TIA

For all my readers who are medically astute: This is NOT a story about transient ischemic attacks. TIA is our abbreviation for “This Is Afghanistan”. It’s just another way for us to cope with the wackiness we encounter here, daily.

A recent example is my trip this week to Kabul. I have spent the last few weeks packing up offices and assisting with the minutia that accompanied our move from Bagram Air Field to our new home in the province. On the night we drove away from Bagram, I received a call from the commander that there was an issue a road project the team engineers are responsible for. He wanted one of the engineers and me to attend a meeting. The meeting would occur at a base down the road but we would need to “helo” there with the French contingent.

The next morning, following a quick meeting with the boss regarding the goals of the day, the lieutenant and I arrived at the helo pad, with scant time to spare, only to discover that the meeting was in Kabul. Being the good sports we try to be, we jumped on the bird and found ourselves at a French post in Kabul and, shortly thereafter, discussing contractor concerns in the office of an Afghan National Army general. We, with the help of the general and our French counterparts, managed to mitigate the concerns. If everything goes as planned, work will resume soon.

After completing our discussions, we were invited to lunch at the Afghan National Army chow hall as guests of the general. The meal was traditional, with rice, various meats and lots of naan (flat bread). Thankfully, neither of us fell ill the next day! We spent the remainder of the afternoon in talks with other American and French soldiers, planning future projects and cementing our working relationships. We ate in an amazing French chow hall for dinner. There were so many choices, I felt like a kid at a candy shop and, with everything my eyes told me I had to have, I likely looked like a piglet!. We returned “home” that evening, none the worse for wear and with adventure stories to share.

TIA, my friends. Some days are wackier than others!

Lori

For Reflections on Nursing Leadership, published by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International