RED HAIR LOVER's blog: "KOSOVO---no beer 4 a Year"

Not much has happened since I last made an entry,which is a good thing considerng the potential for civli unrest is high. The people of Srebia,a neighboring country recently hekp local elections to which nothing was resolved as far as who will have control. We went back to the school on the hill yesterday and delivered some school supplies.Our company has decided to alot some money for the school to help with the building itself. I posted some pictures so all can have an ideal of how bad it reaaly is.Look under Kosovo life for the pics. The weather here has been the best in some time 50 degress during the day and no snow in sight which is fine with me. Well until the riots start which are bound to happen so long and Happy V day to all the Lovely Cherry Ladies

One other amazing thing I have notice during my time here is the long reach affect of Rap/Hip-Hop and like music. Yep, they get CRUNKED over here too. I even seen a lil kid flash gang signs to me while walking down the street. I've called brother man ,bro, Dog....yep even had one ignoramus call me a N_ _ _ _ _ R. This in a country with no black people at all,none nada zip, if it was'nt for the military they would never have seen one in life except on tv. 12 yr olds singing 50 cent raps verbatum with all the gestures included. I remember when they said rap was just a phase.

Yesterday after an early morning mission I noticed something really wild, not so much wild as it was just different. We were heading back to base and I was looking out the window when we drove by this lil village in the distance....you could see all the homes with there Hansel and Gretel look to em and I happen to notice that everyone of them had smoke comming out of the chimnies...at first you say how quaint....but it was about 30 degrees out. Then I started to realized that they still used fire wood to heat their homes, not because it's romantic, or lets do it be different,it's a matter of freeze or stay warm. This a place where the use Mercedes and BMW's for taxi's, but have cords of wood stacked along side their homes. I'm talken like downtown Main street everystore has a potbelly stove for heat.I have to take my camera tomorrow and start taking pics so you can understand what I'm trying to put into words. to be cont.

Here it is Xmas day 2006, in another country that can't decide who should lead them. The only regret I have about being here is that I'm away from my 2yr old son and my fiance. The first day here back in November was veryt depressing as we drove from the airport to our home away from home. I never been to a war torn place b4 and granted the fighting here has stopped for some time now, you can see the ravages of conlfict still. Bullet riddle buildings, bomb out homes with people still trying to live in them. I originally come from the murder capital of America..Camden,N.J. and some things look similar,abandoned homes jobless,trash everywhere,but given a choice I would still take living in Camden over living here, for one simple reason.There is hope in Camden,you see improvements where local and state government are trying. In Kosovo they have trouble keeping the electricity going for more than an our a day in some towns. And you don't know what hour that will be. Sewage is another thing which runs openly through the different towns.You look around and wonder how day exist from day to day. We as soldiers walk around the streets with loaded weapons and they pass by non chalantly as if and our glad we are here. Can you imagine armed soilders walking through your neighborhood and you not even blinking an eye. Well thats my xmas hope your's is much better. to be continued