Things I've Noticed

No, I'm not neglecting my blog...I'm just busy. I've been out about here in Port Harcourt and still find the scenery interesting. I try not to look too hard or I attract traffic vendors with all manner of items from boxers to autobiographies. My girls like to point at colorful things so this got us stuck with a determined vendor selling dvd's...you know he had to hold up the Barney. I did not give in. I did ask about sunglasses though, you know I have to look all cool when riding around. I will definitely be shopping for a pair soon. Maybe two to indulge myself. Okay, so I've noticed some random things around here I'm going to share...

I've noticed people have no problem picking their noses, even in the middle of a conversation. Make of that what you will.

The aforementioned traffic vendors are just that. People who sell things to drivers in traffic. I've come to think every time I venture out, if you don't have clothes for work, you could buy an outfit on your way there, namely men. Sorry Muslimah, maybe up North. You can shop while you drive. In traffic you are accosted by vendors selling phone cards, boxers, dvds & cds, books, remote controls, watches...etc. I've seen negotiating where the driver will take it, look at it and ask how much. If the price isn't right they say no, give it back and totally ignore the vendor while talking to a passenger or staring straight ahead. The vendor then tries to force the item onto the driver repeatedly while lowering his price. Usually if traffic starts moving the vendor will give in and offer something really low which the driver may or may not accept. In one case he accepted the item but didn't get a chance to pay because traffic was moving, when it stopped again the vendor caught up and he paid. You know I was wondering when and how money changed hands so quickly!

I’ve walked into shops where the salespeople are literally laid out on a cot or lolling in their chairs…had me wondering if they were open for business or what. Branching off on that, if you get something that doesn’t have a price on it, be prepared for a wait to find out how much it is. I got stuck in line behind a guy who did this. I don’t know what the heck some people who sit in chairs on aisles are supposed to be doing. I asked one of them where the hair bows were, she gestured vaguely to her left so I’m looking around for hair bows, when the lady I was looking over asked me how she could help me. I guess that’s what the first chair lady meant, for me to ask the lady next to her. She directed me upstairs and they in turn told me there were none on Sundays…what the heck? They were selling everything else. I was baffled. Maybe she meant they ran out, but she didn’t say that, she said not on Sunday, but on Monday yes. Whateva. Maybe if I learn this pigeon English I will have better success.

I could never drive here. Traffic is chaotic and there are no lines betweens lanes, but generally people seem to know, except the few impatient idiots who create a lane in a tight space. And there's a lot of horn honking going on at all times.


There are bars on every domestic window, and houses are built inside a medium to high wall. Sometimes topped with steel and miscellany so sharp looking, you simply wouldn't dare. Ours? Barbed wire.

You can get nearly anything from sandals to a live chicken on the roadside here.


There are no sidewalks.



People say, "You are welcome," to welcome you in any instance, to their home, store, when you return from somewhere, etc. At first I wondered what I said thank you to, for them to say that to me. It was all about context though, so I caught on quickly.


Any naija folks can feel free to correct me. These are things I've observed.

Yummy Food

I plan on asking Gee to make this for us sometime inshAllah. A guest bought some one evening to us, and I loved it. It was sooo good. Besides she's always asking me what she should cook, and I look at her as if she's lost her mind...what do I know about foods here? So our running joke now is 'You cook, I eat." And she still asks me to have a laugh. I think it's pretty funny. Anyway, here are these West African Kebabs I speak of:

http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinations/westafrica/kebabs.html


I get asked what we eat here and try to explain it but fear I don't do very well. I think I will take pictures of what I am served and try to explain it then. It's all very good mashAllah. For breakfast I usually have fried egg with toast. I fell in love with it immediately upon my first taste. I watched her make it and have come to the conclusion that it must be the oil that gives it that good flavor because she only puts salt and pepper as flavor but adds small diced tomato.

Laying It All Out

I just don't know what exactly I feel right now. One of those feelings I know is a sense of peace, like everything is in Allah (swt) hands. I wonder if I still need to make a decision or wait and it will come to me. Aunt Flo is going to visit soon (she betta!) and I'm feeling a tad hormonal and somewhat emotional about the same stuff I was feeling all positive and confident about yesterday. Like is like that I know. I need to focus on laying it all on Allah (swt) because He is only source of true help for me. I mean I really need to get more into doing that because I feel so much lighter in the chest after just spending some time putting it all on Him. *Sigh* Alhamdullilah. I won't be laying it out here just yet, but in time inshAllah.

See, peace doesn't last long, lol. Little Ummi and Whisper are annoying each other and frankly me too. It is so time for bed. One of my favorite times of day, hehehe. We went out on Wednesday and I accidently videod some scenery. I may load in on youtube and make it available here, maybe.

All or Nothing

Gee, our helper insisted I not mix Nigerian clothes with English clothes. I wanted to wear my demim skirt with a baby blue Nigerian top...and it was vetoed. She said it wouldn't be right please, your skirt is English, top is Nigeria...you cannot do that, either aaall English or all Nigeria. Naturally I laughed because I'm so accustomed to being different. I did note in particular upon arriving here that there was never a mix of the two; that is English all the way to the shoes and sunglasses or totally traditional. I thought that maybe I just hadn't run into anyone who mixed the two until this incident today. It seems it simply isn't done. That being said, I'm opting for totally traditional as I really don't want to attract any more attention than necessary. I've been here two weeks and a few days now and find the transition isn't nearly as difficult as I though, alhamdullilah (praise be to God). That said, I've only been out a few times, venturing out to the vegetable market on my second day here and since then to supermarkets to pick up a few things. I say it is what it is, and that's how I'm taking it mashaAllah. I've still yet to go out since dh has some business and is using the driver. It's a different life than I'm accustomed to, but easier mashAllah. More on this later. Picture time!




Here is that vegetable market I mentioned, being here all of two days. The walkway really is that narrow, but no one seems to mind and the giving way seems instinctive really, no awkward dancing, lol.









I was checking these carrots out, right at my feet thinking they were certainly fresh if nothing else when I looked over to my left and saw the next image.












Two ladies not two feet away exchanging a few words in between scrubbing the carrots. They looked positively delicious and Little Ummi (daughter #1) chomped on one right away when we pulled away from the market. The kids were waiting in the car. Driver and Gee said it was too dirty for them.