Journal

January 25, 2006
Privacy & Security

As you can tell from the recent pictures of my home, my living situation is large and comfortable, if
hard to keep clean. To clarify for those that have been asking, the 2 flats on the ground floor are
occupied by the computer training center. The computer classroom is on the left and the
offices/staffroom/reception is on the right. The second floor is currently empty, although Bisola
and I cleaned out the living/dining area of the one below me to use for our Tues & Thurs Karate
lessons with Akeem. The top floor is occupied by my flat on the right and Chief’s flat on the left
where Lola is currently staying and Chief will stay on and off. The small, long, building at the end
of the compound is for staff, at this time there is only a gate man.

The gate man is in charge of security, he’s an older man we call Baba, since none of us can
pronounce his real name, and he seems somewhat senile. In my opinion a senile old man is not
the best choice for security. In fact Chief fired him a couple weeks ago, but then much to my
dismay hired him back after many people came to beg on his behalf.

Baba is supposed to guard the gate at all times, pump water when it comes, and ‘on the gen’ as
requested. So far he doesn’t seem to be interested in any of these tasks. Most of the time he is
either missing and nowhere to be found for hours or asleep on a bench under the mango tree. If
you ask him to do anything you get babbling nonsense. Bisola thinks it may be too much
marijuana, Lola thinks he is ½ mad, I think he’s a product of laziness. The one thing he does do
with clarity is beg for money from anyone and everyone, always with a new sad story. He’s been
known to tell people that Chief doesn’t pay him etc. When Chief actually pays him 5,000 Naira a
month which is the same as the computer teachers will be getting!

The other night when I needed the “gen on’ed” (see am getting good at pidgin) we proceeded to
have a 45min frustrating ‘discussion’ before he actually did it. He was refusing on the grounds
that on’ing the gen was what got him fired by Chief as they had used up all Chief’s fuel while we
were gone. Ok so I understand his reluctance, but fighting with me happens to be another good
way to get fired. I tried to start the gen myself – no luck. I tried every bit of persuasion and reason I
could think of to no avail. In the end I was able to get Abdul the lawyer to convince him to turn it on
for me so I could charge my laptop for 40min. After 40min of course when I wanted it turned off
again Baba was no where to be found leaving me running around outside in the dark in my PJ’s
yelling BABA!!!!!!!! Till he appeared after 15min sneaking around the back to pretend he was there
all along even though I had checked his room with my flashlight. Anyhow I digress, yes I am
frustrated with the gate man and will be requesting someone who is actually interested in doing
the job replace him.

BUT the real story that I wanted to tell was about privacy. Needless to say I stand out in my
neighborhood. Everyone seems to know me and what I am up to and when I come and go. I
currently have a sign out front of the compound saying we are hiring computer teachers as I still
need to find 1 more. A guy came into the office Monday shortly after I returned back from the
Internet. I left him to talk to Bisola as she is screening the candidates. I returned after about
10min to tell her that I was just going out for a mineral (pop) and would be right back, does she
need me? She said she did not need me. After I returned I was up in my flat and the door was
open, which it usually is when I am home because I cannot hear anyone knocking. The man
appeared in my doorway. I asked him if Bisola had sent him to talk to me, he said yes, he talked
to Bisola and now wanted to speak to me. I said ok and invited him to sit on the couch. I then
asked him for his CV (resume) he said that he had seen the sign and wanted to enquire on behalf
of his sister. I told him to have his sister come in with her CV, he said she was in Lagos but he
would call her to come before the end of the week. I stood up stretched out my hand and said
thank you for coming. He reluctantly stood, yet eagerly took my hand, and asked me if I was
married. I paused, said no, and asked him to release my hand, he didn’t so I used my other hand
to pry back my hand. Unlike Uganda the concept of holding hands at all times, close proximities,
and touching is not the custom here.

Anyhow the conversation continued to loop from there. I told him I was not interested in marriage
and was here to work. He told me that it pains him to hear so and begged me to give him
audience. I told him I was very busy with the computer center and not interested in talking to
him… on and on we went. It came out during this conversation that he had seen me returning
from Internet and followed me and that’s how he’d seen the sign for teachers. Also when I told
him not to take it personally that I didn’t want to talk to him as he hasn’t seen me for more than
5min he said he had followed me yesterday as well! At that point I said a firm goodbye and
walked out my door myself which finally worked as he followed me. I then went back in and
closed the door.

