E is now at home and has nothing exciting to write so she has asked me to fill the space before her (possibly "our" :-)) next adventure begins.... however after thinking about this, does her (our?) reader actually check this blog if he/she knows that E is not on foreign soil and is sleeping in Rome? I will assume that this text will probably go unread apart from by E of course......
Life in Syria continues but the Raqqa offensive has begun so there is a lot of military movement going on which doesnt affect the work that we do but it busy everywhere. I was told today that as the Kurds retake the city we will be following them in to make areas safe for the civilians. Im not sure when this will happen but interesting times ahead for sure.
I continue for now doing my job which is known as High Risk Search. My team goes into villages and areas liberated from Daesh and clears the buildings and roads from IEDs, again so civilians can safely return to their homes.
This is interesting work but immensly sad as we search houses where people's personal possessions have been abandoned. Obviously in a hurry to leave they have left everything - wedding photos, toys, jewellery etc... none of these hold any monetary value because if they did Daesh would have taken them, but these items must hold immense personal value and the way I understand it is that these people are unlikely to return so these things will sit there and rot away. I find it quite odd to see a picture of a couple on their wedding day and I now picture them living in a camp in Greece or Germany or somewhere similar.
Once we have found and made safe the mines, IEDs and booby traps we take them out into the desert and destroy everything in a large explosion. Ive been doing this today.
Im on countdown now as I leave for Iraq in 4 weeks time to catch a flight west for Christmas Leave. Holidays this year are going to be frantic as first I will fly to see my parents and sister on Sark, a small British island off the French coast, where I am originally from. Then I will visit my kids in the UK and spend Christmas Day with them. I havent seen them for a couple of months so am looking forward to this .
Then E and I will meet on the 28th for a few days holiday over the New Year - place to be confirmed - obviously Im looking forward to this immensely as we've yet again been apart far too long. Skype is great but its not the same... Then to Rome which is feeling more like home every time I visit. E's mum will Im sure cook me peas for the night of my arrival as she knows I love this simple dish that she makes. E's Dad will "make" me drink Whisky or Brandy or possibly anything else he has in the cupboard, but he doesnt have to twist my arm that much! I will be very happy to see them and spend sometime there before I return to work.
Its nearly dinnertime here in Syria and cook is making a local dish tonight which is far better than his attempts at western cooking which are awful. I keep telling him not to bother but he is trying to please. I just find him trying at the moment...
Ciao for now!
S
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