happy holidays

[Susan]

Hope everyone has a safe holiday this week, I guess some might be starting off their vacation early. Now we have another terror warning to give us yet another thing to think about when flying or driving in the mess of holiday traffic. I'll be driving to Austin

And it seems i'll be spending yet another holiday in a hotel room, halloween this year I had the fiasco of getting locked out of my own bathroom at the homewood suites. I just wish I could spend a holiday at home for a change, relaxing. One year it was spent on an icey road at a standstill with trucks jackknifing for a solid 2 hours before actually moving an inch. And i spent one christmas having christmas dinner on the road, and trust me nobody but gas stations are open so it was bologne in a hamburger bun (since all their food was sold out)

I guess the hotel is becoming my home away from home. I'm scared because I am murphy's law, if something can go wrong it will with me..it is always the misadventures of my vacations so god knows what stories i'll have to tell upon my return.  Hopefully it doesn't involve me on the side of the road at night trying to flag down help as an escaped mental patient dressed as santa is chasing me. Anyone have any interesting holiday stories or even travel stories to share?

[Deej]

My second to last assignment as a DOD police officer was with the UN's International Police Task Force in Bosnia. I was stationed in a town called Brcko, on the border with Croatia. This was in November 2002, over a year after the World Trade Center attack. Brcko is one of the only ethnically mixed town in Bosnia and is just about a mile away from a town called Brka, which is predominately(sp) Muslim.

In between these two town sits a small US army base manned by National Guardsmen on rotating 6 month tours. No disrespect intended to Guardsmen, but they are part time soldiers and mostly young ones at that, so apt to be excitable. And the fact(sadly)remaind that many people equate Islam with terrorism.

Okay, so in November of 2002, we begin recieving constant calls from the Camp Guard, at least one per watch, of cars driving by with crescent moon flags, honking horns and waving or making hand gestures at the Guard. Certain that an attack is imminent on that little piece of American soil, we are constantly called out to the Camp to observe and make reports....constantly. For almost a month!! Constantly!
Also there were reports of what was possibly distant gunfire. So, Susan , I sympathize  with you always being on the road! I was, for weeks, back and forth from the border to the camp at least 3 times a day.

The cause of all this terror?  Ramadan ! It's a holy month, festive I assume. And the gunfire, many Bosniaks have guns, many enjoy firing them into the air on festive occasions...weddings, holidays...etc. The guardsmen acted properly of course, better safe than gut-shot. But, man, that is one holiday season I prefer not to remember.

By the way, no incidents, injuries, or untoward events actually occured. Just lots of noise and a few nervous Pennsylvania National Guardsmen.

[Susan]

>>So, Susan , I sympathize with you always being on the road! I was, for weeks, back and forth from the border to the camp at least 3 times a day.<<

You win ;-)

Sounds memorable, that is a popular form of "fireworks" in many countries is firing guns. Knowing it was a celebration i'm suprised you were constantly called out but i guess given the time the country was in (you think they would have been as jumpy prior to 911?)

bosniaks?

[Chopper]

I can emphathize with you on being away from home. I'm stationed at a base very far away from any family our relatives, and I've spent the last 2 thanksgivings eating in a government dining facility. It's all good though, I do my best to be thankful for what I have as opposed to worrying about the things I don't. I hope you all get to be with atleast some kind of family this holliday and stay safe and happy!

[Susan]

Chopper - you married? And where are you stationed now?  I guess i was lucky growing up in a military family to have not had my father gone on too many assignments. mostly he was stationed somewhere overseas and we all went, but that meant not seeing our extended family for years. I was about 8 when I saw america since i was about 3 so I still had vivid memories of being re-introduced to family and my country. That's really hard to be away from family during the holidays especially, of course I know some people who get together with their family and it ends up in arguments or a fistfight so not everyone ends up having a joyous holiday even WITH family! Luckily technology allows us to talk with those far away or type to them..heck with video phones or computer cams it's like your there!

[Deej]

Susan wrote:

 i guess given the
> time the country was in (you think they would have been as
> jumpy prior to 911?)
>
> bosniaks?
>

No, Susan I think Sept. 11 made us all a bit more jumpy. A Bosniak is a Bosnian Muslim. .

Chopper wrote:
>I can emphathize with you on being away from home. I'm stationed at a base >very far away from any family our relatives, and I've spent the last 2 >thanksgivings eating in a government dining facility. It's all good though, I do my best to be thankful for what I have as opposed to worrying about the things I don't. I >hope you all get to be with atleast some kind of family this holliday and stay safe >and happy!

Yeah, I was active for 8 years and a civilian employee of DOD for 2, It is hard to miss those holidays at home. But, you have a great outlook about the whole thing. If you feel comfortable doing so, you could give us an address to send a care package to. A unit address, not a personal address for security sake(I suspect Susan may be a radical door-to-door sales person!) Not home, but it helps take the edge off. Happy Holidays!


PS. Kidding about the sale person bit.....or am I?



Post Edited (12-21-03 18:58)

[Susan]

>>PS. Kidding about the sale person bit.....or am I?<,

Why, can i interest you in a Hoover?

[JohnL]

>Why, can i interest you in a Hoover?

Gee, sounds dirty when you say it like that. :)

[Deej]

JohnL wrote:

> >Why, can i interest you in a Hoover?
>
> Gee, sounds dirty when you say it like that. :)


Dirty, but.....somehow...oh never mind. I sold Kirby's when I was a Teen. Must;'ve been among the most hated people in town!