My Trip So Far (Part II)
On Saturday morning, I reported to inprocessing at my squadron at 0730. We were given a briefing about general rules, were introduced to our First Seargent, and were given our alcohol ration cards. I’m legal now! After that, my coworker Kehinde drove me out to the BX so that I could get some items that I needed and then I went to grab some lunch at Subway. I know it isn’t the best sandwich you ever had, but it has a particular taste to it that I have come to know. I always get the veggie sub with cheese. We do not import our vegetables, but get them from the Qatari economy. OK, let me just say, Qatari lettuce does not taste like American lettuce, nor do their tomatoes taste like American tomatoes. Add that to all of the other usual ingredients that I usually get, and you’ve got one weird-ass tasting sandwich! It will take some getting used to, but it is the closest thing to my room and sometimes when you’ve worked that hard for so long, it is all you can do to stumble there. Don’t even get me started on walking to the bathrooms when I’m ready for bed - alls I want to know is...was Jerry Seinfeld right? IS there such a thing as “uromisotisis”? If so, I’ve got it, because I hold my pee for hours now!
After lunch on Saturday I went into work for a while just to get acquainted with the staff. Our current Readiness NCO, MSgt Brown, took me on a tour of the base. Wow, this place is huge. Obviously everything is beige to blend in with the beige sand and beige sky so it isn’t the most visually stimulating thing you’ve ever seen, but it’s cool how the most important buildings have slanted walls, to resist the force of a blast...and there are bunkers EVERYWHERE! I haven’t seen any camel spiders (they aren’t a problem here) but I have seen some incredibly handsome Aussie and British soldiers! Crikey! Gor blimey!
I then dropped off some laundry to the service here (you pretty much make a daily run to the laundry people since it takes about 3 days to get anything back) and got unpacked. Once all the going and doing was done, I settled under the "Bra" for some relaxation.
Basically, my little world is set up like this: In the middle of it all is the “Bra”, where you go to hang out, listen to music, check e-mail, smoke, and drink beer. It is about the size of a football field. That place is hoppin at all hours of the day (I know this because my window faces it and I get some lovely base thumping through my room all night, like right now). Each night they do something different there - the first night I was here there was a DJ spinning beats under there. The next night they had some sort of strongman competition. Last night, there was KARAOKE. Yeah, let me just say that 1) military people are tonedeaf and 2) tonedeaf people singing old Metallica songs do not exactly induce the most peaceful sleep. Tonight there is a band playing - they aren’t bad. Anyway, so the Bra is there. About 10 feet from the end of the bra is my office. About 50 feet from the side of the bra is the trailer home that houses my room (and about 19 others). Right across the sidewalk from my trailer home is the laundry, the BX, subway, pizza hut, burger king, dairy queen, dunkin’ donuts, a spa, three souvenir shops, and a couple of bathrooms. Right beside my trailer home is the base theater, where they are playing movies 24 hours a day and serving fresh popcorn. The wifi is under the Bra, but sometimes I can get it from my room if I am right by the window. Depends on the weather. Also within a block radius of my trailer home are a coffee shop, the pool, the library, the chapel, the gym, and the finance office (that’s where the money’s at!). So I’ve got a pretty nifty little setup.
The closest non-brand name eating facility is the DFAC, which is about the equivalent of 10 city blocks from my home base. I went yesterday for the first time, typical cafeteria-style eating and nothing too incredibly amazing. We also have something called a “grab-and-go” that is about a mile from here (on the “ops” side of base), where you can get sandwiches/salads, fruit, and candy...but you have to drive there. So far I have eaten a lot of PowerBars, oatmeal, and trail mix. Not sure how long it will take for me to cave in and start eating regular meals at the cafeteria place. I am sensing a re-do of my freshman year of college, where I actually lost 20 lbs because I wouldn’t eat the food. I missed Mama’s cookin’. Still do.
