Happy New Year!

Kabul
1st Hammal 1391

One of the advantages of living in Afghanistan is having two New Year's Days each "year". Two opportunities to be buoyed up by optimism because we made it around the sun once again, and two chances to make (and no doubt break) new year resolutions!

So in this spirit of optimism, I will hope for three things this year:

1. That this year denies the doom-mongers the satisfaction of saying "I told you so";
2. That for the vast majority of Afghans who want nothing more than a quieter, better life for their children than they experienced, 1391 brings some peace and stability; and 
3. That our efforts pay off and our work makes a difference.

Not so much to ask, surely?

As for personal new year resolutions... I thought about writing something here, but I think that on the whole such thoughts are best kept to myself!

Happy New Year to everyone who reads this and to all my Afghan colleagues and friends... and just as importantly, Happy 16th Birthday to Hugo!