My last few days on the Prairie were wonderful. Mike came up and we got to spend two nights together before I left. It was hard saying goodbye, but I have my R&R leave to look forward to.

Welcome to the desert. Camp Buehring was our first overseas stop. We spent some time training, receiving briefings, and attempting to adjust to both the time change and the weather, which in the heat of the day reaches nearly 110 degrees this time of year. Our accommodations were well air-conditioned, thankfully, and despite having tons of females in a confined space, nobody got "voted off the island."

As most middle eastern bases are, this one looked pretty desolate. The atmosphere is one of...sand....blown around by a hot wind that never seems to quiet. And the heat is unbelievable to someone like me who prefers cold weather.

Ironically, unlike my experience in Afghanistan, many of the bases here have some creature comforts and amenities that, for a moment, can make you think you're still stateside. Case and point: three of my Dad's favorite restaurants brought to a desert near you (not the Taco Bell but the Chinese restaurant, Subway, and Baskin Robbins to the right of it).

The best day for me in Kuwait was the day I got to reenlist three soldiers from our task force. It is one of the greatest honors an officer can experience, and I will never forget how it felt to recite the oath in a deployed environment.

The time in Kuwait passed pretty quickly, and the next thing we knew, we were headed into Iraq. It took nearly a day from the time we left Buehring until we arrived at our permanent location in Baghdad. We were sleep deprived and a bit awestruck when we got our official tour of the International Zone. The IZ is to Iraqis what Washington, D.C. is to us - our government's headquarters, and full of monuments and historical sites.

Possibly the most well-known monument is the Crossed Swords, commemorating Iraq's victory in the Iran-Iraq war. It's a popular photo opportunity for visitors. It's also a grisly reminder of the violence that Iraqis have become accustomed to; the base of the monument includes helmets of dead Iranian soldiers.

I can't complain about my living conditions at all. For security purposes, I won't publish what my billets look like. I will however show you the fun view I have as soon as I step outside and look up.

I apologize for taking so long to update this. I'll try to keep posting new and exciting (or not so exciting) things when I have the chance. In the meantime, keep harassing my husband about updating his side of the blog!!

Lots of love,
Marissa