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I Spend 15 Days In The Most Dangerous Country In The World. Spoiler Alert: It’s Not (107 Pics)
During the pandemic, after seeing a Drew Binsky video and deciding to go to Afghanistan (the most dangerous country in the world) for 15 days, I was constantly attacked with politeness, and if you consider terrorism giving me diabetes due to the constant threat of amazing tea with sugar from strangers in the streets who wanted to share a moment with the crazy foreigner who came to their country, then yes, it was really dangerous.
The feeling of being in constant danger is real: constant danger from eating amazing food, or too much cotton candy. This is one of the most beautiful countries I have ever seen, and its people are just the most polite and welcoming people I ever met. The phrase that stayed in my mind after this trip was people asking for me to take and share their pictures to show that not everyone is a terrorist in Afghanistan.
I am planning to go there again since I met wonderful people, and I would like to explore more; of course, not everything is all peachy, as they say, but there's always the other side of the coin, and that's the one I saw.
On the funny side, when at the airport before flying back, I found a CNN video news report where they were describing the city where I had just spent 3 days walking, eating, and going on family picnics as a city destroyed by war and suffering. Well, I did not see that at all—I saw a city that wants to move forward.
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This is where the Taliban blasted the centuries old Buddha statues...could it be the Afghan are trying to re-create them?
Looks like a member of the militia, (or whatever are our allies, I forget the name) nice
it is really beautiful. You can see the old fort-settlements in the rock
I wonder if this the proverbial road our fathers walked to school everyday....
all beautiful photos, but I really wish they had captions so I could understand what I'm actually looking at. Most, I really don't have much of an idea, sadly.
Does anyone actually think 15 days is a long enough time to get an accurate impression of what its like to live in a country with a population of 40 million people, many ethnic groups and languages that spans over 250k sq miles?
No way. That’s not even enough time to get used to a large city in the USA, let alone an entire country.
Load More Replies...If I was to travel to Afghanistan as a unaccompanied female, I wouldn’t last 2 minutes. The Taliban would either kill me or hold me to ransom, or worse. During the 60s and 70s Afghanistan was such a vibrant country. Women enjoying education, dressing in western clothing, meeting up with male friends - the sort of things we take for granted. The Taliban is a brutal, sadistic, terrifying regime, banning technology, TV, education for girls. Doling out beatings on women and young girls just for reading or going out without a male chaperone? Yet men can have a mobile phone? Would WE be OK with this way of living - no. There are also dangers such as unexploded munitions left by the former USSR.
Yes. And young boys aren't safe in Afghanistan either - they are routinely raped and used as sex-slaves. This is accepted there.
Load More Replies...They're great photos, but that "To See If It’s Really The Most Dangerous Country In The World" bit in the title makes you sound like some sort of extreme misery tourist. I think it's disrespectful. And doesn't relate to the material -- it's not like you have photos of "this is me getting shot at," "this is me being held at knife-point" etc.
His intro leans in hard to that ignorantly smug title. This is the definition of privileged - taking a cozy 2-week tour and titling yourself an investigative journalist. "Mmm this tea is really good! That means there must not be a war going on anywhere." Nice pictures and I'm glad you found some positivity, but pull your head out of your ass. Blood on the ground isn't even dry yet.
Load More Replies...Does anyone actually think 15 days is a long enough time to get an accurate impression of what its like to live in a country with a population of 40 million people, many ethnic groups and languages that spans over 250k sq miles?
No way. That’s not even enough time to get used to a large city in the USA, let alone an entire country.
Load More Replies...If I was to travel to Afghanistan as a unaccompanied female, I wouldn’t last 2 minutes. The Taliban would either kill me or hold me to ransom, or worse. During the 60s and 70s Afghanistan was such a vibrant country. Women enjoying education, dressing in western clothing, meeting up with male friends - the sort of things we take for granted. The Taliban is a brutal, sadistic, terrifying regime, banning technology, TV, education for girls. Doling out beatings on women and young girls just for reading or going out without a male chaperone? Yet men can have a mobile phone? Would WE be OK with this way of living - no. There are also dangers such as unexploded munitions left by the former USSR.
Yes. And young boys aren't safe in Afghanistan either - they are routinely raped and used as sex-slaves. This is accepted there.
Load More Replies...They're great photos, but that "To See If It’s Really The Most Dangerous Country In The World" bit in the title makes you sound like some sort of extreme misery tourist. I think it's disrespectful. And doesn't relate to the material -- it's not like you have photos of "this is me getting shot at," "this is me being held at knife-point" etc.
His intro leans in hard to that ignorantly smug title. This is the definition of privileged - taking a cozy 2-week tour and titling yourself an investigative journalist. "Mmm this tea is really good! That means there must not be a war going on anywhere." Nice pictures and I'm glad you found some positivity, but pull your head out of your ass. Blood on the ground isn't even dry yet.
Load More Replies...