Coming from a part of the world and a part of society where the notion of globalisation is widely dominant, celebrated, renounced, – debated. My past week, for my sake, shed new light on this issue of increased interconnectivity and flows of ideas, people materials changing hands and minds. I have spent one more of these intensive weeks in the field.

This time in a village east of Afghanistan’s second largest town, Herat – once the capital of the country.I was introduced to the chairwoman one of the local community development councils (CDC). These CDCs are the main organ through which the National Solidarity Program is implemented. These councils are supposed to be the platform from which the people of rural Afghanistan can have a say in the actual development of their local community, and should serve the needs of both women and men. For this purpose both female and male committees are established. I stayed with this CDC chairwoman’s family.

She was an incredibly strong woman: the mother of three small children whose participation in the CDC work was strongly motivated by the poor conditions under which the majority of people in this region are living – that is to say lack of clean and close drinking water (good wells), electricity, schools or medical clinics in close vicinity, low levels of information and literacy – all of which had become too much for her, thus she was stoutly determined to change things. As an example of this determination: by the help of an initial Dacaar literacy course, she taught herself to read and write, and is now helping her children with their homework.

I spent some three days in their compound which is a typical Afghan family-arrangement. Basically it is living side by side with the parents, brothers and sisters all with the respective families all within one clay walled compound. Here I assisted in their daily activities. However, it was tough to find my place, as each member of the family has a certain role to which certain tasks and responsibilities are implicitly assigned – according to their age, whether brother or sister, father or mother, whether married in or originally a part of the family etc. As for me – I was neither. So…

In order to have fitted more automatically into the daily rhythm of life, it would have been only natural (according to my age) that I was breastfeeding by newly born child and making sure that my other children were at school or doing their chores – however I am neither married, nor am I a mother, in addition to this I am a foreigner who speaks broken Dari and who is quite clearly not used to living according to the local standards – so my inevitable role as the outsider and guest was once again prevailing . In many ways it also seemed that the families, to a certain extent felt embarrassed of their simple means and establishment – which just amplified the gap between us. Though they very willingly wanted to share their stories, hopes for the future and opinions about the current state of affairs – and showed great curiosity towards the place I come from “kshwar-e-tan” – your country. But seldom have I been in a place where “kshwar-e-man” (my country) was so far away from, where I was.

I expect that to the families in Pashtun Zarghun the idea of globalisation is somewhat inconceivable; however the time I spent with them might have been an example of a realization of just this increased interconnectedness. Their attempts to approve life through engaging in the National Solidarity Program (in itself an idea of increasing the national ties) is also an attempt to cling on to a greater process of development – and my being there – a result of this wish to improve – was a concrete symbol of a different life! I am still doubting whether the CDCs bring more empowerment to these women and help them shape better lives right now. However, I do know that these people’s hopes and willpower to have things be different for their children are unyielding. So the question of timing, connection and power, both materially and figuratively speaking, might not be apparent at present – though in due time I wish for these people that the warm waves of “globalization” reaches them and more steadily becomes a part of their lives, so, for example, to be able to cook dinner in the light of an electrical bulb while listening to the radio and understanding what is being spoken about.

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