The squadron has several trucks that members can check out and go do their personal errands or use to travel to other squadrons. They are all weird little Qatari hoop-rides with weird names and are SO DIRTY. But they do the trick. We also use those if we want to go “downtown” to Doha. Members of the squadron can get trained/licensed to drive off-base and they usually make runs once a week or so. You can catch a ride and spend the day down there. I will probably do that in a couple of weeks, once I get settled and get some real rest.
Man, I cannot wait to rest.
One more thing - the weather here has been fabulous!!! Right now it is about 65 and breezy. It has been low 70s in the day, and today was REALLY windy! But it hasn't been nearly as hot as I expected. Granted, that will soon change, but it has been a great adjustment period for me. Also, it has rained here a lot in the past few days in the afternoons, just like the states. Just thought I'd share.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Germs
Blah. I am feeling really cruddy today. I started feeling really bad last night and I couldn't figure out why - I figured I was just not over the jet lag yet. Went to a training and got home at about 1030 pm last night. Went in at 700 am this morning and still just wasn't feeling right. So tired, achy, and just feeling crummy. So I went to the clinic, turns out I have ear infections in both ears and a sinus infection. My ears had been bothering me but I thought it was just from spending so much time on the airplane. So I am on 750mg of Amoxicillin and Flonase. Still working, though... I have five trainings to do tomorrow, so I'm going to get some sleep. Will try to update in the next couple of days. I guess taking care of that sick little cutie pie on the plane didn't help - now I must go to Afghanistan and release the hounds of hell onto him. I know I still owe you a part II and then also just some general info/pics from my trip so far. Hopefully I'll be up to it by Wednesday. Love you all. :-)
P.S. My computer is covered in a fine silt. No matter what I do, it stays covered. Yuck.
P.S. My computer is covered in a fine silt. No matter what I do, it stays covered. Yuck.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
My Trip So Far (Part I)
Today is Sunday, about 8:00 am, and I am sitting outside under the "bra" - named such for the two domes of the tent that houses a huge bar and seating area that people hang out at day and night. It is about 50 feet from my quarters, and about 10 feet from the front door of my office. Needless to say, I spend a lot of time here.
I woke up 3 hours early for work this morning, forgetting that our office didn't open until 1000. So I went in and stood there at 0700 for about 10 minutes ALONE until I figured it out. Anyway, I freed up a couple of hours to get some things done including this blog. Got some great sleep last night and finally got unpacked. If you are just tuning in, here's what you missed:
I was supposed to leave for Qatar on 1 April and had made all of my plans around that. On 24 March, I was told that I would most likely be leaving instead on 25 March to head over to Wisconsin to catch a plane. That left me scrambling like a madwoman to get moved out of the house (thanks so much to my friends who made that possible), packed, and get everything else done that I needed to within about 24 hours. It was exhausting and difficult, but we did it.
I made it to the airport just in time for my 8:50 pm flight to Lacrosse, Wisconsin by way of Minneapolis, MN. I arrived in WI at about 11:00 p.m. on 25 March. An awesome airman picked me up from the airport and drove me to Fort McCoy, WI. We arrived at about 12:30 am on 26 March. She took me to the barracks I would be camping out in for the next few hours - these were old WWII army barracks with beds and mattresses from about the same time. Unfortunately, there were no sheets, so once I got organized and my uniforms out and ready, I laid down on the dirty mattress under my winter coat and prayed the scabies would find my skin untasty. I slept for about 2 hours and then awoke at 3:45 am to begin the day. Our bags were picked up and then we had to clean the barracks. After that, I grabbed a quick breakfast at the chow hall, where a cute little old lady asked me if she could fist-bump me for good luck. I was all, "YEAH!" She was a hip old lady.
The group that I would be riding on the plane with was a Air Force "Red Horse" team, made up of civil engineers of every type who go into deployed locations and build new base facilities, runways, and such. They are a really well-known bunch of people and they are rowdy as hell!!! I met some really cool personalities along the way and they took good care of me.
