SIGNS OF U.S.A. ON STREETS OF AFGHANISTAN (Extreme Travel Afghanistan)

Type Afghanistan into Googleand see what you find.

Bombings.

.

.

The explosion ripped through a weddingin Kabul, Afghanistan, killing dozens of people in.

.

.

War… Crisis.

.

.

These are normally the pictures that cometo mind when you hear the name Afghanistan.

But are these tragic eventsreally that common? Yes.

Tragedy strikes Afghanistanon a daily basis.

A country at war for40 years.

But is there another side toAfghanistan that is rarely covered? Let's find out! The world'sdeadliest conflict.

The war should endin Afghanistan.

Hi, how are you? We will smile towards lifebecause life is worth smiling, Not a day withoutviolence.

.

.

We will show ourresilience.

.

.

We will not allow people to knowthat we have weakened.

Our families shed bloodfor this country.

♪♪♪ So, today we're headingto a village out in the countryside.

We're leaving here Mazar-e-Sharif, which is the third biggest city in Afghanistan.

We're gonna have an armed escortby the Afghan security forces because a few days agothere was say a lady, A female police officer and her mother, and a civilian, taken off a bus, a public bus, and executedby the Taliban in the road.

The bus was able to continue butthey were killed tragically.

It's a daily life here, sadly, in Afghanistan, so.

.

.

We're gonna head out, should see some mountains, and then when we get to the village, see what a village is like in rural Afghanistan.

Should be an houror so drive, if there's not anycomplications.

And should be nice to seethe countryside and a local village.

♪♪♪ We drove for an hour or so, and we've arrived in the Khulm district.

The mountains areabsolutely magnificent.

And there's local kids around, there's some comingI'll say hi to them, but have a look at this view.

So I think that's the foothillsof the Hindu Kush mountain range, which is the main mountain rangerunning through Afghanistan.

It's huge! Yeah! You can see a lot of the houseshere are straw and dirt constructions.

The security behind meis very keeping an eye on me.

Welcoming local kids.

.

.

Yeah! This is really feels like, you know, rural Afghanistan.

There's a fruitproduction around here, it's pomegranate seasonat the moment.

Really, really nice tobe out here.

-How are you?-Good! How are you? -How are you? Good?-Anything.

.

.

We were gonna go toa different region, but the security situationhere is changing all the time.

So, we're we were gonna go had an increasedTaliban rest so we came to this region instead, and that we've got two units vehiclesfor us which are armored vehicles with bulletproof glass, reinforced doors.

And then at each end of thatwe've got two police trucks with a bunch of these Afghansecurity forces protecting us.

So, yeah! Although it's beautiful! It's.

.

.

It's Afghanistan.

But people are super welcoming, you know.

We're gonna head downinto the township zone, and go for a walk aroundthe more busy streets.

Shouldn't have to say but it's one ofthe most powerful trips I've ever experienced.

Okay.

So, now we've come uponto a viewpoint here.

It's Arion again.

And you can see all the houses here, they're built out of straw and mud basically, right? Yeah! People heremostly farmers.

It's very hard to find any work or work on the landsso people are compelled to go into different villages and find work as a masonor any other labor So, I was mentioning to the camera beforeabout how tight security is here, and what's the reason for that, why do we havefour extremely kitted out vehicles with, as you can see behind you oneof the Afghan security forces.

Why is it so strict here? See, it's still forthe people.

.

.

It's very hard for themto comprehend that there are people who are cominghere just as humanitarian workers, and trying to help withtheir children, and vaccinate their children, immunizetheir children, and provide education.

You don't knowwho inhabits these villages.

There could be anti-government elementswho do not appreciate development, do not appreciatehumanitarian work, so that's why it becomes difficultto provide the security.

Some of these people are middle-classbut most people are below poverty line, so they normally wouldhave two rooms, and no matter if they have 9, 10 peopleat their houses, they will only have two rooms, because keeping it warm during winterdoes the most important thing for them.

So they'd rather live together inwinters rather they have many rooms.

The other thing that you can noticeis that it's very green here, so people normally would havea piece of land that they can provide their families with fruit at least, and vegetables.

.

.

So, that's how life issupported here.

You work and you takethe produce from the land.

.

.

