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.