another to Kuwait International was step one. After arriving at Kuwait, a bunch of us were met by an Army dude who loaded us on to busses to Camp Ali Al Salem where we spent the next 22 hours wasting a LOT of time, in true Army fashion. Then, a charter flight to Atlanta, via Leipzig, and then a Delta flight home - I arrived home at 3pm on Sat the 19th (EST) - almost 58 hours from door to door versus the normal 20 or so hours via commercial airlines. I also got very lucky. The Army books a commercial flight for you from Atlanta to home airport - I was booked for a 6pm flight - but I called from Kuwait and moved it up to noon (we arrived in Atlanta at 8:30 am...). A good thing I did it early, because when we landed, a snowstorm had closed airports from VA to New York, and the rebook lines were HUGE! As it was, my airport was still open, and my completely full flight made it on time.

Finally, I have noticed that Yemen has been in the news a lot since I have been home - very interesting hearing about it. Suddenly, my job makes for good party conversation, as nobody really knows about Yemen (nor did I know anything until a few months ago....). Just read some news that the embassy is closed today due to some threat, so maybe I will not be going directly back to Yemen. We'll see... will be an exciting last few months there, that is for sure.

It’s not just a job…

It’s an adventure!  Ah, the old Navy recruiting slogan – still my fave after all of the years.  The latest is something like ‘ a global force for good’ or something silly like that – does not motivate me.  Sounds like a weak ass Madison Avenue campaign – Don Draper would have gagged on it.

After experiencing rain TWICE in Bahrain in the space of a week, I came back to Sana’a in early December and landed at the end of a pouring rainstorm.  Alas, has not rained since, but it was a nice change of pace.  Have been out and about a lot since getting back, so will share a few adventures.

The hills around Sana’a – rugged, and very interesting.  But, off-limits!  I had pulled over to take these pics and as I was wrapping up I noticed a soldier (with an AK 47 assault rifle!) approaching my vehicle from behind.  I quickly took off!

 Sunset in Aden.  A couple of days in Aden in early December was a nice treat – a warm climate – spent some time on the beach in shorts and a t-shirt.  It was snowing back home in the US!

The Old City, Sana’a

Have been keeping busy since getting back from Bahrain.   A couple of groups of visitors –between picking up, dropping off, and my own flights, I have been at Sana’a international airport 7 times in the last ten days.  Besides hosting the guests here, I took them down to Aden to spend some time with the Yemen Coast Guard (YCG).  The YCG treated us to a very nice traditional Yemeni dinner – at a nice outdoor restaurant right on the water.  It was fire-baked fish plus a lot of breads and dips – all eaten with hands – and some delicious local honey.  It was messy, but delicious.

Also took guests down to the Old City in Sana’a.  There is a big market there (the souk), and can buy a lot of interesting stuff there.  I bought some scarves for the wife, as well as a Jambiya (curved dagger) plus belt for myself.

 The Jambiya Shop

At the Jambiya shop – putting the finishing touches on the belt.  The man is wearing the traditional ‘thobe’ and sandals as well as his own belt and Jambiya.  If you look closely, you can see a big bulge in his cheek – that is ‘qat’ – the local narcotic plant

Usually I take a local along, but today went down with my bud from Bahrain alone – he speaks Arabic so I felt fine.  We did some shopping, and also we toured this old hotel – was built in a really old building and renovated to be a hotel.  There was a rooftop coffee shop so we had some coffee while sitting outdoors overlooking the old city.  Very nice.   It was a bit spooky, as our guide led us through some narrow back alleys to get there, but all turned out fine.  We also walked through a ‘qat’ market – qat is a narcotic plant that the locals chew.  It is grown here and has to be chewn while fresh – the chemical in the plant decays quickly.  So, it is bought fresh every day by the vast majority of the people in Yemen.  The early pm is focused on chewing the qat – less work gets done then.

