Change in the air

Being the son of American journalists, a cautious intrepidity was ingrained in my adolescent character. Recently, when father invited me to spend four days with him at his temporary office in Kabul, I jumped at the opportunity.

Being the son of American journalists, a cautious intrepidity was ingrained in my adolescent character. Recently, when father invited me to spend four days with him at his temporary office in Kabul, I jumped at the opportunity.

The night before I arrived, the Taliban had marched 23 Koreans off a bus in Ghazni province. Two Germans had been kidnapped the day before in Miranshah. Out of curiousity, I read the travel warning posted on the US State Department8217;s website. The morning after, I felt relatively safe.

Later in the weekend, we ventured north of Kabul on the highway to Mazar-i-Sharif. Abdul Waheed Wafa, who works with father asked, 8220;At your high school, how many people know who Afghanistan8217;s president is?8221; I hazarded a guess that 10 out of 800 students may get it right. He responded that the majority of the world8217;s non-American teenagers would be able to tell who the US president is. That may be a reasonable assumption, but one can8217;t help but notice how rapidly the world is globalising. Developing countries look to the West for information but how many Delhiites, for instance, know that you can find burfi-flavoured ice-cream in Charikar? Or that Kasauti Zindagi Ke draws crowds of fans to dhabas throughout Kabul?

The gaping blast holes in the middle of the main roads clearly need attention. But such evidence of Kabul8217;s turbulent past serve as a reminder of how far it has come. The National Stadium, earlier used for public executions, now stages football matches.

Surprisingly, Kabul itself is almost devoid of foreign soldiers, although privately-hired security and the local police are ubiquitous. They ride around the city in brand-new, green Toyota pickup trucks and provide a feeling that Kabul is recuperating.

Kabul used to be renowned for its ancient beauty and cold, fresh air. It will be a long while before its old charm returns. But its residents hope that this happens sooner than later, as they listen to Bollywood hits on their radios.