Greetings from Baghdad!

[dupu]

Hello everyone. My name is Dustin, and in the midst of the adventure that is my life, I presently find myself working in an emergency room as a paramedic in Baghdad, Iraq. I've been here since April of this year and I'm still all in one piece, with no close calls to speak of, so hopefully that trend continues.

My interest in lifting likely never would have occurred if not for 14 years of running and a lot of wear and tear on my knees. I love running, and likely always will, but I ran in ignorance of the fact that my muscles required attention in order to keep my knees intact for the duration - I have a feeling I'm going to need them. I've incorporated the superhero training program from this incredibly useful site, coupled it with reading Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, and finally topped it off with sprints and intervals during my down time. In sum, my knees have never felt better, and I love squats. <3

Outside the realm of fitness, and as a person in general, I'm an open book. I tend to make efforts to reserve judgment, and accept others just as they are. I enjoy philosophy, buddhism, reading, writing, drawing, karaoke, cycling, swimming (although this is a rarity in Baghdad), and baseball.

I look forward to contributing to the forums however I can. In advance, it's nice to meet all of you!

[Kishi]

Dude! In Baghdad? That's freaking awesome. I especially like the part where you haven't been blowed up yet.

Welcome to the forums! If you need any help with anything, let us know!

[Choppins]

Welcome to the forums! Sounds like you could really enjoy it here! Good luck with everything.

[Razor]

Welcome! What's it like being a paramedic in another country? A lot different from the way you practice things back home?