4 District News

News from Lt. Valade

5/29/2008 from Lt. Valade to Mrs. Dietch

Nancy,

I have moved to an Iraqi base now and interact with soldiers daily. I have a new interpreter that I work with. The culture here is very different. The people that work on the base generally receive me well, however due to cultural differences I don't interact with many people until the interpreter says it's ok. Females and males are very separated here. For example males and females don't shake hands or things like that. But for the people who interact with us daily everybody is just a soldier. Overall Iraq is hot. It averages 110 a day where I am at. The best way I can describe this place is to hold a hair dryer on hot an blow it in your face. We live in CHUs (Combat housing units) basically a small trailer with 3 beds in it. Also I should be returning soon. We were asked to cut off our mail as it takes longer to get here now that we moved. Thanks for sending stuff to me. I may be back in a few months with a different unit so I may have you add me back to the list in October/November time.

Liz

5/1/2008 from Lt. Valade to Mrs. Deitch

Nancy,

Munchies and toiletries like Listerine and toilet paper. They are high demand here. I won't live in the culture as of yet. When I move I will. I will be moving to an Iraqi military base. I did not get any language training before getting to Iraq, but I have a translator that I work with. When you first get to country you get a days worth of information about customs. As an Intel officer I received about two weeks of training at school. With my unit I have attended a lot of Middle Eastern Culture training. I don't go outside of the wire due to the current operations, my location and my job. Also during holidays especially Ramadan, everyone get a cultural awareness brief including things like not to eat, drink, or smoke in front of the Iraqis while they are fasting.

Liz

April 30, 2008 from Mrs. Deitch to Lt. Valade

Liz,

This email is from Mrs. Fox a representative of the Montgomery County Lions Club. Please send me an up on your creature needs or desires. Kari Callery is also collecting from the 5th grades to send a box.

We have your picture posted on the FFCSD website. Thanks for sending it!

Hope this finds you well and acclimated to your new foreign culture. When you ever have a moment send us a note of observations and thoughts on living in a different culture to put on the website. I can use it in the classroom. Did you have any language training before you arrived in Afghanistan? Does the military have a cultural awareness training so you know how to respond to customs.

I had that training as a Navy Officer's wife when we were posted in Rota, Spain. They especially pointed out the strict Arab customs because many of us traveled to Morocco and Algiers.

You're in prayers, keep safe and well,

Nancy

4/30/2008 to Mrs. Deitch from Mrs. Fox, Montgomery County Lions Club

Nancy,

I have not received your list of needs for Elizabeth Valade. I do have something's here ready to go for her, however if there is something special she needs I would like to include that. also, I wanted to make sure her address has not changed.

Could you please let me know as soon as possible. I would really like to get this package out to her this week.

Thank you.

<back