Letter from India

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Thursday, July 6, 2006

The Wedding of Shamla II

The wedding card is cream with grey, silver and gold embossed flowers, and a scalloped edging. The insert is the invitation in Dari. It starts with a prayer to both worlds - heaven and hell. It goes on to say that spring is beautiful with flowers in the sun; the night is beautiful with stars in the... Sign in to see full entry.

Nuts over rice

Like rice? Want to serve it to your self and your guests in a special way? Since coming to Afghanistan, where nuts are plenty, I have begun to use this recipe quite a bit. I serve it with spinach, dhal (an Indian lentils mix), yogurt, chutney. This recipe also keeps well. I refrigerate it, heat it... Sign in to see full entry.

Stir Fry Spinach

I like to cook. I like dishes that are quick to prepare, good to taste, aesthetic to look at, and nourishing for my health and that of my friends. If you like (and even if you don't like) spinach - here is a quick one. You need: Spinach Olive oil Garlic Salt and pepper to taste Wash the spinach well... Sign in to see full entry.

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

The Wedding of Shamla I

When Shamla, a 21-year old Afghan woman, came to work as the assistant gender and human rights trainer, I never thought it would be such a short stay. Two weeks after she joined I asked her a personal question - what did she think about getting married? I don't want to, she said, rather vehemently,... Sign in to see full entry.

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

Two week countdown

Two weeks from today, I will be on a flight to Delhi. My two week countdown has begun. I find myself caught between the world of being here and moving there. Everyday, it's the last of something, at least for the present. On Sunday, it was the first day of my last class. I took a deep breath as I... Sign in to see full entry.

Sunday, July 2, 2006

A Special Relationship

Today, I woke up at 6.45 am, determined to honour a special relationship. I had a date with the naan shop, down my street. It's the bread shop, which I pass going to and coming from work. For the last four months I have seen the three men who work there almost everyday. They call out as I am... Sign in to see full entry.

Saturday, July 1, 2006

Mending Afghanistan, Stitch by Stitch

She's American, he's Afghan. They met in 1979 in Tajikistan, where she was studying Linguistics and he was an undergraduate. She returned to America, got married, had children and worked in textiles and graphic design. He returned to Afghanistan, a land plagued by war and destruction. She's Rachel.... Sign in to see full entry.

On Blogging and giving thanks

I wanted to wait till I had reached the 200 reader mark. Today it is 198. But, today is when I have time and want to give thanks - to all the people who clicked on Greenfields and read my blog. A greater thanks to those that took the time to write and send a comment. I eagerly wait to click on the... Sign in to see full entry.

Thursday, June 29, 2006

Men and Women

Yesterday, in my Reproductive Health (RH) class, the topic was HIV/AIDS and Male Responsibility. The students were very interested, especially in HIV/AIDS. Of a class of 12, three are women. In a segregated society such as Afghanistan, it is difficult for them to feel comfortable in a room where sex... Sign in to see full entry.

Monday, June 26, 2006

A Change of Pace

One week ago, my normally slow pace of existence in Kabul changed. My friend Gretchen came to visit me. We worked together in India in the mid-90s, and she now lives in New York. Gretchen is the only person who accepted my invitation to visit me in Kabul. Brave. Since then, we have been up at 6.30... Sign in to see full entry.

About this Blog

I started this blog in mid-March 2006 when I moved to Kabul, Afghanistan, for a four-month assignment. In mid-July I moved back to India, and am continuing the blog.

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