Journal

April 25, 2006
The Rains in Africa

Sounds like I’m about to sing a song by Toto! Well I decided I better describe the rains here since
I’ve received a number of emails commenting on my not going out in the rain. Seems you
assume I am experiencing spring rain similar to what you are having in your area. Well let me tell
you the rains down here in Nigeria are nothing like yours!

Yes, it is true I will not go out in the rain. If it is raining you stay put or search for shelter quickly.
No one goes out in the rain unless you really really have to. Yes, there are lots of umbrellas here,
but they wouldn’t do much good. Here umbrellas are used in the sun to create shade; you will
often see people walking around on the sunny days with umbrellas.

Yes, it’s still hot when it rains here. It is not the cold keeping me indoors. It is usually still over 30
degrees when raining and maybe if it’s late at night I am lucky and the temp drops around 27 and
I feel the need to sleep with a sheet.

Let me try and describe the rain. I would like to get a picture for you but it usually rains at night in
the dark. You know the rain is coming because you hear the thunder in the distance and see the
lightning in the dark cloud headed your way. Then the wind starts. This is a killer wind, roofs are
ripped off and everything not nailed down is blown away, including anything near a window in my
house. Next the rain starts. Huge rain drops pelt from the sky. They don’t just fall down but they
also fall sideways due to the wind. The rain drops slowly build into a total downpour, if at this
point you have not escaped indoors you are soaked through.

When it rains here the world becomes quiet. All the people who usually line and crowd the streets
magically and quickly disappear. All you can see or hear is the driving rain. It’s really quite
peaceful and I enjoy it, so long as my plans aren’t interrupted that is. Luckily the rain does not last
too long. It never lasts up to an hour and usually closer to ½ an hour. Then the world goes back
to normal, the people and noise reappear, and everyone goes about their business.

April 23, 2006
Tribal Tension

Nigeria is made up of three main tribes and many smaller ones. Yoruba’s in the south-west, Igbo’
s in the south-east and the Hausa’s in the North. When you learn about Nigeria’s history it always
involves conflict between these tribes. The British used the tribes to their benefit during colonial
rule. Nigeria has a seemingly endless history of attempted democracy and military coups.

It’s been said that many of the country’s of the world who have ongoing conflict and are under
developed are the result of tribal rivalries.   For example Rwanda and Sudan, Nigeria is no
exception. The trouble with Nigeria is also contributed by it’s immense oil wealth that has lead to
endless corruption. If you are interested in learning more about the history of Nigeria there is a
good book to pick up called This House Has Fallen by Karl Maier.

I’ve had the occasion to witness these tribal tensions first hand. I have a friend here in Ilorin who
is Yoruba, she has loved a Hausa man for a long time. She calls him her friend or her man and
the other staff referred to him as her husband, but they can never marry. They are in their early
thirties now when more Nigerians would be married with children. I’ve asked her, why does it
matter if you love each other, then just marry? She’s told me her aunt did this and it brought
nothing but misery and in the end the marriage didn’t last. I guess the families will always treat
the member of the other tribe as a lesser person and never accept them as family. Family is very
strong and very important here in Nigeria.

I would have thought that the Muslim/Christian mix would have been more of a problem here, but it
seems they are very accepting of each other and live in peace together. The exception to the rule
is where the tribes clash. It’s incredible how, especially the Muslims, accept their Christian
“brothers & sisters” I think some Christians could learn a lesson or two from them.

Well that’s enough of my small lesson in Nigeria. I’ve really come to love this country and it’s
people and whereas earlier I could not see anyone coming to visit me here and enjoying it I would
now encourage anyone to join me. If you have an adventurous spirit and want to see what “real” is,
this is your country. It’s a country full of adventures and new things to try and experience. And I
promise if you visit I’ll go easy on you and we’ll do fun stuff like beaches and a safari if you like.

Anyhow, got my hair braided again yesterday. I went with red extensions this time and a few less
braids so it wouldn’t be so hot. Unfortunately with fewer braids I look a bit bald, but it’s still ok.
Next time I’ll get it right! When the braiding was finished, after only 2&1/2hrs this time, since I had
forgot my camera a camera person was sent for to take photos for me. As we posed outside for
the pictures crowds of children appeared mesmerized by the site of me. I was a bit overwhelmed
by the numbers of them crowding around me so I had another picture taken with them.

Rat Update: No sign of Rat this weekend and the hole is still plugged. This is a good sign.

