Day 313: The Afghan National Dance

Every once in a while I get a phone call from one of my Afghan counterparts. I always laugh when they call me because they should know better by now not to call me directly. I can speak well enough in Dari or Pashto to say hello and greet my Afghan friends. I can even follow it up with a few simple phrases. I can understand quite a bit when they talk slowly and talk about medical stuff. However, once they start really talking, our conversations don’t last very long.

For moments and phone calls like these, I am very grateful to have interpreters to help me out. I have three interpreters I work with on a daily basis. Many others I know and work with on occasion. They are generally good people who fill an important role for us out here. Without these guys there would be a lot of Americans and Afghans sitting around each day playing charades or pictionary in an attempt to figure out what the other was trying to say.

Well today, to show appreciation to our interpreters and the important job they fulfill, we had an interpreter appreciation ceremony. All of the interpreters lined up and were presented certificates and letters of appreciation. Afterwards, we had a brief lunch and then the Afghans treated us to a rendition of the Afghan National Dance. It was pretty entertaining to watch them dance. Some were pretty good, while others looked like me out on the dance floor (well maybe not that bad).

Overall it was a nice afternoon, and a good opportunity for us to tell our interpreters tashakor (thanks) for all they help they provide us.