Real Good Hard Working Men

These men are Hard workers that never complained about anything that came their way. The ones I really enjoyed meeting are my Indian friends from all parts of India. One of the states was Andhra Pradesh. Even though it has a concoction of various communities, religions, customs, lifestyles, and cultures. In broad terms, the people of Andhra are nice and friendly, who live in perfect harmony, in spite of belonging to different castes and following a different religion. Andhra dwellers are kind, polite and god-fearing, who reside maintaining social peace and religious accord. Each person is very unique. The camps were getting smaller from base closure so they started downsizing people including the NCW/TCN's. They would put them in another area that they knew nothing about.
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They were always eager to learn when that time came. There were some that weren’t very happy each person got used to being treated a certain way. I see myself changed; I've become a little bit more humble than I was before, bet still not allowing people to run over me. The Internationals from India had their own camp that was sectioned off from other camps. At one point they allowed us to go in there camp if we wanted to eat dinner there. Some Americans would only go when they had Ox Tails with brown gravy and rice for dinner. It was mainly the ones from the south. The girls would bring me a plate whenever they had some for dinner.

Those Indians really know how to smother food with gravy or curry, and it was always delicious. I really grew fond of samosas, it's a fried or baked pastry with a savory filling, such as spiced potatoes, onions, peas, entils, ground lamb, ground beef or ground chicken. I ran into someone from India that owns a store in the downtown area. She told me that I could find them in the Indian store, now I have my daughter loving them. My faraway friends are so Talented and will always hold a place in my heart. This was a unique Celebration the whole West LSA from Baghdad was there to celebrate the special occasion

My TQ family was somewhat the same. But they were different in many ways than the ones in Baghdad. I really didn't get to know the ones at TQ. Now that I've been in the country longer I wish I would have gotten to know them. The bottom photo was taken at TQ I really didn't know both of them. The one on the Right always came in my office to use the phone to call home. When he felt as those he could ask me to do something for him he asked and if I could help I did.

I was moved to the Service Desk, the lifeline of the whole camp. Without the Customer Service Specialist title. With the title that would have been more money for me. I really didn’t care I was still there. At that time they started talking about downsizing. We had a going-away party for one of the guys on my below picture. They were all working for a service desk in the Facility maintains department for all trades and dealing with some of the Task Force Safe. They were really the brain of it all....smart as a whip. 

Nepal people they're so many different Tribes and are very different than the other ones. I was more comfortable with the ones from Andhra Pradesh my spirit was more at ease. They put most of the Nepalians in the DFAC, at TQ they had a few of them in the bakery area and I saw so much raw talent until it was so unreal. These men will never know what in the influence they have been to our country right there in Iraq and for them to be our Ilia’s we couldn’t have asked for a better country. Huh, and they say good men are hard to find.

A Strong Woman vs A Woman Of Strength

Al Taqaddum Sand Storms I hated it...... sand everywhere, your Hair, nose, but it was something new, different, nothing like we had back at home. These pictures were taken from my hooch(my room)

Our beds would be covered with sand it was bearable, it was a little bit horrible on our lungs, we kept our noise covered. We weren't out any longer than 10 minutes in this kind of weather. If I had another chance at this I would do it in a heartbeat, this was an experience that will last me a lifetime. I couldn't quite figure out why my hair would grow like wild followers in another country but not at home...... It was the funniest thing.

I've learned a lot from being away from home, I always said: “As long as you’re living you're always learning". My mind broadens after I left home for overseas being this southern woman that didn't think there was more to life than just waking up in the morning and going to work, taking care of the kids, feeding the cat, the dog and then to wake up and do this all over again. I left home wanting more for me and my kids; this was a very good opportunity for me. I'm a whole new different person now, stronger and wiser. I have this new look on life how precious and beautiful it is. Don’t live in the past live in the moment Certain things capture your eye but pursue only those that capture the heart, Although an 'Ancient Indian Proverb' yet Solomon gave the verse its start, Likewise, don’t seek after frivols material things that only make you strong. For Strength is the seed to eternal roots, to remain even after you're gone.

Here I am at West LSA in Baghdad Iraq with my faraway friends from India, Baranikapula Nageshwararao we all called him Ral for short on the left I’m in the middle and Ghonga Mohan is on my right. These men are very humble; I hate to say it if they were to come to America there would be no more humble men. This picture was doing Ral’s big day he turned 37 years old we had a big Birthday party. Something he can talk about for years to come, no one has ever done something this nice for these men. They work so hard and for them to be gone for six years before they were allegeable to visit home. This was something lease we could do. My life wasn’t all peaches and cream this change was way overdue and I enjoyed every bit of it. I've endured so much before and after the passing of my parents. I know we all have been through a lot in our lifetime, sometimes I look back and ask myself "did I or could I have done better". I could only ask God for my forgiveness and hope and pray for the ones I have let down. I have cried, mourn, the been heart is broken and yet I’m still standing with the grace of God live your life at the moment and live it to the fullest.

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