Think

Day 1

The plane descends in a steep spiral into the airport to avoid anti-aircraft fire from the surrounding mountains. We find ourselves in a line to enter through immigration without the promised escort.  Despite worries that we may not get through, it turns out to be orderly and quick, with up to date technology in place. Once through to baggage claim, our elusive guides are still not around, so we accost someone with an American accent and a badge and surprisingly, he knows that our guide is at the airport entrance.  Once met, we are escorted to our transport and suddenly we’re in a war zone.

We put on flak jackets and get into two armored vehicles with well-armed escorts. “Today is highest threat alert because of the elections. If anything happens to the car, stay in it; if you are hurt we have medical treatment. We have your blood groups”. We then go through the Kabul streets at speed and probably with more danger from the traffic on the single lane ring road – there is little regard for lane discipline.

Once at the camp we are shown our rooms and told we’ll probably get sick either from the altitude (6000 feet) or the food!  Our rooms have a bunk with mattresses whose springs are designed to injure; a desk; a locker; a basic shower room and a rat trap at the door. We reflect on the task we have – helping front line reconstruction workers change their leadership culture.

Day 2

We survived dinner and get up at 6:00am to prepare the workshop. We become aware of the pervasive aroma of sewage – apparently the builders forgot to put traps into the plumbing system. We discover that although we had sent detailed information about our work room requirements, the message has not been understood and tables need removing, we improvise flip stands out of road signage and a local is dispatched to go buy paper pads. Remarkably he returns very quickly from a local store with a dozen pads. We resist the temptation to ask how, given how short the supply of other basic needs for living seem to be. Then the fun starts – we have a list of participants which bares only something of a resemblance to who shows up. None of us has ever had to facilitate sessions on developing Emotional Intelligence with participants who have been told to be present and are angry about this, but are also fully armed with side guns and rifles. Nevertheless, by lunchtime all are fully engaged and showing a remarkable level of self awareness and an understanding of how relationships work.

Day 3 to Day 7

We facilitate two 3-day workshops and as well as the full engagement in learning and personal actions, we support the groups in analyzing the issues they face in leading re-construction teams at the front line, including deployment with the troops.

We hear frequent gunfire from the practice ranges and the rooms are rocked on a couple of afternoons by explosions – just controlled ones at the airport and nothing to worry about we’re told.

We all reflect on how when we’re in the rooms working despite this environment, we focus and work as normal. It’s a shock to walk outside and realize we’re in Kabul. The beauty of the surrounding mountains is stunning; the range to the east is snow capped and glistens at dawn and dusk.

One of us succumbs to the food but valiantly carries on. We mark our days by mealtimes and still find ourselves getting disoriented.

We walk the perimeter of the camp each evening and talk with the Gurkha guards patrolling the high stone walls. These Nepalese have formed a great community, which is a contrast to the rest of the camp. We have a discussion with the groups about the social psychology of living in enclosed guarded conditions, where access out is limited and only occurs under guard for personal safety reasons.

On our last day we get to see some of the local culture as a bazaar comes to camp.

Day 8

We’re collected early by our armed escort, put on the flak jackets and do the hair-raising journey in reverse back to the airport. Kabul has some new building going on, but it’s the devastation and poverty that is most striking. Most of the roads we can see in the city are rubble and for the most part there is an open sewage system.

On the plane again, we spiral steeply up, very aware that we can leave and many can’t and that war puts stress on the culture and society both of the nationals of a country and those who arrive to help in the aftermath. Within two hours we are in Dubai and the culture shock of the wealth and the biggest mall in the world.

Lindy