That helps youto survive! And then burn some of the twigs and some ofthe branches that are left from the produce in winter.

So, that's how the life cyclegoes around here.

Okay.

So, we've just meeta local man.

Would you mind introducing himand just ask him what he does for a job? // Speaking native language // Abban is 35 years old.

He's got two kids, he works in gardens.

Right now he is working onhis pomegranate garden, trying to yield that good produceso that he can sell it in market, and make a good livingfrom it.

I heard before that 7 Kgof pomegranate is about $ 350 AFN which is roughly $ 6 USD, is that right? // Speaking native language // 7 Kgs of pomegranate would go for $ 200 AFN, about $ 4 USD, but it depends on the season.

If the season is good and the one-acreland that I have it produces good result, and I have good produced, then that season would go well for my family.

If not, then.

.

.

Most of the seasonwe are just.

.

.

It's very hard to keep up with the expenditurefor the land, like the fertilizer, working on the land, making sure thatthe pomegranate or other produce don't go bad.

So that also takes away a lot of money, and then, at the end of the season, very little is left for usto survive on.

Where doeshe buy supplies from? Does he go down to the city or the townand buys general household goods? Or does he grow them here andthen just live off the land? // Speaking native language // Normally with the peoplein this village and myself is that we, whatever we produce inour garden we take it to the city and we exchange for someother commodity that we require.

The most challenging for us rightnow is safe drinking water, we don't have good water in which results for ourchildren developing different kind of skin diseases that you can see onmy child here.

That really hurts us andthat really ails us.

Other than that, it happens thatwe have some good produce one year, the other year is not good, but wateris the main issue for us right now.

So, those arethe negatives, right? And so what are the positivesof living here for him? // Speaking native language // The positive side here inmy village is that there's peace.

That's avery positive thing! We are living togetheras united people, if there's a difficultyon one house, the rest of the houses cometo the aid of this house.

So we live each other’s happinessand each other’s sadness, and that basically gives usthe motivation to move forward, to look the futurewith positivity.

There's a really strong senseof camaraderie here? There is! Yeah! Yeah!Everybody comes to each other help.

If one persondo not have enough, then other person lends to himwheat or flour so they can survive.

If one person do not havewood to burn in the winter, other people comes together and provides themso that the entire village can survive together.

Right, okay.

// Speaking native language // Another thing that you haveto take into consideration here, I'm okay in the village here butif I was to stray too far off of the perimeter, there's a high chance of landmines, from the days of when the Soviets were here.

There's all these different elementsplaying into this situation here.

There is a big demining operationfrom the United Nations as well, but there's alwaysthe risk and.

.

.

You know, you can seebehind me those kids playing, Sometimesthey can be the victims.

And also sometimesthe Taliban find the mines and they'll turn theminto IEDs, so bombs that they can use in otherareas to cause explosions, but.

.

.

From what I can say of this area, it's got a really nice feeling at the moment, very quiet andpeaceful.

.

.

// Speaking native language // Very quietand peaceful, and.

.

.

You know you can see there'sthe strong strength of community here, which is quite beautiful, I think.

// Speaking native language // Okay.

So we've just come down to the townwhere that men that we interviewed earlier who sells fruit.

.

.

He brings it down here, right? Yes! And he sells it to the locals here, or trade the thing.

This is the main marketfor Khulm District, and that guy and other villagers wouldnormally bring their produce here, they would put it here onthe roadside and people would buy it.

So this is the market, a bit small, but this is where people do theirbusiness and make their living from.

There's something really interesting thatI think a lot of people will be surprised to see.

There's a big Americanflag here, right? Yeah! It's surprisinglyto me too.

// Speaking native language // I bought it for $ 200 AFNfrom somebody who was selling it, and I put it down here, most people don't know what this flag is.

-Somebody told me this American flag.

-Right.

-But I'm fine with it.

-Okay.

And what's his viewsof the USA? // Speaking native language // So, I don't know, I don't know whatkind of country is.

.

.

I really don't know.

-He feels neutral, nothing towards to.

.

.

-Yeah! Neutral.

.

.

Okay, cool! So, there's some political activityin this area at the moment, so we can'tspend too long.

And we're pretty much surrounded by guyswith big weapons and stuff.

And this American flagreally stood out to me, but.

.

.

