Traveling in china

We came back from China. We traveled in the land for a little more than 3 weeks. It was lots of fun. Fantastic experience, some times we loved it and sometimes we (I) wanted to just run away. It is really huge country we spend five nights in the night train. I liked people in the countryside a lot although there were some strange habits that I could not get used to that! (like spitting, public toilets, etc).

It is crowded; I mean hundreds of people where ever you go! There are so many people in the streets. Lots of movement and energy! I really like that.

It is weird when you are some where and there is no way of communication. And what ever you say they do not understand! And some times even the body language is different! Ah getting food become such a challenge… ;) very simple things that generally you do not think about it becomes very important, like: eating, going to toilet and talking! (with the same order!)



"Here is an example of toilet, in a hotel. Very friendly and social! (we almost always used the touristy ones, which had a separating wall! Luckily!"

Finding the train and taking bus, etc all was great fun! Trying to pattern match the Chinese characters and make sure that actually the bus goes in the direction that you had aimed for! Especially in such a crowded country, where every body and everything is running, can be fun. In Shanghay and Beijing the metro stops had some English written too, so you could just count after how many stop you arrive. We got pretty good hand on it, people were usually very nice, we could double check the characters on our ticket and the lonely planet book and we would ask people. They were generally very nice and helpful.

We both were surprise to see extend of the capitalism. I did not see any sign of communism, except of the Mao’s photo hanging in some places. Nothing of the social security, forget it! All is about Money…. or maybe people were treating us differently because we were tourists. No matter if went to temple (which I always had this romantic view of peace and happiness) or went to a mosque or an archeological site, people (officially or unofficially) were trying to get some thing from us. Pretty much opposite from the idea of happy people, who share everything and fighting capitalism, when money is evil!



"Trains, Hard sleeper, top view. It was very nice, noisy, with many people. Indeed Chinese do not like the walls, the hard sleeper compartments also do not have any separating wall."

Getting away and learning how to say “NO” to people who suddenly jump in front and try to sell some postcard, jewelry, etc was a challenge. Especially at the beginning when we (Simon) wanted to say politely that actually we do not need this 5kg Buddha statues! And definitely we can not pay 80 € for it!

If you want to go, you should go soon, this tourism industry is changing the country and people tremendously. We ran away from them by going to north, and to inner Mongolia.



"Beautiful mountains of Huangshan, in early morning."

The nature was pretty, I was astonished to see that the Chinese painting of the mountains with round peak, is actually exist and it is not just a static imagination of painters mind! Amazing, really pretty! Walking on the great wall was fun too. It was raining and I really enjoyed it. All the time thinking of Marco polo who walked there, (Iranians know what I mean: the stories of Marco polo and his travels trough silk road to china, was on Iranian TV for tens of times, in all the forms of film and cartoons, and I was a fan of him!)



"On great wall. It was very dreamy. All day rained, and the view was spectacular!"

In short we went to mountain, and desert, in the north. Hehe, Simon made(!) me to drive a camel, YOUHOU , at last after 30 years of life I saw a camel in real! And it was such a fun riding her. She was going slowly, you would feel like sitting in a boat, with a relaxing rhythm, until she would reach a hill! Then it was scary! Because she would forget that actually I am sitting on her back! And I might fall down of the hill, as the result of her strange movement of neck and bending of her body!



"Me, riding a pretty camel. It was a pretty desert."

In short we started from Shanghai, to Hangzhou, Huangshan, Xian, Zhongwei (Shapotou District) in desert, Yinchuan, Bayanhot (city in inner Mongolia), and we came back from Beijing.
I’ll write a couple of stories from the trip.

China

Hey friends,
Sorry! I didn’t get the chance to finish all the Kabul stories.
I am travelling in China,now.
I'll get back to write here again in June....

Is Kabul dangerous?

I would say No! Considering the circumstances! And what are they?
I think the dangers in Kabul (and maybe in Afghanistan, as I was told) are; first: if you are been taken as a hostage, second: you could die in a suicide bomb attack. There are ways of avoiding both. If you stay away from Americans, and the route of military transports, as well as very crowded places the chance of getting killed in a bombing, is not too big! And if it happens you are just bad luck! (Car accident in Tehran is more probable maybe!)I think kidnapping is the bigger fear especially for foreign looking visitors. Any way almost every body in Kabul should have a trusted person who drives her/him around. I have to say that I didn’t fear taking a taxi myself. It was ok and people were very nice. Being Iranian and woman has it’s own advantages. Honestly I didn’t really feel being in danger. This could be because of two reasons, first: I knew the language, customs and I had no problem in communicating with people. I was very well aware of my surrounding and I could foresee how things are developing. Second: I had very good people and resources that were giving me enough information on what is happening (had happened) in the city.



"Jade meyvand"



"Center of Kabul"

However, I think living in Kabul as an Afghan and especially for a woman could be really difficult. Women feel extremely insecure. I heard that in every conversation. I could feel that I do not have freedom in moving around. As a person who always took care of herself, being dependent on another person to drive me around was really annoying. Once Hashem told me if I would stay a little more I would learn the addresses myself and then I could also take care of myself. Maybe next time….

I didn’t know (generally) people from the same parents do not have similar family name in Afghanistan

Me (sitting in the office talking with my colleague): hey guys do you know who is “P” that the young students love him so much? Is he really honest in his political claims?
H (the colleague who I asked him): you shouldn’t ask me this question!
Me: why?
H: because he is my brother.
Me: OH! You guys have the same mother? (I was surprised since here having the same mother but different father is some thing very rare, because this would be the consequence of dead husband or divorced women, and there are strict rules for these cases. I’ll write about it later.)

