Barfi (not quite what the Indian's would have in mind when they hear that word)

It finally snowed in kabul, such joy, had a stupid grin on my face all morning. Then the barfi playing started, something that i had completly forgotten about, even though i really got it from the team last year too and the grin became broader :). Firstly, barfi is a tradition in afghanistan (or is it only kabul) that takes place on the first day of a proper snow fall. This is what I have understood it to be: friends/family/colleagues place Baraf or snow within something (which in office today was largely envelopes), you need to hand it over to another person and run (not get caught). the baraf is placed with a list of demands, things like a lunch treat, etc. If the other person got this without you getting caught, that person is the barfi. On the other hand if you get caught, the other person needs to put a black mark on you somewhere, then you are the barfi. Did that make sense?

Its much fun, if done early enough in the day and with a straight face (kind of hard to do if you have been running all over the office either making people barfi or escaping being made one.

It started with the CARE Finance Controller coming to my office while i was having a staff meeting, placing a very offical looking package in my hand and then fleeing, which for a brief moment, I thought was odd, until my team screamed Barfi and that's when I remembered what it was about. I ofcourse gave chance with as much dignity as i could muster (considering i was leaving a staff meeting) but could not catch up.

Just 20 minutes later (thankfully the meeting was over by then) another team mate came in very innocently (which for the brat he is, is a feat in itself and should have put me on my guard) and showed me a medicine box and asked me to tell him what it was. Inside ofcourse was the barfi, this time I decided not to give chance but accept being made barfi gracefully as giving chance would have meant navigating some oddly placed office furniture.

This is when i decided it was time to give it back. So I got another team mate involved and we prepared our packages and marched to the main office in the snow and the sleet but without any falls this time.

I started with our Emergency coordinator (Latifi sahib), who thankfully was in a meeting when I went to his room with my package and hence did not give chance, the same happened with our ACD Program support (Kebar). Though by then most of the CARE staff and the senior management (expats) had seen me and a colleague running in and out of offices for a while, I hope its not going to be an issues in my performance appraisal. So, When i tried the same with our education coordinator (Wahid), I forgot that he had been a football player, he manged to corner me in the office corridor and place a black mark on me. I now owe him a lunch. I did however, succeed with our two other program coordinators and sprinted back to the safety of my office. There was ofcourse much laughter and fun for all those witnessing these actions.

All in all a fun morning. Dont think that my working days are normally spent like this, today was an exception in honour of the first day of the snow where a bit of fun, frivolity and time off are acceptable.

Could not take any pictures though, wish I had (maybe next winter, if i am still in Afghanistan).