One of my friends from St. Olaf, Kindahl, is currently serving in Iraq. Her weekly emails are proving to be very interesting, and I wanted to share her thoughts. She's agreed to let me post her emails here. You'll be able to find them all under the 'Kindahl in Iraq' Category on the right. One thing she has asked for is a picture of a yellow ribbon tied around a tree. She's collecting them from as many friends as she can and putting them up around her bed. So if you know her, or just want to take part, send the picture to me and I'll make sure it gets to her. Read the rest of this post for the first two emails from her. 21 November 2005 Subject: Hello From Kuwait Hello to everyone, I am now in Kuwait and let me tell you its sandy. We have had the last few days off to acclimate to the hot weather. Though luckily I have not gotten sunburnt yet, its really not any hotter then Minnesota in the summer. Its drier than MN though. We are living in tents! Did I forget to mention that its sandy here? Because it is. Yesterday we swept a pile of sand out of our tent that reached my knees. I don't really have any stories as of yet. No disgusting bugs, snakes or scorpions; no encounters with any dangerous people. Well I do have to say that the ride here was dangerous only in the fact that the roads are really trails in the sand and buses are not hummers and should not take angles steeper then 15 degrees! Our bus almost tipped over, I think that the left side actually came off its wheels! But the bus drivers know what they are doing so we didn't tip! There was a salsa dance last night. I went and danced but I was kind of a snot and only danced with people I knew. There are alot of guys here and though I'm not scared, I need to be careful. Girls here travel in packs. I have the best battle-buddy we get along great and we enjoy the same things so we hang out all the time. Anyway I just wanted to let you know that I was safe and landed and thanks to all who have written me emails and letters. They really make my day when I open them. Oh I forgot to mention in my last letter please be in the photo with the yellow ribbon if possible! Thank you for your continued support! Love you lots Kindahl P.S. Did I mention that this place is sandy?

3 December 2005 Subject: Iraq!! Well it is time for a mass email once again. I have made it to Iraq. We have been here now for a couple of days and I don't think it is really that bad of a living environment. I work in the finance office at the customer service desk. My job is basically to smile and be nice to the soldiers that are coming to get a bit of cash. I really like my job because I get to talk to the people and listen to their stories. It’s been a hard couple of days for the FOB though. We have lost two soldiers in action and had a few severely injured. There is also a sniper wandering around outside the FOB. They will get him in a few days because they know what he looks like but still I really feel for those who go outside the wire everyday. I'm really torn with just sitting behind the desk listening to the stories. Being the adrenalin junkie I am, I really want to get in the fight but I know that I would be killed out there so I think I'll just stay where I am and do my best to support those who do go out there. Life is really hard here. You don't realize it until you see a couple of tired soldiers come in the finance office with dirty uniforms and faces so full of dust that you can see the outline of their goggles around their eyes. They waited in line for an hour just to get some money because it is the only time they have since they run 18 hour patrols and need some time to sleep. It breaks my heart. No one should have to live like that but they do and don't complain. I received an email from a soldier who I helped the other day. He had just come off a convoy and was going out later that night again. He said that I was the only one who showed him any courtesy that day and he wanted to thank me for that. It was a little creepy that he found my email but I was glad that I could help him. We apparently got mortared yesterday but I didn't feel it. It seems that insurgents really suck at setting off mortars because they are really more of an annoyance then an actual threat. Its probably some cash strapped Iraqi who is taking $50 a day to launch them in here. It is easy to hate the people here because it seems that they will do anything for money. They will come to work in the DFAC and serve US soldiers food during the day then go home and plant IED's that night. It’s hard to remember that the people here have lived in fear and been systematically brainwashed for the last 35 years. And that not all of the people are willing to do that, but enough are to cause damage. I've only been here a couple of days but I'm already sick of the violence of this whole thing. I really want it to stop (like everyone else does) but you can't just tell people to stop fighting. SO there is a dilemma, how to stop violence? Subdue people with violence to make them do what you want in the name of peace or become Mahatma Gandhi and exchange peace for violence. Well I didn't intend for this to be really philosophical but I guess that is something that I have been thinking about. Its funny how I'm so far away, living in a war zone and I'm still proofing papers from St Olaf! John had a final paper for a history class and he asked me to look it over. I thought it was kind of ironic. The world really doesn't stop turning when you are away:) Ok Till next week, Love you guys Kindahl PS There have been many of you who wish to send survival packages and Christmas gifts. Please feel free to. There are 21 of us and we love getting anything especially candy (we share the candy with the soldiers we serve and they say it brightens their day). I love licorice and Pringles:) Hard candies are probably the best but anything will be greatly appreciated.