Bpeace in Kabul

It was a very full day and despite the fact that we're dragging, we're taking the time to post this blog to our friends and supporters and avid readers.

The day started at 3:30 am. In the Hotel lobby to leave for the Dubai airport at 4:15 am. (Everyone was on time!) Manageable lines at the Ariana counter. Plane was packed with Afghan ex-pats going back after 20 years away; Afghan business men returning from a biz trip in Dubai; Europeans doing who knows what in Kabul; little screaming kids in party dresses. No goats, no chickens. Ariana served us a hot breakfast of kabobs, a lamb chop and potatoes. Very nice.

We arrived in Kabul a bit behind schedule and the luggage situation was madness. The belt didn't work, and luggage was passed head over head, hopefully to the right owner. We thought we would be there for 4 hours...but were out in about 40 minutes. Theft did not seem to be a threat at all.

Wahid and Najib from Global Exchange, and our own film crew met us. As we donned our head scarves, and we left the terminal, we were struck by the dry wind, the montone of the landscape. Everything is beige, with very little distinction between the sky and land. (See the photo above shot from the plane.) The drive to town reminded Ray of Japan after World War II. Rubble, streets of shops selling spare car and machine parts, little shops--more like huts--selling fruit and household supplies. But every now and again is a store with a nice glass storefront selling party or wedding dresses.

The Intercontinental Hotel is fine. The hotel's resident manager said we brought him luck because King Zaher Shah came to hold a meeting here.

We lunched with Carolyn McCool and Shireen Kahn from UNIFEM, and later went to the UNDP compound to meet the rest of the staff. They work out of very cramped quarters, 2 and 6 to an office. They all loved the Coach purses, lipstick holders, lipsticks and the knitted scarves from Rwanda. We were heroes.

Our last appointment of the day was with Mahbooba who heads the Afghan Women's Business Council. It was a good meeting, except it's clear the concept of mentoring doesn't translate. In fact, after explaining the concept 6 ways to Sunday, we still don't have a Dari word for it. But we're all working on it.

The film crew is great, and Mehria (our female camera person) is tenacious to say the least. She stood up to a UN security guard twice her size. What a spitfire she is. She will be a real asset.

Tonight, we skipped dinner and spent about 90 minutes again rehearsing how we were going to interview our 39 women on the next 3 days. We'll leave you with this teaser...Masuda is our Ed McMahon to Laurie's Johnny Carson. Corinne and Wendy are the guest stars expected to carry the show.

Good night. We need some sleep. We start our apple and Reeboks tomorrow.

--Laurie, Masuda and Toni