I''ve had many people asking me, "How is Afghanistan?". It''s a question I asked myself over and over too.
Did I see a full picture of Afghanistan? No, I didn''t. I was traveling in the safe hands of Noor and Sakhi''s. I didn''t go to the rural areas, I didn''t go to where Taliban or other warlords are still present, I didn''t attempt to do anything that''s out of ordinary (I did drive quite a bit, for which I was extremely grateful).
Did I see a genuine Afghanistan? Yes, I think I did. I experienced the true hospitality from many Afghanistan people; I saw real pain, poverty, and sufferings; I marveled at the astonishing natural and man-made wonders of Afghanistan, and I shared laughter and tears for this country.
Afghanistan was stricken by war and violence in the past, but at the same time, there are millions of hardworking people trying to make and live a semblance of a normal life.
I came to see the beautiful country beyond the breaking headlines of the newspaper, and I found it, though it''s layered by some stories of heartbreaking history and presence.
Afghanistan, for you, a thousand times over.