After he left the compound I went downstairs as politely asked Bisola not to send anyone up to my
home rather to call me to come down to speak to people in the office. She was quite surprised as
she had sent him away and did not tell him to come upstairs. She had not liked him, he had tried
to snoop through papers on her desk and ask inappropriate questions so she had sent him
away. In the end we figure there is no sister with a computer degree and it was all just an excuse
to come meet me. In the future I will know that Bisola did not send anyone upstairs and not invite
people in.

So despite a gate man for security, Bisola at reception, and a sign on the door leading upstairs
saying “Private Residence, No public access please” it seems I’m not going to have much privacy
or security here and will have to be careful. I might consider getting a doorbell installed so I can
keep my door locked.

January 22, 2006
Kung Fu Queen

Yesterday was my best day yet in Ilorin. I had my 1st Karate lesson, pure joy! Bisola invited me to
join her and attend lessons by the Black Master at the Stadium held Sat & Sun mornings at 8am.
After a suitable amount of complaining that these were my only days to sleep in I decided that it
wouldn’t kill me to check it out. So Saturday at 8:05 am (typical African time) Bisola picked me up
and we caught a drop (share taxi) to the Stadium where we walked 10min to get to the racquet ball
courts where the Black Master teaches. There were 2 guys there practicing but no Black Master to
be found despite his phone call that had indicated he would be there before us.

At round 9am there was about 6 of us gathered and 1 guy started teaching the class. 1st
instruction was to run 5 laps, not far, but not a short distance, everyone in bare feet but me as they
were all concerned about my “soft white feet”. I proudly led the pack, running being something I
have experience with and my pace faster than the others. After that we did a series of warm ups
and stretches, none very easy and all repeated “until you feel the pain”. The 2 most painful being
when we had to do the splits and the instructor comes along and pushes you down, down, down
till you “feel the pain” and scream for mercy, and then another where the instructor holds one
ankle in the air then pulls and again you sort of do the splits of course “till you feel the pain”.

After the warm-ups he sent Bisola to teach the others and took me to the side to show me the
basics. We did the basic stances, punches and kicks. It was good, not too difficult to catch on to,
and the instructor was kind letting me have breaks to breathe in between tough, repetitive,
exercises. Somewhere mid-lesson the Black Master appeared and spent his time observing the
group Bisola was teaching. At the end of about an hour we all came back together for cool-down
exercises and stretches.

After class I had a short conversation with the Black Master, he seemed quite happy to have me
there and eager to have me pay huge amounts of Naira for registration, ID card, and uniform. I
just sort of brushed him off and the guy that had been instructing me sort of rushed us away. As
we walked back through the stadium I learned his name is Akeem and he is a black belt like
Bisola. He invited us to have a mineral (pop), he bought Bisola and I plus two other students,
Taiwo & Kahinde (twins) drinks but did not have one himself. He and Bisola had another
conversation about payment where he seemed to chide her for letting the Black Master tell me I
had to register etc. I was only picking up bits and pieces since it was mostly spoken in Yoruba.

From what I can gather from all I have now observed yesterday and today it seems that Black
Master runs the official show but is somewhat arrogant. Akeem is second in command does
most of the work and might want to get something of his own started up. Bisola and I have
arranged with Akeem to come to my compound and work with us on Tuesday and Thursday
evenings. I am happy with this arrangement as I like Akeem’s teaching style better than the Black
Master, and I may be out of town on many weekends.

After class yesterday I was on an adrenaline high. It felt so good to get some real exercise and to
challenge myself. And I felt really included by everyone, part of a team or a club. They treated me
like a human rather than a white person for the most part. And I feel like I am becoming friends
with Bisola which is great. I told Bisola how happy I was that she invited me, that I will try to
always come when I am in town on weekends. After our lesson, and minerals, I wanted to walk to
the Ostrich Bakery we had passed to see what they had, so we all walked down there together. I
was very pleased to see I guessed correctly and they have pizzas and lots of other yummy looking
food for very cheap prices. Akeem bought Bisola and I each a pizza.

Although this pizza had toppings like I’ve never seen before it was very yummy and I will be a
regular customer buying pizza’s for 120 niara ($1.20). The toppings were corn, peas, onion, ham,
and a little cheese and tomato sauce. Strange I know! But surprisingly yummy. The bakery is run
by a friendly Japanese couple. I think I may have to teach them about ham & pineapple and see if
I can get it on the menu.

