A/C and U.S.

The air-conditioner repair guys from Supreme (the company that takes care of the majority of the maintenance and support task of ISAF, at least in our area) finally came and went. Now my quarters are nice and cool - and quiet, because the substitute indoor air-conditioner that we used was really noisy. Gone are also most of the Finns here - some on leave and some to get the cars serviced. That leaves me in charge. And as one would expect at such an occation, about an hour after the others had left, there was a message with a request for some operational plans. No trouble with spare time, then.

In the afternoon I briefly met two representatives of an NGO (Non-Governmental Organisation), who had left several proposals to the PRT for the funding of a printing press, a refridgerator and a digital camera, but whose propsals had repeatedly been rejected. I offered the gentlemen refreshing drinks, expressed my sympathy and wished them better fortune with future projects. Via the interpreter, M, of course.

My opportunity to go for a run on the treadmill was cut short by the arrival of four Humvees (HMMWV - High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) with 14 soldiers of the U.S. Army. They come here every now and then and camp in the yard. At the moment we could accommondate them all in the house, but we won't, and they are happy with that. We offer them dinner, a guarded parking space, hygienic facilities and a basketball field, and they offer us light entertainment just by letting us watch them do their thing.


A refreshing afternoon snack. Please note that the beer is non-alcoholic!