I'm sitting here at a base in the middle of the desert.
My luggage hasn't arrived and I'm not sure what's going to happen next. But, I've met some really interesting people here and I am awed at their strength and resilience.
Some of my tentmates include a 17-year American Red Cross worker and a 57-year-old Army soldier.
They find comraderie and comfort in talking to each other and being human to each other. Even the simplest things like a smile or going to meals together or the simplest consideration, like using your flashlight at night instead of turning on the main light help to make conditions here more livable.
The sand is more like a very fine dirt that gets every where and in everything. And the sun can be brutal. Water bottles are everywhere.
Eating is another story.
Every step in this process brings me an unbelievable amount of gratitude for my family and home. They seem so far away, yet even the memory of singing tunes brightens things a litle bit.