Djibouti Horn of Africa July 12, 2010 Update

Dearest Family and Friends,

Last week George Steinbrenner and Harvey Pedar passed away.  Everyone knows the base giant  and New York Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner but do you know Harvey Pekar?  Harvey Pekar, Cherri’s mother’s cousin, wrote a comic book about his life in Cleveland.  The movie American Splendor starting Paul Giamatti (star in Sideways) as Harvey Pekar and Harvey Pekar playing himself was based on Harvey life and his comic book stories.  More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harvey_Pekar 

It is still hot and humid on the Horn of Africa, but not as hot.  There was a dust storm on Sunday that felt a little cooler in the wind.  The dust storms here are not near a bad as Northwest Iraq.  It feels like the winds of Kansas and Nebraska, just hotter.   The temperature is mild at 34 degrees or 93.2 degrees Fahrenheit.  A few weeks ago it was 114 degrees Fahrenheit.

Last week my team hosted a dinner at a local Ethiopian restaurant.   There were about 30 of  us and about 30 people from the intelligent group from the Camp. We do not have the freedom to just drive off base.  We have to obtain approval from the military with signed authorization.

The restaurant owner and our hostess, was very gracious.  It common practice shake hands with both hands and kiss each other on each check.  The restaurant owner greeted me in this way when I was introduced by one of my team mates.  The food was very good and the atmosphere was great.  Civilians and military from the base eat there are a regular basis.

I was almost homeless tonight.  All visitors and residence of a military camp must check in with the Billeting department to be assigned to a place to live.  My company had a living unit and just gave me the key.  I did not check in.  Yesterday I was caught.  New arrivals of lower rank have to share a tent with other until rooms become available.  I am fortunate to have a private room and a bathroom.  Most have to stay in “dry” container and walk outside to the shower and latrine (head) in the Navy. 

Camp Lemonnier in the county of Djibouti is a Navy base while the bases in Iraq are run by the Army.  The Navy is different from the Army.  Having spent the last 8 months on an Army base in Iraq, I am learning the ways of the Navy in Africa.

There is a long waiting list for living units so they were mad that I did not go on the waiting list, I just moved in.  Fortunately, my position allowed me to get an exception so I could stay in the same room.  The room is shipping container stacked on top of each other with a single bed, air-conditioned, bathroom, no carpet and limited furniture.

On Camp Lemonnier, we have just one dining facility, a work out center, small movie theater, and an internet cafe.  There are two Yoga classes each week but I have not been to one yet.  I think I will go tomorrow. 

I have been working 10 -12 hours per day; 7 days a week. 

Great fun on the horn----

All my best and all my love…..

James

Djibouti Horn of Africa - August 26, 2010 Update

August 26, 2010
Dear Friends and Family

Thanks so much for your emails.  I really enjoy hearing from my friends around the world - US, Iraq, Dubai, KL, Ethiopia. 

The US Government (Military) has 3 separate networks -- one attached to the public internet and two very private networks for confidential and secret stuff.  I cannot use my personal email on any computer at work.Every night I have to take the hard drive out of my computer and lock it in a safe so no one has access to it except me.  Charles who I mentioned in my last email was flown to Germany for recovery.  He is on his way back to US.   He is recovering very nicely.  He is out of the hospital and doing fine.

Last week we experienced a thunder storm and heavy winds up to 65 miles per hour—the very unusual storm of this time of year.  The rainy season is not until wintertime.  This week the skies are cloudy with periodic rain during the day.  The clouds and rain keep the temperature about 80 degrees instead of the normal 115 – 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Last night we had a "full muster recall" where everyone had to report to a central point and show they were on Camp and safe. This is like a fire drill.  They called me about 7PM to report.  The muster was over about 9PM.

Yoga is taught twice a week in the fitness center on Camp. The style is like hot yoga and the temperature is hot without the need for heaters. I think I will start teaching Yoga one night a week next month.

Last Sunday the team had a pizza party at the local Pizza restaurant in town.  The menu is written in French. Djibouti used to be a French Colony so many French people still live here.  The French army is still here. The Pizza restaurant plays western rock and roll music so it is just like being in the US.  However,  either the French or the Djiboutian like a raw egg on top of the Pizza so all the pizzas come with a raw egg on top unless you ask the waiters, “No Egg”.  The waiters are Djiboutian who also speak some French but little English.

Recently a security expert visited Djibouti to make an assessment of the safety for westerns living in Djibouti City.

During the assessment, we drove through the downtown business area as well as several neighborhoods.  In addition we walked some of the neighborhoods in order to assess the overall interaction of the citizens with foreigners.

There is possible risk of terrorist actions within Djibouti. However, the risk is not any greater than Kuwait or Qatar.  Comments were made that Djibouti is as safe and in some ways safer than large US cities.

The country is rated as High Risk by the US Embassy with the primary areas of concern being that of petty crime, generally opportunistic in nature such as theft. Pick pocketing and burglaries are frequent.  The Embassy did not have any reported incidents involving Western employees.  Violent crime was described as being very minimal with a total of 15 homicides being reported in 2009 and 6 year to date for 2010.  None of those reported involved Westerns.  As a comparison, any US city with a population of 800,000 like Djibouti City would probably report 50 to 100 or more homicides per year.

The local police forces are competent in their ability to handle criminal incidents as well as their ability to readily identify potential threats relating to terrorism.

The general conditions surrounding Camp Lemonnier is an area rife with poverty and very low income living with an estimated 60% unemployment rate.  The local populace which is primarily Muslim can be seen in abundance out and about, either walking or laying off the main streets sleeping etc.  Area beaches were noted to be a common area for many to bathe in and have been consequently placed off limits by the military.

Many areas can best be described as littered with little to no street maintenance or clean-up of litter alongside roadways. With little employment, many citizens resort to begging.

Consumption of the plant “Khat" which provides users the effects of a euphoric stimulant such as Ecstasy is common and legal amongst the population. The plant is imported by the Government and sold openly and very cheap at street corner stands operated primarily by women. It is estimated that 60-70 percent of the local male population uses this drug which also serves as an appetite suppressant.

During a walkthrough of the neighborhoods and the downtown area there were a few instances of young children who would approach and beg for money. The adult citizens however are more reserved in their approach, seeming to choose to want to provide some act of service, whether it is to watch your vehicle or assist you in any way in hopes that you will give them money. I did not perceive at anytime that they were aggressive and felt safe walking about.

It is 11:45 PM at night so I think I will go to bed soon.  But first I will respond to a few emails.

All the best and all my love from the Horn of Africa,

James