Building bridges

The bridge that I built at the end of our road with my neighbours isn’t very big or particularly impressive.  It spans half a metre across a drainage ditch and allows vehicles access to our street.

The initial assumption, when I was asked to help, was that we would provide the money and others would build it – that’s often the expectation from foreigners in Afghanistan.  But I wanted to get to know people so I asked if I could help with the construction and said I would only pay some of the costs.

This was agreed and over the course of a couple of weekends we made the bridge.  There was lots of interest. People on their way somewhere would stop for half an hour to help out or give their advice; we drank plenty of tea and no doubt there was amusement to be had from watching how the foreigner did things.  Everyone seemed pleased with the result.

Then, the following week, a truck went over the bridge and it got damaged; slightly embarrassing if you have two engineering degrees.  When the humiliation became too much and winter was over, I had a go at a new-improved version with one of our neighbours.  Hopefully it will be OK now.