April 21, 2006
Close Encounter With Rat

Had to work late tonight, till 7pm so I didn’t get my hair braided. That’ll have to wait till Sunday
now. Abdul didn’t show up for work today so I had to teach his 5-7pm class. It’s apparently
normal for people not to show up for work and not call or anything. I’m all worried something
could have happened to him but everyone else thinks its fine.

Had a close encounter with Rat yesterday morning. I think he was probably as scared as I was as
he dodged me in the kitchen. It was a bit much for me to wake up to, wandering still half asleep to
put water on the kerosene stove to boil for my instant Nescafe and confronted with large fury fast
moving creature. In the afternoon Sheun came and cleaned the newly discovered bathroom so it
sparkles. It was then safe for me to enter and plug the hole in the wall to where ever Rat comes
or goes to. No Rat spottings last night and the plug is still in the hole today. Since I am home this
weekend I will be keeping an eye out to see if Rat is now locked into my house or out of my house.

Last night around 11pm water came but of course there was no power. I think the electrical and
water corporations are in cahoots to avoid providing us with the service we need. Since we’ve
collected money from three of the summer kids and spent it on fuel Bisola on’d the gen to pump
the water. The gen woke me and I went down and had a conversation with Bisola because I feel
that running water is a luxury for us and fuel should be saved for the computers. She agreed to
turn off the gen. Baba was of course missing so me and my flimsy pj’s and headlamp had to go
on a compound hunt and then try to explain to him that he should off the gen. This must have
been rather confusing since I previously yelled at him for not oning the gen when there was water
in the past!

Thinking about it after I realized how I have changed and adapted to my surroundings. In January
it was a big deal that I didn’t have running water, a necessity that I was willing to yell and cry
about. Today I consider it a luxury that I can live without, especially if it means I have more fuel to
teach our computer classes.

April 19, 2006
Summer Program

Today was the 1st day of the kids summer program. I had 5 kids registered and 2 tag-a-longs.
Four 12yr olds, one 9yrs, 6yrs, and 4yrs. Just to make it extra fun there was no power and no fuel
for the generator. Thankfully they were really well behaved and the hour went fast. I drew
computer parts on the board and had them copy to their notebooks along with steps for turning on
and off the computer. If we get a few more students registering we will be able to afford fuel so
that I can continue to entertain them.

I went to check the post office again today for my packages. Still nothing. I am really upset. I am
missing 5 packages that I know of now. Hopefully they will turn up soon but until then I have to
ask if you wish to send me a package please send it registered mail so that it can be traced or
send it courier.

Ayinde is here now and just opened my door to the home of Rat. I was expecting to find a store
room, but it is in fact a small bathroom. The bathroom is like one giant dirty spider web – so
gross! But no Rat Nest. I got my headlamp and spotted a hole in the wall where the toilet drains
so that must lead to somewhere outside, or Rat’s Nest. It’s so dirty and gross I can’t imagine
cleaning it so I am going to offer Sheun 200 naira to clean it for me (I usually give her 300N for
4hrs work). I’m hoping she will do it cause spiders really gross me out and somehow dirt
covered spider webs are even worse.

April 18, 2006
Easter Weekend

Thursday around 2pm I was able to wrap up work and head off to catch a Peugeot 8 passenger
car to Simon’s in Kaduna. Kaduna is in the north of Nigeria and about 7-8hrs from Ilorin. The
Peugeot was comfortable and we headed out of town about 3pm. The car was full of men and
one lady with her two children (making 10 passengers), luckily they we packed into the seat
behind me so I had a nice amount of space. The men were all very protective of me, as people
here in general seem to be. Sending away unwanted people selling wares and helping me
translate when I wanted to buy something, and then insisting on paying. At one stop there was a
man selling suya (bbq meat) from his wheelbarrow. It looked funny to me so I asked if it was
bushmeat, no cow I was told. I decided not to brave it. But then one of the men in the car bought
some for me. It was pig!! Imagine my surprise, and it was really yummy. It’s the 1st pork I’ve had
here.

Our trip continued into the dark and dangerous night. The drivers seem to have it backwards here
when driving at night. They drive with the regular lights then as you approach them they turn on
their high beams just to make sure you see them, but in turn blinding you so you can’t see the
road anymore and more than once we ended up on the shoulder trying to avoid the blinding
lights. With this and the road getting bad and full of potholes there was a lot of swaying around
and the woman in the back got sick. Luckily she managed to keep it on herself and not the rest of
us. We stopped the car and she removed all her clothes and bathed at the side of the road, put
on fresh clothes, accepted my pepto pills and we were on our way again. I took her 2yr old
daughter on my lap to give her some breathing room for the rest of the trip. Since it was late at
night she cuddled up and slept.   I was thankful because we had to keep the window open and it
was really cold so she kept me warm.