After the bakery they helped me get a cab which Akeem also tried to pay for but the driver didn’t
have change. I took the short ride home, carried 2 buckets of water up the stairs (still on
adrenaline high), took a long bath, ate my pizza, and then promptly fell asleep on the couch trying
to read.

This morning I woke to a body filled with every ach and pain imaginable. Rolling out of bed I felt
like someone had beat me up good! Still I managed to get dressed and down to the stadium by 8:
15am (I am learning to be late) there were only two people there, but luckily today everyone
arrived shortly and we started by 8:30am. Today as we ran our 5 laps I was quickly passed and
almost lapped as I dragged my ass in pain around the track. Today the stretches got even
tougher, back against the wall and Akeem pushing my leg up over my head “till I feel the pain” and
cry out, lying on the ground with my head between his feet doing straight leg lift type sit-ups, and a
repeat of yesterdays painful splits.

Today after warm up the class was taught all together by Black Master and Akeem alternating
taking us through the basics. My muscles were so sore from yesterday that I had the shakes and
could hardly hold most of the poses and stances. The Black Master showed no mercy for my
pains and did not give me kind breaks like Akeem did yesterday. Some how I managed to make it
to the end of the class without collapsing and Akeem drove 5 of us home.

I arrived to find NEPA has come, I haven’t had electricity since Friday. I carried 2 more buckets of
water painfully up from the well then sat down to write this and take advantage of the NEPA. After I
sign off I’m going to get clean, take a nap, then this afternoon Lola and I are going to walk to Mr.
Biggs for ice cream!

January 19, 2006
Cleaning & More Cleaning

Starting to get into a routine here:
-        4:30am wake up to call to prayer
-        6:00am fall back into blissful sleep
-        6:30am hit snooze button, and groan
-        6:40am drag myself into kitchen a put on water to boil, get dressed
-        7:15am sit down with good book, coffee, and fruit
-        8:00am Bisola arrives and we begin cleaning
-        Throughout the day clean when there is no NEPA and work on computers when there is
NEPA
-        Mid-day take an hour for lunch and possibly trip to Internet Café
-        Afternoon more cleaning and working
-        5:00pm sit on couch and complain to Lola about how much my back hurts, Lola then returns
the favor complaining about how hard she is cleaning only to have the dirt return everyday as
it insists on doing.
-        6:00pm cook dinner
-        7:00pm if there is NEPA watch 7th Heaven, if no NEPA read
-        9:00pm lights out, ear plugs in

Really it’s not too bad, other than my aching back it’s a peaceful existence. Bisola and I are
working well together and so far she has shown herself to be a very hard and co-operative
worker. She has worked by my side cleaning, helping with the computers, and drawing up
educational posters. Today when we were interviewing two girls, that are going to work for Chief
and clean for us, she told them I was really good to work for and that I “give her the energy to keep
going”. I was very flattered. So many people have been coming by and remarking on my hard
work. I think they are all very surprised to see a white person getting dirty from head to toe and
slaving a way at work they usually hire people to do recognizing this wasn’t exactly in my job
description. They say “you work hard like a Nigerian!” The perception white ex-pats in this country
have created is that white people never lift a finger to clean, cook, drive or do anything else they
could pay someone to do for them.

My favorite person in Ilorin is the lady running the chop house in front of the shack across from my
compound gate. She sells two handfuls of dodo (fried plantains) for 20N, or rice, beans, & stew
(sauce) for 20N. Today I had rice, beans, stew, & fried sweet potato for 30N. Now tell me why
would I ever go through the trouble of cooking when I can get yummy food for $.20-.30 cents??? I
will be visiting her frequently. In order to keep fit with all this fried food, after my cleaning days are
done, Bisola is going to hook me up with karate lessons. She’s a black belt and her teacher lives
very close to me so she’s going to see how much it would be for me to take lessons 1 night a
week.

NEPA has been pretty bad, frequently on and off throughout the day. I’ve been keeping a log to
see what the big picture is but so far it doesn’t look like a lot of learning would have taken place
had their been classes this week. When Chief returns we’ll need to have a discussion about
finding a way to provide uninterrupted power to the computers including UPS for each and use of
the generator.

Despite the lack of NEPA the one good thing here is that it feels much cooler than Lagos.
Although my thermometer still reads 30 degrees at night when I go to bed it’s comfortable
because there is no humidity. When I wake in the middle of the night I am actually shivering and
have to pull on a sheet!

