Oklahoma Airman Blogs About Struggle to Communicate Home

By Heather Bennett, News 9 Contributor
Oklahoma Airman Serving In Afghanistan

OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma Airman is sharing her wartime experiences through a blog while she serves in Afghanistan.

Entry #2:

COMMUNICATION

When I wrote the first blog, I was able to get free WIFI out in the tents. But now that we have moved to "better" living conditions, I have to pay for it. Paying isn't a big deal for me. It's worth it, when I can get it to work. What bothers me is the fact that no matter where I go, I get dusted with this fine sand. To give you a better idea, it's like powder sugar, but not as tasty. We've named it moon dust. Some places where we work it's a good foot thick, and you can't shake it. Once it's on you, it's on you.

With all the technology out here, the only place I can get my WIFI is outside. Internet done, solved. I'll sit outside for a few.

Phones…where to start? The area that I live in doesn't have a USO or morale phone that we can just make calls on at our leisure. Instead, there is a trailer with maybe 15 AT&T phones. I make sure you know they're AT&T phones, because it just so happens that their phone cards are the only ones that work there. So here are my options: get off a 14-hour shift and hope I catch the bus in time to the other side of the base, only to wait 45 minutes or so to try and get a phone for a 15 minute call home; or pay $22 for a 140 minute international phone card, walk through the above mentioned moon dust and use the phones on this side of the base. It's all worth it when someone picks up on the other end though.

I make it sound bad, but it's not all that horrid, it's just not home. With the "fancy pants" cell phones and unlimited data plans in the U.S., we often take it all for granted.

So, here's my challenge to you, the readers. Try and not use your cell phone for just one day. Turn it off. Put it in a drawer. Do something with it, just for one day, but, not the folks that I will be calling; I want you to answer!

Heather

More:

Oklahoma Airman Blogs About Missing Home First Week in Afghanistan
Airman Brings Afghanistan Experience Home Via Internet