10 June, 2011,
Greetings from Umm Qasr (Umm Qasr, which I believe is Arabic for “the place that momma air conditioners threaten baby air conditioners they will be sent if they misbehave…..”)
Any rate, so how was your week? Good, I hope. Mine was filled with mystery…. intrigue….. adventure….. car chases….. beautiful women…. and….. wait a minute…. oh, that’s right… you probably didn’t know…. I got satellite TV!
Yep, in my little hootch, I went and got a local satellite provider (meaning one of the local ‘Terps I work with) brought it to my hootch and installed it. By the way, it was cheaper and he did a better job than what the guys in the states did when they came to install cable….. and most of the channels are free.
Of course, ‘most of the channels’ are guys in sheik outfits sitting and talking directly to the TV… basically giving a lecture…… so, yeah, if I were an Iraqi, I wouldn’t pay for that either. Actually out of the 450 channels – there are about 5 or 6 that speak English – and show movies. But truthfully, except for Fridays (when I only work an 8 hour day or so) – I usually only turn it on for a bit at night.
So, you probably don’t want to read a whole bunch about my TV viewing habits – this week actually had a lot of promise – I was supposed to go out on a convoy – that got cancelled. Then I was going to go out on a boat – I got bumped. And I was even signing up for a quick helicopter ride – but that got put aside due to problems with the “route” we wanted to take. So I worked in the office and did some (really cool) designs for the Iraqi Navy and the Iraqi Marines.
There were a few other “fun” items – mostly - that I got sick – which basically means that I eat at the DFAC even less than I did before. The medic here told me I should quit drinking coffee and (after I quit laughing hysterically) I told him that would happen as soon as we got rid of the sand here. I really think that I have discovered the secret to losing weight though….. go to a war zone – have food that was barely edible when it was fresh – freeze it, reheat it, serve it on a paper plate – and of course – offer a “view” of a bunch of concrete walls. Combine that with 120 degree heat – and basically you are at a Federally Funded Fat Camp!
Any rate, I am chugging the Iraqi equivalent of Pepto Bismol like I was a 3-hump camel (you should laugh here – in Iraq, I crack them up). My tummy has been pretty upset. Luckily, one of the ‘Terps brings me Iraqi flatbread every morning. Which is really nice of him – and of course, it is warm (he lives locally and comes to my office directly from the store). But the flatbread is really mild – and we eat it for breakfast with goat cheese or other mild cheeses that he brings in. Sometimes I will put peanut butter and jelly on it instead of the goat cheese. I think when I get back to the states, I am going to have to hunt down a middle-eastern place where they serve flat bread. It is that good. Any rate, the ‘Terp usually comes in after I have been in the office for a while and we sit around and we tell each other stories.
I will call the ‘Terp “Alaska” – he has 3 kids (2 boys and a girl) and they are the cutest kids. But his son Ali (about 4 or 5) was with him when he handed out the soccer shoes (see last week’s episode….). Well, Ali found a pair of shoes that he fell in love with (they were way too big for him) – but he wouldn’t let them go. Alaska promised Ali that he would buy him another pair of shoes – but these were for the kids who couldn’t afford it. But Ali wouldn’t change his mind – he had a death grip on those shoes. Alaska finally had to give him money (for Ali to hold in his hands) and had to specifically promise Ali that he would take him shopping for shoes with that money – before Ali would give up the shoes. Now, if that doesn’t tell you kids all over the world are alike…..
Any rate, so how was your week? Good, I hope. Mine was filled with mystery…. intrigue….. adventure….. car chases….. beautiful women…. and….. wait a minute…. oh, that’s right… you probably didn’t know…. I got satellite TV!
Yep, in my little hootch, I went and got a local satellite provider (meaning one of the local ‘Terps I work with) brought it to my hootch and installed it. By the way, it was cheaper and he did a better job than what the guys in the states did when they came to install cable….. and most of the channels are free.
Of course, ‘most of the channels’ are guys in sheik outfits sitting and talking directly to the TV… basically giving a lecture…… so, yeah, if I were an Iraqi, I wouldn’t pay for that either. Actually out of the 450 channels – there are about 5 or 6 that speak English – and show movies. But truthfully, except for Fridays (when I only work an 8 hour day or so) – I usually only turn it on for a bit at night.