January 15, 2006
Settling In

Week 1 in Ilorin is complete and it feels like home. Last week was full of hard work and flew by.
Monday to Thursday I worked on getting my flat ready and Friday started working on the computer
training room. Saturday and Sunday I relaxed exhausted from the hard physical labour I am
unaccustomed to. It was a hard week for me. I have been very frustrated. I am having a hard time
putting it to words as I don’t want it to come out wrong or seem as if I am just complaining.

My flat was so dirty which I mentioned in my previous visit here. I had expected I would have some
help to clean it and get it livable but I have had no assistance. So for 4 days I scrubbed, swept,
mopped, and cleaned. My back is killing me and I am completely drained. On the positive side I
am rapidly loosing weight from sweating and physical labour from 7am – 5pm each day, it’s nice
to have my clothes fitting a little better! There is still no running water here, and no one to help me
so I have had to pull water from the well myself and carry it up to my 3rd floor flat, this is probably
the hardest on my back as the buckets must weigh 30lbs each.

One of the biggest steps forward this week was we did manage to hire one person to work with
me in the computer center and she started on Friday. Her name is Bisola, she is 27 and is an
Accountant. Her last job was reception and finance at a computer training school and she seems
very bright. She will have the role of office administrator, reception, and will also teach some
computer classes as needed. She came to work 8am Friday morning and together we began to
tackle the cleaning of the computer training center. She stayed till 5:30pm and worked very hard.
Next week will be much of the same as there is a lot more cleaning to be done.

The plan is to hire 2 more teachers for the school and 2 girls that will be working for Chief in his
public pay phone business. 1 of these girls will come to the computer center each morning to
clean for ½ a day before going to work on the pay phone. If all goes well then we could open the
school the 1st week of February.

Chief left on Friday and will return in just over 2 weeks. Lola is staying here at the flat across from
mine and will be one of the 1st students. I am glad to have her here so there is someone to talk
to. We were both relieved to see Chief go as he was stressed out and grumpy most the week and
you could cut the tension in the air. The moment he drove away it was like I could breath again.
He is a great business man, historian, and a genuinely nice person, but he’s also very
independent and is used to everyone just following orders. I am not good at blindly following
orders and therefore we can but heads a little as I ask for explanations and try to make my own
suggestions as to the way things should be done. This week I felt like he was not interested in
hearing me out or working with me and found it frustrating trying to get through to him on the
things I feel are important to get done. Anyway I am learning ways to work with him, approaches
that work and don’t work, and most importantly I am learning a lot of patience which is not
naturally one of my strong points.

January 10, 2006
After New Years

Well been in Ilorin for 2 & ½ days now. Mostly been breaking my back cleaning. I had imagined
having help to clean this place and make it livable but I was dreaming. So I’ve been sweeping,
moping, wiping, washing, scrubbing, and everything else. It’s not a small place and there is still a
long way to go. Today and tomorrow are holidays in celebration of Muslim New Year. No rest for
me though, I figure I’ve had enough time off the past few months. I did get a chunk of goat though,
literally. This morning, pulling water from the well, I discovered a large white goat tied to a tree in
my compound. All yesterday and this morning I’d already heard the screams of many dieing
goats so I figured this guy didn’t have long to live. Sure enough about 11am I was presented with
a nice chunk of goat leg, skin, bone and all. I put him in the fridge and this evening Lola showed
me how to boil it to keep and cook later. I think this is the closest I’ve come to knowing my dinner.
I had a few moments of disgust, but now that the nasty parts are over and I have tasty chunks of
goat in my fridge I think I’ll be happy to have some protein.

Backing up a bit…After New Years Mary, Pete, Tanya, & I headed to Calibar and on to Cercopan
camp for a few days in the jungle. We left at a reasonable time in Tuesday morning and with only
a small amount of hassle reached Calibar at 3pm. We were meeting up with Chantal who was
returning from Cameroon so Pete and I hung out at Mr Biggs and Tanya & Mary headed off
shopping for food for the next few days.

Cercopan is the NGO Tanya is placed with. They are a non-profit organization rehabilitating
monkeys for release and protecting the jungle which is rapidly decreasing. Tanya’s job is in a
village about 8km away form the jungle camp where she is attempting to show hunters
alternatives to bush meat. She is very isolated and really has her work cut out for her! Cercopan
has an office in Calibar where they have the newest arrivals of creatures before they are taken up
to the camp’s 2 acre enclosure, the final step before release to the wild. At the camp there are 3
bungalows (see picture) that can be rented out for visitors.

