In preparation for a trip to Afghanistan, Akbar comments on what he hopes to take in. Though he is only going for a couple months, he believes he will delay his return home once he's in Afghanistan. He is in awe of his father's new, high-profile position, and he believes his father will shortly become the governor of the Kunar province. He then contemplates the realities of a region at war, including the bombing of Kunar and casualties his family knows. This prompts him to look for news online. Following, he contemplates things he needs to do before he leaves including refreshing his skills with an Afghan alphabet and figuring out when he gets his high school diploma.