Things To Appreciate

I compiled a list of things I'll definitely appreciate more fully once I get back to the States. It started out as a list of things I miss (aside from my family), but that sounded too much like complaining. So here it is, in no particular order, is a collection of things I'm looking forward to:

Civilian Clothing

I reached for a pair of camo pants the other day and just sighed. On the one hand, it's convenient to not have to think about what to wear. On the other hand, wearing the same thing every day gets old after a while. So I plan to smile big every time I reach for a t-shirt and pair or jeans, or lace up my Chuck Taylors.

Raw Carrots

We get a ton of cucumbers and lots of cooked carrots, but no raw carrots. I think it's 'cause you can get frozen carrots but not frozen cukes, and the DFAC only orders fresh if they can't order frozen. I ate raw carrots all the time at home and definitely miss them here. Also, cheese and cake and red wine and sushi... well, you get the picture.

Restaurants

On that note, the DFAC really does a good job of providing variety. Lunch and dinner both generally have at least three entrees to choose from. But it can't match the variety available within a 2 mile radius of my house. That's something I definitely won't take for granted when I'm home again.

Bagels & English Muffins

One last food-related comment: I love pancakes, particularly now that I've got real NY maple syrup (yay!). And I'm eating bacon way too often, so really, breakfast around here is pretty good. But sometimes, it'd be nice to just have an english muffin or a bagel. It's just one of those little things that I didn't fully appreciate until now.

A Feminine je ne sais quoi

Not that there aren't any women around here, but they're a distinct minority. This is a very dude-dominated environment, both among the ISAF crew and the locals. As you might imagine, the camp lacks a certain feminine touch, so things feel a bit out of balance. Which isn't to say the ladies around here aren't feminine, but they do tend to wear combat boots and carry weapons, so there's that. When a recent Skype chat showed my wife and two daughters, my sister and her daughter, and my mom, it was a striking moment to see so many ladies all at once.

Clean Air

You know how sometimes there's a strong smell in the air and after a few minutes your nose adjusts to it so you don't notice it any more? Yeah, I wish that would happen here. This place really doesn't smell nice. I think I'll spend the first month back home just breathing deeply.

Personal Space

I work in a medium-sized room with 7 other guys. After work, I share an 8 x 18 cell with a room mate. Any time I'm in a vehicle, I'm crammed in the back with three or four other guys. Not a lot of opportunities to have a little time & space to myself. I expect it'll be a long time before I take privacy for granted.

My Shower

The showerhead back home is excellent - great water pressure, a large spray and all the hot water I want, with a consistent temperature that's not dependent on the dudes in the stall next to me ('cause at home, there is no stall next to me). Actually, my shower at home is something I already appreciated even before coming here. Plus, the shower walls at home are clean. And if I open the bathroom window the mirror doesn't get all foggy. And when I'm in there, I don't have to listen to some dude in the stall next to me blowing his nose repeatedly and sounding like a hunter with a duck call. Seriously, that's just gross.

Water

Speaking of water, I'm looking forward to brewing a pot of coffee without having to open 3 bottles of water to do so. I'm also looking forward to brushing my teeth with tap water instead of bottled water.

Days Off

My daily schedule generally isn't too hectic, but there's something relentless about putting on my uniform and going to work every single day. It was almost a relief to catch a cold and spend a day in my room watching movies although the physical discomfort sort of took the bloom off that rose. Anyway, weekends are something I always appreciated and I am definitely looking forward to having them again.