Only 10 Shopping Days Left Until Evacuation!

Afghanistan's parliamentary elections are scheduled for September 18th. So far, all has been quiet... in Kabul at least. But many international workers are planning to evacuate for the period around the election, just in case.

As for myself, my contract here ends on September 8th, after which time I may be off to Pakistan for some work. So this weekend I found myself in a party of western women, getting in that last-minute, pre-evacuation shopping. And once again, I realized that I'm a rotten bargainer.

Ever had that sinking feeling when your friend walks out of a shop with twice as much stuff, that she paid half as much for, as you did? I tell myself that what's important is that I feel the price I paid was fair. But let's face it. That's garbage. How can I be happy when someone else pays less than I did, at the same store, 5 minutes after I completed my purchase? No, what I feel like is an idiot.

So I paste a smile on my face and hope no one asks how much I paid (no one did). Whew!

At least I made the shopkeeper happy.