The Sounds of Kabul

Being here has been very interesting. I wake up at 4 a.m. with the singing ---It's the Call to Prayer from the mosques. There are many mosques scattered around the city and the clerics go into the minaret of their respective mosques and sing their prayers. The singings from all the mosques blend and just come wafting through every window. It is very pleasant to listen. They do it again at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. Each time it happens, I want to just stop and listen for a while. It seems that the "callers" all have great voices. It is also great that in Afghanistan, they still do the Call to Prayer by singing naturally. In some countries, they have tried loudspeakers and I noticed that in Bosnia, they would play very bad tape recordings over a loudspeaker. It sounded like a scratched record. Here in Afghanistan, it is indeed a beautiful sound....

We have 3 -4 young male employees at the CNFA office who work as program assistants, drivers or guards. They don't make a big deal about their religion. They are very nice young men who want to have a good job, have the freedom to worship, raise a family in relative peace. One reporter summed it up: "The Taliban's strict approach to Islam forced every Afghan to be a radical Muslim. For the six years the militia ruled the country, men had to go to the mosque seven times a day and grow long beards -- or face public beatings or even jail. Women had to quit their jobs, cover their faces and their entire bodies with burqas, and leave their houses only with their husbands or fathers. But now that the hard-line movement's strong grip on Afghan society has been released -- even in the countryside, where support for it was strongest -- some people are not sure they want to be Muslim at all. Most Afghans say they consider themselves devout Muslims, but few pray five times a day, as the Koran instructs. " (Anna Badkhen, SF Chronicle Staff Writer, Jan. 2002) It seems that the people here are no longer as united by Islam as they are by the wish to live in a free state that has no more wars.

I am getting to the end of my assignment here. In a way I hate to leave this place. I will miss the singing, the people I've met, the sounds and sites of the streets of Kabul. There are so many things undiscovered. The Bomb this week forced everyone to restrict their movements. The security alerts system here warn that there will be more suicide bombings as we get closer to Mr. Karsai's election. I forgot to ask if anyone is running against him---haven't heard that there is. It seems that if someone has something to say, they ought to run for office but it doesn't work that way here yet. Meanwhile everyone is going about their business trying not to give opportunity to be a target.

This morning, I went to Kabul University and made a presentation to the College of Agriculture faculty. I spoke about Rural Development, and Extension systems. We had a very nice reception from the Dean and the Ag faculty -many speak English---and they are so interested in improving services to farmers. There are a few women enrolled in the College but none came to my class. It is great to see girls go to school here now. 70% of this country is still illiterate, but last week was the beginning of the school year and the streets are full of girls and boy going to school. At the University, one professor told me that when women marry here, there usually is no courtship. Marriages are arranged. The boy's parents have to pay for all expenses of the wedding and presents for everyone. It can be an elaborate affair costing up to $5000 or more. How any parent in this country-- where the average monthly salary is under $100-- can afford a marriage is a mystery! Well so long Kabul, it has been great....


Photo Credit: Linda Aines