Once we collected food and Chantal we headed off to the camp. It’s about two hours by road, then
45min by dirt bike to the village followed by about 20min by bike to the camp, and a 15min hike to
the bungalows. The car ride was the worst part as the driver ran over and I’m assuming killed a
dog, it was horrible. We arrived at camp in the dark around 7:30pm. Since we were all exhausted
and didn’t know our way around the kitchen in the dark we opted for pizzas and snacks rather than
cooking and were all in bed by 8:30. The bike ride up there is quite something, you are on
REALLY bad dirt roads through the jungle. There are steep hills and valleys as well as plank
bridges to cross. It was a real adventure and I’m glad we all made it safe. A previous VSO visitor
had her bike topple over on a bridge and she landed in the water and most of the bridges are a
good 10feet drop!

The camp is a nice little setup. You have to bring and cook all your own food over a wood fire. Felt
very much like camping. It’s a relaxing getaway but not cheep at N1500 ($15) per night, plus
N1500 camp entry fee. The bungalows are clean and comfortable and have mossie nets for
protection from the millions of insects. Despite my 100% deet repellent I still got eaten alive every
night before going to bed. I’ve discovered that deet is a great nail polish remover, eats it right off!!
Unfortunately I didn’t want my freshly painted toes dissolved. Now how about remover as insect
repellent?? Hmmm gotta wonder what this stuff is doing to my skin!!

The next morning we had a leisurely breakfast then headed off to find the river. It’s a 20min hike
from camp to get to the river which is very shallow now during Harmatan (dry season). Since I
hadn’t planned on making this trip I had no hiking boots and no bathing suit. Tanya was kind
enough to lend me her boots which were great. For those of you that know me well you know I
was loving the opportunity to go skinny dipping with my lack of gear! So with Pete’s ok that I would
not offend, I stripped down to me skivvies and wadded in. The water was cool and refreshing and
we had a great little splash around.

After lunch we headed to the enclosure to see the monkeys. I can’t remember what type they are,
but something red top…or red head…We couldn’t go inside the enclosure as the monkeys are
territorial etc but they came to the fence to see if we had any food to throw them. There were lots of
moms with babies and 1 very aggressive dominant male who seemed to especially take offence
to me. After the monkey visit we went on a ‘nature walk’ with a guide. Turned out the guide didn’t
know anything about nature other than how to find the nature trail! When we’d ask what tree is
this? etc he didn’t know any of the answers. Later the camp manager tried to charge us a lot for
the 40min hike but we were able to get a discount once we complained about his lack of
knowledge.

Wed night we cooked up a good pasta and invited Jan, a Dutch volunteer building enclosures at
the camp, to join us for dinner and cheep wine to celebrate Tanya’s birthday. On a post in the
shack Jan spotted the biggest spider I’ve seen yet, almost the size of a hand and ugly! The jungle
is full of creatures at night, most for them loud, it’s incredible how loud it was up there at night.
The Tree Hirecs and Bush Babies calling to each other are the loudest. They are cute little furry
tree dwelling creatures but I never got to see any. Ever time I had to hike to the latrine I was
always jumpy and having heart attacks scaring myself at every twig snap etc. My head lamp
battery was dieing and I could not see well. During the day we’d seen the evil African safari ants
that can eat small children so I was scared of those and snakes mostly. They had a dead viper at
the camp to show me and help add to my fears.

Thursday after a relaxing morning reading at camp we headed off for the journey back to Calibar.
In Calibar we went to One Sky which is Evelyn’s placement, the other Canadian VSO. Mary, Pete,
& Chantal spent the night there for only N500 ($5) and I was able to stay with Evelyn and her
fiancé Taio. Calibar is a beautify city, very clean and green, prettiest in Nigeria so far. At 6:30am
on Friday Chantal and I met up and Edo Line bus station to begin our trip back to Lagos. I had a
hard time deciding between cost and time versus safety and in the end everyone persuaded me
to opt for safety and take 2 days to get home rather than 1. So Chantal and I traveled to Benin
Friday and stayed at the YWCA for N500. It was very very basic but safe accommodation and they
were really happy to have us.

