3. The Arrival

I couldn't stop taking in the smell. Kabul has this distinct odor in the air that I think is a combination of diesel fumes, rubble, fresh baked bread and burning trash. But despite it, there is a crispness to the air that I have never experienced anywhere in the world. I was still sort of in shock that I had finally made it back. It felt like I had never left. All the familiar faces, signs, sounds....I barely even felt the freezing air around me. As I entered the new terminal, I was blinded by all the light. Whoa....and there was an actual working baggage carousel. I was told that Kabul now has 24 hour electricity. I was immediately approached by 7 men pushing baggage carts asking me if I needed help. I initially refused but then realized that I have 3 huge suitcases so I gestured to one of them to come help me. But instead I got all 7 of them! My bags arrived, I got my passport stamped and found the driver holding a sign with my name on it out in the terminal. This was truly the fastest and easiest exit from Kabul Airport that I had ever had. I thought of it as a good sign that things have changed for the better. There were no more beggers in front asking for Bakhshish (which literally means "gift" in Farsi). I noticed more paved roads around the airport and just a general sense of order that didn't exist before. 

As we drove out of the airport, I was overwhelmed with all the huge colorful billboard ads -- for everything from phone cards, to television networks, to detergent and soda drinks --lining both sides of the road. I guess commercialization has hit Kabul big time. But it was sort of ironic hanging over beat up buildings where groups of men were just hanging out in their traditional Paran Tumbans (traditional trousers and shirts that Afghan men wear). I guess somethings just never change. I had a short ride to the guesthouse and didn't recognize much in Wazir Akbar Khan. The amount of construction and development was overwhelming. It was so congested I had no sense of where I was even though I spent 4 years living in this area. 

We parked in front of the guesthouse I will be staying at and it looked anything but warm and friendly. There was a guards booth outside and an armed guarded walked out to the car to greet us. I can't believe how comfortable I was already being around a Kalashnikov. As the door to the main entrance opened I felt much better. There was a nice little garden inside and the building didn't look so bad from inside the high walls of the gates. I walked into the reception area and was informed that my room wasn't ready. I had to wait for a couple of hours until the other person checked out. They were very apologetic and tried to make me comfortable by offering me a spare room they had in the basement. My driver had given me his phone to call home which I did immediately upon settling in the spare room. It was so nice to hear my mother's voice. I already miss her so much. She was so warm and sweet to me. I know this is hard for her, as it is on me, but hopefully with time, we will both get used to the distance. I spent the rest of the afternoon, chatting with friends and answering emails. I finally got my room which was really cozy and warm but has a horrible stench coming from the plumbing in the bathroom. I'll have to figure out how to deal with that soon. 

The rest of the day was a nice lazy one. I love the pace in Kabul. Time just goes by a lot slower and on busy days, you can get so much done. But on weekends, like today, you can actually relax and just enjoy not doing anything. I met some of my co-workers who are also staying at the guest house and we had a lovely dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant a 5 minute drive away. They told me that there are many new dining options available now including a Lebanese restaurant around the corner, a Thai place, a pizza joint, a steak house, a French lounge, and many clubs and bars. You can always count on the night life to be the first thing to come alive in a developing country. By 10 PM, I was starting to fade. We walked a bit and then drove back home. Overall, its was a lovely day. I am anxious to get started with work tomorrow. Its midnight and my internal clock is totally off but I need to end the day. As my first day in Kabul comes to a close, I am filled with a warm feeling of hope and excitement for what's to come. I love that things are still familiar and am looking forward to exploring all the new changes. In my last discussion to God today, I ask for the patience, will power and wisdom to succeed and most importantly for his protection to keep me safe so I can do what I came here to do.