So, you probably don’t want to read a whole bunch about my TV viewing habits – this week actually had a lot of promise – I was supposed to go out on a convoy – that got cancelled. Then I was going to go out on a boat – I got bumped. And I was even signing up for a quick helicopter ride – but that got put aside due to problems with the “route” we wanted to take. So I worked in the office and did some (really cool) designs for the Iraqi Navy and the Iraqi Marines.
There were a few other “fun” items – mostly - that I got sick – which basically means that I eat at the DFAC even less than I did before. The medic here told me I should quit drinking coffee and (after I quit laughing hysterically) I told him that would happen as soon as we got rid of the sand here. I really think that I have discovered the secret to losing weight though….. go to a war zone – have food that was barely edible when it was fresh – freeze it, reheat it, serve it on a paper plate – and of course – offer a “view” of a bunch of concrete walls. Combine that with 120 degree heat – and basically you are at a Federally Funded Fat Camp!
Any rate, I am chugging the Iraqi equivalent of Pepto Bismol like I was a 3-hump camel (you should laugh here – in Iraq, I crack them up). My tummy has been pretty upset. Luckily, one of the ‘Terps brings me Iraqi flatbread every morning. Which is really nice of him – and of course, it is warm (he lives locally and comes to my office directly from the store). But the flatbread is really mild – and we eat it for breakfast with goat cheese or other mild cheeses that he brings in. Sometimes I will put peanut butter and jelly on it instead of the goat cheese. I think when I get back to the states, I am going to have to hunt down a middle-eastern place where they serve flat bread. It is that good. Any rate, the ‘Terp usually comes in after I have been in the office for a while and we sit around and we tell each other stories.
I will call the ‘Terp “Alaska” – he has 3 kids (2 boys and a girl) and they are the cutest kids. But his son Ali (about 4 or 5) was with him when he handed out the soccer shoes (see last week’s episode….). Well, Ali found a pair of shoes that he fell in love with (they were way too big for him) – but he wouldn’t let them go. Alaska promised Ali that he would buy him another pair of shoes – but these were for the kids who couldn’t afford it. But Ali wouldn’t change his mind – he had a death grip on those shoes. Alaska finally had to give him money (for Ali to hold in his hands) and had to specifically promise Ali that he would take him shopping for shoes with that money – before Ali would give up the shoes. Now, if that doesn’t tell you kids all over the world are alike…..
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| Picking up at the satellite/electrical store in a “rickshaw” |
So, I thought (since I had a pretty slow week) I would tell you a little about Umm Qasr. Yes, it is the town near the (only) Iraqi Navy port. It is a couple of square kilometers around and there are about 45,000 people or so and it was also the site of some pretty bad battles back in ‘03. It seems pretty quiet here overall, now – and most of the locals I meet say they are happy we are here. Actually – ALL of the locals I met have told me specifically they want the US to stay…. but, that is a story for another time.
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| The view from a street vendor looking out on the streets of Umm Qasr |
Now you notice there are quite a few motorcycles – actually motor scooters – they are pretty small in motor size – most of them are around a 150cc or so. So they don’t go fast and you can tell they drive pretty recklessly (again, not too much different from the states) but you notice they have no helmets, no boots, or any protective gear whatsoever. They also use the motorcycle “rickshaws” to move items, as that is a lot cheaper than getting a truck and moving stuff around.
When I tell the locals that one of my “joys” is to ride long distance around America with my wife riding on the back – they give me a funny look. To them – the above (the little scooters ) are the norm and they can’t imagine getting their wives or girlfriends to ride along with them. And the roads here are like the wild west – with trucks and cars and all manner of vehicles swerving and screaming along with drivers not paying attention (again – just like the states….). But, imagine the states with no traffic cops – that is what you are dealing with here.
When I tell the locals that one of my “joys” is to ride long distance around America with my wife riding on the back – they give me a funny look. To them – the above (the little scooters ) are the norm and they can’t imagine getting their wives or girlfriends to ride along with them. And the roads here are like the wild west – with trucks and cars and all manner of vehicles swerving and screaming along with drivers not paying attention (again – just like the states….). But, imagine the states with no traffic cops – that is what you are dealing with here.
