Basics

One of the things I love about moving into a new place is seeing the transformation that occurs. Over the months or years you can see how a place morphs into a home. I’m delighted to have my new additions a rug and some plants. I finally bought some plants to bring a little life…

Afghanistan is treating me well. After a month in country it really feels as though I’m settling in to some good routines. While I’ve been enjoying spending more time relaxing and being social than I ever had time to do in DC, I’m also working on finding some good activities to engage in. Many expats…

My apologies in advance for the heaviness of the today’s topic. I figure that underneath it all, folks are thinking of security issues when they imagine me in Afghanistan. Might as well bring it out in the open. Today I had a shocking reminder of the dangers that exist no matter where you are in…

As you can see, I work in a house that appears more like a wedding cake than an office building. INGOs (International Non-governmental Organizations) are basically stuck with the Pakistani chintz architecture that has made its way over the border. As you can see, modern style houses are nothing but elaborate and gaudy. I learned…

I figure that I’ll start with some of the basics here, like what I do. I know that given my line of work, people are often at a loss for what I actually do, particularly in Afghanistan. I am now based in Kabul, Afghanistan working on the Higher Education Project (HEP). I am still with…