GARLAND — As thousands of North Texas teachers and their students prepare to head back to class, one young teacher has to travel farther than most.
Allie Brill's teaching assignment takes her thousands of miles from her home in Garland to Afghanistan.
To most of us, Afghanistan is a country we only know through evening news reports.
For the last year, 23-year-old Allie Brill of Garland has lived there, teaching fifth graders in Kabul.
It's been an adventure she never planned on discovering.
"Before I went, I kind of thought of what overall the country would be like, really sad... people just barely making it, just really depressed and just dark. But going there I've been able to see how people live and thrive... are so resilient and love their country... and just live an everyday life, do things and do them happily," she said.
The opportunity to teach in Afghanistan came as a result of a chance meeting, with another young teacher.
Allie says it's been an eye-opening experience that was meant to be.
"My only explanation is that it is something that God had for me, that's where he wants me right now."
Allie lives in a guarded compound with about 30 others, mainly Americans. She covers her head when she ventures out only once or twice a week.
"We are surrounded by about five mosques so we hear the call to prayer," she said.
Signs of war are everywhere, but Allie finds hope in the little signs of peace, in the hands of her students.
"I hope that they realize that they can all make a difference," she said.
"They see this war-torn country, they don't see peace at all. Grown ups act in anger and bitterness, so I would hope they realize they are so capable of change... and they are so capable to make a difference."
Naturally, Allie's family worries about her - there are plenty of prayers. But they are supportive and proud.
"She loves people, she loves helping... I just see her doing that her whole life," said her sister Heather.
Next week, Allie heads back to Afghanistan for another school year.
She shies away from making any political pronouncements but she has seen charities and the U.S. military reaching out to the Afghans.
"They are trying to bridge this gap with the Afghan people to show them we are here to help... because so many of them sometimes don't see that," she said.
In the meantime, Allie practices her own brand of diplomacy - one student at a time.
E-mail: gcampos@wfaa.com
