Home Stretch

Three weeks from today, I will be on a flight out of Baghdad. I knew a year would go quickly, but that has not stopped me from being surprised each time I flip to the next month in my calendar. This post has been a trying one for me; and will not be forgotten because of the considerable personal cost I paid to serve out my year.

Since my last post, I have managed to make it out of Baghdad twice. The first was a trip to Turkey, where I followed Paul's footsteps through southern Turkey as he sought to bring Christianity to the Gentiles. The trip was truly inspiring, not only because of the rich history of a land that has seen four major empires rise and fall, but also because I journeyed with my grandmother. Not many people my age get to spend such a concentrated period of time with a grandmother, and mine being so loving and wise, it was a particularly healing time. The second trip was to China--a two week trip covering China's highlights on the east coast. I spent part of the trip on a eco-tour, and my Chinese tour guide did not know that anyone had been killed in Tiannament Square! Oh well, China is a very large country, and it certainly did seem like the government had it hands full trying to feed, house, and move about all those bodies. I had a good time trying to learn the more common Chinese character and climbing to the top of Tai'shan moutain. Very few emporers made it on foot to the summit. Not only did I make it, I walked through the gate that is supposed to bestow immortality on all those who cross its threshold!

I wonder often how this period of time will be described in history books. A new government will have been formed--mostly likely taking a form completely contrary to what we hoped for--but at an extremely high human cost. There is quite a bit of discussion in this environment about the efficiency of our military and its technology. We are good at killing people, but I continue to fail to understand how this promtoes progress. We are witnessing the radicalization of politics and worse, sectarian relations, not only in Iraq but also in the region as whole. As I prepare to depart the Middle East, Iraq is barely in the news, overshadowed by the unraveling of the tentative peace between Jews and Arabs.

During my year here, one of the Americans in my office curtailed (which means left post before his scheduled departure) and two of my local staff married Americans and left the country. The war is clearly taking on toll on the two remaining staff. One of them spent her birthday cleaning up glass after car bombs exploded just in front of her house shattered all the windows of the family's apartment. She is my age, but what a different life.

I am sorry that I was not more diligent about posting, and I am hopeful that I will be more faithful during my next tour. The irony being that I will likely have less dramatic stories to tell from Melbourne. I do intend to pick up field hockey again, and I expect that my work will allow me to meet and (hopefully) make friends with many Australians. Please consider visiting if you have the time and are so inclined. I have a three-bedroom apartment in the heart of the city. And our summer will be during your winter, so there is that little perk as well :)! Thanks for keeping track of me during the last 12 months, and a particular thanks to those people who kept me supplied with thoughtful surprises, letters, and support for my mini-microfinance organization.