7am Saturday we arrived back at Edo Line to catch a bus to Lagos that departed at 8:30 getting us
into Lagos around 1pm and home by 2pm. After saying hello to Chief and some time at the
Internet Café it was hope to pack and an early night. I was up and ready to go to Ilorin at 8am
Sunday as instructed. Unfortunately Chief wasn’t ready till noon! Oh well I got to sit and watch a
Hallmark movie the sequel to The Secret Garden. After a smooth 5hr drive and only 1 dead body
seen, the Mercedes cruised into Ilorin my new and permanent home for the next two years.

January 7, 2006
New Years in Opobo

Friday the 30th we headed out early to catch a Cross Country buss to Port Harcourt. We bought
tickets for a comfortable 10 seater that left shortly after 8am. The 10 hour journey was fairly
smooth. We stopped for a lunch break along the way and Kate and I braved using the facilities at
the back of the chop house (restaurant). The ‘facility’ consisted of a wooden stall with boards
hammered together up to about shoulder height with lots of peep holes so I could watch the
people outside while doing business. The floor of the potty-shack was also wood planks with no
obvious hole or place to relieve yourself. It seemed you were just to pee on the planks!! There
was a few rocks (3inch) in the far corner so I took aim there. Can’t imagine if it had been more
serious business that needed taking place! That certainly beats all for the worst and strangest
washroom I’ve seen yet!!

We stayed at the Sangana Hotel in Port Harcourt. It was N3850(about $35) for a double room with
a/c we split two rooms between the 5 of us, I slept on my Thermarest on the floor of Simon & Kate’
s room. The hotel has a beautiful roof top bar where we enjoyed a beer before heading to our
rooms to retire. It was hard to go to sleep as the rooms had fairly good TV stations and none of
us have really watched TV and could not tear ourselves away!

On Saturday we headed out to a couple big supermarkets to find food and treats for our New
Years celebration. It’s never a good idea to shop when you are hungry and at 10am with no food
yet we were all starving! Park’n Shop had a fresh bakery section with individual pizzas and
pastries. I went out of control and bought: 1 veg pizza, 1 ground beef pizza sub, 1 curry stuffed
pastry, 1 french baguette, block of gouda cheese, real butter, cheese Pringles, and strawberry
wine!!! It cost me about $40. I also bought some Pringles for Tanya for her birthday on the 3rd
and together we all bought 2 bottles of wine and Pringles for our hosts Pete, Mary, & Charles.

Pete, Mary, Charles, Indar, Kevin, & Kay were all returning from Cameroon where they spent
Christmas to join us and Tanya for New Years. They had some trouble getting a boat back to
Nigeria so we hauled up in the hotel most of the day waiting to see if they were going to make it
and learning to play poker. At 3pm we had the all clear and headed to Ikot Abassi to meet the
others. We met Tanya around 5:30pm and the others arrived at 7ish. We took Okata (dirt bike)
from the town to the boats, it was a 15min boat ride in the dark away from the well lit oil pipe lines
to the island town of Opobo.

Opobo is a lovely town. It was established by King JaJa a long time back and feels very quiet and
safe. We were all perfectly fine to walk around after dark with no worries and if you were to get lost
everyone and anyone could tell you the way to Charles or Pete & Mary’s. There are no vehicles of
any kind on the island and the people are very nice.

I was asked why I often mention when I “feel safe”, is it because a lot of the time I don’t? Yes,
when I’m out walking or driving around most places you are always on alert. There are constant
dangers and you always have to be prepared. Robbers are always looking for an easy victim.
People are often shouting at me and constantly hassling me, either because of my skin color or
because they want to sell me something. People often reach out and grab my arm and try to drag
me over to talk to me or sell to me. Cars and Okada’s are always about to run me over and you
have to be always double checking the coast is clear. So yes most of the time you are on high
alert, but it just comes naturally now I don’t think about it or let it bother me. But when I get
somewhere that feels calm and quiet and safe then I notice it and appreciate it.

When we arrived we enjoyed dinner and a few drinks courtesy of Lady B’s chop house. After
everyone was fed we went in search of a bar that had music and a bit of atmosphere. We found a
place pumping music with enough room for the 12 of us and settled in for the night. People were
setting off firecrackers left, right, and center and you had to jump out of the way or get burned if one
was thrown in your direction. At the table next to us there was a drunk policeman that was
enjoying dancing and firing his AK47 over our heads with live rounds that made us a bit nervous
but in the end caused no harm. I believe after a few drinks I informed him personally that we didn’
t appreciate him firing his gun and that he was scaring my friends and should stop!!

