P.S.

I was officially accepted into NYU Stern's two year MBA program last month. That means I will be heading back to New York City mid-June, bringing my experience in Afghanistan to an end.

Thank you to everyone who has followed my blog over the past eight months. Be sure to check back in for some final thoughts before I leave the country.

Spring in the City

Spring has sprung here in Kabul. The snow on the mountains has melted away, leaving us with warm, sunny afternoons and clear, breezy evenings. In any other part of the world, a phrase strung together like that would bring forth images of frolicking in green grass or casual evening drinks on outdoor patios. Not in Afghanistan.

Snow Capped Mountains, Kabul February

Spring here translates to "spring offensives" or "targeted attacks" now that the weather has warmed up. (NYT: Spring Offensive to Begin, Taliban Say) 

In fact, ever since our friend Terry Jones decided to grill a Koran down in Florida, things have been pretty bad over here in Afghanistan. First there was the attack on the UN compound in Mazar, then the mastermind escape of 480 prisoners in Kandahar and finally, the incident at the Kabul International Airport last week. In the midst of all of this, Afghanistan celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Soviet departure last Thursday, or the "Islamic Revolution" as it was referred to in the email from HR.  

Needless to say, there have been a lot of locked down days.

And now, the biggest news of all: Osama Bin Laden is dead! (Quite honestly, I thought he had been dead for years. When was the last time we even heard from him? And audio tapes don't count.) I guess this brings closure to a long chapter in US history that began in the early 90s in Africa and culminated with the World Trade Center attacks ten years ago.

It's of course a huge victory for the Western world, who has been terrorized by him for decades. But given that the life expectancy in this part of the world is 45 years old at most, it's not like the ol' guy had time on his side.

As far as I know, we haven't seen any immediate repercussions in Kabul this morning, although my Security team tells us Kabul is on high alert. We're currently on restricted movement, which means no visits to government buildings or embassies, but we are at work today. I assume security will tighten up this week when the reaction comes, and it will lead to more days of lock down.

Until then, we will continue to fill our evenings with Friendly Friday poker and long stints at the gym.

Friendly Friday Poker Game in RV

Finances

As Senior Manager of Marketing Communications, I approve a lot of estimates and sign off on all payments. I even have a stamp with my name and title, like a boss. 

My favorite part of this process is issuing advanced payments to people around the country to install posters on a monthly basis.

Since the people hired are generally illiterate, they are unable to sign their name when they receive money from Roshan. So I get confirmation in the form of a finger print.

No joke.

Job Opening: Director of Marketing Communications

Director of Marketing Communications, Roshan TDCA Ltd.

Job Description:

• Create and implement brand strategy for Roshan and its sub brands including mobile money arm of Roshan, M-Paisa
• Plan the advertising and sponsoring activities with Sales, Marketing, Products and Retention teams in order to launch communications built to increase revenue
• Cooperate with creative advertising, media agencies and market research agencies based in Dubai and Kabul
• Coordinate the BTL (below the line) and ATL (above the line) campaigns; launch OOH communications, posters, banners, leaflets, radio, TV and branded integration efforts
• Manage the Advertising/Promotions budget and administer the production of marketing collaterals both locally and internationally
• Work closely with the Corporate Social Responsibility team in order to communicate the social initiatives Roshan has in place around Afghanistan
• Plan and design sponsorship initiatives with local media houses and the advertising agency
• Execute all other needed logistic and operational activities
• Train and mentor a team of five local Afghans in daily operations, oral and written presentation skills
• Work closely with Senior Management for decision-making in challenging environment and emerging market, with a 70% illiteracy rate

Qualifications:

• At least 5 years of experience in Marketing/Communications department on the client side marketing or in an advertising agency
• Strong interpersonal skills and communications skills mandatory
• Wireless telecom and international experience a plus
• Adventurous candidate who is looking for a challenge but also looking to gain an incredible and rewarding experience, surrounded by people of like-minded/international background

Location: Kabul, Afghanistan

Salary/Bonus: Package designed to attract the best candidate

Start Date: July 1, 2011

About Roshan:

Roshan is the leading GSM cellular service provider in Afghanistan, with coverage in over 230 major cities and towns and over 3.5 Million Active Subscribers. Since its inception in the market in January 2003, Roshan has invested up to $390.4 million in implementing and maintaining a high quality network. Roshan is dedicated to the reconstruction of Afghanistan by providing the highest standards of service, creating new businesses, training future leaders and developing entrepreneurial spirit.