I had sort of thought I was anonymous in the big city, but am mistaken.  I went to the Old City in late Oct with some guests, and we used a local guy to be our guide.  They take you to shops after you tell them what you want to buy and they supposedly get you ‘good prices’.  I tipped the guy nicely.  I just went back in early December and I was not in the souk for more than a minute when the same guy found me and acted as my guide.  (I had tried calling him to have him meet us, but he did not answer).  The souk is a BIG place – though you do have to enter through one gate.  Still, I thought it was freaky that he found me so fast.  Then today, I had tried calling him for my visit but he did not answer.  Again, not one minute in to the souk, a young boy came up, called our names (my friend from Bahrain used the same guide as I before), remembered an eerie amount of detail from the Oct visit, then proceeded to guide us.  (he was a friend of our normal guide, who was home sleeping at the time apparently).  The kid even waited for an hour while we toured the hotel and had coffee.  Again, sort of spooky…

A few more days in the Yem, then home for R&R leave!  The only downside is that I have to use the Army R&R program, so instead of flying directly home, I take a flight to Kuwait, and there go to an army base, get my uniform on, and hurry up and wait for a day or so until my military charter carries me home.  Upsides are 1) it is free and 2) travel days do not count as leave – so I get 15 full days of leave at home.  So, for a few extra days of leave (in effect) and saving $2200 on a ticket, I have to deal with Army BS a bit – including sleeping in a tent in Kuwait.  Well worth it.  Besides, will be able to razz the Army weenies about their recent loss to Navy in football…

Chillin’ in Bahrain

In all honesty, sort of bored, actually.   Am enjoying being back here – much more convenient than living in Sana’a, and my 15 minute walk to / from work is a relaxing break instead of the 30+ minute stressful commute.  And oh my goodness, the choices in food – within 100 or so yards of the HQ is the ‘Freedom Souq’ – a building containing about every fast food place known to man, a small grocery store, a package store, a Target-like store, a gym, a barber…  And if the food choices there are not enough, just off base is a street full of restaurants, a STARBUCKS!!!, and then about all US chains are here (Chilis. TGIF, Bennigans).  I cannot say I have been eating healthy, but I have been eating well!

Of course, to balance it, I have been running a lot – ran almost an hour last night, then got up and did a 3K fun run at 6:30 am today.  Nice being able to run outside – at the embassy it is either a treadmill or laps around the compound – 2 laps to the mile.  Since the compound is on the side of hill, you are always either running uphill or downhill… 7200 foot altitude makes hills a challenge.

All that goodness aside, I am bored at work – staff work is dull now.  But, have a new perspective – the job I do here has little if any impact on my future.  From a Navy perspective, in five months I become a reservist again and this year interlude will have little effect.  The two normal measurements of a tour’s success, the evaluation (FITREP in Navy jargon) and end of tour award will likely be average unless I either kill somebody or save somebody’s life.    And, since I work in podunk Yemen, far away from the HQ, I am not on the Admiral’s radar screen, so expect both actually to be slightly below average – just the way it is.  So, I will work hard and do my best, but will not kill myself.  Instead, I will have some fun and improve myself (education, fitness) .

And, this year is basically a year off the corporate ladder – though I am not 'in play’ and losing ground slightly to my peers, I do have a pretty good excuse and it should not be held against me.  Basically, this is a year break from the rat race.  Mind you, that is me straining hard to find a silver lining to this – on the other hand will have missed 1/3 of youngest daughter’s life to date.  When I left, she was sleeping in a crib and wearing diapers –now she is potty trained and sleeps in a bed.  Amazing how fast they change at that age…

Finally, a couple of Bahrain pics – nothing exciting.

The skyline in Juffair, near the base, looking to the north.  Note there are at least five cranes visible, and the dark building on far right is also under construction.  Oddly enough, the gas station in the foreground has been ‘under construction’ since I arrived here in April.   There are only a couple of gas stations in Juffair… sort of a pain.  Also, I used to live back in this area – if you look closely in the center there is a sign for ZUBARA PLAZA II – I lived next door to that for about 4 months.  Less than 10 years ago, this was all ocean.

Turning around, looking to the south – mostly completed buildings.  ‘American Alley’ is about a block in that direction, then the base.  Mostly apartment buildings. 

The ‘Donut of Despair’ – a graphical depiction of my time complete and time remaining.  Not quite 2/3 yet, but getting close.  NOT that I track this in Excel or anything…  After tomorrow is done, I will have completed EIGHT months of the deployment, with 4 1/2 to go.

A bit of a break

Am on a bit of a break  from The Yemen and am relaxing in a hotel in Bahrain.  Am here to cover for someone who is on leave for Thanksgiving, so am working in the old office again.  Sort of strange to suddenly be back in the old job, but at the same time a bit has changed since I left.  After 10 weeks in Sana’a, Bahrain is a pleasant treat.  It is sooo nice to walk to work again, and to be able to shop and dine without issue.   I am in Juffair – a new neighborhood in Manama, Bahrain that was mostly reclaimed from the sea in the last decade and is currently a mix of new 10-15 story apartment buildings plus restaurants and stores – that or cranes building new complexes.  On the other hand, Sana’a is all older buildings, with a bit of new construction and modernity, but it has been settled for well over 1500 years…

 I lived in this building during most of my stay in Bahrain.  You can see a newer building going up behind it, and the open lots in the foreground will soon host construction as well.  A decade ago, this was all ocean.

