Homeland

I grew up in a country that has been attacked and invaded by many foreigners throughout history. Great Britain had three wars with Afghans, who was eventually defeated by Afghans and left our country. The second time, the Soviet Union attacked our homeland, and the third time the United States attacked our homeland, and they were also defeated in the war against the Afghans and they left our homeland. Afghanistan is a landlocked country located at the Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the heart of Asia, it is bordered by Iran to the West, Pakistan to the east and south, Turkmenistan to the northwest, Uzbekistan to the north, Tajikistan to the northeast, and China to the northeast and east. Afghanistan is predominantly mountainous with plains in the north and the southwest, which are separated by the Hindu Kush Mountain range. Our country is divided into 34 provinces, Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan where I was born, grew up, went to school, went to university, graduated, got a job, got married and had children. In Kabul province there were nice places for recreation and fun. One of these nice places is named Paghman Valley, located between green mountains and beautiful hills. It is a beautiful place for recreation and picnic. People from different parts of Afghanistan always come to see this nice nature and enjoy delicious foods such as Kaboli palaw, a rice dish cooked with raisins, carrots, pistachio, almonds, flavoured with cardamom and cumin and lamb or beef. This is a famous Afghani food. There are different kinds of Kabab, often served as a side dish. Ashak is another delicious dumpling filled with leek and scallion, that is usually served on special occasions or holidays. Sheer Yakh is a traditional Afghan ice cream which is loved by children as well as adults. Fortunately, my house was located near this beautiful valley, and we went there to see this nice nature and enjoy it.

I should mention that at the front of the valley there is the Taq-Zafar memorial arch (arch of victory). This famous victory arch commemorates Afghan independence after the third British-Afghan war. This monumental gate in the style of Greco Roman classical architecture is similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France.