June 15, 2009

INSOMNIAC

My husband hasn't been sleeping well lately.  He is overwhelmed by how much there still is to learn about Afghanistan.  He is keeping himself up at night worrying that he hasn't learned enough geography, culture, and history.  He invested five years of his life into learning Iraq, and now he's changing horses midstream.  He wants to make sure he's prepared for this new mission, and it's been on his mind constantly.

Today is our seventh wedding anniversary.  I joked, "You're becoming an insomniac like me!  See, it's true what they say about people turning into each other when they've been married for so long.  It only took you seven years."  He snorted and said, "But I don't want to be like you in this area!"  When asked what area he would like to be more like me in, he replied, "You know, how you're organized and remember birthdays and stuff."  Heh.

We're leaving tomorrow for block leave: a week in Las Vegas.  In addition to festivities and fun, we will be working on learning Pashto together.  Just another thing to shove in our suitcase...

Don't worry, we're such nerds that we chose our hotel based on who had free wifi.

Posted by: Sarah at 03:53 AM | Comments (5) | Add Comment
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1 He invested five years of his life into learning Iraq

and a lot of time learning Iran, too! I admire a man who gets into his field and takes it seriously.

I can't wait to hear about your Pashto studies together. Now that's my kind of romance!

Posted by: Amritas at June 15, 2009 10:03 AM (b3Ptv)

2 My husband's been doing the same thing.  He's been to Iraq, speaks Arabic, spent the majority of the last year with this unit training to go back to Iraq, and now (as of just a few months ago) they will be heading to Afghanistan instead.  It's a whole different ballgame, and he's been studying up on the region they're going to since he found out.

Enjoy your block leave.  We just got back from ours - a road trip to visit friends & family in SoCal with a quick detour to the Grand Canyon.

Posted by: Leofwende at June 15, 2009 01:10 PM (28CBm)

3 I like to speak Arabic (Klingon) with a high pitched, Major Hockschtedder voice. "Vee Haf vays of  getting informacion, you know."  Unfortunately, the humor is lost on the Iraqis.  Even the whole cigarette routine. 

FWIW, I really liked "The Arab Mind" for Iraq, not sure if Pataki has written anything on The Muj Mind, but lessons learned in one may apply to another.  Also, dealing with tribes--watch The Godfather, over and over and over.  There are SO many lessons learned in that movie that really did apply.  Leave the gun, take the cannoli, indeed.

Posted by: Chuck at June 15, 2009 01:43 PM (bQVIy)

4 Do enjoy your week and yours PASHTO! What's his deployment rotation? I thought the new 50/50 was bad (out 6 months/back 6 months and repeat) yours seems to be 75/25. Ew! You are such a good Army wife.

Posted by: Darla at June 15, 2009 06:46 PM (LP4DK)

5 Darla -- It's supposed to be 8 on, 8 off.  But it didn't exactly turn out that way...  It's more like 7 on, 7 off, 9 on, then a PCS.  I blogged about it at SpouseBUZZ: "More Fair"

Posted by: Sarah at June 15, 2009 08:11 PM (TWet1)

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