H: NO! We are from the same parents!
Me: what? don’t say nonsense! His family name is “P” and yours “H” how can you be brothers???!!!
H: believe me! Ask others. We do not have the family name in Afghanistan. We have Takhalos (what do you want to call yourself)

And he was right. Now I see why people here just call each other with the first name. Just like the old times in Iran, (that I haven’t seen!) I do not know how it is in other parts of the world. It was really cute! It seems the concept of having sort of family name had came for the people who were applying for passport for immigration purpose.

Also here marriage is not registered anywhere! I was teasing my friends: “good! can I have as much as husband I want to? Who knows, nowhere is registered!” They were shocked and trying to explain me that of course the family knows you are married! (maybe that’s why the family and tribes have such strict (some times inhuman) rules against women.)

I did not expect to see disco or bars in Kabul in which alcoholic drinks are served:

Second night I arrived in Kabul, two Iranian guys (my neighbors) suggested on going to a nearby disco, what! Disco? in Kabul? Is it safe? If Taliban gets annoyed and blow it up, then?!
They told me no need to be scared, here you can legally buy and drink alcohol, no problem!
Cool! I asked an Afghan friend to join me. Then I realized that Afghans are not allowed to the discos, and bars.



I was really annoyed, how can be? So unfair, why is it accepted the “Others = internationals” do whatever they want?


"a Chinese restaurant in Kabul"


"This was my first drink in Kabul!"

Another night, I went to a famous bar, and I saw the law hanged on the wall, that Afghans are not allowed. And ironically the owner himself was afghan! He told me “I can not also serve you alcoholic drinks since you are Iranian and you should be Moslem!”
me: “ Idiot! Any way by law you should! I am a foreigner! give me then a Tequila! with lime plz”

I also had a food in very fancy foreign restaurants, Chinese, Italian, French, middle eastern, … name it!
Very paradoxical.



"The overexposed hanging frame,
says that: Afghans are not allowed! "


"Antique guns: Decoration inside
a fancy restaurant"

The government is trying to forbid serving alcoholic drinks. Most of the discos were closed. Actually I think this way is better than the current situation. There are a lot of foreigners there, and people feel they have been colonized; there are much negative feeling about these internationals, which bring so called “Haram” stuff.
No need for putting oil on top of fire, with disrespecting the general believes…

I was amused to see every body in Kabul has one mobile phone

This is really one of the funniest things. The most out of context technology resembling the consumer side of globalization! (hehe, what a statement!) I also immediately bought a mobile phone, you can’t do anything without! Actually an afghan friend had told me as one of the security instruction to buy a mobile as soon as I arrive and always have enough credit on it. Indeed I should have known that it is easy to buy a mobile phone, but it was funny to see there is hardly any fix telephone line and just mobiles. Lots of people had such a fancy mobiles! One guy laughed at my old and simple mobile. The mobile commercials were the most dominate ones, actually almost the only one! Three companies: Rooshan, Ariba and Afghan-sim, all foreign company, British, Arab and American. You wonder if really connecting people in this part of world is important. I mean if this is the philosophy behind it? Or is it again the matter of good business?


"Mobile shop, you see them every where"

From marketing point of view it is actually smart, case study: there are almost no addresses here, houses do not have number, and most of the streets do not have any name sign. How do you find an address?
Me; I want to meet A (imagine A is actually the Parliament member, who I want to interview her about women movements).
Me (calling): after lengthy greetings, would you be so kind and give me a time for interview this week?
A: maybe tomorrow
Me: Oh great! What time?
A: call me in the morning. If this number doesn’t work , the other one…
Me: sure!

Tomorrow morning:
Me (calling): where is the address?
A: come to Kabul City center (a big building some where in the Shahr e Nouw) then I’ll tell you how to come here.

Kabul City Center:
Me: I am in Kabul City center, where should I go now?
A: take the first street which has a kiosk on the …..

…… and after couple of times calling and spending at least 1$ I get to the appointment.

I asked from an executive director of one of above listed mobile company. “why every body has a mobile phone and what is your motivation”? he answered, “mobile is cheap here, it cost nothing! You almost phone for free”.
I guess I would pay around 5 cents every time I call, (not that much cheaper than in the Netherlands) so if making one appointment cost around 1$, and average income of government employers is 50$ a month, can some body do the math?


"Mobile advertise, Ariba, with cute girls!"

What is the use of consumer technology, when is just helping people get lazier and empty their packets? Wouldn’t they try to at least put a number on the houses of their street if they weren’t be connected to give direction on the phone? Maybe yes, maybe no! nobody knows! I still wonder whether you would need a certain educational and infrastructural base for bringing new consumer technologies, not educational, not beneficial for the development. Would it work if you take current high tech devices to a society of 100 years a go? It is amusing to observe that here!


"Mobile commercial on the ruined building! again Ariba"

I did not expected days and nights without electricity in Kabul

I knew there are difficulties with electricity. I was expecting to be some similarity with the war time is Iran, staying without electricity for couple of hours a day, is OK. However it was much worst. Despite that I was just in Kabul, (not even a small city) every two days we had a couple of hours electricity. All the people who can effort it have a generator which works on the gasoline. The fuel is very expensive, so just who can pay have light at home. Well again it is in Kabul, not in small city or so!



