Letters From Afghanistan

Letters From Afghanistan, Eloise Hanner, Branden Books, 2003

It was the year 1971. The author, a recent college graduate from Idaho, and her fiance (soon to be her husband) decide to join the Peace Corps. They aren't qualified to do much except teach English, so they applied for somewhere in the South Pacific, and had to wait several months for an opening. After a weekend of more intense interviews in Chicago, they finally get their assignment. They both have to look on a map to find Afghanistan, a landlocked country in southwest Asia. This book consists of weekly letters sent home about their experiences.

After an interminable plane flight, and many shots, they reach Kabul. It is a colorful, yet noisy, sort of place. They find a house (all of which are behind high adobe walls) through the local Peace Corps office. They are given the usual rules when traveling to the Third World. Don't drink the water (it will be provided by the Embassy). Don't eat anything from the stalls in the local bazaar; in fact, don't eat anything that can't be peeled or hasn't been thoroughly cooked. Despite this, they still suffer from nearly weekly bouts of diarrhea. The plan for the Hanners is to undergo a three-month crash course in Farsi (the local language) and get used to Kabul before starting their assignment. The author's assignment is to teach English to employees of the Education Ministry.

Creature comforts in Kabul are few and far between. Heat in the Hanner's house comes from a couple of wood stoves. Light comes from a couple of bare light bulbs. Their mud roof leaks constantly, and during the summer, it grows wheat. Refrigeration is unknown, so Dad Ali, their cook/handyman/jack of all trades, makes daily food trips to the bazaar. The Kabul bazaar is a place where practically anything can be made or found, including a moneychanger who accepts American checks. Being a Peace Corps volunteer is not for everyone. Several people leave before their time is up.

These letters chronicle the good and bad of living in Afghanistan. On one side there is the incredible generosity of the Afghan people. They have little or nothing, and think nothing of sharing. On the other side is dealing with daily life in Kabul. There are also those people who let the author know, clearly and succinctly, if they feel she is not appropriately dressed in public.

This is a gem of a book and a very easy read. To get an idea of life in Afghanistan before the Soviets and before the Taliban, start right here. It's highly recommended.