The word "Roshan" means "light" in both of the national Afghan languages, Dari and Pashto. The name Roshan was given by the people of Afghanistan as Roshan brings a promise of hope, development, and a brighter future for Afghanistan.

Interested candidates please submit your CV to karima.rasul@roshan.af

You Know You're Not in North America When...

You find your face painted for the India vs. Pakistan cricket match.

Beirut Wrap Up

I got back from Beirut last weekend and had a seriously wonderful four day vacation. Joel and I walked everywhere (a luxury we don't get to enjoy at all in Kabul) and ate such fresh food. Think: a lot of humus and eggplant dip with pita and haloumi cheese. On our first day in Beirut, we walked down from our hotel in Hamra to the ocean/promenade called the Corniche and stopped at a cafe on the water to grab lunch.  Much to our surprise, our lunch came out accompanied by olives, pickled carrots and a full plate fresh veggies: tomatoes, radishes, cucumber and a bunch of fresh mint. You have no idea how much little things mean after months of oily disgusting food. 

The city has so much history - we ventured downtown to St. George's Church that was recently excavated. As part of the excavation, they preserved the bottom layer of the church - showing off Byzantine, Mesopotamian, Roman, Ottoman layers. Each had a different style and shaped the Lebanese architecture in a certain way. It was very cool. And right down the street from St. George's Church is Al-Omari Mosque with a bright blue dome, which is reminisent of the Blue Mosque in Instanbul. I loved how Churches and Mosques lived side by side, and how old merged with new. 

Downtown Beirut outside of St. George's Church

Our old ad agency, Grey, is located in Beirut so we went up to the offices one day, which is actualy like 20 mins outside of Beirut but the drive is straight up into the hills. From there, the city reminded me a lot of Vancouver with the ocean and the mountains. Joel and I obviously ended up hitting the town every night - Beirut is known for it's nightlife after all! We discovered gems from low key bars (perfect for watching the Arsenal-Barcelona game) to more whole-in-the-wall Beirut-chic places introduced to us by our buddies. This one place called Torino in the Gemmayzeh neighborhood reminded me of the East Village, but less grimy and more European hipster/artist. On our last night, our agency guys took us to a bar called Behind the Green Door that had no sign outside, but inside it was this 60s retro lounge with crush velvet banquettes. Very cool. 

Our last day in Lebanon, we took the drive out to Byblos to check out the ruins. That was by far the best day. The whole week was breezy/spring weather, but on Friday it was around 20 Celsius and perfectly sunny. We hired a guy named Ali, who was recommended to us by friends who had found him somewhere downtown Beirut at 4 AM the last time they were in town. Apparently this guy picked them up, found them falafel at that late hour, and was automatically their tour guide for the rest of the week. Ali was a sweetheart and Byblos was fantastic. The view out to the Mediterranean from the top of the fort was just beautiful.

Joel taking in the view from the Coliseum 

View from the top of the fort, Byblos

Town of Byblos

  After Ali took us on a walking tour of Byblos, we were back in the car, headed to our last stop: Harisa. In order to get to Harisa, you need to take a small gondola (or Telefrique, as they call them) up this super steep mountain and at the top there is a church with a Rio-style Jesus staue next to it. I have to admit, it was only partially awesome. I freaked out on Joel a couple of times when he insisted on shaking the two person telefrique on the way up. Please refer to the pictures below. Unfortunately, the ride down the mountain marked the end of our trip. We headed directly to the airport and back to Kabul. 

Two person telefrique, please note the steep incline

Freak out at the top of the mountain

View from the top

Top of Harisa

The Sun Also Sets in Afghanistan

Sometimes you look around Kabul and are just taken aback by the beauty of the mountains. The city is located in one of the largest and highest mountain ranges in the world, after all. Too bad we're not allowed to get out of the car to take pictures. This is a shot of the sun setting on Jalalabad road. 

Beer Pong

I'm off to Beirut today.

Good thing because we just got text from Security about another blast in the city. I heard this one... like a car backfiring or a small firework going off. Ironically, the local head of security came into my office this morning and asked if Lebanon was safe right now.