"Switching on the generator!"

The direct consequence is on the traffic. It so funny to see there is no stop light in the cross roads, even if it is, there is no electricity for them to work! Often a police man guiding cars. Any way I do not know really how people know where and when they are allowed to go or when to stop!

Here the electricity generated mainly from water, with dams which are build on the rivers. Last year winter has been very hard. It was a lot of snow and freezing cold. People were telling me the rivers were frozen with little water to get electricity. The North of Afghanistan has good resources of water, originating from the high mountains reaching to Himalayas. It such a pretty scenery in Kabul, when the day is clear.


"Kabul river and the mountains"


"Kabul river: view from the bridge "

Just couple of weeks ago, I was fantasizing with Simon what would happen if there is no energy, and no electricity. Here you go! Some evenings was fun sitting under the head lamp (or candle light), running my laptop on the battery, and writing my diaries ;-). It reminded me of when I was 8 or 9, during the Iran-Iraq war. Me and Mahsa (my sister) had to do our homework under the candle or oil light, the oil light had some metal bars around it, and in some angles it would give shadow, that was really annoying! we would often argue who sits where to get a better spot on avoiding the shadows on the pages of notebook. There were nights we would get bored on sitting in one place, and we would play with melted candles or make shadows patterns on the wall with our figures!

I am becoming pretty nostalgic here!!!

I didn’t expect to see no asphalt in the streets and extremely destroyed roads in Kabul

I really did not expect to see dirt road in the Kabul streets. I already noticed that when the airplane was reducing the altitude, I thought he, why is it muddy! Nevertheless when I came out of the airport, I saw it better. If it was rain or snow, all the streets would turn to large muddy roads. If it was dry, dust in the air would limit your eye vision to couple of meters. I have to say that I was consciously trying to not be bothered, but once Hashem who was driving me, said: “it looks that dead dust is covered the city”! it was some hint of truth in what he said.
When I think about it, I wonder why I expected to see a better situation. Is it because of my reference is Iran (and in comparison there is much more developed! There is infrastructure there)! Or did I underestimated the three decays of war here? Any how i expected that at least the capital city has been a little repaired after the Taliban, wih all these money which came in!


"Bazar"



"A street in the center of city"


Any how I am still puzzled, why nobody takes care of the roads in the Kabul? This would make such a big change in the appearance of the city and give such a hope to the people that some thing is changing. Would make people motivated, so many reason for spending the money to build the roads. The theory of some Afghans was: “they do not want to make the roads, they do not want to do any thing for people, they all have come here to use the chance and have a good business for themselves.” Always it come the word of “They”, it is a dual feeling, in one side I think what is this “they”, why not “we”? Why should “we” not doing something and wait for “they”! General problem of our region? Waiting for the others?! But, maybe here the situation is different, 30 years of war left the country with no infrastructure, no experts, no educations, etc. can’t be any way of building the streets?
I heard it has been different attempts, but the problem is corruption, etc…


"This one was one of the good streets!"



"One of the worst ones!"

I thought it would be a big celebration for Norouz (New year day) in Kabul

Intending in the Norouz, celebration on 21st of March was one my main goal of coming to Afghanistan at this time of the year. There is a big celebration in Mazar-e-Sharif in the north. Unfortunately I couldn’t go there. There were no available flight and too many avalanches had happened and expected to happen in the road. Ah I really wanted to go there with car, traveling trough the Hidukush road and Salang tunnel! If I had more time I would go, but I just couldn’t afford staying couple of days in the road. (My hosts were happy that I don’t go since they were scared of suicide bombing for New Year ceremony, which actually didn’t happened!). So I stayed in Kabul.
In Kabul it was some celebration, but not as big as I expected, (or maybe I was expecting too much). In Iran the whole ceremony and getting prepared for the Khaneh Tekani (cleaning the house) and shopping of new-year, etc. starts almost a month before the new year, but in Kabul it was nothing going on the whole week before Norouz. Here also the Norouz ceremony which is originated from Zoroastrian religion got Moslem mix. I write about how I spent my Norouz later. But for the Persian version check out: شب سال نو در هتل کانتیننتال کابل and نوروز در باغ زنانه کابل



"Norouz shopping in Kabul streets "



"Norouz shopping in Kabul bazaar."

I expected that Afghans do not like Iranians:

I had the feeling that Afghans do not like Iranians. I was measuring the way we (mainly our government) treated them in Iran, very inhuman and criminal. For example they did not ever allowed to be Iranian, so there were Afghans who were born and grown up in Iran. Who never saw any where else except Iran, and we never accepted them as Iranian. They could not go to university, they could not intend in the science or sport competitions, never allowed to vote, etc. They were working very hard and had no job security, no insurance nothing! If this would happen to Iranians here in the Netherlands, we would make big demonstrations. So I really was scared that they would hate me as Iranian. But I was totally wrong!
I was surprise to see every body loved Iran. From the university students, political activist, people walking in bazaar, booksellers, afghan soldiers, or the women in the Women’s garden in Kabul. Every body was approaching me as you are my friend. They were telling me their nice memories from Iran. There was just one guy, who used to work in a farm near Shiraz, who told me the Iranian had treated him bad. Still he was telling me that Rafsanjan was good, he had worked in a farm there too.