Sana’a - a mix of worlds – the latest cell phone billboard and a bunch of men with picks and shovels hoping to be hired for day labor 

I love this building – a mix of classical Yemen architecture and modern conveniences

The small USMC det at the embassy (they guard it) threw a USMC Birthday ball recently – celebrating the 234rd B-day of The Corps.  It was the social event of the season, and was a really good time.  It was professionally catered, and they even found a DJ who had western songs.  (NOT Country Western…)  It was a good time.

 Dancing the night away at the USMC Birthday Ball. 

I read a really good book called ‘The Candy Bombers’ a few months ago, is a good story about the Berlin Airlift and how the experience transformed the relationship between the US and Germany.  One of the pilots took to dropping candy to the kids of Berlin, and it eventually expanded to a large scale, organized operation.  My tiny version thereof is to give Lego kits to kids here.  I bought 25 kits (<$5 each), and then for some reason Lego shipped the order twice…  (Since shipping them back from Yemen would cost more than the value of the order, I opted to keep the second order as well.) I have been handing the kits out to kids on the street – especially the ones at work selling bottled water, etc.  They are generally confused by the gift – English writing and they probably have never seen Legos before!  Am just hoping they don’t open the kits on the sidewalk and lose all of the pieces…  Mind you, they probably need other things more, but it is my very little attempt to improve the lives of a few Yemenis. 

Lego kits for distribution

That’s about it – not a lot of new and exciting stuff to post.  A few more days here, then back to the Yemen for a bit, then 17 days of R&R leave at home over the holidays!  Then I come back to Yemen and will have about three months left before this is year of fun is over.   Though not quite at the 2/3 point, it is nice to be able to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

It just keeps getting better….

My first blogging from Yemen.  For one, I am hesitant to say too much in an open forum like this – never know who is reading it.  That, and I finally have internet in my living quarters – after 45 some days here.  It was difficult being isolated that way – yes, I could use it at work – but not the same.  Plus, it was the primary communication path with the wife – hour-long daily chat sessions and free phone calls via Skype.  Without that, we resorted to daily e-mails and occasional text messages and phone calls, though at $3.49 a minute, we did not do that much.  Not the same.  Of course, in the last month we both got used to having that hour each day free, so some adaptation is necessary.  A very minor cloud on a big silver lining!

I also finally received my rental vehicle.  I had been using a mix of bumming rides, taking a shuttle, and borrowing a vehicle from the office.  Now, I have wheels – very nice at that – and my new ride has a functional CD player in it – so this morning I was cranking The Beatles.  (side note – was enjoying new found internet to look for Rubber Soul and Sgt Pepper’s… on iTunes and they are not there yet – foiled!)  So, the little things in life.  And, am actually getting somewhat used to driving.  The locals are still crazy, but there are some basic rules and I have sort of figured them out.

Strangely enough, am really starting to like Yemen.  It is a ruggedly beautiful place, and the people are growing on me.  To make very broad generalizations (being such there are numerous exceptions) my impression of a lot of the Middle East is that too many people over here have had too much money given to them without a lot of work.  Not so the Yemenis.  Also a land of strange contrasts – lots of dangerous things on the streets, (drivers, see below) but at the same time police here are cracking down – saw police on street corners checking people for seat belts…

One way to travel – in the trunk!  Not the first time I have seen this… (mind you, I have done this – but only for a short distance to sneak into a drive-in – and we had the trunk closed!)

Usual scene at ‘stoplights’ – while you wait, people try and sell you things – boxes of tissue and water bottles being the most common, but toys, newspapers, etc… Also beggars.  Often little kids, and they walk between lanes of traffic – that start moving with them still in the middle.

The Saleh mosque, recently constructed and named after the president.  This picture does not really capture the beauty of the place

Though this is a new mosque, I was in Old Town last week and my ‘guide’ pointed out one of the two oldest mosques in the world – is over 1400 years old and still is being used.  I will have more to talk about when I go shopping in Old Town again in the near future. 

That’s about it – month SEVEN is done, with just a smidge over 5 to go.  I just swapped e-mails with the guy who will be taking my place, so am starting to feel short… and the Q-tip box (#2) is already missing two dozen – another visible sign of progress.

