First entry in LafiaDec 15, 2004
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| December 15, 2004 We have arrived in lafia. After 2 plane rides, 13hrs in London, another 2 cabbies in Abuja plus a 2 hrs in a cab we have arrived. We first went to the YMCA and I met Edward. He is nice, but my accommodations are not ready yet. So Hannatu decided that me and Tonia will stay together for the next 3 days at her partner organization. There are many men working at the YMCA, but they all seem uh, nice? What can I say, I only met them for about 10-15 min. (my nfingers hurt as I write this, don't know why. I have to force yself to get this out otherwise tmrw will be a new day an dnew things would have happened. This is the same thing what happened while traveling eu. I fell back a day, then two then three then I just didn't' write at all. We get to NACWYKA and they send us off to the accommodations. My mouth must have dropped because literally I was in shock. I still am, but it has worn off a bit. I am distraught that Tonia has no running water, and I can't find my water purifier. I took 2 "showers" today. One was in the Chelsea hotel in Abuja, while the other one was a cold splash over with a bucket and a bowl in hand to wash me off. What the **** have I gotten myself into? I mean I was expecting precarious conditions, but not - not having running water. What is the point of have a shower head, a toilet with no toilet seat that doesn't flush and a sink that the faucet doesn't work? Seriously. Tonia dropped dead on the bed, while they were supposed to arrange for another bed for me or at least a mattress. I decided I was too high strung so I went for a walk. Its so dirty, noisy, but I love it. I can't believe I am here! - writing this with eyes closed. Getting tierd...... Anyway, I m falling asleep as I write this. I went into town with these two employees that work with NACWYA. Like promised, I was stared at and pointed at. I was called the white girl. I must say that the advise that the guy in the airplane said not to travel with so many bags and not flash my lap top was actually a good idea. So I ended up buying a little suitcase. Not to mention that at the Toronto airport I had in both of my suitcases about 5kg over in each. It was too obvious if I had kept my laptop case. The white girl with money coming for dev work..... I needed the walk. I was too stuck in a car and plane the entire time to Lafia. Too much! I managed to take some herbal sleeping pills that helped with sleeping. I slept all the way on the airplane and the taxi to lafia, I just felt resteless so I went on a walk. Interesting....in the court yard where we are staying tonight. There was woman with a 2 year old. When the girl saw me, she started crying. She got scared of me. It was the first time she was seeing a white woman. How funny and sad at the same time. This will have to be my venting page. No matter how tierd I am, I must clear my thoughts. Otherwise I will go crazy... Its true, the mails from home will keep me sane. Shit its so different here. A whole different context - I just came for one of rishest countries to one of the most corrupt and most underdeveloped cty. What a jump. I don't thin I am experiencing cluture shock per say, as in I'm excited to be here. I have a general mistrust of anyone here, until I know better. Drowsy again. I should go to bed. Tmrw I get a Nigerian cell number, and visit YMCA. I want my own place so I can unpack! So far it has been the plane, Heathrow and a car. |
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