At midnight Pete and I lead the countdown from 10 to Happy New Year and we all attempted to
sing that New Years song to which none of us really knew the words. Shortly after we started to
loose a few people to the long day and they headed home, girls to Pete & Mary’s and boys to
Charles. That left Pete, Charles, Simon, Kate & I to begin dancing up a storm till the wee hours.
Mostly Pete and Charles watched while the 3 of us put on an entertaining show for all around.
Simon and I invented our own square dance routine at Chief’s party later perfected and taught to
the others on Christmas Eve and once again performed with gusto and taught to the new comers
on New Years. Just after 2am we all headed home exhausted. I decided to call Jen in Canada
and wish her a very quick "Happy New Year and this is expensive bye now" call. Back and Pete
and Mary’s Kate and I were too wired to sleep and ended up chatting on the patio till 4am before
calling it a night.

New Years day is when the Opobo Masquerade usually begins but as it fell on a Sunday which is
church day it didn’t start till Monday. So Sunday we took a ride in Henry’s boat to another island for
a walk through the forest. When we arrived it was low tide and a long walk in ankle deep muck to
shore. Poor Indar slipped getting out of the boat and got a full mud bath. The hike across the
island was lovely but over 2hrs and considering the amount of sleep I had, and being hungry, and
wearing flipflops myself and many others were eager for it to end. Our boat trip home was by
paddle canoe though and took about 30min after which Kate, Kim & I practically ran the 15min
walk to Lady B’s for lunch.

Lunch was new to me: Indomie & Eggs. Indomie is Mr Noodles, chicken and onion flavored,
cooked normally, then tomato and onion is added and egg and it’s all cooked up like an omelet.
Sounds strange I know but it’s surprisingly good! Mary and I attempted to reproduce this
concoction the next morning for everyone but ours was more like scrambled Indomie and had a
different flavor, so more practice is needed.

On Monday morning the masquerading spirits were up singing and jingling their bells before
dawn. As we sat at breakfast we got our 1st taste of what to expect as men rehearsing roamed up
and down the streets. If you want to pass them you need to dash them (pay). Many were covered
with a chalky white or pink paint, some had colorful uniforms and some had woven grass outfits.
There were about 5 well organized groups in matching outfits and their own song and dance
routine. The red and white group came to the door and performed till we paid them to move on.

I found it all rather intimidating to get used to, these crazed painted people running up to you and
getting right in your face. I was kidnapped temporarily by 2 woman who had a tug-o-war over me
then spun me in a circle and danced with me. Some were really scary and had chunks of raw
meat in their mouth or a fish and some with scary masks. One group tried to smear pink paint all
over us, I ran and hid and managed to escape but most the others got painted.

At 3pm King JaJa the 5th asked us to take interview with him. This was a big deal, the 3
volunteers who lived there had ever been asked to meet him before. It was a short meeting where
we each introduced ourselves then we were dismissed to take seats and watch the 1st of many
formal masquerade performances. The pictures and video do not give justice to the intense show
that was put on. Most of the performers had been drinking since the early morning and were very
passionate and over the top. The entire town packed into the King’s courtyard and security was
an issue. It took many men doing their best to keep the crowd under control. Some of the
masquerading spirits were very scary and when they ran at the crowds hundreds of people would
run back in fear causing a stampede effect that was rather dangerous! In the end we were all
safe and enjoyed the show a lot.

That night was very hot and humid. I woke in the middle of the night in a hot sweat feeling like I
was about to have a panic attack from the claustrophobic feeling of the heat. I headed outside and
found Kim was having the same problem, we both ended up sleeping outside. I took my
thermarest and curled up on the cement at the side of the house while Kim slept in a chair on the
patio. I didn't sleep well as the mossies were vicious and the late partiers walking home
disturbed me as I was feeling self conscious being a white girl in shirts & tank sleeping on the
sidewalk!

The whole masquerade was to continue for another week and sounded like a lot of fun but we all
had to leave Tuesday morning. Kay, Aine, Kate, Kevin, Indar, & Simon headed to Port Harcourt
and on to Abuja and their respective placements. Kim went to meet a friend in another town. And
Mary, Pete, Tanya and I headed to Calabar and on to Cercopan camp to spend 2 days in the
jungle.