I think a lot of you guyswill find that fascinating.

Much than I do, because it's not the first imageyou think of when you think in Afghanistan.

-How are you?-Good! How are you? I'm okay! -Do you speak English?-No, no.

.

.

-A little bit.

.

.

-Yes! What areyou doing today? // Speaking native language // Suhayla is 23 years old, this is his shop.

He sells different things like plastic, made things, he sells plates and any groceriesat the houses need.

This is he's shop, he comesevery morning, works until evening.

How is the business? // Speaking native language // The previous year usedto be very good, but now things are notlooking that nice.

But it's good! The good thing is that we have peace, and hopefully it will get better.

You say we have peace.

.

.

In this townthere's not too many problems? // Speaking native language // Yeah! There are nottoo many security incidents, if we look the 100%, maybe 10% is insecurity, that also petty crimes, nothing major.

-Thank you!-Good luck! Cheers! // Speaking native language // From two years old, but sinceI was my children's age, 10 years old, I used to come to my father's shopand work with him.

So, since 10 years old I only knowabout shop, and shop keeping.

.

.

So that's why I broughtmy children as well, I have 3 sons and2 daughters.

They would be working with meand they would then take over from me.

Is he happy doingthis job? // Speaking native language // Well, of course, I'm very happy.

Because we have peace whichis the most important thing for us, we have security, and with security I'm also healthy.

My health, that's also very important.

Two people have saidthat it's peaceful here, so.

.

.

Does he get a feeling that thisis one of the most preferable places to live in terms the security inthe whole country of Afghanistan? // Speaking native language // I think I will call it that it's one of the mostpeaceful place and most secure place in Afghanistan.

People are living in unity and harmony, and we're very happy with our security forces because they provide good security, we've had no security incident.

What's his opinion of the internationalcommunity coming to Afghanistan? // Speaking native language // I think Afghanistan has been at warfor too long, and with the international friends, and those who are comingto help Afghanistan.

.

.

It's very good and their welcomebecause it's going to help with our economy, it will boost our economy, it will boost the standard of living, it will make up Afghans have a better life.

.

.

So that's a good thing! Okay.

One last question, what's for lunch? // Speaking native language // So, we have fish food today, my son's wanted fish today, so I said: “Okay.

Let's get fishfor lunch today”.

Alright! Alright!Is that delicious? -It's very delicious, do you want?-No, thank you! ♪♪♪ So, back in the city.

.

.

I found that really special to go outand see how the village people live.

There was a point whenwe actually pulled up at this old library, and when we arrived there was alldifferent kinds of security forces, Afghan police, Afghan military, paramilitary, there were bullet holes in the wall.

Troops on the roof, troops onthe perimeter, troops up close to the door, and we were gonna go into this libraryand see the gardens and things, but it was quitea dodgy atmosphere, and the security adviser advised usnot to spend any time there because things can kindof go wrong military.

And police can sometimesturn on each other.

We didn't want to be involvedin any kind of crossfire or anything.

So, we kind of gotout of there.

It was pretty extreme scene, wall-to-wall military.

I did get a photo of oneof the soldiers.

I'll put it up here.

I'll be chucking that up onmy Instagram with a few more photos if you want to checkthem out.

And we also went to, I didn't film itbecause that I filmed in past videos, but we also went to anotherimmunization clinic that UNICEF funds as well.

The doctors taking careof malnutrition as well there, there was a few kids receiving the sachetsI showed you in the other videos, and the immunization, and someother treatment that kids were getting there.

So, again, obviously this is a, you can seepeople are in die need of help here.

So, I just want to emphasize againUNICEF isn't paying me anything to be here, They did organize the whole tripfor me and everything, and I don't have to say this but, again, if you want to help out a bit, I'm gonna leave the link down below andyou can chip in a couple of dollars if you can.

Only if you can! Another mind-bendingfascinating day here in Afghanistan.

Tomorrow the journeycontinues leaving this city.

So, I will see youin that video.

And in case I don't see you.

.

.

Good afternoon! Good evening! And good night! We are living togetheras united people.

If there's a difficultyon one house, the rest of the houses cometo the aid of this house.

So we live each other's happinessand each other's sadness, and that basically gives usthe motivation to move forward, to look the futurewith positivity.

.