A brief taste of civilization

I am on a plane heading back to my home away from home in Yemen. A short-notice trip back to the US for a conference and then a long weekend of leave is over, and am on the second of five flights on the 36 hour marathon back to Sana'a. Delta has in-flight WiFi so I can blog from 35,000 feet - which is nice.

I was tapped to go to a conference in Tampa for a week. Tampa happens to be home to the US HQ for the Middle East, also known as US CENTRAL COMMAND or CENTCOM for short. The Navy's HQ for the region is Bahrain, but most of the other services have their HQs back in the US. There are pros and cons to each approach. I met some of the Navy guys at the main HQ and one of them was showing me this PowerPoint illustrating the status of the naval forces in the area and I had to hold in a laugh, since it was something they asked Bahrain to do for them when I was there. We thought it was a stupid request but did it, so it was interesting seeing how the home HQ was proud of their creation... and being very familiar with the Iraqi Navy, it was fun to pick it apart, as the guy had never set foot in Iraq nor actually seen the Iraqi Navy...

After the conference, I flew home for the three day weekend and am now heading back to Tampa to catch my flight back to Yemen. Two flights to get back down to Tampa, just to catch a flight to DC to hop the bird to the Middle East. I called United to see if I could fly direct from home to DC rather from home to Tampa (via Cincinnati) and then to DC, (and leave home at 1pm instead of 4:30am) but it was $657 extra for that option.... so here I am on leg 2. Minor upside is that on the first flight, I happened to sit next to one of the ESPN football personalities so was able to talk a bit about the MNF game and the Wildcat offense. On this trip, I was home for two MNF games, which was a pleasant treat - plus ESPN and all of the hype that goes with it. Now back to Orbit TV and one NFL game a week on Sunday, and no ESPN or MNF. But, I can watch all the soccer I want...

It was great to see the family again and catch up on honey-do projects. I surprised the kids this time, and the way it worked out I was able to surprise each of them individually. It was tough to leave again, but I know this was an extra special bonus and I have leave coming up in a couple of months, and am past the halfway point, so... (and, have started working the second Q-tip box!). Plus, I know what I am going back to in Yemen, now - no surprises or unknowns - so it is just going back to the same old job. When I left from my leave six weeks ago, Yemen was a vague unknown. So, any stress is gone.

We did not do too much - a bit of shopping, dining out, took the kids to the beach (it was too cold...), and went to a party at the in-laws - was nice to see everyone again. Again, some house projects to take care of, and I think I took care of everything reasonable.

Starting the approach to Tampa, so am going to sign off. A last few hours of civilization to savor before heading to the Middle East.

Driving – it is like Outback …

The restaurant that is – the chain with the ‘no rules…’ motto. That pretty much sums up driving in Yemen. If there are rules, they are NOT enforced. In all truth, there is no ‘drivers license’ process here – if you are old enough to sit in a car and drive, you can drive here – no test, no license. Just get in and drive.

The first few days here were VERY intimidating. Though Bahraini drivers are crazy by Western standards, they are absolutely tame in comparison to the Yemenis. I have to drive across town to get to where I work everyday – 30 minutes on a good day, more like an hour on a less good day – so it is not like Bahrain where I walked everywhere. It was a mix of shock – seeing how they drive here – and the normal worry of having to learn a new city and how to get around – in a place where there are few streets signs. Oddly enough, most streets have several names anyhow, so maps and street signs are rarely in agreement.

The biggest wild card is the taxis. Not only are there normal cabs, there are zillions of mini-buses (think a VW microbus, though made by Toyota) that drive around with the right rear slide door open. They drive around and pick people up and drop them off randomly – and they are very aggressive drivers.

Typical mini-bus… they randomly change lanes to keep things interesting

Stoplights and lanes. Two things that as an American, you tend to obey. Not so here. When stoplights work, they are pretty much ignored. Lanes? Ha! A common technique is for drivers to straddle the lane marker so as to leave their options open. Weaving back and forth (no signals or checking blind spot!) is also common. So, just because the car in front of you is in the other lane, it does not mean you can assume it will stay there. Drivers here tend to use their horn a lot – one common technique is a quick tap as you come alongside another vehicle so they know you are there. For lane changes, I learned the ‘mirror, signal, blind spot, and then change lanes’ method in school – here it is ‘change lanes, listen for someone honking if they are in your blind spot’.

But, like everything else in life, you get used to it.