Sunday, June 13, 2004

what is the date anyway?

Its amazing to me how easy it is to forget the day around here. Days are the same, over and over again, until the time is measured by SUN UP, or SUN DOWN. I don't know how the locals do it. But sometimes I think I understand what they must feel. Time is not very important over here, its just a way to measure progress, or the growth of crops, the seasons. Hours, minutes, seconds, don't matter much here. Not like home, where progress is measures in micro-seconds. I actually find myself envying these people, if anybody can believe that.

Well, I am currently assigned to a unit that is supposed to teach the Iraqi army to be an army. Its different, to say the least. I will say that they do try very hard. They try to learn, try to hide, try to be like us, try to hate us, all in the same day. I try to start each day with a couple of goals, but by the end of the day I am disillusioned by my achievements. Its not the same when your successes include things like getting the soldiers to pick up their trash, or stop brushing your teeth with your fingers and use the toothbrush we gave you. Small steps, they tell us. Small victories.

Excuse my spelling, its miserably hot and my fingers are sticking together some. And if you don't like it, well, to bad, you have the freedom to stop reading at any time. Doesn't that sound just great.

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