An experience from Josh

So Josh shared a very cool experience that he had just the other night and I thought I would pass it on....

Josh and another soldier were put on guard watching over some nationals working an elder and 4 other boy's in between the ages of 10 and 14. At first the boy's were acting as if they were talking badly on Josh and the other soldier, kind of making fun of them I guess you could say. Later on in night Josh approached the boy's and elder and started talking to them in their native language, Pashto. The boy's helped Josh with the translation and they all had a real conversation. The boy's thought this was the coolest thing ever that a soldier was speaking to them in their launguage, trying to converse. So after this the elder smiled at Josh and looked at his watch and then wanted to see Josh's watch. So Josh lifts up his sleeve to show the elder his watch and the elder makes a gesture to trade.... Soooo without even thinking about it Josh starts taking off his watch to hand to the guy and trade him. The elder asks Josh in Pashto if his watch is waterproof but Josh doesn't understand. So the elder walked over to the ice chest put his watch on top of all the ice and looked at Josh. Once Josh understood he laughed because of what the elder was asking (seeing as we have had waterproof watches in the states forever). Josh takes his own watch opens the ice cooler and places his watch clear to the bottom. All the boy's and the elder started laughing hilariously and Josh joined in. The elder walked over to the ice cooler and dug into the bottom to grab Josh's watch and put it on. Josh then took the elder's watch off the top of the ice and put it on. They shook hands and said "Thank You" in Pashto.

This was such an amazing and bonding experience for Josh and it was so neat of him to share this with me. It goes to show how much we take for granted and don't even think about here in the states.