I gathered that a lot of the Afghans look at Iran as their culture, history and ideal country. (Funny for me, I thought, cool! it is good to come here and get a little confident with being Iranian! Specially these days when all the burden goes deep in your root. When you are opening a news paper, turn on the TV, or just sit in a bar to drink a beer and some body ask you with frightened face of why do you want to blow up the world with atomic bomb? Why do you want to wipe off the Israel? Why …. )
I wanted to know a little more, I gathered that: afghan women liked Iran, because there is security there, they were allowed to go out of home, they could go to school, and they felt free there. Afghan men who I talked with, were working mainly in big cities, they had their job, and pay had been OK. They were telling me that the Iranian people were nice to them, and they have good friends in Iran. More educated people looking at Iran as where there are culture, poetry, science and history. Even there were Afghan soldiers telling me they want to go to Iran and fight for Ahmadi nejad!, because he is the only one who could stand against the American. I heard this scary subject a lot of time, that people were praising our beloved president!

Although I heard many times from people who would liked to go back to Iran, I just heard from one person who actually said she felt Iran was her home. I was confused, if so many people wanted to go back there, if they were so happy there why nobody wanted to call it home? even the ones who were born and raised there.

I expected to see anti-American feelings:

This was a very double story!
I gathered that in general people in Kabul do not like American, they had expected much more to happen when they come but they were disappointed (I write a bout this later), but saying anti-American, in a strong word. I do not know yet! An American military guy told me “you sit in the US military cars and there is a chance to be blown up, you can’t really go to city!” But he added that he loves Afghans, they are very nice people, he has been just taking a taxi and seen a lot of places in the city. Means people do not hate people, it is some thing to do with the military uniform and Taliban? (not a surprise!)
Nevertheless, I heard from people that draw a clear line between American policy and European ones. They do not trust US, they even think that American brought Taliban for them to make the road open for invading the country. I do not know to call it conspiracy theory or some hints of truth; I heard from couple of intellectuals and an ex-Mojahedin soldier (he had some rank in the troops before): “we never accepted any foreign invasion in our country, we kicked them all out, whether was British, or ex USSR. US knew that they can not come here so easily, that is why they supported Taliban, they were feeding them, they wanted them to be here, to kill the life, culture, economy, ruin the country, and this would made people so sick, would result in a welcome to American for freeing them from Taliban who made them themselves. That is what it happened.” It is a very complex story.



"An old Mojahedin soldier. He had so many stories…"

I expected to see many soldiers and military people

there are a lot of military people in the streets, in the evenings almost on every street there are Asgars (Afghan police). Also there are a lot of semi police places in front of every guest house, UN buildings, or NGO’s people houses, etc. Almost every where there is a security guy keeping eye on something. There were a distinct difference between some of the security guys, for example in front of the UN guesthouse, or embassies some had a real gun or Kalashnikov. While others had a sort of gun which had a knife on top of it, like the one you see in World war one movies. I thought they are remained from the time of British colonizing new lands!
Surprisingly I didn’t see that much of foreigner soldiers, I saw some Turkish military cars. They were passing trough city and I even saw one Turkish soldier was chatting with an Afghan soldier. I saw American with their big guns, once or twice (they really look like Hollywood movies). Most disturbing was to see some had their guns towards people, and the fingers on trigger! I thought this was odd, I could feel the fear their appearance imposes. Interestingly when I talked about this seen with some Afghans they told me; “one of the way you would know if the soldier is American or not is from the way he holds his gun, if it is towards people is American! The European do not do that!” I thought what a witches circle, you take your gun towards people, they hate you, they want to kick you out, they blow themselves up, you get killed, you get scared, you point your gun more straight to protect yourself, and welcome to the war, or call it freeing people! Bringing democracy….



"Asgars, near the bazaar"



"A military car gut stuck in traffic and wanted to push every body away!"



"ISAF cars, in the street (It was not allowed to make a photo from the military sites, so I could just make photo in the road!) "

I have heard do not trust any body:

This was really nonsense! I have read in security things that you should not trust any body, etc. I kept that in mind, I was very aware of my surrounding, (even if I wouldn’t show) but I really saw absolutely nothing with people to feel untrustworthy. I saw such a beautiful simplicity and loyalty with people, who I met. I saw very pretty emotional and human interactions that I have just seen in small villages in Iran, where people are not poisoned with the modern life style. Friendship is build very quickly and people were holding it very strongly, every body wants to help you. The concept of hospitality has an extraordinary meaning here. You are guest, and every thing is for you: time, money, love, respect. I have many examples of everyday, with total strangers in street or shops, or with people who I met. I was really amazed, even with my Iranian identity! Either I have been very lucky, or it is not as bad as it is said. I do realize that because of 30 years of war people have developed a very strong and complex survival attitude and mentality that it is difficult to understand, but it seemed to me that certain values are very strong here.

I expected to see quite and sad people:

I thought I would see a lot of sad people, because of the thirty years of war, I thought people are very unhappy. I saw desperation, and bitterness, but I saw also a lot of happy people. I haven’t reached to a clear idea about this. Two weeks is too short, also I am generally happy person, and a lot of people when approach me would be more positive too. Also it helps that they were more interested to know who I am and what am I up to. Quite? definitely no, I met a lot of talkative, expressive, and noisy people. I also noticed that they are shyer in compare to Iranians. To Dutch I do not want to compare yet!

