Read Online Off to War by Deborah Ellis - Free Book Online
Authors: Deborah Ellis
Tags: JNF053050
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joined up about four years ago. He had been in the Reserves, and had other jobs, too. Then he joined the military full time. I have two sisters, Monika and Kendall. They are both younger than me. Mom stays at home and takes care of us.
Dad was in Afghanistan. We found out last January that he was going. Iâd just come home from basketball practice, and he told me.
I was upset at first, you know, just because of the concept of having my dad away from us for that long. I didnât really know anything about Afghanistan at the time. I know quite a bit about it now. I know there are a lot of unfortunate people there that need help. Thereâs been a war going on there for a long time.
Dad worked in clothing when he was in Afghanistan, getting people uniforms and other stuff they needed. He left for Afghanistan on August 16, just four days after my birthday. He was actually going to leave earlier than that, but then it was extended so he got to be here for my birthday. So my birthday party was mixed with a going-away party at the same time. It was a happy day. I mean, I was happy he was there, because he wasnât going to be there, so it was like an extra present. I was really upset that he was leaving, but happy he was at my party.
We had the party in my backyard, with a huge ice-cream cake. All our neighbors came over, and my grandma and my great-uncle, and my uncle and his girlfriend. It was a great party.
After Dad left, it wasnât the same at home because he wasnât there, but we were kept really busy. We went to the movies and went out a lot and went to dinner quite a bit. I do dance at a studio just outside Petawawa, at a place called Stars in Motion. I do hip-hop. We just had our recital, and we got gold! And Dad was back to see it.
Dad was gone for about six months altogether. When he came home in November for his HLTA â thatâs just a short holiday â he was a little jumpy when somebody came up behind him. He wouldnât really say anything, heâd just jump a bit. He was only home for a short time, but it didnât seem like a short time because we were so excited to have him home. We went to pick him up in Ottawa and he ran down the escalator. It was actually kind of funny because we didnât see anyone elseactually jumping down the escalator, just my dad! And then he tried to hug us all at once and we were very happy.
It was really sad when he went back, but when he came home again he brought us presents. He brought us all a silver bracelet and a chain. He brought my mom back a gold puzzle ring, and charms for our necklace, and white gold earrings with our birthstones, and other things.
He also got me an Afghan bracelet and a little animal made of marble, and a little figurine of a camel.
He was the same Dad when he came back. There were Afghan people working on the base and Dad got to know some of them. Once he saw some Afghan people sitting on the ground in a circle. They had a bit of rice they were sharing, eating it with their hands, but they didnât take big handfuls, theyâd only take a little bit, then pass it along. They would all share it. There were like twelve men sitting there, grown men, and they had only this little bag of rice and they were all sharing it. And then they even offered some to my dad.
My dad bought them some Timbits, those little doughnuts. He didnât know what they were going to do with them. They each took one, and shared the rest out to take home to their families.
If weâd get a box of Timbits, weâd just look at them and think, âHow many can I grab?â Itâs just amazing to me to think about how theyâd share even a little thing like that.
I think kids in Afghanistan have a lot harder time than I do. If I want something, Iâll just go and get it, but if they want something, they have to work for it more. Iâll want food and Iâll just go to the fridge and get what I want, but they
Dad was in Afghanistan. We found out last January that he was going. Iâd just come home from basketball practice, and he told me.
I was upset at first, you know, just because of the concept of having my dad away from us for that long. I didnât really know anything about Afghanistan at the time. I know quite a bit about it now. I know there are a lot of unfortunate people there that need help. Thereâs been a war going on there for a long time.
Dad worked in clothing when he was in Afghanistan, getting people uniforms and other stuff they needed. He left for Afghanistan on August 16, just four days after my birthday. He was actually going to leave earlier than that, but then it was extended so he got to be here for my birthday. So my birthday party was mixed with a going-away party at the same time. It was a happy day. I mean, I was happy he was there, because he wasnât going to be there, so it was like an extra present. I was really upset that he was leaving, but happy he was at my party.
We had the party in my backyard, with a huge ice-cream cake. All our neighbors came over, and my grandma and my great-uncle, and my uncle and his girlfriend. It was a great party.
After Dad left, it wasnât the same at home because he wasnât there, but we were kept really busy. We went to the movies and went out a lot and went to dinner quite a bit. I do dance at a studio just outside Petawawa, at a place called Stars in Motion. I do hip-hop. We just had our recital, and we got gold! And Dad was back to see it.
Dad was gone for about six months altogether. When he came home in November for his HLTA â thatâs just a short holiday â he was a little jumpy when somebody came up behind him. He wouldnât really say anything, heâd just jump a bit. He was only home for a short time, but it didnât seem like a short time because we were so excited to have him home. We went to pick him up in Ottawa and he ran down the escalator. It was actually kind of funny because we didnât see anyone elseactually jumping down the escalator, just my dad! And then he tried to hug us all at once and we were very happy.
It was really sad when he went back, but when he came home again he brought us presents. He brought us all a silver bracelet and a chain. He brought my mom back a gold puzzle ring, and charms for our necklace, and white gold earrings with our birthstones, and other things.
He also got me an Afghan bracelet and a little animal made of marble, and a little figurine of a camel.
He was the same Dad when he came back. There were Afghan people working on the base and Dad got to know some of them. Once he saw some Afghan people sitting on the ground in a circle. They had a bit of rice they were sharing, eating it with their hands, but they didnât take big handfuls, theyâd only take a little bit, then pass it along. They would all share it. There were like twelve men sitting there, grown men, and they had only this little bag of rice and they were all sharing it. And then they even offered some to my dad.
My dad bought them some Timbits, those little doughnuts. He didnât know what they were going to do with them. They each took one, and shared the rest out to take home to their families.
If weâd get a box of Timbits, weâd just look at them and think, âHow many can I grab?â Itâs just amazing to me to think about how theyâd share even a little thing like that.
I think kids in Afghanistan have a lot harder time than I do. If I want something, Iâll just go and get it, but if they want something, they have to work for it more. Iâll want food and Iâll just go to the fridge and get what I want, but they
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