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| A local market “stand” – where they make the most delicious (and cheap) falafels – wonder why? |
Just so you know, on the above picture, the bucket on the side is filled with water. They cook the items in that little stove on top and then put the breaded vegetables in the middle of the flatbread. The “falafel” is actually the little breaded pieces of vegetables that are fried. They put the falafel inside of the flatbread and it is called a falafel sandwich. I call it “lunch.” Of all the things in Iraq I would like to share with you all – warm, soft flatbread is number one on the list. Of course, the poor guy who cooks these things tries to do most of his cooking before noon. Can you imagine cooking over a hot stove, OUTSIDE, when it is 125 degrees?
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| A view entering the market. This is everyday open market – note clothing store on left |
A few other things that I wanted to show you – notice the red tanks in the picture below? That is their “water supply”. What happens here is… city water is only on for a few hours a day – so when it comes on, they hook up their hoses and pump it to their “above ground storage tanks” (or ASTs as we call them). Then, they have access to the water for the rest of the day. The water is always hot as it is “solar heated” (I don’t know if I told you – but all of our hot water tanks on the camp are turned off as well – so our “cold water” in the shower is now the hot water – and the hot water taps pour out cool water – as that is the water that has been sitting in the hot water tank in the cool CHU….does that make sense?). You can call it “green” if you want, but that’s not the way they see it. And I see it as unsanitary – as well.
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| Reconstruction of a local house happening |
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| The Iraqi version of “Disneyland” the official name is “mootenizzeh Umm Qasr” |
I did ask Alaska if he takes the kids to the local “theme park” and he said he does occasionally, but it is not something they do all the time. I am hoping (and his kids are as well) that they will be going to the theme park this weekend – so I am hoping to have some photos for you next week of the inside of “Mootenizzeh Umm Qasr!” (and I am totally serious here….)
Okay - change of pace…… I now want to leave you with a love story. As I said in the initial update – I am going to write about what I see/what I know…. so here you go:
I want to tell you about a boy who met the love of his life when he was 12 years old. She was a beautiful, popular young woman who had an engaging laugh and a quick sense of humor. He was a short, quirky kid with a weird sense of humor and a Midwestern accent. They became friends and even though she was WAY out of his league – she was always friends with him and he always knew she was special.
After about four years of friendship, this young girl noticed the boy – and she saw what VERY few others saw in him…. and he… well, even though they were just friends – he lived to hear her laugh. So she finally agreed to “go out” with him (and yes, this was a LONG time ago – so “going out” meant playing pinball at the local pool hall and watching Kung Fu movies at the local drive in.)
All of the girl’s friends (when she told them that she was going out with this boy) said, “Really?” – like it was a joke or a mistake. They kept waiting for the punch line…. but the more interesting thing is – after several weeks of them going out – to almost everyone – it made sense. She calmed him down and made him a better person….. he adored her and made her laugh. They became almost inseparable – as they were friends first and boyfriend and girlfriend after that.
Her mother and father kind of panicked that their young daughter and this neighborhood kid were so close – and even though they were only 17 and 18 at the time – they announced that they wanted to get married. Can you imagine what the parents’ (both sets) reactions were? "Are you two nuts?!?" Anyway, her mother INSISTED that he get his high school diploma before they get married. And he had to ask his mother for “written permission” to get married as he was still 17.
Okay - change of pace…… I now want to leave you with a love story. As I said in the initial update – I am going to write about what I see/what I know…. so here you go:
I want to tell you about a boy who met the love of his life when he was 12 years old. She was a beautiful, popular young woman who had an engaging laugh and a quick sense of humor. He was a short, quirky kid with a weird sense of humor and a Midwestern accent. They became friends and even though she was WAY out of his league – she was always friends with him and he always knew she was special.
After about four years of friendship, this young girl noticed the boy – and she saw what VERY few others saw in him…. and he… well, even though they were just friends – he lived to hear her laugh. So she finally agreed to “go out” with him (and yes, this was a LONG time ago – so “going out” meant playing pinball at the local pool hall and watching Kung Fu movies at the local drive in.)
