Wrapping things up after getting into a groove

Greetings from Kuwait Naval Base - Camp Patriot,

Last night we traveled from Camp Buehring to Camp Arifjan. We were told the bus ride would be 3 hours long. Oh Goodness! Because the bus is uncomfortable and doesn't go very fast, we were just ready to get to Camp Arifjan. See the bus picture from previous post. Thank goodness, we arrived at Camp Arifjan in 1 1/2 hours. Yippee! They told us 3 hours which was the worst case scenario. You can imagine how happy we were when we arrived 1 1/2 hours early.

We had the luxury of staying in the VIP area of Camp Arifjan and each had our own rooms. Needless to say, I was so thankful when I walked into my room. There was a made bed, a desk, a closet and even a TV (imagine a simple dorm room). After having worked at that point for 16 hours, I just went to bed. The great thing was I didn't even have to go outside to use the latrine as it was only one door away from my door. Ahhhh! Our MN National Guard counter-parts said that they were saving the best for last and they didn't want to get our expectations up by staying there first and then moving to Camp Buehring. It was a fair and valid point. Good call!

The drive from Camp Buehring to Arifjan at night was very interesting. This morning one team (4 civilians and 5 MN National Guard) went from Camp Arifjan to Kuwait Naval Base - Camp Patriot to train. Our other two teams stayed at Camp Arifjan to train. On our way from Camp Arifjan to Kuwait Naval Base - Camp Patriot, we received background on the area around the Camp and the significance of all the tents in the fields. I'll explain that in a later post.

Conditions are significantly different from Camp Buehring to Camp Patriot. Today was the first time I saw a tree or anything green for that matter. Okay, I may have seen green uniforms or green beans, but I'm talking about something living that is green. :-) I am unable to post pictures today, but will post as soon as I can.

At this point, Tony and I have presented 25 times in the 5 days we have been in Kuwait. As of last night, our 3 teams have worked with 950+ Soldiers. Our teams are doing amazing jobs and sharing beneficial information and resources for the Soldiers to use as they prepare for jobs or start/continue their education.

As the trip comes to an end, I am experiencing a mix of emotions. At times, I don't want to return to Minnesota but instead stay and help Soldiers until they return to Minnesota later this spring. At this point, words can't explain how amazing this trip has been and all the appreciation that has been extended to us from the Soldiers. It has truly been a life changing experience. I want to extend my appreciation and thanks to all that served and serve in the military. Thank you for protecting our freedoms.

Until next time,
Gina