The staff in our compound take turns making lunch for everyone on Thursdays.  During the Christmas holidays, when all our housemates were on vacation, they invited Paul and me to their thing.  They organize the round robin lunch among themselves and used to hold it at the cramped guard house.  Now the expats are let into the feeding fold and we’ve been having lunch in the dining and living room since then.  First it was Farid, our all-around-troubleshooter and maintenance guy, who served us afghan procciutto (dried and salted sheep meat), that he himself made.  Next it was Mohammad Noor, our gardener, who served us awesome meatballs.  Sweta, the station 3 cleaner brought her food and her family over to our compound for a garden lunch.  Her father brought along musician friends who played some Afghan music for us.  Sweta’s brother and our guard Sadi danced unabashed.  Women don’t dance among men here so Sweta nor me got the chance to dance.   Yesterday Rasouli, the station 2 cleaner took the morning off from her work so she can start cooking as early as 9 am.  It’s her turn to give a feast.  Rasouli’s father insisted that he comes along so he can meet the expats.  Turbaned and bearded, he greeted us, smiling through his one inch thick glass spectacles.  His handsome looks wizened both by a harsh life and weather.  

 

CRS has two staff house (station 2 and station 3).  Paul and I live in station 2, the one with the garden.  It is a great way to do commune living coz it gives the residents their own spaces.  We share a common kitchen, dining room and TV room but when we feel the need for privacy or down time we can retire to our little homes.

 

We have great local staff in both staff houses.  Quality people who make sure that we are fed, comfortable, warm and undisturbed.  It is a luxury knowing that there will be food when people get home from a long day of work. You don’t need to worry about the broken water pipe (which happens pretty often) because Farid will make sure it is fixed.   You don’t need to worry about what to cook or to eat because Rabani and Medi will do the shopping, the chopping and the cooking for you.  You  need not worry about your dirty laundry or your messy house because Rasouli and Sweta will make sure your clothes are clean and that your house is fixed up when you get home. Mohammad Noor makes sure that the lawn is kept trimmed and green.  Mohammad, Sadi, Aziz and Ali will make sure that you don’t get intruders nosing around your house.  Jezebel makes sure that no bird, cat, or other dog gets near her compound or her people.