Things I will miss

In less than a month I will be leaving Lagos with two suitcases each at 20lbs and one backpack full of airplane distractions.

While these two years have been challenging they have also been rewarding. I've been making mental lists of things I wont miss and things I will always cherish. My flat mate and I tell each other of the most recent additions to our mental lists and I am looking forward to telling her of one I added last night.

Here are some of the things I will miss:
1. The thunder and lightening storms that are so loud they wake you up at night and strike your porch leaving it sizzling with steam.

2. Students who have extra support from their parents and community. The discussions we have in class because of the things they've seen and places they've been.


3. My friend Staci who when picking me up last night said, "Do you like my new boobies?" as she puffed out her chest. This was the purpose behind her and her husbands recent trip to Thailand. I will miss the diversity of friends I have here.

4. Fabric, all colors, designs and quality. I will miss walking through the market and having the men wrap it around their waist showing me how it would look as a skirt.


5. Suya, a spicy meat that you can get on the side of the roads. They serve it with raw onions and you eat it with toothpicks.


6. When buying things in the market being able to tell the vendor to dash (give me for free) something. The other day I bought flowers for my friend and confidently told the guy "You dash me this now" and he did without hesitation.

Days of Mourning

Nigeria's president died last night and was buried today. I found out from Talia one of my students. After she shook my hand and greeted me good morning she told me the news and asked if we would have school tomorrow. This was the first I had heard about it and so I told her I would email the principal and find out. The nation is in 7 days of mourning, so we wont be having school tomorrow.

Things are quiet around here. Since November the Presidents health has been shaky. For the past six months there had been rumors that he was already dead. I've not been off the compound, but from my room I hear silence and calm.

We had Monday off for Workers day so, this has been a three day week! Short.

I am not sure how the Nigerians feel but I am grateful for the day off. I do know that it will impact this nation and that it affects people some deeply other more superficially like me.

Here is a Time article if you want more accurate facts and details.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1987442,00.html?xid=rss-topstories