| Yohan |
happy christmas all :)
edit: just came across this now, written by someone I kinda know
http://www.thewhig.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1361629
| quote: | Christmas in Kandahar: We'll make the best of it
Posted By
Posted 7 hours ago
Christmas Day will be a little different for me this year. I won't be celebrating at home with my family. There won't be snow on the ground.
Although I'll likely get a Christmas turkey dinner, it will be nothing like Mom's, with the homemade perogies we spent all day making in the fall, helped along with a few bottles of wine. No opening of presents Christmas Day, with an anxious niece grabbing all the big ones in the hope that they are for her. In fact, it's even been rumoured that Santa will be late.
All this aside, I am still anxiously awaiting that magical day and carrying on as many traditions from home as I can. My bed space is decorated with cards and an Advent calendar. My presents, sent with love by my family, have been safely locked away by a tent-mate until the morning of the 25th. Christmas lights, trees and garland can be seen everywhere. Cards addressed to "Any Canadian Soldier" are arriving by the hundreds. I'm even planning on going to midnight mass.
I may not be with my family this year, but I am lucky enough to be spending Christmas with many friends who are in the same boat. I plan to wake up early to see what was packed into my stocking and to open my gifts.
My tent-mates probably won't be too impressed, but I'm sure offerings of whatever food I've been sent and a couple of coffees from Tim Hortons will calm them. I've warned my family that they can expect a very late-night or early-morning phone call so I can thank them all, and then another one on Boxing Day to hear what they got. Thankfully, Santa did come a little early to give us some extra minutes of free phone time. I am doing what I can to make this a good holiday.
I will be lonely here, and I suspect many others will be too. Christmas is not the same when you're away from home. I'm 33 and this is the first time I will not be with my parents at this wonderful time of the year.
This holiday season, take a moment to really enjoy the time spent with family and friends. Take some time, also, to remember those of us who, for whatever reason, can't make it home. But don't feel sorry for us. We'll find our own way to make it a very special holiday season.
By the way, the weather report for Christmas Day here forecasts that the temperature will be a chilly 19 degrees Celsius.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.
Christine Salt
Captain Canadian Forces
Kandahar Airfield Afghanistan
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