AUAF (American Uni of Afghanistan) faculty killed at La Taverna (read this post please)
I have spent the last 3 days trying to return to Kabul. A delayed flight resulted in me spending a night in San Francisco airport (yes, I have friends there who would have put me up, but it was 11 pm by the time I got everything sorted out with the airline, and I wasn't going to call them.)
Because of this, I lost my Delhi-Kabul ticket and will have to purchase a new one. Fortunately, I have an Indian visa so this was an option.
I took the metro in to the city, got a cheap hotel that had wifi, and checked my email.
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The attack is all over the news in general, but one good write-up is at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kabul-suicide-attacks-death-toll-includes-american-university-employees/
I learned about the attack on the Lebanese restaurant, La Taverna, from university email before I saw the news. First there was an email from the president that came out right after the attack confirming that two of our teachers had been killed. Then there was another one a bit later (but well before the names had been released to the news) identifying who was killed. One was a new teacher who was just starting this semester. I assume he came with the new batch a week ago because I don't know him.
Lexie Kamerman (sometimes called Alexis in the news releases written by reporters who don't know no one called her Alexis) was a friend of mine. She was part of our board game group, and although we weren't terribly close, we had, ironically, decided that we would be better friends this semester and hang out more.
She was a genuinely good person who I respected on many levels.
I went to bed and lay there for a fair while. As I've mentioned to some of you, I almost never dream about people, places, or events I know, and can very seldom make any connection to my dreams and actual events of my life. Last night I dreamed I was at a house (a random one I didn't know) and her 5 yr old brother (I don't know if she has any brothers, but if she does, they're not 5 yrs old) was there. He didn't know about her death, and I was trying to decide if I should tell him or leave it to his family to tell him. He went into another room for a while and was crying when he came back.
It was an odd dream, but I guess reflects how I feel on a subconscious level.
I've spent 3.5 years watching students lose family/friends in attacks, but this is the first time someone I know, let alone someone I consider a friend, has been killed. It strikes home a lot more, although I suppose ultimately a senseless death is a senseless death no matter who is killed.
This attack seems a bit more important on a political level as well. Although it's not the first time they've targeted foreigners, they usually target goft/military. But with 2014 here, I think it's an attempt to send a message.
I'm spending today somberly trying to sort out a plane ticket to Kabul. My awesome travel agent (an AUAF student) just emailed and has booked one for me for tomorrow at a slightly discounted rate.
Will this attack influence my daily life? Well, not really. Truth be told, I didn't go out all that much anyway, although La Taverna was one of the 2-3 restaurants that I actually liked. If things get too bad, we'll be evacuated, but I don't think it's anywhere close to being that bad now.
So for now, here I am. Continuing on and grateful to be alive. Don't ever take for granted things like that, or the relative peace where you live.
Because of this, I lost my Delhi-Kabul ticket and will have to purchase a new one. Fortunately, I have an Indian visa so this was an option.
I took the metro in to the city, got a cheap hotel that had wifi, and checked my email.
---------------
The attack is all over the news in general, but one good write-up is at: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/kabul-suicide-attacks-death-toll-includes-american-university-employees/
I learned about the attack on the Lebanese restaurant, La Taverna, from university email before I saw the news. First there was an email from the president that came out right after the attack confirming that two of our teachers had been killed. Then there was another one a bit later (but well before the names had been released to the news) identifying who was killed. One was a new teacher who was just starting this semester. I assume he came with the new batch a week ago because I don't know him.
Lexie Kamerman (sometimes called Alexis in the news releases written by reporters who don't know no one called her Alexis) was a friend of mine. She was part of our board game group, and although we weren't terribly close, we had, ironically, decided that we would be better friends this semester and hang out more.
She was a genuinely good person who I respected on many levels.
I went to bed and lay there for a fair while. As I've mentioned to some of you, I almost never dream about people, places, or events I know, and can very seldom make any connection to my dreams and actual events of my life. Last night I dreamed I was at a house (a random one I didn't know) and her 5 yr old brother (I don't know if she has any brothers, but if she does, they're not 5 yrs old) was there. He didn't know about her death, and I was trying to decide if I should tell him or leave it to his family to tell him. He went into another room for a while and was crying when he came back.
It was an odd dream, but I guess reflects how I feel on a subconscious level.
I've spent 3.5 years watching students lose family/friends in attacks, but this is the first time someone I know, let alone someone I consider a friend, has been killed. It strikes home a lot more, although I suppose ultimately a senseless death is a senseless death no matter who is killed.
This attack seems a bit more important on a political level as well. Although it's not the first time they've targeted foreigners, they usually target goft/military. But with 2014 here, I think it's an attempt to send a message.
I'm spending today somberly trying to sort out a plane ticket to Kabul. My awesome travel agent (an AUAF student) just emailed and has booked one for me for tomorrow at a slightly discounted rate.
Will this attack influence my daily life? Well, not really. Truth be told, I didn't go out all that much anyway, although La Taverna was one of the 2-3 restaurants that I actually liked. If things get too bad, we'll be evacuated, but I don't think it's anywhere close to being that bad now.
So for now, here I am. Continuing on and grateful to be alive. Don't ever take for granted things like that, or the relative peace where you live.