Looking forward to five days of Lebanese food, shisha, people-watching, sight-seeing, shopping, dining and walking along the Mediterranean, checking out ancient ruins and speaking French. All the while wearing fall jackets, scarves and boots in the city that inspired the now infamous drinking game.

At Its Finest

I guess I have to write the bad with the good. I'm sure many of you have read about the Finest Supermarket bombing in Kabul a couple of weeks ago. The news may be old, but it's still somewhat fresh here in the city. After four relatively calm months in Kabul, there was an attack on our local supermarket. Just to give you context, there are two supermarkets within three block vicinity of the Roshan office. Sometimes, on a slow afternoon, Joel will pop out to pick up groceries and snacks for the weekend. We have, on occasion, shopped at Finest Supermarket on a Friday for a dinner we are cooking later that night. Saying, "it hits close to home"  is pretty accurate. 

Finest is a local shopping center for ex-pats on the search for real Hellman's mayonnaise, Tostitos with Lime or frozen turkeys on Thanksgiving. They had actually just re-done that location, maybe a month earlier. They expanded out the back and carried extra produce, cheese, and hand-carved wooden decorations for the home. The irony is that out of the nine casualties that day, six of them were from the same Afghan family. 

The whole thing was a little unnerving. 

It's amazing how different the mood is in the city is now. I had grown so used to listening my iPod on the ride to work, grown used to the normalcy of the sight of women in burkas, begging children, the smell of burning tires and the presence of military vehicles. I guess I had become complacent to my surroundings. Now, the morning ride is different; more cautious or anticipatory. 

Lock down has lifted and we are free to roam about, although no one is really moving around the city unnecessarily. I was in Dubai last weekend, and am heading to Beirut next week. This weekend has been filled with TV, reading, the gym and Spartacus. (I suggest everyone gets their hands on that series.) I guess we wait it out - until the tension lifts and things go back to how they were. 

36 Hours In Kabul

Kabul was once hailed as the Paris of Central Asia. In the 1970s, women roamed freely in knee-length skirts and hippies trekked through the mountains on their way to India to experiment with the local opium plants. Afghanistan was consumed by music and art: poets would relish in the local cafes, drinking tea as they wrote the next Sufi revelation. Today, Kabul is neither the fun-loving European sister nor the demonized city described by international media. Through thirty years of destruction and deprivation, Kabul has maintained its culture of warm hospitality, music and art. The locals are proud people, dedicated to the growth of their country; they are mostly welcoming of foreigners and eager to share the beauty of their country. 

Thursday 7 p.m.

1)      Ex-Pat Living

Rumored to be one of the safest locations in Kabul, Boccaccio Restaurant is located on the International Forces Compound in the center of the city. This Italian restaurant is the hot spot for expatriate international celebrities, from the British Ambassador to the head of USAID. Generally, Thursdays nights bring in less business and more of a casual crowd: young professionals from all over the world chattering away in multiple languages about politics, religion, and the best gynecologist to visit in Dubai. Don’t expect dinner here to be any cheaper than in a typical U.S. city – wine is about $7 a glass and entrees range from $12 - $22 USD. All restaurants are cash only, and will accept both Afghanis and US Dollars.

9 p.m.

2)      I see France

Following dinner at Boccaccio, head to L’Atmo for drinks about ten minutes away. This French joint has been closed down numerous times for standard alcohol violations in the past couple of years, but always manages to open under a different name. Get there by 9 p.m. in order to secure a spot outside on one of the wicker chairs, close to the fire pit. If you’re lucky, the popular ex-pat punk rock band Khyber Zoo will be playing a set or two by the outdoor pool.

Friday 7 a.m.

3)      Tea-Time

Get up early to golf at the foot of the Hindu Kush Mountains. About ninety minutes outside the city, Kabul Golf Course is a popular spot on the weekends.  At $50 a head, this course is frequented by U.S. Soldiers and Department of Defense contractors in addition to locals who can afford the fee. Since there is no “green”, local caddies will talk you through the rough in order to get the most out of the experience. It is customary to stay for a cup of tea after you’re done with eighteen holes. Be sure to visit the gift shop for those who won’t believe that you golfed in Kabul.

12 p.m.

