Hap-Hap-Happy Holidays!

I guess since I’ve been called out, I must answer…thanks honey!

If you have ever deployed you know the holiday seasons usually suck out here. I’ll give the Army credit- they try real hard, but it’s just not the same and everyone knows it. The best you can really muster is to create a nice holiday atmosphere and throw some turkey at the troops and call it a day. It’s been tough to really get in the holiday spirit out here. A few trees and lights have gone up and there are a few more Christmas-y AFN commercials, but there is just no way to truly get in the holiday spirit.

We had Thanksgiving just like everyone else…only earlier. The feast-o-plenty was right at lunch time, which is just a little too early for my liking. We ended up going at around 1pm (aka 1300 if you’re not into the whole brevity thing), and from reports I heard from the soldiers before we went, there was quite a line. Turns out they were absolutely right. The DFAC here is gargantuan, and the line stretched for a long, long ways. It ended up taking 45 minutes to get through, but in the end it was a fun time. They had soldiers dressed like pilgrims and indians, random paper mache sculptures (made by our far-eastern third country national DFAC workers, so the designs ranged from weird ducks to crazy looking dragons). They even broke out the real silverware and plates for the occasion- we usually only get plastic ware.

Lunch itself was not bad. It was turkey loaf, ham, and a few cafeteria-style sides. In all, a meal is what you make it, so we all had a good time. Here’s a couple pictures:

This is the line inside...it ends on the far wall, way way back. The line outside was even longer.

My delicious KBR Thanksgiving...

I got really wasted on sparkling cider.

Since Turkey Day, it’s been back to normal for the time being. Same work schedules, same routines. I did a little Christmas shopping over the past few weeks…first online, and then at the bazaar they have over at one of the larger camps that surround the airport. My online shopping was mostly for the boys, and I spent WAY more than I would normally, but hey, it’s Christmas and I’m thousands of miles away from my sons…sue me if I spoil them a little.

The bazaar was pretty nice here. It’s basically a little warehouse where local vendors can come and sell Iraqi “stuff” to the soldiers. They have all sorts of random things there- crafts, rugs, furniture, electronics, souvenirs…you name it they sold it. One thing that really stood out (mostly because I am a huge cheapskate) was how expensive everything is now. Back in 2003 when I first deployed, I got a bunch of souvenirs for one low price. Five years later and change, these guys have really picked up on how to make dough off of this little occupation we got going on over here. Haggling works to an extent, but the start price is so far past the actual value that you’re still paying through the nose.

One other thing that caught my attention was a little memorial they had in the warehouse that was dedicated to the vendors who had died. All of them were killed in very tragic ways- IEDs, assassinations, etc., simply because they were working with the Americans. It was very sobering, and a reminder of how much these guys sacrifice to make a living. Even though I felt like what they sold was a little pricey, I guess it put things in perspective and made me a little more giving. It is the season, isn’t it?