Letter from Kabul

Graham Satchell reports on Seema Ghani's return

She had it all, a great job in the city, a comfortable life in London and a group of close friends.

Seema has always felt a deep yearning for her country.

But 33-year-old Seema Ghani is giving it all up to return home to live in her native Afghanistan.

In the first of three special reports running this week on Breakfast's Graham Satchell travels with Seema as she leaves London to begin her new life in Kabul.

Click here to watch our first report.

Here, Graham writes about his experiences in Kabul.

---

Behind the scenes in Kabul
Graham Satchell

This was my first time in Kabul and I had been told absolute horror stories about the place.

The illness, the violence, the men with guns.

But not everything is as it seems.

There ARE men with guns everywhere on the streets of Kabul but they are there to keep the peace. As well as the international force and the local police there is the comically named "1 BANG" the first and only Battalion of the Afghan National Guard.

It is one of the most vibrant places I have been to.

Graham Satchell

Everything you've heard about Afghanistan is probably true - there is terrible poverty and destruction, virtually all the women still wear Burkhas.

But would you believe a beauty salon has opened up - Kabul already has a mobile phone system and Kabul TV broadcasts nightly news bulletins.

It is one of the most vibrant places I have been to. Life lived on the street - bustling chaotic markets selling carpets, hats and sheep heads. Umbrellas everywhere to keep off the sun. And the people are some of the friendliest and most generous anywhere.

Graham charts Seema's transformation in his films

We were there to tell Seema's story. A 33 year old British Afghan woman who came to London a decade ago to escape the brutal civil war. Now she's going home. She has given up a high flying job in the city, a big salary and a comfortable house in London. I hope the reports will show a one woman whirlwind, proud of her country and determined to take what she has learned in Britain back to Afghanistan.

Kabul is not famed for its restaurants - we ate out at a place called the "Herat".

At lunch on the third day a taxi pulled up outside. This I was soon to discover was a delivery. From the boot of the car the driver produced cut after cut of huge chunks of meat. A boy no older than eight came out to pick them up. A swarm of flies surrounded them both. Once fully laden the boy marched in passed everyone in the restaurant as we were eating to the kitchen. I looked down at my plate of rice and meat and slowly pushed it to one side.

Cowardly perhaps - but borne from experience.

As we arrived at the BBC House in Kabul there was a familiar look of extreme discomfort on people's faces. Many unhappy hours spent in the smallest room of the house - one correspondent in hospital for two days on a drip.

You do have to be careful what you eat.