Perspectives

One interesting coincidence that happened on my trip down to TQ was that I bumped into someone I recognized in the passenger terminal.  It turned out we both went through the training process together at Fort Jackson, and he was just finishing his Individual Augmentee tour.  It really brought home to me the fact that if I had been on the “usual” six month Navy orders, I’d have been headed home as well.  So it was briefly demotivating.

 

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I’m content with the current schedule I have.  Not that I wouldn’t love to go home right now, but there are some projects I plan to finish and I just wouldn’t feel right leaving them undone.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I’m comfortable walking there at a reasonable pace so that I can do things right.

 

I mentioned yesterday that the sand was a different consistency there, and in fact the entire surroundings seemed different, even just moving from one part of the base to another..  In one direction was a large lake and a “beach”.  In another, across a river, lush green surrounding a city could be seen against the backdrop of hills.  In yet another direction, miles of dirt.  It’s quite different than here at Al Asad where the common joke is that we’re in a “moon crater” and things look pretty much the same no matter where you are.

 

It all goes to show that there are a multitude of different experiences in Iraq.  It’s been interesting observing some of them.  But I can’t wait to experience that wonderful “going home” feeling…