"Fourth USASA Field Station, Asmara, Ethiopia? Where in the hell is that?"

"I dunno, go ask the barrack's sergeant."

"Hey, Sarge! Where's Asmara?"

"East Africa."

"Africa? ASA's got a Field Station in AFRICA?"

"That's what it says, McCandless. You want to know more, go to the library."

That's how it started. Two months later, after graduation from the 26K course and two bitter-sweet weeks at home with my first "true love" I was on a plane with about 3 or 4 other ASAers on our way to Asmara via Rome and Athens.

Rome: "Who's the red carpet for?" "The Pope is coming in later today. That's why we can't get off the plane."

Athens: "What the heck are we going to do in a strange town in only six hours or so?" Me: "I dunno about you guys but I'm beat. I'm going to my room." "Not me!" "I'm gonna find a bar and get drunk!" (Typical ASA ops) "C-ya"

Greek Hotel room: What the heck is that funny looking thing in the bathroom? Turn the faucet on. You gotta be kidding. What the heck is it for? Oh. Nice BIG bathtub though. Midnight: Head for the airport.

Six hours later, Sunday morning. Daylight down there. Desolation and desert. Where IS the place? Bump! Wait a minute! We were flying pretty high a few minutes ago. We didn't come down much at all!

Baggage, Passports, and Customs. Now what?

Guy not much older that us walks up in shorts, T-shirt, and sneakers. "This all?" "Yep." "Grab your stuff and come with me." Outside the airport is there a bus? No. A taxi? No. A van even? No. There is this RATTY looking Dodge pickup with US Army plates. "Throw your bags the back and get in."

Impressions: Everybody's BLACK! No shit Sherlock! This IS Africa after all. Nice road. Some of these houses are pretty nice. Looks like they are all made of rock. Boy, some of these people look poor! Pretty dresses. How do they keep them so white?

Main Gate: I'm here! Home for the next 18 months. (Ended up being 30 months, thank god) First stop. Personnel. On Sunday? Turns out that the guy is the Personnel NCOIC! OK, McCandless, you're going to B Company. The rest of you are A Company. Next stop. Supply. Blankets, sheets, and some more junk. Dropped of at B Company with the notice that I would be picked up in an hour and taken to get something to eat.

It's mid afternoon by now. This isn't the mess hall! Nope, it's the Oasis Club. Everybody belongs. This is how you join. What's a chitbook? Oh. Man, this Filet Mignon is good! "Have a beer." "Another?" "Rum and Coke?" "Sure." Getting a little happy by about six or so.

"Let's go downtown." "Great!" "Where we goin?" "Julie's." "Meloti all round." he says. "What's a Meloti?" "Local beer." Too numb by now to taste ANYTHING. Some of these girls are BEAUTIFUL! She just plopped down in my lap! (So I led a sheltered life!) Gad, she's exotic, pretty, and YOUNG. Doesn't look a day over 16. Her skin is like velvet. I think I'm in love!

"What's the tattoo on your forehead mean?" "Oh."

"Ata, buy me a drink?" "Sure, what you want?" "Whiskey." "OK." Man can she put those "whiskeys" away!

"Psst. Hey, how do I tell her I want to go home with her?" "Just ask her dummy!" Answer is yes but not till the bar closes. Sure is getting drunk and horny around here! Ah, the witching hour. "So where do you live?" Round the corner and down the street a bit. Small place but clean. Different. Money? "Oh, yeah. How much? Here." Nice bed. Sofffftttt! Zzzzzzzzz!

God that light is bright! "Ah, you finally woke up, Ata." "You better get back to Kagnew." "Did I, uh, you know, do anything last night?" "Just sleep, you too drunk."

Sure is a long walk with a hangover.

"So how was she?" "I dunno, I can't remember!" "How much you give her?" "Five, I think." "WHAT!!!!! WHAT THE HELL YOU TRYING TO DO? RUIN IT FOR ALL THE REST OF US? Nugs! You coulda had an allnighter for a pack of cigarettes you dumb shit!"

She sure was pretty though. And fun to talk to.

Lessons learned:

1) What a bidet is and what it's for.

2) When you aren't used to the altitude, at 7500 feet it doesn't take a lot of alcohol to get you seriously drunk!

3) Cigarettes won't stay lit at that altitude.

4) The Oasis Club had GREAT food!

5) That wasn't whiskey, it was TEA!

6) Never pay the asking price.

7) Eritrean people are NICE