English

From George Orwell’s six elementaryrules (Politics and the English language, 1946).1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figureof speech which you are used to seeing in print.2. Never use a long word when a short onewill do.3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cutit out.4. Never use the passive when you can usethe active.5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific wordor a jargon

English

From George Orwell’s six elementaryrules (Politics and the English language, 1946).1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figureof speech which you are used to seeing in print.2. Never use a long word when a short onewill do.3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cutit out.4. Never use the passive when you can usethe active.5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific wordor a jargon

Stealing the beauty

Yesterday I spent some hours photographing the students of calligraphy and woodworking classes at the Turquoise Mountain Foundation. Actually, it is my first job in Afghanistan.
While my husband Andres has been working as an IT-expert on an animal health project, I spent months before I understood that is not easy to get a job that meets my qualifications. First of all, I am not an English native-speaker. Also I don’t speak Dari and Pushtu, the official languages of Afghanistan. Secondly, I have worked as a journalist and editor in printed media. But here is more need for radio specialists, because illiteracy is so high.
Some days ago I met Rory Stewart, head of the Turquoise Mountain Foundation. Former diplomat Rory walked 6,000 miles across Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal during 2000-2002. His book about Afghanistan, The Places In Between is highly recommended.
Our meeting takes place in an old part of Kabul city where foundation just started to renovate the whole quarter, Murad Khane. Rory is trying to persuade the owners of some 30 surviving buildings to accept free restoration. The remaining sites would then be rebuilt in traditional style.
At the moment the garbage is being removed from the streets. It is a titanic work – the level of the streets has been lowered up to 2 meters... I try to listen Rory, but I am too amazed about atmosphere. I just stand and admire: the yard of Great Serai and the House of Peacocks are most artistic I have seen in Afghanistan yet.
After visiting Murad Khane, Rory invited me to his office situating in the 18th Century Royal Fort in the Parwan quarter of Kabul. This fort is one of the last surviving traditional forts or qal’a within the city of Kabul. The calligraphy and woodwork schools run by foundation are currently located around the fort, too.
I show to Rory my work: the photographs of Afghanistan and some magazines. After short conversation Rory offers me a job: to take photos once a week about restoration work in Murad Khane quarter, and to photograph the students of the handicraft schools as well. I leave the fort, really pleased.

Simpsons + Michel Gondry = brilliance

House-hunting-odysseia II

We started to look for houses with the help of local real estate agents. First it looked quite interesting to see afghan houses hidden inside the walls. After seeing five houses each day we became quite exhausted. There was one principle problem: because afghan families are very big, the houses have plenty of rooms too. If I asked agent to show us some really small houses, we ended up seeing houses with “only” eight-rooms or so.

There are more problems related to renting a house in Afghanistan. First of all, you are responsible for your own security (ie you must hire guards), you must run the house yourselves (ie to manage water pump, heating, generator, etc).

Secondly, most of the afghan landowners ask for six months of rent before you can move in. We liked a lot one house in Karte Se district (near Afghan parliament Lloya Jirga), but meeting with landlord was really a disaster. He demanded that we pay him one year of rent in advance. He was not interested to hear our explanations. What can we do with a house in Kabul if we have to leave the country for security reasons? But landlord of the house was not interested to negotiate.

Khabir, who is a colleague of Andres, offered us to see a garden house that was sharing a compound with afghan family. First the idea seemed funny to us, but we later decided to see the house. When we entered lovely garden filled with pelargons and roses, it seemed like a miracle in the middle of noisy and dusty Kabul. The singing of dozens of exotic caged birds was relaxing. And little green garden house – fully equipped with not only kitchen stuff but also with local style furniture and carpets - seemed to be so cozy after those empty bleak rooms we have seen a lot previously. It was not hard to say “yes” to landlord.

House-hunting-odysseia I

There is an anecdote going around among the internationals of Kabul. Suicide terrorists are promised 40 virgins after their death. When yet another terrorist arrives to the gate of heaven, he was told: “There are too many of you. Sorry, we have run out of virgins…”

Despite the ramadan-time, recently there have been many attacks of suicide-bombers. Fortunately, some of them are not very skilled and blast themselves before they harm anybody. We heard that some of them blast themselves during the preparation. Unfortunately, almost always some afghan passengers-by are killed. They just happened to be too close.

It looks dangerous, but as the civilians, we don’t really feel that we are in constant danger. Suicide-terrorists are more attracted to military convoys or important ministries than just any internationals.

Internationals-civilians living in Kabul try to build up their own little secure world: there are lots of restaurants (but quality of food is always a subject) and some entertainment (hash-club runners, Monday quiz, even a night club).

But most important for people staying here for a long time, is the question of home. Easiest way is to live in guesthouses, but it is not a good solution to stay for a long period. After eating same guesthouse food for months it doesn’t seem so attractive. And hearing the same story – with some variations – for the third time could become quite boring…

Some internationals form their own communities where they live together in the same compound. We lived in such compound for some months: there were five houses fully equipped. We shared the garden, guards and running costs. It was a reasonable solution and good alternative to renting a separate house. Unfortunately, our compound was overtaken by another organization and we had to move out. So we started our own house–hunting-odysseia in Kabul.

Phatgnat Youth Survey

If you're between 11 and 25 please head over to Phatgnat and take their annual survey. If you're over 25 don't worry, when the report comes out you can use it to market to these youngsters!