Photos from Afghanistan...

John has just started to have time to load some photos and send them to me via email.  Apparently with their slow connectivity it takes him hours to do this...so, I'm thankful for what I've gotten and then I told him to just send me a CD.  :)

That being said...just a few photos from Afghanistan to give you a glimpse into life as he knows it...

First, a shot of the type of living situation he's in.  On the right are large barricades...to the left, the tents where the soldiers live.  Each tent has makeshift rooms inside made of plywood.  They each have a door.  I believe John said there were 6 rooms inside each tent...

This shot in particular has a "castle" in the background...

More tents...I was appalled at how trashy everything was.   I asked him about the garbage and the trash.  He said that its not just the US soldiers...all the contractors and workers and other country's soldiers are just as bad.  He said nobody picks up after themselves...

I found myself very disturbed by that...

And a final shot of the tents...this time with someone's laundry hanging out to dry...

The Romanian soldier's change of guard...John would really like to learn to speak Romanian now.

I'm guessing this is the Army's attempt to help clean up the trash...the more interesting part is the toilet instructions - do not stand...sit.  Okaaaaay.  Well, I have learned that apparently this is actually a big problem...as well as the use of no toilet paper....oh, and the refusal to clean up a mess left behind.

Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.

More potty humor...welcome to the men's room.

Chinook helicopter either landing or taking off....Either way, these are a frequent sight.  John has learned to sleep through their arrivals and departures.

And the man, himself, sitting in one...right next to the gunner.

And last, but not least...John's new friends...or wait...are those fingers of his crossed.  Are they really his friends?