I arrived at Simon’s house to meet him and Panni around 11pm and we shortly went to sleep.
Friday we took it easy in the morning then went to the French Café for ice cream and croissants
then spend the afternoon at the pool where we were joined by Roseanne and Aine, and later
Janita. Friday night we were invited to a Filipino Ex-Pat’s where June & Lee 2 VSO Filipino’s
were. They served great food with many different kinds of pork and of course Karaoke!    It took us
a while to warm up to the concept but before long the exhibitionist in me took over and I was
belting out the tunes. I really gave it all I had for a little: Achy Breaky Heart, Jon Bon’s Bed of
Roses, Christina’s What A Girl Wants, and wrapped it up with my heart filled rendition of Gun’s ‘n
Roses Sweet Child of Mine. The Filipinos took care of all the slow love songs for us and were
really very talented.

Early Saturday Simon, Panni, Roseanne and I packed up and headed out in another Peugeot to
Jos. This trip was less comfortable and the worst road I have seen yet in all of Africa! In the very
back with no window I was almost feeling ill and kept talking myself out of claustrophobic panic
attacks. Thankfully we arrived safely and made a B-line for AfriOne where we ended up eating
really great meals and real cappuccinos for our 3 day stay. I sampled the pizza, cheese burger, &
lasagna all fabulous but my poor stomach was not used to the rich food and complained a little.

Saturday afternoon the girls went shopping and Simon went to the museums. Panni found an
incredible wood carved necklace (see picture) that she let me buy, I also got some oven mitts
patterned with pounding yam and a small box made of soft stone. At 4:30 we met up with the
CUSO volunteers (yeah Canadians!) at the French Cultural center for some African dancing and
music. Early Sunday we headed off with the CUSO crowd and our eccentric French guide for a
eco-tourism hike to some ancient rock formations.

It was a nice nature walk with some steep rock climbing at the end to reach the top of the rocks
where we had lunch and some Ghanaian music (see movie). It was about the perfect length and
we were back in town before 2pm eager for baths and naps before heading back to AfriOne for out
last meal. Very early Monday Panni and I packed up and caught the 9hr bus back to Ilorin where
we had a relaxing final evening before Panni caught the bus to Lagos this morning and I had to go
back to work.

The whole weekend was great. I am so glad it worked out. Jos is a really nice city, I wish I lived
here. It’s very cool at night and very safe to walk around. It’s also very close to Yankari the only
game park in Nigeria where I hope to visit soon. The people are what make any holiday great and
the 4 of us really hit it off. I enjoy the company of the other volunteers so much and it was great to
chat with some fellow Canadians and compare differences in volunteering programs. We were
shocked to find out their living allowance is twice ours, I may have to consider CUSO next time!

Tails of Rat
As Panni and I were enjoying Bridget Jones last night there was a loud sound at the door:
splintering wood and rustling. Rat is back. It seems Rat is ignoring my rag stuffed in the store
room door and still wiggling past it to get in and out which Rat did once more before our movie
was through. Today I talked to Ayinde about assisting me in my Rat problem but so far he’s been
too busy. Panni also informed me this morning that she’s sure there’s a mouse living in the
spare room cause she heard it squeaking all night. So I really need to get on top of the Rat thing
this week.

April 11, 2006
Busy at Work

Last weekend I headed back to Kabba for the weekend. I guess I can’t get enough of that place! I
was able to fix Noel's computer which wasn’t working and enjoy a relaxing weekend with Noel.
Travel always gets to me. 3hrs in the bus always gives you time to think. I find I am always
stunned at the reality that I am living in Africa, traveling down a Nigerian road. This is my life!

It’s crazy, I’m going to be 30 this year. That means I am an adult, which seems funny to me cause
I still think of myself as a kid just having fun and someday I’ll have to grow up and feel adult. I can’
t believe this is my life. I am so lucky to have had the opportunities and people in my life that have
lead me to this place and made this life possible. I hope that I always have this freedom to find
myself traveling down the road pondering life and it’s gifts in some far off country.

This week is a short week because of Easter and it is flying by. I have been crazy busy every
minute. I guess back in though days where I just sat and read or stared into the distance for
hours I knew this time would come and I would more than make up for it. I let one of the teachers
go this week. It was a mutual agreement that things weren’t working out. We have an “Industrial
Attachment” student working for us and taking the course. He would like to teach so he is going to
take over the 2-4pm class that just started 2 weeks ago. So this week I have been teaching my
class, training him and teaching his class till he’s ready.