I expected to see poverty:

very True! This is so painful! There are many baggers, and children forcing you to buy an agenda or something in the streets, or when you are waiting in traffic jam, trying to clean your car windows. Honestly I have seen this also a lot in Tehran. What was more shocking and reminding of war were many women and men without legs, or totally disfigured faces, which are sitting in the middle of the streets. I thought it is crazy, seemed like they want to be actually killed since the cars have to go around them in order to not run over them. When I talk to people I realized that they have real trouble with buying food. I met a lot of people from educated families, who you would think should at least fit in middle class. But that was not true, I would not compare with Dutch standards, that I am used to, but to even Iranian standards they were poor. It is very common to live in four rooms, with eleven people. They are actually pretty well off. Many of people I met had to feed at least ten people with their salary. I was invited to few people’s houses for food, they are very very hospitable people, I haven’t seen that much before any where else. I knew some people who really wanted to invite me to their houses but they were ashamed to show me their apartments.

I expected to see very religious people:

people are Moslem here, in every talk and every behavior you see they are Moslem. Not necessary bad, I felt the most nonbeliever still is a Moslem. When they talk, they refer to Quran. I got the feeling that they think Quran is most modern thing that they could have. That is what they want for their life, politics, etc. I gathered that there is a complex mix of customs and religion. They have a lot of customs which came from their tribal way of life. These are (accidentally)! very similar with what is known as fundamentalism behaviors specially towards women, like selling women, violence, etc. They believe (I think correctly) these customs are nothing to do with Islam. And actually Islam would make life much easier for them.



"an Old mosque (Masjed Jame)"



"a newly build Large mosque”

I expected to see Many men with long beard and shalvar kamiz:

Similar story of women puttying on Burka, but I had the feeling that most of the men have their beard fully shaved, and some not shaved, but I didn’t see that much of LONG beard! One of my friends here had a nice story that when the Taliban left, there were no space in the hairdressers, every body was busy with shaving their beard off. He said that he wasn’t daring to shave off, imagine five years not shaving ANY hair off your face! (even as girl I can feel it!) You would wonder how would you look like, especially when you are young. He said it took him two weeks to shorten his beard part by part!

I expected to see not many women with Jador (Borka):

Actually I saw a lot of women who covered their faces, either in traditional way (you absolutely do not see any thing of face) or just with normal scarf, that you could see their eyes. I would say at least half of the women were like that, I heard in Kabul there are less women covering up. I did see more of young women not covering up. I expected that maybe I need to put on Borgau too, I realized that it was not necessary. I didn’t go to any place that needed to cover myself. The story with women and Hejab is very complex story. I’ll write about what I understood later.



This is me, believe me!
I didn’t have to put on Burka, but I just wanted to try to make a photo. Look carefully do you see my eyes?

What did I expected of Kabul before I come here? Part I

The following posts might become a little more serious! my scientific side is coming up sometimes!

I expected to see:

1. Ruined houses because of war: I saw many of ruined houses and many construction works. For days an area called Makroyan, which is in one side of river was the front line of war, different Mojahedin groups were shooting from both sides of Kabul river passing trough the city. You can still see the bullet holes and ruined houses in this area. The area is build with big concrete apartments from communist’s times, very similar to what I saw last month in some areas in Dresden (East Germany). I also saw many houses and apartments which were newly built. These were very out of concept, and ugly to be honest! In the area with many ruined houses and dirt road with big holes in the street, suddenly you can see a pretty house with mirror worked walls, colorful stones and modern windows. Big gardens and lots of security wires on top of walls. I like to see how the city would look like in ten years from now.
Also it was surprising that most of the pretty old houses, which now turned to high class restaurants (mainly for foreigners), were hidden behind a very dirty ugly walls, with a big door. I wouldn’t ever expected to see a big garden behind the walls. You would go inside and totally forget about outside.



"Old part of city: Shar e Kohneh"




"Makroyan houses"




"Destroyed houses"




"New build house: often happens in the middle of totally ruined street a newly build house".


2. Very crowded streets like in south of Tehran: true, there were a lot of people in the streets, especially around the market (Bazar) near the river. Also too much traffic, not as much as Tehran, but similar. In the evening the city was deserted though!








3. To be very cold: Not too bad! The temperature drops pretty fast here, but I was lucky with timing, spring is coming!. During days was really nice and sunny, beside of couple of days of rain. But evenings are pretty cold. Past winter was one of the coldest winters, for long time the temperature stayed below zero. Here the houses do not have any good isolation, there is no gas and people use a lot of wood to warm up. If you are rich your windows are actually have glass, otherwise it is plastic.

Arriving in Kabul

The flight landed around 11:30. We were sitting in front so we could take off quickly. The line for women and men were separated. You could see people who had somebody that they knew would go right away to the front! The airport looks like the war ruins, BIG block of concrete and damn cold I didn’t dare to make any photo, I didn’t want to stick out as tourist. I had my black scarf tightly closed, it was not necessary, there were so many women that they just had a colorful narrow scarf on. I was the first in the women line, while the solder was checking my passport, a pretty well dressed guy who was chatting to the immigration officer (they knew each other apparently) told me, OH you are Iranian! I thought you were from USA! I was damn scared; this guy had his eyes on me since I was in Dubai! And in all the security things they tell you to be sure that people do not get the idea that you are stranger and try to stay anonymous! I was really annoyed.
Then I went to fill in the forms, obligatory for foreigners, they say to keep eyes on them.



"Arrival hall!"