After breakfast we got into formation (the group was so big that we had to be broken up into smaller groups for formation so that they could get accountability). Myself and another young officer got put into the smallest group and it was a bunch of really nice guys. It started off hilariously as one of the guys in the last row cracked a huge fart and was fanning it behind him, when he turned around and realized that Melissa and I had been put into his group and placed behind him. He had no idea we were standing there and was so embarassed I thought he was going to pass out. And we were certainly about to pass out from being blasted at a one-foot radius. Needless to say, the entire group laughed for a good twenty minutes and it kinda broke the ice for me and Melissa in this group of people we didn't know.
We then got on a bus and rode about 45 minutes to Volk Field, an Air National Guard Station, where our plane was awaiting us. We inprocessed into a hangar and waited there for a couple of hours for our plane to be ready. People were playing cards, sleeping, and just being generally grumpy because it was COLD in there and everyone was ready to go. Finally, it was time to board the plane!! My stomach sank like an anvil and I knew it was finally time.
Because I am considered the equivalent of an AF captain in the military rankings, I was given priority seating on the plane. Not bad, I guess! Melissa and I were supposed to go in first class, but gave our seats to two of the taller guys on the plane because we knew they would be miserable for 20 hours. Instead, they put us in the first row behind the bulkhead, which had a great deal of legroom. We got hooked up for that long ride, any way you look at it.
The guy that eventually sat beside me was a really nice guy from Anderson AFB in Guam. He had developed pneumonia while training in WI and was really sick. So I took care of him most of the flight. He was sad to be so far away from home and feel so bad, and I think he really appreciated having someone next to him who actually cared.
After four hours, our first stop was Newfoundland, Canada. It was desolate and snowy. They opened the airport facilities for us, and we were there for about an hour. The Red Horse people stood in line that whole time for one beer. Funny.
After three more hours, our second stop was Kevlavik, Iceland. The airport was completely shut down, but they opened the bar and restrooms for us while we waited during that hour. Unfortunately it was dark when we landed so I didn't get to see anything...I was really hoping to catch a glimpse of Iceland, seeing as I will probably never get there again!! The airport was beautiful - all hardwood floors and angular furniture - kinda like a big Ikea store without all the angsty shoppers.
Another four hours brought us to our final stop en route at Liepsig, Germany. It was daylight and the airport had a huge section designated for military. I had two beers and checked some e-mail, and after an hour we were on the plane again. It was raining there, but still I saw some beautiful landscape while flying over - I always loved Germany.
Six more hours on the plane and we were in Qatar!!!!!!! At this point we were all delirious, exhausted, cranky, smelly (no shower since Wednesday!), and ready to get the show on the road. It was surprisingly cool - there was a great breeze and the temp was about 70 degrees. It had apparently been raining for the two days prior, and the weather was pleasant to say the least. Man was I surprised!!! We inprocessed through personnel and customs, and then my fellow ARC staff picked me up and took me to my room. A quick shower and sleepytown until morning.
I woke up 3 hours early for work this morning, forgetting that our office didn't open until 1000. So I went in and stood there at 0700 for about 10 minutes ALONE until I figured it out. Anyway, I freed up a couple of hours to get some things done including this blog. Got some great sleep last night and finally got unpacked. If you are just tuning in, here's what you missed:
I was supposed to leave for Qatar on 1 April and had made all of my plans around that. On 24 March, I was told that I would most likely be leaving instead on 25 March to head over to Wisconsin to catch a plane. That left me scrambling like a madwoman to get moved out of the house (thanks so much to my friends who made that possible), packed, and get everything else done that I needed to within about 24 hours. It was exhausting and difficult, but we did it.
