Travel

Kabul Jan – کابل جان

Kabul, Afghanistan is one of my favourite cities in the world.

It gets a lot of bad press. It has witnessed suffering and tragedy on a horrendous scale. And yet its people have retained an admirable dignity, they have held on to an ancient respect for hospitality, and despite what many media sources would have you believe, they have embraced the modern world without rejecting their cultural values.

Kabul, Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan
Kabul, Afghanistan

One day, many years ago now I was on a walk up the side of a hill on the outskirts of the city with my family. A young boy and his sister climbed up behind us, carrying a tray of tea and biscuits. On the dusty mountainside they laid out a cloth for us to sit on and served us like kings.  They asked nothing in return. They told us heartbreaking stories of the losses their family had suffered, and then they disappeared.

I have never seen or heard from them again. And yet their act of generosity and kindness – like the city they lived in – has left a deep and lasting impression that will never leave me.

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I am a TCK – Third Culture Kid. Born in Canada but grew up in Central and South Asia. My mother, my father and my wife are from three different countries. As an adult I have lived and worked on three different continents. My life thus far has been an adventure. It can also be confusing. Sometimes I write to reflect on the past, sometimes to try to make sense of the present. I am a teacher, husband and father. I teach Design & Technology at a high school in the UK and think that everyone would benefit from learning more practical skills, myself included. I am passionate about faith and about people. I love learning about history. I love to travel and to meet new people and explore different cultures. And the more I explore the more I want to catch a glimpse of the other side of the mountains…

14 thoughts on “Kabul Jan – کابل جان”

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