"Just outside of departure hall"


A guy came to me and said Oh you are Maryam jan? (jan is a word that we use in Persian for people who are very very close to you, but I gathered later that here they use it as a sort of respect, as well as being friendly), I remember I got so shock that I just stared at the guy. Who told me that Hashem jan, (the guy who was going to pick me up) could not come inside and he is waiting outside, I am working here and I came to pick you up, he kept saying that ,God is nice, such a lucky incident. I just saw you and I thought it should be Maryam jan! I was really confused, I sort of went close to my Bodyguard! (military contractor), and asked him to keep eye on me. I was really scared, since I saw all the foreigners were totally closed up and they just collected in a small group in the corner waiting for their suitcases, and Afghans were very happy and noisy. They were at home, I was sort of insider and outsider. I could hear and understand their joy of being home, it would be just the same as in Tehran airport when you arrive, but I didn’t know this people, and I was a foreigner too. I could feel closer to all of these European NGOs people, because I was also totally aware of security issues, etc. At last the luggage were arrived, we walked out of the hall to the open area, which was not stones or asphalt or any ting else except of plain muddy ground. With some buildings, which were totally torn down, I felt I am walking in war zone. The first impression: contradiction of ruined and destroyed area with laugh and happiness of families visiting home, nonmilitary foreigners who were scared and wanted to be as invisible as possible and solders who were happy to be back on their jobs.



"Departure area of Kabul airport"




"Old airport"


In the open space I felt more calm, and I didn’t mind walking and dragging my suitcase in the mud, reminded me of when I was ten, living in Manjil, it was the same sticky mud!

I saw Hashem for the first time, he is really nice guy who took care of me, and drove me around all the time I was in Kabul. Later I learned that he wanted to go to Dushanbe (Tajikistan) for new year. (He is from Tajik part of Afghanistan) but he canceled it for taking care of me.

I felt at home.

The flight

The flight

The same routine of yesterday; passing trough custom, (I was very much relieved to get back my passport back though), getting coffee in the same shop, standing in the same lines ,and finally we were really transferred to the airplane.
In the coffee line I met a Dutch guy. We started to talk and actually came out that he lives also in Utrecht. Amazing! What a small world. We sat in the plane next to each other and talked Dutch, he was working in Afghanistan for a long time, very interesting guy who had traveled and worked in many places in the world. He told me living and working in Afghanistan is HARD! It is the end of the world. We chatted a lot about the political situations, feeling of people, and of course about Iranian politics, Ach! This Ahmadi Nejad name is just pinned to all Iranians forehead! He is so controversial that every body wants to hear from you what you think is in his brain. I wish at least he was just a bit as smart as what, his unbelievable acts, makes people to think he is.
The food was smelly, I didn’t dare to eat. But any way it was less than three hours flight.

Flying over mountains, was breath-taking, so pretty, it was lots of snow. And high, you would feel you can just jump there, no shelter no road, so wild! We were lucky to have a clear sky, so the view was fantastic. When we got to Afghanistan, in a few minutes we got very high altitude, it looked that you are climbing a high slope with your car!. Dutch guy said it is because of security. To avoid rackets from the mountains who might shoot towards airplanes. OH! I felt that when we were making round in Kabul’s sky, to decrease the altitude. The airplane had to go around the city and clime down.

Just a flash back to one of the many talks I had in the trip:
Roles: A (a young military contractor) and me (Maryam)

Me: How long are you going to stay here?
A: Another 6 months or so.
Me: where have you been before?
A: in Iraq, for 6 months
Me: Ouy! Wasn’t it dangerous?
A: it is OK!
Me: did you like it there?
A: no it was really shit! But I love Afghanistan. Here is raw, it is harsh and it is wild!
Me: but now it is getting hard too isn’t it?
A: more danger more money!
Me: Aha, so you work for a bit and then retire?
A: that’s the plan, I need to work for another 6 months or so , then it is 3 years I am in the business.

I was confuse, I loved his honesty, we talked a lot about so many other things, I didn’t dare to ask him how many people has he killed, or if he ever has done. It was weird; he seemed really cool and nice guy. Reminded me of the movie ”Bodyguard”!

And maybe that’s why, that I stuck to him, in case if I need protection.
I was a little sacred of what am I going to encounter. I trusted the people who will come to pick me up. But any how I’ve never met them, or really talked to them. I just arranged all the trips based on trust of who knows whom! And all based on a friend of mine said this to a fiend of yours, and…
I noticed as we were approaching Kabul, and especially in Kabul airport, all the foreigners became totally aware. People weren’t talking that much and the faces became like ice cold, except of military guys. They were there just on job.

I didn’t get that much sleep!

Khaleh, Afghans call all ladies Khaleh; means aunty and I started to call the old lady, Khaleh too. She has a son and grandson in another part of United Imarets, which is about two hours away from Dubai. She hasn’t met them for almost 4 years. I learned that she is living with her other child in Denmark. I was really impressed with her courage of traveling half of the world with herself while she is absolutely illiterate! Any how when her children heard that all the flights from Dubai is cancelled they had tried to find her. And they succeeded just at 6pm, when I was hoping that I can get a long night sleep! The story is she needed to get visa to be able to get out of the airport and visit her family, but now she was in the city. It was a dramatic, emotional reunion ;-) suddenly there were 4 extra people in our hotel room. Very sweet. I didn’t mind sitting there and seeing them talking in their sweet Dari language, which now I got used to it. Some times can be very confusing since they use different word usage than in Persian we speak in Iran.

