Sylvia's Journal

I am back in the land of Islam. The vast majority of Zanzibari are Muslim. And so I listen to the call of the muezzin and it transports me back to Afghanistan. There is something very soothing about that call – a permanence amidst chaos.

I do miss being in Afghanistan, strange as that may sound. The place has an addictive quality to it that is hard to explain to anyone who only knows Afghanistan from the media. But anyone who has ever been there (really there, not in military garb) understands, instantly. We are all bitten by the same bug.

And so now I am in Zanzibar and only barely present to the town. I made one quick outing into the old city which was sleepy and quiet after lunch. It s good to do nothing as it is very hot and humid, and any effort is met with lots of perspiration.
Today the last of the people arrive for our meeting. We reviewed the program and are mostly set. The sun is setting, the sundowners consumed and I am looking forward to another great seafood meal, meeting people I have never met before. What fun!