4)      Clothing Mandatory

Since golfing is restricted to men-only, send the ladies ahead to Lake Qargha to secure a beach side cabana; the Lake is only a short drive up the mountain from the golf course. Here, you can watch the children play on the playgrounds, frolic in the cold lake water or simply sip banana shakes and eat a leisurely lunch. You definitely want to leave your two-piece bathing suit at home. Similar to the dress code in Kabul, women generally wear long-sleeved tunic shirts and long pants. Expect especially slow service if there are a group of local men nearby – they always get served first, no matter what.

4 p.m.

5)      Ahoy Matey

Nezar DVD is pirated DVDs at its best. Visit the shop on Street #13 in Wazir Akbar Khan on your way back from Qargha and you will be delighted by the selection. They have box sets of every series from CSI to King of Queens, Lost to Seinfeld. And they know their market; Seinfeld: The Complete Series retails for $250 USD on Amazon.com, but comedy fans can shell out a mere $25 in Kabul. New releases and movies still in theaters are available at $1 USD each.

7 p.m.

6)      Burgers and Buns

Right around the corner from Nezar DVD on Wazir Akbar Khan Street is Fat Man Forest. Here you can get a delicious cheeseburger, or an even better chicken burger, with all of the American fixings. After the abrupt closing of Habibi’s, the famed burger place that was allegedly serving up women alongside the food, this is the next best thing. Ask for extra pickles on the side.

Saturday 9 a.m.

7)      Let’s do Brunch

You can’t drink a mimosa, but it is definitely brunch. Saturday morning brunch at Café Zarnegar in the Serena Hotel is the place to go in order to see and be seen. It is also interesting to note that it is the only place in Kabul that serves brunch. The chefs behind the counter will whip you up an egg white omelet or French toast with whipped cream and fresh fruit. Catch up on gossip with your friends before hitting the streets for some shopping.

11 a.m.

8)      Chicken Street

There is no better way to describe the popular shopping district in Kabul. And as far as I know, there is no Dari or Pashto translation for it. Locals and ex-pats alike call this area of the city, “Chicken Street.” On Chicken Street (and its intersecting alleys), you can get anything Afghan your heart desires. Scarves, beaded jewelry, hand painted bowls, plastic trash cans, flowers and scratch cards for your phone.

Ask to be pointed in the direction of Ishtaf Furniture Gallery -- he has the most exquisite hand carved furniture that would retail for thousands of dollars in the U.S. Don’t be scared if the owner leads you next door to the adjoining carpet store, offers you a hot cup of tea and a seat on the ground, and opens dozens of Afghan-made carpets in front of you.  This is standard Afghan hospitality.

1 p.m.

9)   Boutique Shopping

If you’re not brave enough to tackle the bustling streets of Kabul, head to ex-pat only Zardozy Boutiques in Qalai Fatullah. Zardozy brings together local designers and furniture makers to give you the best selection of Afghan hand-crafted shopping. At Zardozy, you can browse through hand-woven scarves and table clothes from Nuristan, try on handcrafted turquoise necklaces and earrings from Panshir, or pick up an American Apparel printed T-Shirt saying “Born to Ride: Kabul” with a man playing the national sport, Buzkashi. (Buzkashi is a game comparable to Polo, whereby men on horses attempt to score points by passing around a goat carcass.) Zardozy is perfect for the casual shopper, but be warned that you will be paying ex-pat prices.

IF YOU GO

Serena Hotel is located in the heart of Kabul, only 20 minutes from the airport. Following a small scare a couple of years ago, the hotel has amplified the security is now one of the safest locations in the city. In addition to the popular brunch, The Silk Route Restaurant also offers a barbecue dinner served outside in the courtyard. Hotel amenities include a spa, fitness center, conference rooms and full business center.  Doubles start at $356 USD.

Intercontinental is a good pick for the traveler on a budget. Double rooms here are on average $135 USD but the hotel is located a little further outside of the city and doesn’t offer any notable facilities.

Powered by Roshan Community

I arrived back in Kabul a few days ago, and things are back to work as usual. My first home leave was relaxing - filled with lots of sleep, Starbucks coffee and extremely fattening deserts. Now, I am well-rested and ready for the second quarter of this year-long experience.