So I got to learn so much about the family, and hear all the stories. They were a middle class family, who had hard time to support themselves and also during the years of war have been refugee in different places, Iran, Pakistan and at the end in Dubai. Her son has a wife and daughter who meets them just two times a year. They live in Kabul, but he is working in Dubai to earn some money. I thought this is hard!
Around midnight they decided to go to the city, it seems that there are some shops that are open 24 hours. Her son wanted to buy a dress for her 4 years old daughter, but he wouldn’t know how tall she is; I was trying to choose something fun! But they told me it should be long.

They were very nice people, very simple and kind. We got back to hotel, I slept for an hour and Khaleh prayed to thank god for letting her meeting her family. Her children were kidding her that you prayed to god for preparing the condition on meeting each other, god accepted your wish but it cost 14 people going to hospital! And the whole airport was closed! (referring to the accident) we were joking with her and laughing so much.

OK! Why did I come to Kabul?

Make it short: curiosity;
I wanted to see the country. I have met so many Afghans in Iran, and never learned about them, we speak the same language, they were part of Iran until less than two centuries ago. And I always had a feeling that we treated them horribly, I know I cannot judge any thing considering circumstances. it is just my personal idea.

Also I wanted to see if I ever wanted to work in the hard condition, can I do that? What would be my reaction to the insecurity, war, etc. which I‘ve experienced them myself in much milder condition that people have done here. It is always a romantic feeling of working to make a little change for people. But is it just a hype, or do I really feel honestly I want to do that? How good can I react to this situations? How do I like it?

I had a good excuse too, which is true! I wanted to see Afghan Nowrooz. The Persian new year which is celebrated in the countries in the region, especially in Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Iran. Date is 21st of March for arrival of spring. These countries have been trough totally different historical changes and I was interested to see how these differences effected the ancient Nowrooz rituals.
I making programs for Radio Zamaneh. Where I am working there as a (sort of professional hobby). You can read and listen to my reports in Persian there.

I learned that it is not possible to be tourist there. So I contacted (trough friends) a cultural and political organization, who hosted me in Kabul, called Arman Shahr. It is a wonderful group of young people, working to build up their country. I am taking interviews and doing a research on women movement in Afghanistan.

Also I am taking some stuff, for a children project, which is about the schools in the Netherlands and two schools in Afghanistan. I think it is great project. And I am really happy to (totally by chance), got to know and help the project less than a week before I arrive in Kabul.

Some more stuff too, any way I made myself enough busy to have the vacation I want in Afghanistan! I wanted to travel around, but it looks getting difficult. It is snow and cold. The roads are very busy before Nowrooz. No flight and insecurity because of suicide bombers we see what happens. …………

Here I write the stories for my friends, who might be as curious as me to know what is happening in a country beside the war news. People live here! And there is life.
I keep the people anonymous, and whom I talk about I have asked directly for permission. Now I am not having the good internet connection to put on the photos and videos. I try to upload some thing in http://rebel.tv , I put the rest online when ever I got to higher speed internet.

going to Kabul

I go to Kabul. I write the story here, now there is no time to write alot, but I write why did i come ....

one night in Dubai

My flight was canceled. I expected to board at 7:30 am to the flight towards Kabul. But it was 8 am and I had no idea why nothing was announced, I was confuse since no body was around to even ask, I also saw some Iraqis ladies who were flying to Basreh with Iraq airline and I saw them being around again! They had got my attention because of their very pretty dresses, I have never seen some thing like that before, long skirts with a sort of dress on top it, very colorful, with lots of hand work on it. Any way I would give any thing just to be able to sleep some where, the chairs where very uncomfortable to sleep and I wasn’t daring to lay down on the ground. Around 9 am I realized that all the flights were cancelled because of accident which had happened with a Singapore airline while it was taking off. It was a big caos, and it was interesting to see how people are reacting to that, so much of rumors about how many people were killed or so, next day I heard it was just one person who ha to go to hospital and another 14 people got some brouses.

Around 10 am they collected our passports. The reason: for the immigration we were registered as we had left the country so they had to again register us as getting in to the country. I was really scared to give my passport away, I wasn’t alone , it was an Italian guy who was freaking out too, he was working in Italian embassy.
There were a lot of foreign workers, from different countries. I got to talk to an Australian, and a South African security guys who were working in military bases and US embassy, a girl who was doing internship to build a an art school, a girl from a small French NGO working for women organizations. Also two Egyptian guys who were working as contract workers. An interesting German boy, who was working in the afghan providences with a German NGO to set up help for post war traumas. He was coming back from Darussalam, where he had a training program for some workshops, and decided to skip his week of vacation work, to be with his German friends. Last week one of his colloquies had got shot and that was a big thing for German developing workers.

There were also an interesting couple who have a big mobile (telecommunication) company, in Afghanistan; later, I learned that they are one of the main providers, and people think they are too expensive. He was very talkative and funny.

Giving back the passports took too long. There were announcing almost every 10 minutes: “Dubai airport is nonsmoking airport, there are some designated area for smokers ” . This became a big joke between people. Imagine you are stuck there with no information and no idea of what is happening, and some random guys come and take your passport!! Nevertheless they remind you of not smoking!

At last they came, to give back the passports, it was hilarious! Imagine an Arab guy who is trying to read all this strange foreign names. And can not read them! And just show the passport from far away and asks, whose is this? Well we had lots of fun there. Every body got his passport. Except of people who had Afghan passport as well as me and the Egyptian guys! Problem: we needed visa to get out of the air port! So now? “Wait it is going to be arranged in half an hour!” OK! Lets a get a coffee, and smoke in designated area!

