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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.