Last Report From Iraq

I've had my farewell, received my medal, sold my bike, wrapped up my work and handed it off to Russ. It's time to go home. This has been an e-ticket ride and has certainly gone by quickly. My Romanian friends have invited me over this evening for a final goodbye. Here are some of the things I've learned:

- (with apologies to Bett Midler), when it's three o'clock in Boston, it's 1938 in Nasiriyah
-when negotiating, always leave the showroom at least once
-always move forward, never back
-share your knowledge
-take care of yourself and your teammates
-know when to leave, this is not something we're meant to get good at
-don't forget where we are, this isn't the real world. Even though towards the end of the Planet of the Apes movies, even that plot seems plausible.
-make sure at the end of the day, you've done SOMETHING

Peace,
Bob

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

These three shieks are destined to be in a Pepsi commercial. A Betsy photo taken at our Al Muthanna school opening.

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

Kids here are great. This series of pics was taken by Betsy.

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

The kids in Al Muthanna ham it up for the camera at the school renovation ribbon cutting.

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

Val, the DE and Ken at the Al Muthanna school ribbon cutting ceremony. One of the school's honor students cut the ribbon.

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

School was out on May 1st, May Day, at the Al Muthanna school opening, but lots of kids showed up for our visit anyway.

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

Well we did finally get to distribute some of the school supplies, toys and soccer balls my son's Boy Scout troop back home sent me in Al Muthanna. I didn't get to go on the trip, but Ken brought the Colonel, Val and Betsy out there with him for the ribbon cutting and gave out the supplies. They had a tough day, a late start and a bothersome vehicle that had to be towed to the school, but the show went on as planned.

Originally uploaded by Basinbob.

The hot weather seems to be generating sand storms here lately. This photo was taken out in the desert west of Baghdad this past week and a photo of the same storm ended up on the cover of Stars and Stripes. These storms are impressive, covering everything in site with silty mud, sideways blowing dirty rain, that takes down everything that can't handle a 50 mph gust.

Tonight the trailers were rocked with winds and the sky lit up with lightning and the rumble of distant thunder. The beautiful temperate winter days have given way to spring heat. Summer heat will be up over 130 degrees F. Rick describes it feeling like having your head in the oven while blowing sand at your face with a hair drier. Though I've acclimated to the heat, I don't think I'd enjoy the summers here. By day, everything hides in the shade to survive.

I'm wrapping up my work and handing off to Russ this week. Yesterday we had to lay off one of our Iraqi employees who was still collecting money from his former employers while on our payroll. Most Iraqis won't steal from you, but many will take anything you give them. He didn't feel he'd done anything wrong. It is a shame he's thrown away the best paying job in Iraq for $900 of double dipping. But in an economy where doctors make $200 a week, that's big money. He corresponded with me later in the day by email and asked if I thought he should give the money back. After 30 years of being told what to do and when to do it, many Iraqis automatically look for someone to tell them what to do.

Karioki Pizza Night

OK, so it's not work, work, work all the time, just most of the time. We're singing the only two songs in English on the Italian Karioki machine, Surfin' USA and YMCA. The Italian construction engineers invited us over for pizza Saturday night. This is the same room we've been in before, but they've busted out a wall and put up a patio. The pizza, as always, was wonderful as was the company. The Italians are so full of life and conviviality.

We aren't the only things singing here, it's spring, and the grasshoppers are making short flights and drumming their wings everywhere. There were a few birds I hadn't seen here before on my evening rides around the base on my bike. Though cooler in the evening, it's a lot like exercising in a sauna.

Yesterday was May Day here and the kids had off from school. Maybe a holdover from colonial days? We got some of our school supplies out to Muthanna for two schools that we've just completed. Sorry, no photos yet, I didn't make it out on that mission so I'll have to wait on the photos.

Don's police station prototype hit a snag today and we had to work out some of the details with Baghdad. The Chief of Police came in to see me again and we had a meeting out in the Visitor Contact Center because he forgot his ID and I couldn't get him inside. He's trying to get more land for his station and we're trying to modify the design to make it fit and keep Baghdad satisfied.

I mailed some more clothes and stuff home today, got a typhoid booster shot, had my TB test read, and once more tried to resolve an invoicing problem for 8 railroad stations, without success.