Well it wasn’t too bad. In these situations people become friends, I heard so many stories from one of the Egyptian guys. He lived and worked in Afghanistan for almost 2 years. It gave me a nice chance to hear the perception of some of the foreign who were there, who are more an observer, since they cannot talk or understand the language. Who were there really JUST FOR JOB, good money. No romantic ideas that I have! And also they see how things are working, so no fancy fluffy imaginations. I really liked that!

The passports didn’t show up until 4 PM. Suddenly they announced you can get to the flight! We were very happy and surprise, but then we found out that was a “trick” white lie! to get every body quickly to the gate. We were transferred to a hotel some where in the city and they just gave us a piece of paper and said, you can come back tomorrow and get your passports. I was happy that at least I got to get my ticket, and suitcase.

In hotel we had to share our room, I was really annoyed I didn’t want to share my room with somebody who I do not know. We were 3 women, who were actually traveling sort of alone. An African, an old Afghan lady from Hazara’s area, and me. At that point I didn’t realize that the Afghan lady was alone, I thought the man who was with her was her son. (later I figured out that he was just a far relative trying to help her, with trip, amazing that she was absolutely illiterate) actually it came a little ugly, because when I was arguing that I do not want to share my room, (just as the principle that they messed up and I am not going to pay for it, too naive and stupid of me any way!) the African lady thought I do not want to share my room with her because she is black! And she kept cursing me and repeating “I have a god”! (well I might have a god too!) She was not listening to me a tall, also because she was just hearing the half of talks which was in English not my Persian words in arguing with other people. The old lady was saying I do not want to share my room with the black girl because she smells. Total nonsense! and it was such a wired situation. Also because the afghan lady was Hazara, during the war many Hazaras lived in Iran, and I could see the face of arrogant Iranian girl who is thinking she is superior! At the end I decided to stay with the old lady just because she was too much dependent, not even knowing how to use the lift! And any way me trying to talk to the African lady was not any use too! Honestly it was a good reminder of hey step back, there is no principle here! They even didn’t try to get their right! They even weren’t allowing me to ask why can’t we get our private room when we had paid for the flight, just accepting that if the airline says you have to share the room, means we have to share with no word! Also the whole black, Iranian , Hazare, thing was really wired! I had totally forgotten about the influence of prejudice, based on races and color.


It was not too bad, I was happy that I have a room and I can sleep. But I had to take care of afghan lady. She was funny, I suddenly had found a grandmother, who hardly could understand her accent, (afghans speak Dari, which is like Persian, but with different accent, often different word usage and grammar). We went to get lunch, the hotel was full of Iranians, who were there for holidays. I got to talk to couple of them. I really wanted to sleep.

Dubai

Sitting in an Irish bar in Dubai! it is 1:30 am, I just arrived after 6:30 hours flight! Drinking a light Amstel beer is very pleasant. This Emirate’s flight are pretty OK! I had a choice of choosing between 200 movies and TV shows, to read the BBC headlines, and so any entertainments, you can easily fly for days with out getting bored! I watched The Queens and pirates of Caribbean, the second one!
I had three sits for myself and I could just lay down, and watch my movies with a glass of not so good wine! Better than nothing though!
I have to say that I became a little emotional when we were flying above Shiraz! When I saw the lights of city and feeling that it is first time I am flying above Iran, and I’m not having the perspective of seeing my family in couple of hours. That felt weird!

Dubai airport is very big, it is a large hall with so many shops, it seems that every body here came to shop (or window shop). I can’t go out into city I need to get visa, and anyhow I ‘ll fly to Kabul in 8 hours.

I went to pick up my ticket from Afghan airline, Ariana, but they told me that I have to go to Kam Air, it seems my flight is different. Nevertheless I got my first chat with couple of people who were standing in the line. A Philippine guy who is doing his military service in Kabul. He was fund of Afghanistan, he showed me his ear stone and said you can find very nice stones in Kabul. He told me that Kabul is really cool! But do not go to Ghandehar, he said he was in ghandehar for a week, and it was every day a suicide bombers and he was so scared that he couldn’t stay any more, he had to beg his manager to send him back to Kabul.
And of course I got to see a Dutch guy! Gees I can’t even get read of Dutch in Afghanistan  He was an engineer, working for Shell, we chatted a little, and joked about what the heck Shell is doing in Afghanistan? There are some oil in Mazar-e-Sharif, and of course we joked about the pipe lines which are suppose to go trough Afghanistan, (when there is more security in the land to actually be able to pass the pipe lines!) but any how he was also a volunteer. using his vacations to start up a water project there, we didn’t talk that much about the project, typical Dutch. He didn’t want to give too much of information. I never get this part of the culture! Or maybe I am too direct wanting to go to the point right away and people scare that I want to get some thing from them! Or Simon would say maybe he was annoyed to see some body from the Netherlands!

The colure of people here is beautiful, it is full of Indian, Indonesian, lots of German, and Arabs. Feels very nice, I should come back here with Simon.

The palm trees in the middle of the hall of duty free are the main reminder of I’m in the Gulf area, reminder of Bandar Abbas, (in south of Iran). It is pretty impressive.

I can’t find the wire less internet I thought I’ll be able to find. I guess I could find it n the lounge of business class airline. Any way it is exciting. Tomorrow I’ll be in Kabul!

Damn! For an Amstel beer I paid 9 euros. This is the most expensive beer I’ve ever had in my life!