Jet Lagged & Getting Lost in Boston

Let me tell you this go around the jet lag has been terrible.  I am up when I am supposed to be asleep and sleepy when I am supposed to be wide awake.  Trying all the tricks like getting on a regular schedule but it just is not working this go around.  WOW.

For the most part I have been chilling around local to the hotel but today I got out a bit.  Found the Hard Rock for my usual t-shirt stop and happened across the Harley store across the street.  Definately a good twofer.  I even stopped in Cheers and had myself one just because.  The girl at the Harley store told me I really should go by the big store in Everett.  This was something I had considered already and had looked up and took down directions from Google Maps.  So off I went and holy cow if I did not get lost in Boston.  However, all was not a loss as I walked for about 2 hours from the metro stop in Charlestown past the historic Bunker Hill and back into Boston's North End to get on the subway and head back.  A heck of a walk that included a big bridge with those yucky slip resistent, see through grates.  The acrophobia kicked in then for sure.  However, it was a good walk as the weather was ideal in Boston.  So all was not lost even if I was. 

Back in the U.S.

So I am back in the U.S. after a loooong flight.  First it was  2.5 hours to Dubai then 14.5 hours to Dulles. I admit I was dragging by the time I hit D.C. because it is hard for a big man to catch an z's on a plane.  Also 14.5 hours is rough on a smoker.  So after wading through immigration and customs, then a pretty intense security check, (thanks underwear bomber) I hit the smoking lounge, of course.  After that I had to get a move on down to another concourse.  I am moving at a pretty good step when I look to my left and I would be darned if several of the cast of my favorite t.v. show, of course a bike show, Sons of Anarchy weren't sitting there in the Dulles airport.  So I stopped in my tracks to say hi and tell them what a great show I thought it was and that I did not miss a single show even from Afghanistan.  Of course, they were very interested in what the heck I was doing in Kabul and in fact, were just returning from a USO tour in Iraq and Kuwait.  They said Afghanistan was too hot for them right now but they would get there soon.  We talked for some time and even walked a bit toward our respective gates.  They were very, very cool guys.  I must admit, I feel like I could go back to Kabul now and the trip would be a hit.  However, I still have 2.5 weeks to go so time will tell.

 

Thanks to the SOA guys for being so nice and supporting our troops  -

 

• Mark Boone Junior - Robert "Bobby Elvis" Munson
• Dayton Callie - Chief Unser
• Kim Coates - "Alex 'Tig' Trager
• Theo Rossi - Juan Carlos "Juice" Ortiz

and last but not least

• Mark Boone - who plays Robert "Bobby" Munson on the show

Whew......

I am sorry I have neglected you all. In fact it has been well over a month since I have posted, wow. It has been crazy in Kabul. Holding both an administrative position and now a full time plus teaching position is rough. Barely time to think let alone sit down and even pen a sentence. Well I have a very short break so I will do so.

Spring Break is coming up which will be a much needed break. This year, due to the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) conference in Boston, at which I am presenting, I will be “home” for a bit during spring break. In fact, combining that with some business in D.C.,  I was able to maneuver a two week break out of it beginning in Boston and ending in D.C. Boy do I need the break.

I think I left off just after arriving back in Kabul. The first major thing was celebrating my birthday for the second time in Afghanistan. We also, again welcomed new staff and had a wonderful time doing both. See the photos for proof. That night Latmosphere, where we went after dinner was crazy as someone was also having a party there. Folks literally dancing on the bar. No not me or any of our other folks.

The first weekend in February was an enjoyable one as I treated myself for the weekend in honor of my birthday. If you will recall last year during Spring Break, I had stumbled across the Dubai Bike Week. From there I put it on my calendar for this year which was slated for this particular weekend. This year, however, I did the entire event and was able to get a photo pass out of them. The big draw to the event was the evening concert which featured Nickleback. Although my photo pass did not cover the big concert, I was still able to get the camera in and sneak a few shots from the crowd. Bike Week felt much bigger and better than last year but I will let my photos speak for themselves.

If you recall our swine flu closure from November caused a big stir and a big shakeup in the school calendar. Finals week forced a month long shift in the academic schedule. Finals week moved from December then to February. Immediately following Bike Week, therefore, I was forced to kick it into high gear for finals and grading for my three sections of my class. This also forced us to immediately recoil and get ready for the Spring ’10 term which was very tough. More so than any of us imagined as enrollment increased 30 percent and our sections swelled at the seams and forced many of us to teach more. It actually forced me into becoming a full time faculty member and full time administrator.

We were literally so worn out that by the end of the month, which also happened to be a three day weekend we needed a much deserved break and headed for Dubai. Seven of us in all decided to hang together in Dubai for the weekend. It was extra special as we were also welcoming Justin back to our midst as he had decided to return for a bit and we were able to catch up with him in Dubai and have a heck of a weekend.

Time is flying by so fast it is literally a blur. It is hard to recall what happened in the past day or so let alone what happened even the previous weekend. However, the big event was a Rock and Roll concert on our campus sponsored by or Music Club to raise money to buy blankets for the area refugees. The concert, probably the first rock and roll concert on a college campus in Afghanistan, and definitely the first of such featuring the all Afghan, Kabul Dreams rock band was a huge hit. It was sponsored in part by a local radio station, Kabul Rock Radio, Afghanistan’s only rock and roll based station and was even broadcast live for all of their listeners.

So I think you all are caught up. Once again Spring Break is coming and I will be back in the U.S. in less than 10 days and in the NOVA/D.C. area in just a bit longer. Although I now question where to call home as my bike is in Arkansas/Missouri and my stuff is in a storage locker in NOVA, I still have a few friends and such left. Those that have my U.S. number give me a call when you get a chance.

Lots of photos to follow very very soon.