I must admit it took some getting used to for me — I’m used to being around soldiers, and every day I walk around looking for the Army Combat Uniform. It’s been interesting — to put it nicely — trying to read Navy ranks. Luckily for me, Vemmer is a former sailor, so she’s been helping me out.

Life on Camp Lemonier is pretty sweet compared to some of the places I’ve been to in Iraq. Every morning we are woken up by the big, giant speakers right outside our CLU (containerized living unit) playing the Djibouti national anthem followed by the Star-Spangled Banner.

I still haven’t found anyone who knows the words to the Djibouti anthem. If I was more ambitious I’d learn the words before I leave this place.

There is wireless Internet service here, and the coffee shop is open 24 hours a day. There’s a movie theater that shows movies twice a night, a basketball court, a fully equipped gym, a running track and a decent-sized chow hall.

You can drop off your laundry or do it yourself.

Probably one of the best parts of being here is the ability to go off the base and check out the city. Vemmer and I had lunch on Saturday at a cute pizza place less than a couple miles from the front gate. It had goat cheese, strips of fatty ham, tomatoes, oregano and mozzarella. It was tasty — and cost about $18 (or 2,400 francs) for the both of us. And we got a pretty sweet knife to cut the pizza with.

It’s very different here than in Iraq. But so far things are going well.

I can’t wait to hear the Djibouti anthem again

Source: ArmeTime
 

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