A day in paradise...

I have had a lot of people ask me lately, "What do you actually do over there?" Great question. I'm not sure...

So here is what a typical day looks like in beautiful Iraq:

I wake up at 6:00 every morning (okay, who are we kidding, 6:30 or 6:45), run across to the latrines and take a quick shower. No one is EVER in the bathroom when I am, which is nice, but I sometimes wonder when other girls take showers... Of course, I am pretty sure there are only about 20 or so girls actually here. I rush back to my room, throw on my uniform of jeans and a polo, and brush my teeth with bottled water (yes, bottled water... I am trying to convince myself it's fun... like camping...). I have about a third of a mile walk to work, which isn't bad in the morning when it is only about 90 or so degrees.

I make it to work a few minutes before seven, spend about thirty seconds with Josh and then get to work. Oh, and I haven't yet seen the DFAC in the morning, so breakfast is just a bowl of cereal that I pick up the night before at dinner. At work we input inventory into a computer when troops return items because they are going home. This is all part of the drawdown that is supposed to be done by the end of next year.

Now here is the funny think about work. I am at work between 7am and 7pm everyday, and I think I am actively busy to work things for about... 2 or so hours of that. So in the morning I input information in the computer for about a half hour, and then sporadically throughout the day something may come up. So most of my time is spent browsing the internet and watching the big screen TV in the front of the office. Emeril Live is on everyday at 3pm, and every knows that we are going to be watching, and have stopped complaining.

I have between 1 1/2 and 2 hours for lunch, so I usually walk back to my CHU and take a nap. The walk back to work again is not pleasant as the temperature is usually well into the 110's or above. I work/watch TV/surf internet until about 5:30, and if I am lucky enough to snatch up a vehicle I pick Josh up and go get dinner. The vehicles are a tricky thing because we only have two trucks that we have to share between the 20 or so of us in the office, so you have to be quick about getting one when it is available.

After eating dinner with Josh at our desks, I head back to the CHU around 7pm. Since I am a girl, I am not allowed out of the room alone past dark, around 7:45, so I get to spend my evening inside. I usually do yoga, watch a movie, and get on Skype. I am asleep by 10pm and start it all again the next morning.

Now Fridays... Fridays are different. They are the best day of the week by one thousand percent. Not only is every Friday payday, it is also our one golden, wonderful day off. 36 hours of amazing-ness of which I usually spend 24 sleeping. Josh and I have started a tradition on Fridays. He tries his best to stay up until lunch time (when he is usually fast asleep because he works night shift), and we make the couple mile trek over to the other side of base and go for lunch. There is one restaurant in all of Marez, called Falafel. It is a Turkish restaurant that serves what I think is Mediterranean food. They have shawarma, lamb meatballs, hummus (and AH-mazing Iraqi bread), and the best part -- REAL silverware and plates. Last week, when we went for the first time, was the first time I have not eaten off styrofoam in two months. I would pay for that alone. Also, this restaurant is cheap: Josh and I got soup, salad, bread, hummus, chicken, beef, and sodas for 15 dollars. So this has quickly become our weekly date.

So that is what I do here... work about 75 hours a week... and sleep the rest.

No pictures today. I have to recharge the camera and get busy. Anything you guys want pictures of?