Post by Update 3 on Mar 8, 2008 9:28:52 GMT -5
Another week down and the Team continues to do great things for the people of Jazeera. Time is going by pretty quickly these days, because we have been so busy. We’re holding up well but plan on taking a few slow days now.
The word for this week has to be “livestock”. Odd I know, but between almost hitting a donkey on the major road, to having to stop and wait for a herd of nearly 100 sheep to cross the road and seeing horses at a Sheik’s house, it only makes sense. The sheep are a pretty common site. Just about everywhere we go there is a herd grazing, even if it is in the median of the highway. The donkey was just funny, because there were three of them and they seemed to be strategically placed causing us to swerve right, then left, then back right. Just light a checkpoint. Seeing horses though was just a surprise.
The story of SSgt.’s missing pen has been solved, so everyone at home can breathe again. Once it was found, the look on SSgt’s face was probably the happiest I’ve ever seen the man. Who knew a man could be so attached to a pen.
We made a payment for one of our projects and it’s surprising how so much money can look so small. It all depends on the size of bills you are paying in. LCpl. Ray saw the pile of cash and for some reason couldn’t get the smile off his face. We’ll have to keep an extra eye on him when making these payments.
Our interpreter, Jack, has said that it would be okay for us to include him in the website, so you might see more info and pictures about him pop up. He’s a great kid and a vital part of the team. He plans on staying with us for the duration of our deployment, and then hopes to eventually gain citizenship and move to America. You shouldn’t confuse our Jack with the other interpreter here named Jack. For example, our jack is 19, young and healthy. The other Jack is about 60, smokes three packs of cigarettes a day and drinks about a gallon of coffee each morning. He’s quite the interesting character.
It’s starting to get hot here. On Monday it’s supposed to be 90, but that is only the beginning. Temperatures this summer are supposed to get in the 120’s. For the people back home who are still freezing or covered in snow, we can’t really relate. I’m sure the temperature will be a big topic of conversation soon. Don’t worry our HMMWV’s have A/C.
One thing I’ve noticed is that back in the states, most people the same age as the Marines on the Team will be going on Spring break soon. I’m sure most of the guys would rather be doing that right now than posting security for a tribal engagement, but they made the choice to become Marines. Not that you don’t already know this, but with that choice they have to make sacrifices that aren’t expected of others their age. In the end though, this deployment will be something infinitely more rewarding for them than a week of debauchery on a beach somewhere. Besides Spring Break can be done any year that they are in college, and yes I am trying to push them to go to college.
Thanks for all the support and we’ll do our best to keep the website up to date. I now have two Marines, Cpl. Johnson and LCpl. Ebeling, working on it so look for a few additions to the site.
The word for this week has to be “livestock”. Odd I know, but between almost hitting a donkey on the major road, to having to stop and wait for a herd of nearly 100 sheep to cross the road and seeing horses at a Sheik’s house, it only makes sense. The sheep are a pretty common site. Just about everywhere we go there is a herd grazing, even if it is in the median of the highway. The donkey was just funny, because there were three of them and they seemed to be strategically placed causing us to swerve right, then left, then back right. Just light a checkpoint. Seeing horses though was just a surprise.
The story of SSgt.’s missing pen has been solved, so everyone at home can breathe again. Once it was found, the look on SSgt’s face was probably the happiest I’ve ever seen the man. Who knew a man could be so attached to a pen.
We made a payment for one of our projects and it’s surprising how so much money can look so small. It all depends on the size of bills you are paying in. LCpl. Ray saw the pile of cash and for some reason couldn’t get the smile off his face. We’ll have to keep an extra eye on him when making these payments.
Our interpreter, Jack, has said that it would be okay for us to include him in the website, so you might see more info and pictures about him pop up. He’s a great kid and a vital part of the team. He plans on staying with us for the duration of our deployment, and then hopes to eventually gain citizenship and move to America. You shouldn’t confuse our Jack with the other interpreter here named Jack. For example, our jack is 19, young and healthy. The other Jack is about 60, smokes three packs of cigarettes a day and drinks about a gallon of coffee each morning. He’s quite the interesting character.
It’s starting to get hot here. On Monday it’s supposed to be 90, but that is only the beginning. Temperatures this summer are supposed to get in the 120’s. For the people back home who are still freezing or covered in snow, we can’t really relate. I’m sure the temperature will be a big topic of conversation soon. Don’t worry our HMMWV’s have A/C.
One thing I’ve noticed is that back in the states, most people the same age as the Marines on the Team will be going on Spring break soon. I’m sure most of the guys would rather be doing that right now than posting security for a tribal engagement, but they made the choice to become Marines. Not that you don’t already know this, but with that choice they have to make sacrifices that aren’t expected of others their age. In the end though, this deployment will be something infinitely more rewarding for them than a week of debauchery on a beach somewhere. Besides Spring Break can be done any year that they are in college, and yes I am trying to push them to go to college.
Thanks for all the support and we’ll do our best to keep the website up to date. I now have two Marines, Cpl. Johnson and LCpl. Ebeling, working on it so look for a few additions to the site.