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Published: December 6th 2009
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Sign to Pristina. Hello from Kosovo! I know, I know, it's been too long and way overdue...can't explain that one besides yes, we've been busy since getting here and unsettled, but we're settling in now.
We spent the first few weeks doing our Relief In Place (RIP) with KFOR11 Soldiers. That involved following our counterparts around, learning the Camp Bondsteel policies, and getting familiar with procedures related to our job positions. Then comes digging through your own office and desk to try and organize things so you can do your job. Still not there, but getting closer. Then there are briefings (I think we may have a Guiness Book Record for meetings!), then meetings on when we should have meetings, and moving to permanent housing! Phew, we are tired out.
I think we finally found our way around to the important places and learned the imortant things like:
1. Laundry point-drop off in your army issued laundry bag only or they will say something to another worker in fast Albanian (I think in translation they are sayng, "Another dumb sh**) and DO NOT lose your laundry slip, 3 day turn-around so do the math so you don't run out of underware or
House
Housed are built anywhere... socks, and it does not and never will come back smelling like Tide Outdoor Fresh or Downy or Bounce-EVER!
2. Dining Facility (DFAC)-open lots of hours with lots of food, run by local nationals that use Army recipes...not too bad, but not home cooking either! My sections "Biggest Loser" contest is not going well with unlimited ice cream, cobbler, and cookies everywhere.
3. Post Exchange (PX)-one big PX in South Town and small shopette in North Town. Lots of "stuff"; mostly stuff we don't need, snacks, lots of electronics for 20 something Soldiers to blow their paychecks on, and DON'T go on weekends! Why? Cuz all the other NATO countries Soldiers come to Camp Bondsteel on the weekend and it's super busy and they clean it out! Seriously...a whole isle of potatoe chips; gone, stacks of cigerettes; gone, your favorite ice cream and Red Bull; gone! They semi restock on Thursday's just in time for the weekend to do it again! Craziness, I'm telling ya!
Ok, I got ahead of myself...back to the basics of Camp Bondsteel . The Camp's perimeter is approximately 7 miles around and its nestled in a valley so we see rolling hills, Mount Duke,
and small villages or municipalities. It is often very foggy here until mid to late morning and after that it seems lightly foggy, but it's really smog. They burn EVERYTHING in Kosovo! All their gargage, tires, everything...in spite of that; it is very beautiful, but impoverished and unfortunately they do not know about the Adopt a Highway program or neighboorhood beautification.
Alot of Soldiers run or walk "perimeter road" and challenge themselves to go up what we call "Radar Hill". Now it's not a huge hill at first glance, but it will; make no mistake, kick your a**! Now if you take this route and you aren't sure where it leads or where to turn around; make sure you at least pay attention to the guard tower and security police when they yell at you, "Hey, you are not allowed on this side of the berm !" Now when you go on this route the very next day and take a different way back from Radar Hill, make sure when a truck speeds past you, screeches to a halt to block the road in front of you, and two security police jump out; well, just turn around and don't
go that way again. Heck, just stay away from that route altogether! No, it wasn't me! It was a friend of mine and that story just cracks me up! Good thing I was lazy and didn't go with her either of those days!
The weather has been decent here and we don't have any snow on the ground yet. The nights have cooled off into he 30's and days are in the 40's now. We were having sunny days in the 50's until this last week. They say they usually have snow by now and we are half way through Kosovo winter; so they say!
It really isn't that bad here and it's interesting to talk with the local nationals that work here. I work around alot of them and have made some friends. They are kinda quiet and timid at first, but open up more as time goes by. Most are just worried about their jobs since this is really good money for them and their family and they don't want to do or say the wrong thing and lose their job. I worry what will happen to them when the US and NATO presence here starts
to ramp down and eventually, Camp Bondsteel will close.
Dallas and I are on the same schedule so we eat supper together and have most of the night to hang out in our room or do whatever. We don't venture too far even though they have a movie theatre, Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR) centers to play pool or games, and other various activities at times.
We have a frig in our room and I bought a TV from my counterpart along with a few other things to make things more comfortable. We get about 7 Armed Forces Channels (AFN) so we catch a few shows you get back home when they pipe in CBS or FOX. Nothing like watching a football game at 3am or Days of Our Lives at 0700!!
I know you all have been asking what we need here or what you can send, but we really don't need much or have room for alot. Here are a few ideas:
Folgers Coffee (they don't carry folgers and coffee overall is hard to come by-Gourmet flavor Creme Brulee would be a treat!
Coffee Mate flavored dry creamer
Magnets for the frig (along with pictures
and drawings from the kids to put up!)
VitaCrave OneADay Gummie vitamins
Hand soap (dispener type)
Books (suspense)
Movies
Notecards or stationary
Dry marinade packets/spices (for marinading meat to grill!)
Hand written cards or letters from home...nothing like getting mail here
Start thinking spring to freshen up our room or use on our small piece of deck outside
Address here is:
SFC Melissa Shipley
TF Falcon-G4
Camp Bondsteel
APO AE 09340
SFC Dallas Shipley
TF Falcon-G3
Camp Bondsteel
APO AE 09340
Regular ground mail can take up to 4 weeks to get here, but priority only about 2 weeks. Using Priority Flat Rate boxes is usually the way to go. Remember you must fill out a Customs Declaration for packages.
I've attached a few pictures from here and promise to get better! I've only been outside the wire once and Dallas a couple times, so we hope to go on a MWR trip to see more of the country and people.
We are so grateful for all our family and friends and getting cards from you all and being able to Skype really helps alot!
We hope you all have a wonderful
Christmas and very Happy New Year! We miss and love you and will see you in August 2010!
Big and Lil Ship
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Oly and Bev
non-member comment
Hi Melissa and Dallas. It was great to hear from you. Oly and I were just saying how we miss and think of you both often. We are all doing good. Busy getting ready for Christmas. We both had a sad day yesterday as both the cowboys and the 49ers lost, but also had a good day because the vikes lost. Brittany has been doing some student teaching. She loves it. Kalyn is still working at the Ground Round and busy hanging out with friends. you know all those fun teenage things. Brittany turned 21 on November 23rd. We went out and had a good time. She says to tell you that you will have to go out with her when you get back. You both take care and know that we think about you often. Love Bev and Oly