All of the girl’s friends (when she told them that she was going out with this boy) said, “Really?” – like it was a joke or a mistake. They kept waiting for the punch line…. but the more interesting thing is – after several weeks of them going out – to almost everyone – it made sense. She calmed him down and made him a better person….. he adored her and made her laugh. They became almost inseparable – as they were friends first and boyfriend and girlfriend after that.
Her mother and father kind of panicked that their young daughter and this neighborhood kid were so close – and even though they were only 17 and 18 at the time – they announced that they wanted to get married. Can you imagine what the parents’ (both sets) reactions were? "Are you two nuts?!?" Anyway, her mother INSISTED that he get his high school diploma before they get married. And he had to ask his mother for “written permission” to get married as he was still 17.
They were told to go get 3 “counseling sessions” from a counselor of their choice – they chose her church pastor. The day of their first counseling session – the pastor’s wife had walked out and left him that morning... They never went back to counseling – but still pressed on to get married. A lot of people told them they shouldn’t get married – they were too young – but everyone who met them saw how happy the two of them were together.
So to end the story, the day this young boy graduated high school (that very afternoon) – he married the love of his life. And they have lived happily ever after. That day was 14 June, 1974 – thirty seven years ago this coming Tuesday. Of the thirty seven years, they have spent only two anniversaries apart – one (their 30th) in 2004, when he was in Afghanistan – and the other in 2011 – while he is in Iraq.
Is it a love story they will write books about or compose songs about? Probably not, but what a great life they have had. After 37 years of marriage – she still sees in him the “special” qualities that nobody else sees. He still adores her and lives to hear her laugh.
And, dear reader, I want you to know something…. even though I have shared these with you…. these updates are really written to her. You see, I know that she tears up when she reads something that affects me deeply. I know she feels proud when I describe things - like the way our service members handle themselves or when people do selfless things. I know that she laughs at every single one of my silly little jokes. You are not reading a “weekly update”…. each of these I write - you are reading an open love letter.
Happy Anniversary, my girl.
So to end the story, the day this young boy graduated high school (that very afternoon) – he married the love of his life. And they have lived happily ever after. That day was 14 June, 1974 – thirty seven years ago this coming Tuesday. Of the thirty seven years, they have spent only two anniversaries apart – one (their 30th) in 2004, when he was in Afghanistan – and the other in 2011 – while he is in Iraq.
Is it a love story they will write books about or compose songs about? Probably not, but what a great life they have had. After 37 years of marriage – she still sees in him the “special” qualities that nobody else sees. He still adores her and lives to hear her laugh.
And, dear reader, I want you to know something…. even though I have shared these with you…. these updates are really written to her. You see, I know that she tears up when she reads something that affects me deeply. I know she feels proud when I describe things - like the way our service members handle themselves or when people do selfless things. I know that she laughs at every single one of my silly little jokes. You are not reading a “weekly update”…. each of these I write - you are reading an open love letter.
Happy Anniversary, my girl.
SO… my special readers of this letter…... my time has flown by once again – and I need to get back to doing what you all sent me over here to do. Thank you for sharing my “adventure” and for being part of my wonderful life.
God Bless America
Wade “Mr. Wide”
مهندس واد بروير
It sounds like you had a good week. I was wondering though, did Ali get his shoes, and were they the same kind that he loved so much?
ReplyDeleteAlso, you and Miss Jeanette have a beautiful life story. I am so happy for both of you. Happy Anniversary to you both.
As always, many prayers for you and Miss Jeanette. Stay safe.
Wade, you are a very special man. I have always loved your wife, she was so good to me while we were growing up. I can't be happier to know that you and Jeanette have found true love, true in every sense of the word. I love what you have given to my good friend, I love you too. Please stay safe..........thank you so much for allowing us to share in your love letters home
ReplyDeleteThe pictures of the two of you, past, and present, could be one and the same...the love you have for each other is truly evident. Happy Anniversary!
ReplyDeleteBTW, I think I know where you can get good flatbread when you get home...Fremont, CA!!! They have a fairly large Afgahn community !!!
Awwww! I teared up reading that last part. I'd write a story about the two of you; I find your love and friendship inspiring and precious.
ReplyDelete