So, today was my first chance to go ‘outside’ the gate here in Afghanistan. I can’t really say much other than it was definitely interesting. I’ve never been to a place where the term “3rd World Country” is actually an understatement. I’ve never heard of the term 4th world, but if there is one, that’s Afghanistan.

We passed through villages where houses were made out of rock or bad firewood. The majority of kids don’t go to school, so they have nothing to do but roam. I saw six year olds holding on to one year olds: babies babysitting babies. All the kids want stuff, which wasn’t surprising. They’ll ask for anything, and take anything and consider it treasure. I gave away pens, and the kids wanted more pens. Pens. I’ve never looked at a pen as something valuable, but I suppose when you have nothing at all, a pen becomes something.

One of the sad things I noticed was the way kids are treated by the adults and the way little girls are treated by the little boys. As we were hanging out with some of the kids, an older gentleman came to ’shoo’ them away so they would stop begging for stuff. The gentleman chased the kids away and once they got to a certain point he picked up rocks and threw them at the kids. He threw rocks at kids! And from what I’m told, that’s normal.

Also, women are treated poorly here, even from a young age. The boys literally beat up on the girls. If a girl is given something that a boy wants he isn’t afraid to beat her up for it. Although, at a young age, a girl is willing to fight back, which was a good thing. Today a boy tried to wrestle a girl and take away her dollar and a bottle of water, but the girl fought back. I think she won. She left with the dollar anyways.

The best part was the kids. The little girls were really cute and funny. I’m sure if I had to deal with their begging everyday it might get old, but today it was just fun. The girls were laughing and joking and having a good time. It’s sad to think of what will happen to them in the years to come.

Overall, today’s trip outside the gate made me realize how lucky I am to be an American. I could use the term thankful, which I am, but lucky seems to work better. Somebody in my lineage, a long time ago, decided to move to America and start their family there, and because of that I am fortunate to have all the things I have: freedom, money, opportunity, equality. It’s not like we can decide to be from somewhere, we just are. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that. And for that I consider myself lucky.

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