I am also trying to put together a 3 week “fun with computers” program for kids 4-12 to come for 1
hr each morning starting on the 18th. There will be a set from 8-9 and a second from 9-10am.
Other than letting them draw me pictures in Paint and pound on the keyboard I have no idea how I
am going to entertain these kids for 3 weeks! So I spent 3hrs on the internet last night
downloading programs and lessons for them.

Other than that things are going well. There’s moments I get overwhelmed and there’s no time to
get anything done, but I manage to cool off and life goes on. We are out of cash so today there
was no money for fuel for the generator and no power most the day. I had to teach my entire 2hr
class blind! They are learning Advanced Word and Excel, not at all easy concepts to get across
without computers. I managed because there are only 4 people so we huddled together over 1
piece of paper for a hour lecture and then I had them share my computer to do some practical.
But if the same thing was to happen with the 2-4pm class we’d be really stuck since there is 8 of
them and some very slow learners.

So much for the rainy season here. No rain since the 2 days last week. And it’s getting hotter! At
the moment it’s 9pm and 33.5 degrees in my room, crazy. Since I was away for the weekend I
haven’t had time to sit on my couch and watch for Rat. I am sure Rat threw a party while I was
gone and will do the same this coming 4 day weekend when I travel to meet other volunteers for
Easter up North.

April 5, 2006
Staying in Ilorin

Today was my placement review meeting with Chief and VSO. The meeting was over 3hrs long
and exhausting but the result is good. I will be staying in Ilorin. I managed to only cry a few times,
gotta hate being a girl sometimes! The solution that I think will work well for us all is I will be only
working with Bisola and Chief is removing himself from the picture. This is pretty much how it has
been going the last few months anyhow. And it is better for Chief too as he has plans to travel to
the US for a few months so we need to be running independently.

Bisola and I have a few issues to iron out, namely improving communication to ensure we stay on
the same track forward. Hopefully putting in place some regular meetings will help. I am happy
enough with this arrangement to agree to stay here in Ilorin. I really didn’t want to have to move
and start over at this point.

For all the bad rap that volunteers give VSO here I was very impressed with Niyi’s behavior in the
meeting. He was great at sticking to the point and keeping the meeting focused and being
supportive to all. He has good skills as a mediator. I am also satisfied with the support he has
given me through this process.

So back to life. This weekend I am probably going to go back to Kabba. Noel’s computer has
gone on the fritz so I am going to do my best to rescue it. He also promised to let me use his
oven to cook pizza! I found a supermarket hidden here in Ilorin that has cheese and pita and
frozen meets, although at a very high cost. At least I know where to go in a pinch. So pita will be
my pizza shell and since Noel is more of a seafood guy than meat it’ll be a shrimp pizza.

April 2, 2006
Tales of Rat

Despite the lack of available food in my kitchen Rat has not decided to move on to more plentiful
pastures. In fact Rat has become quite brave! Yesterday afternoon, in broad daylight, while I was
sitting on my couch reading, Rat ran from the kitchen into a store room off my dinning room. I got
brave enough to go look and sure enough there is a hole under the door into the storage room. I
don’t have a key to the store room so I’ve never been in there.   I decided to stick a rag under the
door to try Kim’s method of “lock in the mouse till it dies”. This morning rag was still in place.
This afternoon rag looked like it might have been moved, but I wasn’t sure and tightly re-stuffed
the rag. But sure enough not long after Rat was again spotted running from my kitchen toward the
door/couch. I don’t know where Rat is now. I am not sure if the hole under the door to the hall is
big enough for Rat, but I like the thought of it leaving better than the other possibility being it’s got a
nice nest under my couch where I am sitting now!

Sunday afternoon Bisola and I went to a Naming Ceremony, these are huge parties that you throw
when your baby is 8 days old. After the “customary hand the baby to the white girl and then
everyone take off and leave her”, we sat and watched a movie. During the movie food was
brought, Bisola went to get mine. She returned with Semovita and meat stew. Semovita is similar
to pounded yam, it’s like a ball of mashed potato, only more jelly-like and made from a powder. I
can’t remember what the powder is, maybe maize. The real shocker was the meat stew she
brought me, it had some intestine, chunk of heart, and a testicle! I got really squeamish and said I
only eat meat. Everyone thought I was being very silly and insisted it is meat, Bisola explained no,
they are organs. I jumped in, yes! No organs! After a second attempt to bring me meat which I
could not identify and therefore did not want I stuck with just eating the Semovita plain.