An update from Iraq

Hello to everyone back home or wherever you are in the world. Had a few mintues and some working internet so I wanted to post a blog about some things that have been happening to me on the trip. I have so much to say and not even time to say it all. Basically life has been a super crazy rollercoaster ride since I stepped foot on the plane over here. It all started with a 2 hour flight to Atlanta, then a 14 hour flight to Dubai, next a 2 hour flight to Kuwait city, 2 hours to get a Visa, an hour spent filling a report for my lost bag and a 30 minute ride to the hotel, it was a very long day! Once in Kuwait it was all fancy and fun times, we stayed at a beautiful fancy hotel, J.W. Marriott, with great food and fantastic service. Spent two nights there then it was a 2 hour flight to Baghdad, this became the most unique and exciting part thus far. The plane lands on the military side of Baghdad International Airport and we are instructed to exit the plane and wait on the tarmack, next is a very long walk with all my luggage to meet our point of contact, then wait in line to be given linens and assigned a tent. The first tent I had slept about 25 guys and was very close quarters, no room at all. We shower and use the bathroom in a trailer that is commonly known as "The Cadillac", it really isn't that bad at all. Luckily it is winter here right now so the weather is very mild, about 70 during the day and 40 at night, that sounds like ideal weather, but the wind always blows, the sky is always overcast and filled with sand, so bascially it is sometimes hard to figure out where the ground ends and the sky begins. There is rarely any privacy here and it is so hard to get use to everything being surrounded by Twalls. Twalls are giant concete slabs that are about 20 feet high, they surround every single structure, tent, bathroom or building here. It is really hard to figure you way around because all you see is Twalls in every direction, basically you are surround by grey and brown all the time. The food is pretty good, we eat at what they call the Dfac (Dining Facility) there are lots of choices and the food is very high in calories and starches, I am already starting to get fat :( The first night was pretty hard to sleep, as I layed in my top bunk all I could hear was the sound of nonstop hellicoptors flying around and other guys snoring. For the most part I feel completely safe all the time and I am having a great time. I have met some amazing Airman and Soldiers who live in these conditions day in and day out, I have completely gained a whole new respect for them and want to remind everyone at home to please help support our troops in anyway possible. They live and work in an environment that most Americans will never see, experience or could even understand.

PLEASE TAKE 1O MINTUES TO READ UP ON HOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, I AM LISTING A COUPLE WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT, PLEASE DO THIS!!!

http://www.freewebs.com/helpourtroops/
http://www.operation-support-our-troops.org/

That is all for now, more coming later, I am still trying to get my videos to upload but the internet is so slow and spotty that I can't seem to get any of them to fully upload. Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed!

Check out my pics, I got to ride in a C130....
Bye for now from the Middle East...
Steven

more pics from Kuwait


more pics from Iraq