I’m a tea-swigging, grammar-butchering, mud-splattered 20something expat woman living in Kabul. Aside from my day job coordinating ICT initiatives, I write for UN Dispatch. I have worked in Afghanistan since early 2010.
This blog is my outlet for the outrage, frustration, grief and elation I feel while working in one the world’s most difficult places.
If you want to contact me, email Transitionland[at]gmail[dot]com, or leave a comment below.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed on this blog are mine alone. They do not reflect the views of my employers or of any organizations with which I am affiliated.
Transitionland 
Hey! Great to hear from you :-). I will add you to my blogroll as well. Yay for creative personal expression!
hi. I have read a bit of your blog. you seem really keen to land a job here in Afghanistan. If you can tell me a bit more about yourself/ send a CV or something like that, I might be able to push it around a bit. No promises. Send it to sparrowp(at)gmail(dot)com
Thanks, Phil. I just emailed you. 😀
hi transitionland, i did not know that you were keen to work in afghanistan but now that i do from what phil says above and your response, can i also offer my email and ask that you send me your cv and some info on your interests. hamesha dot safrang at gmail dot com.
Thanks for your comments, musings and for being a heart-felt compassion- monger! The world could use many more like you. Send your personal email and we can chat. Blessings of peace.
Greg Mortenson
Hey there! Thanks so much for the comment about Central Asian Muslims over at my blog, and for drawing my attention to yours! This is fascinating stuff. I’m looking forward to keeping up with it!
So again, what exactly does an academic degree in “human rights” consist of? What do you study?
Do you want me to send you my transcript?
Hi. This is me.
Hi, David!
Made it home safe, I see. I’m off to Djibouti in the morning. Ugh.
Good luck with those pirates.
I’m back in the U.S. No pirates to be found. I guess that’s good. Off to Afghanistan in five days.
Send me a quick email — might like you talk to you about a gig. I like your style but know nothing about you:)
Omg, I love your blog. You sound exactly like the kind of person I’d want to hang out with in university coffee shops. Glad to see another constructivist-peddling 20 something female blogger on the interwebs! I’m adding you to my blog roll @ theodalisque.wordpress.com and following you on Twitter. Thank you so much for existing!
Hi!
Any chance of getting a password?
thanks,
Excellent blog -Thanks!
i really like your blog.
it’s vital to continue to try to be positive about afghanistan.
nice one.
Dear Una,
my name is Nicoletta and I’m a postgraduate student at a MA in Post-war Recovery Studies at the University of York, UK.
Sonia Eqbal suggested me to visit your blog cause I could be coming to Afghanistan next month for 8 weeks to do an internship, but I’m still trying to get informations about the security situation there etc.
Tha Afghans people usually tell me it’s ok, while expats from different NGOs are suggesting not to go there, cause it is not safe at all.
Sonia suggested to have a look at your blog, and I found it very interesting and useful, so I also wanted to know your opinion, being a woman and from a western country, do you think this is not the right moment to come there?
Or is it safe enough to risk?
Hope you will have time to answer back, sorry for bothering you,
all the best
Nico
Hi, Thanks for the blog! I am looking for more information about the Afghan Women’s Shelter issue. There are mixed reports and concerns that it has not been resolved for good, is this true? I read your piece in UN Dispatch saying it was indeed resolved and the government will not take over the shelters. Could you give me any additional info or statement from the government clarifying the same? My email is lanant74@gmail.com
Thanks so much for any help!
Lakshmi
Hi, my name is Kelsey and I’m pretty much exactly where you were a couple years ago. I’m in grad school studying journalism, but I want to go into aid and development work in Afghanistan when I graduate next year. I’d really appreciate it if you could give me any advice/tips/warnings for a career in the field and the likelihood of ever actually making it in the field. I’d love to get your opinion. My email is KelseyJJensen@gmail.com.Thanks so much!
Kelsey
So this may seem odd. Though I am logged in as George, this is actually Will Treadway from The Texan Who Would Be King. George is my friend who helps post my stuff while I’m over here. He is also better with webpages, etc.
I’d like to start up a correspondence with you about what it is like elsewhere in this country. From my perspective it isn’t good, but perhaps another view could help show me and my soldiers that maybe it isn’t all taliban and IEDs.
My email is treadsteady214@gmail.com
Hope to hear from you!
wmt
Hey Una hows it going? Launching my http://www.kabulatwork.tv website this month and wanted to chat to you about spreading the word. I just stumbled across your site looking for Afghan bloggers. great stuff. let me know if you have time to chat
Gilly
Good reads, keep wording as you see them a civi view like yours is a necessity as well I see some interesting people about to break out and do real reporting….
Great blog, Read my blog. And if please put my blog in list of your blogroll. EsmatZeerak
is there any international school in kabul? we need it urgently, thks
There is –or at least, there was as of summer 2010, when my last expat friend with kids left the country. You might want to ask about that on http://itinerantindigent.wordpress.com/ Phil (the blogger there) has kids and knows more expat families.
thks
Hello! Just found your blog today as I was working on an Afghan blog round up for our new blog (Attempting Denouement) and thought it was quite entertaining and well written. I haven’t read much of it yet, but we did include you on the round up, as I liked the writing style – it’s here: http://wp.me/p2owGd-2X
Looking forward to reading more!
Are you still in Kabul? Will you stay when the US pulls out? Our daughter has an offer to teach at American U this fall. A great offer but we are concerned.