Afghanistan 1977
A Journey Remembered

In October 1977, I lived and traveled for five weeks in Afghanistan with my family. My husband at the time Dr. Kirby Tarry was a volunteer for the organization CARE MEDICO. A Urologist, he was there to teach Afghan Doctors new techniques of his speciality at the Jambouriat Hospital run by CARE. My daughter and I were along for the adventure. We paid our own transportation to and from Afghanistan. CARE MEDICO provided us with a place to stay in the capital city of Kabul and with a car and driver for weekend jaunts out into the countryside. We shared the experience with three other doctors, their wives, and the college age son of one couple.

When we decided to go to Afghanistan, I had to go to a map to find out that it was in Asia not Africa. A friend remarked that Afghanistan would be his last choice for a vacation. Some people vacation. I travel for adventure. The best place to experience something new is in the country most unlike your own. Afghanistan certainly met that criteria then and now.

The year 1977 was one of the last years of peace in this troubled land. The following spring the American Ambassador was murdered in Kabul. War with Russia followed and then came the infamous Taliban. We followed the news for years always with thoughts of the wonderful people we met and worked with while we were there. The news was never good and at times so bad we could hardly stand to hear it. Then came 9/11 and the American invasion. The Afghan people are not our enemies. They need our help. I write this web page to tell it the way it was when we were there.

The newspaper in our home town of Columbus, Indiana provided me with a large amount of black and white film and requested that I write some articles for the paper about the trip. I have reproduced some of the original articles and added the photographs of which I have copies. Text added to the web page not part of the original articles is enclosed in shaded boxes.

Dr. Tarry is no longer part of our family. His service to CARE MEDICO was a generous contribution to an underdeveloped country and the trip one none of us will ever forget. He had no part in writing the original articles or in republishing them on this web page. I take full responsibility for any mistakes or inaccuracies.

I am not a trained journalist or photographer. My background was Biology and computer science. I spent most of my career as a teacher and computer specialist. I am sure that fault can be found in my interpretation of life in Afghanistan. I tell it the way I saw it and after more than 20 years the way I remember it. I will be happy to receive comments or corrections from readers.

I wish to thank my daughter Dr. Anne Tarry Young of Nashua, NH for her support and encouragement with this project. I also thank the editor of The Republic in Columbus, Indiana for suggesting and encouraging the original articles. It was the first time anything I wrote was published and I enjoyed every minute of the project.

Emmalee Bowers Tarry
Nashua, New Hampshire