Wednesday, 2 June 2010/Thursday, 3 Jun 2010

I am posting this a day late, because I had no internet last night. But I did have some definite firsts to talk about. :)
So, I found out about 2 days ago that I would be leaving CV (Camp Virginia) a couple days early, to complete some training with the CAC. I will be Casualty Branch OIC so I needed to get some training with the KUWAIT Casualty Center. Unfortunately, this meant leaving all of my battle friends that I have been in training with for the last month. This really sucked! AS they prepared to go to theater, I was making yet another pit stop, this time, by myself. As excited as I was to see Camp Cupcake (as they call Camp Arifjan) because of the better living conditions.. I did not want to be without friends as well. Now, yes, those of you know me, know that I am a social person, and can make friends easily, but thats not the point. In all honesty, they - my battle friends - have made this easier. I am distracted, and focused at the same time, but never much DOWN time to think about and dwell on how much I miss my family or how much I am missing out on at home. I talk to my family everyday and its hard because, things are running just fine. Some of you may not understand that, but as a mom, when you leave home, as much as you want things to be GOOD when you are away, its a reality that, wow, things are okay when I am not here. We tend to fool ourselves into thinking the world would fall apart at home if we weren't there to find someone's shoe, or backpack, or you name it... but that is not the case. Someone else can replace you.. Not completely, I know that. I will always be mommy. I know.. but hopefully, those of you who have been thru the deployments, understand what I mean.
Anyhow, I got sidetracked, yes.. leaving.. sadness.. SO - my battle buddy Michelle came up with a new term for us.. :) Instead of BFFs (you should all know that acronym if you have a female child) - we are BBFs. :) Battle Buddies Forever. :) Yes.. quirky, corny, but I love it. And yes.. she got me a going away gift... Girl Scout Cookies.. :) LMAO..
There's more to that story, but I can't share it here.. :)
Anyhow, So - as the day winds down, the guys from Cupcake pick me up at about 1830. We get to the gate and OMGosh... they weren't going to let me off. Yes, we had to do handstands, cartwheels and jump thu hoops (costing me about $20.00 on my cell phone) to get me on my way. So out the gate. Now - this is where this gets weird for me..
Kuwait is a nuetral area for us.. Green Zone as we like to say.. BUT - that doesn't mean that the sight of many many Kuwaiti's on the roads don't startle me to some degree. I have never been here.. and I don't care if you say everythings okay here, I am in an area/region where people die. I don't want it to be me. SO, I watch along the roads, see the city lights, I even seen a ROLLER COASTER.. Yes.. LOL they actually have a roller coaster and casino resorts.. (Who the hell in their right mind would come here for a vacation? Just stick your head in the oven in the outer skirts of Las Vegas... that should suffice).. not that I know anything about their tourism, but I do know about the terrorism.. and you wouldn't catch me here in 130 degree heat, middle of nothing... for VACATION!)
Okay, sorry.. keep getting off on tangents.. As we took the ride, I watched.. took it all in. The city lights, the drivers, the drivers who got out of their cars on the sides of the road to go to the bathroom.. the drivers who would run across a busy highway.. for ummm.. I dunno.. but we almost hit one crossing.. (btw - there is no crosswalk on the freeway..LOL) Anyhow,
I saw Kuwait. I felt a little weary. A little nervous. But wow! I saw Kuwait. I saw signs for cities that I have only heard of on the news.. Its funny, because as I would see the signs (OH BTW - ALL signs are not only in their language, but english too.. Crazy.. its as if they knew one day, we would occupy their land.. so they were prepared.. LMAO) sorry.. dumb joke..
okay, back to my story (I feel like I have ADD today). We finally arrived at Camp Cupcake - and I was taken to the barracks.. YEAY!!! An actual building. Permanent bldg. With plumbing. A rack.. an actual bed (bunk bed - but who cares) - and the best part - a head (bathroom) INDOORS, in the bldg. At CV - you had to walk across the dessert to the porta potties or cadillacs.. at 3 am.. that sucks! So - at about 11 last night I walked to the PX, grabbed a couple small items and then hit the Taco Bell. I saw the pool.. nice big pool. Here - its better to go out after 5pm... the temps cool down to about 95-100 and its much much better.. feels much better.. so there I was, walking around the base about 2300 - but, got to see a few of the things and proximities of what I needed. Came back to my little cubicle (open bay berthing/ bund beds cordoned off by cubicles..) and watched a movie til it was time to call the kids.. I watched Shutter Island.. decent movie.. went to bed about 2am.. set my alarm to call the kids at 0645 (2045 their time) to say good night. Came back to bed, and woke up at 1100 to some lady screaming to us in the berthing that we were evacuating the bldg. Now, let me tell you - the sun is soooooo bright here, that when you first wake up - to go directly outside.. no sun glasses, its blinding.. and sooo soo hot.. not something fun to wake up to.. AT ALL.. then we were all asked how we were feeling.. some kind of chemical fire I guess.. or some sort.. altho I have no idea where.. the whole ordeal lasted about 30 minutes max.. then, since I was up, I took the shuttle to the wifi place and then walked back... (I wouldn't recommend the walking back... again..) Its just too damned hot.. lol I didn't mind the walk.. but the heat.. man.. okay, so, thats where I am.
I am getting ready to shower.. I have to go to work at 1530. I guess I will be working with them for the next week as they teach me the ropes - so that I know my job, when I finally get to my destination. I am on 3rd shift.. which, really, I have no idea what that is.. I have been in the military since I was 17 - I know mid, rev, blah blah.. but 3rd shift? Guess I will have to figure out today what that means and just what time exactly I will be working til.
Anyhow, there's the update. I am sure I will have more after work. More later...