34. Hello Again...

Wow...It's been a long time since I've updated my blog. For those of you who have been wondering what I've been up to I have much to tell you. Aside from the daily grind of just trying to survive in a third world country, I've been very busy wrapping up the most successful advertising campaign this country has ever seen. All those crazy trips to get footage, all the stress of making sure deadlines are met in a country where the concept of deadlines is foreign, and producing high quality material with the most basic of resources available has been the biggest challenge I have ever faced. But through all the obstacles, late nights in the office, near death experiences, disappointments, pain, frustration, exhaustion and high pressure meetings, I managed to finally complete the job I was given. I have attached a link at the bottom of this blog to the YouTube Video which has some of the elements of the campaign plus some bonus behind the scenes photos. This experience really pushed me to my limits in many ways. Not only did I learn a lot about myself including my capacity to accomplish and my limitations but it also taught me about human kind. These billboards, posters, radio ads and Television commercials were disseminated all over Afghanistan and the response we received was overwhelming. Aside from the sense of accomplishment in being part of a team that produced such never before seen quality, the actual impact of the ads on the Afghan people has been inspiring to say the least. These ads have touch people in so many ways. They have created a sense of pride in the Afghan National Army, increased recruitment, instilled a sense of social responsibility toward the development of the nation and given people a motivation to make Afghanistan a better place for the new generation of Afghans who are just entering this world. At the end of day, as hard as it was, this is exactly what I came here to do. The sense of accomplishment is unparalleled to anything I could ever have achieved anywhere else. 

On a personal note, I've finally found a home. A real home. Not a guesthouse or a room in someone's home. It's the cutest little cottage home. But boy was it a fixer-upper. The place was in shambles when I took over and trying to fix anything, let alone a house, in this country is not a very easy task. However, slowly but surely, its all coming together. I will post photos as soon as my custom made furniture arrives. On the security front, aside from a few explosions here and there, it's been awfully quiet in Kabul. But this week, we are a bit nervous because a Peace Jirga is scheduled which threatens the efforts of insurgents who most likely will not stay quiet. So with fingers crossed and with the prayers of my family and friends over me, I continue to go on each day. 

On a more positive note, I'M COMING BACK HOME for a couple of weeks!!!! Its been a long 7 months. I miss my family, friends, paved roads, food that won't give me a parasite, and long drives in my car. I keep thinking what am I going to do first (most likeily stand in the middle of a crowded place and just relish in the fact that no one is staring at me), what will I drink first (a Starbuck's Mocha Frappuccino), what I will eat first (a BIG MAC) and most importantly, how good that first hug from my mom and my princesses will feel. So mark your calendars everyone... June 25th, I'll touch down!