On Sunday, Roshan hosted the opening ceremonies for a Youth, Sports and Social Development Center that was built by Roshan Community, our social programs arm. One of the projects I inherited when I first arrived was the branding of this building. The center was designed to fill the need of Afghan youth, who are increasingly becoming more involved in sports. (Some of you may recall the Afghan weightlighter who took Bronze at the Beijing Olympics...no? Maybe not.) He serves as inspiration for these kids, who love to play volleyball, basketball, cricket, wrestling and tae kwon do.

Youth, Sports and Social Development Center Pre-Branding

This facility provides separate areas for girls and boys to enjoy indoor sporting activities, intellectually stimulating board games and access to technology. The hope is that this center will offer girls the opportunity to participate in organized sports in a safe and protected environment, something that is currently lacking in Afghanistan. The center aims to be a focal point in the community helping to build a strong sense of community and responsibility for the youth.

Post-Branding

Below are some pictures from the opening ceremony, attended by almost 600 people, including embassy officials from USA, Canada and Denmark, as well as NATO and ISAF media. We also had a short procession of athletes -- they were so excited about showing off their uniforms and the opening of the center, the energy was contagious. We were even treated to a short tae kwon do routine by the resident expert.

The event was extremely successful, despite some challenges in the planning process. Today, I recognized one of my colleagues as an athlete who walked in the procession with the basketball team. After a short discussion, we realized that he is still learning how to play the game, and his team is not yet fully formed. So, Joel offered to be their coach; they exchanged phone numbers and agreed to start training in the spring.

The center seems to be bringing people together already.

Let me tell you about the time I moved to Afghanistan

For the past four months, I have been living in Kabul on a compound with strict security protocol and a curfew. I cover my head when I’m in public and travel with a personal guard. Along with eighty other expats, I am driven to and from work each day in an inconspicuous van and followed by an Emergency Response Unit.  Men refuse to shake my hand, but hug and kiss other men. I am sometimes considered a second-tier citizen, and am constantly stared at.

I left my job at JWT New York because I was looking for professional growth on client side marketing, exposure to senior level decision-making and experience with emerging markets and culturally appropriate advertising. Personally, I was excited to live abroad, save some money, meet extremely diverse and interesting people and travel the world while having this amazing experience. I was up for the challenge.

ISAF forces on daily patrol in Kabul

My job at Roshan is unbelievably challenging and enormously rewarding. I interact with local Afghan staff on a daily basis; over tea, we discuss their families, their homes, their weddings, their holidays, their hopes and aspirations. I try to help women overcome their diffidence, push young professionals to think outside the constraints defined by societal values, and encourage local staff to take on individual accountability – something that is unfamiliar in a post-communist, post-Taliban era. The experience is unparalleled: I have had the opportunity travel to ISAF-run Bagram Air Field and meet with U.S. Majors in charge of Public Affairs in an attempt to get advertising up on the base. I participate in meetings with USAID officials to help educate international embassies about the benefits of mobile money transfers.Through Roshan social programs, I have helped to brand fresh water wells in remote regions, install solar panels for basic living infrastructure, and touch the lives of women and children who are fed and clothed at Roshan-sponsored soup kitchens and orphanages.

Orphanage outside of Kabul

Gandamak Restaurant and Pub

I live and work with my colleagues and my new friends from India, Canada, Croatia, Poland, Australia, Bosnia, the United States and Ireland, in addition to Afghanistan. We hold meetings in the compound after work, followed by a glass of wine. On Sunday evenings, we play cards and we cook dinner in someone’s room. We go out to restaurants and bars on the weekend, where I am introduced to Swedish aid workers and British war photographers. For Thanksgiving, I searched the city for turkeys and ended up inviting sixteen friends to share the meal. We turned it into a potluck and the menu included stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green beans apple crumpets and pumpkin pie. Our Facilities Director from New York, excited about the celebration away from home, set table cloths, lit candles and hosted a cocktail hour.

Thanksgiving in Kabul

My friends have become my family. On a good day, we celebrate with homemade rahkia from Eastern Europe and cheese from Dubai. On bad day, we commiserate with stories of how frustrating it is to be locked up and how terrible the compound food is. And honestly, the bad days are bad. Working within the constraints of the language barrier, bureaucratic process, constant mentoring/teaching structure and security restrictions can be exhausting. But we all see the difference we are making - the impact is palpable. Despite the frustration, we are a part of the reconstruction of a country plagued by thirty years of destruction, and we watch as our colleagues learn from us every day. Roshan, after all, means hope in Dari.