I made it to the airport just in time for my 8:50 pm flight to Lacrosse, Wisconsin by way of Minneapolis, MN. I arrived in WI at about 11:00 p.m. on 25 March. An awesome airman picked me up from the airport and drove me to Fort McCoy, WI. We arrived at about 12:30 am on 26 March. She took me to the barracks I would be camping out in for the next few hours - these were old WWII army barracks with beds and mattresses from about the same time. Unfortunately, there were no sheets, so once I got organized and my uniforms out and ready, I laid down on the dirty mattress under my winter coat and prayed the scabies would find my skin untasty. I slept for about 2 hours and then awoke at 3:45 am to begin the day. Our bags were picked up and then we had to clean the barracks. After that, I grabbed a quick breakfast at the chow hall, where a cute little old lady asked me if she could fist-bump me for good luck. I was all, "YEAH!" She was a hip old lady.
The group that I would be riding on the plane with was a Air Force "Red Horse" team, made up of civil engineers of every type who go into deployed locations and build new base facilities, runways, and such. They are a really well-known bunch of people and they are rowdy as hell!!! I met some really cool personalities along the way and they took good care of me.
After breakfast we got into formation (the group was so big that we had to be broken up into smaller groups for formation so that they could get accountability). Myself and another young officer got put into the smallest group and it was a bunch of really nice guys. It started off hilariously as one of the guys in the last row cracked a huge fart and was fanning it behind him, when he turned around and realized that Melissa and I had been put into his group and placed behind him. He had no idea we were standing there and was so embarassed I thought he was going to pass out. And we were certainly about to pass out from being blasted at a one-foot radius. Needless to say, the entire group laughed for a good twenty minutes and it kinda broke the ice for me and Melissa in this group of people we didn't know.
We then got on a bus and rode about 45 minutes to Volk Field, an Air National Guard Station, where our plane was awaiting us. We inprocessed into a hangar and waited there for a couple of hours for our plane to be ready. People were playing cards, sleeping, and just being generally grumpy because it was COLD in there and everyone was ready to go. Finally, it was time to board the plane!! My stomach sank like an anvil and I knew it was finally time.
Because I am considered the equivalent of an AF captain in the military rankings, I was given priority seating on the plane. Not bad, I guess! Melissa and I were supposed to go in first class, but gave our seats to two of the taller guys on the plane because we knew they would be miserable for 20 hours. Instead, they put us in the first row behind the bulkhead, which had a great deal of legroom. We got hooked up for that long ride, any way you look at it.
The guy that eventually sat beside me was a really nice guy from Anderson AFB in Guam. He had developed pneumonia while training in WI and was really sick. So I took care of him most of the flight. He was sad to be so far away from home and feel so bad, and I think he really appreciated having someone next to him who actually cared.
After four hours, our first stop was Newfoundland, Canada. It was desolate and snowy. They opened the airport facilities for us, and we were there for about an hour. The Red Horse people stood in line that whole time for one beer. Funny.
After three more hours, our second stop was Kevlavik, Iceland. The airport was completely shut down, but they opened the bar and restrooms for us while we waited during that hour. Unfortunately it was dark when we landed so I didn't get to see anything...I was really hoping to catch a glimpse of Iceland, seeing as I will probably never get there again!! The airport was beautiful - all hardwood floors and angular furniture - kinda like a big Ikea store without all the angsty shoppers.
Another four hours brought us to our final stop en route at Liepsig, Germany. It was daylight and the airport had a huge section designated for military. I had two beers and checked some e-mail, and after an hour we were on the plane again. It was raining there, but still I saw some beautiful landscape while flying over - I always loved Germany.
Six more hours on the plane and we were in Qatar!!!!!!! At this point we were all delirious, exhausted, cranky, smelly (no shower since Wednesday!), and ready to get the show on the road. It was surprisingly cool - there was a great breeze and the temp was about 70 degrees. It had apparently been raining for the two days prior, and the weather was pleasant to say the least. Man was I surprised!!! We inprocessed through personnel and customs, and then my fellow ARC staff picked me up and took me to my room. A quick shower and sleepytown until morning.
Here I Am
I set up this blog so I can communicate my experiences/pictures here with everyone who is interested, and it will be a good way to keep the diary forever. I will get started tomorrow...so stay tuned...xo kelly
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