Whetin be you Chop

Partly cloudy, 87 degrees, 63% humidity

"Whetin be you chop?" a pidgin English phrase roughly translating to "what have (or did) you eat?" is often used as a greeting in Nigeria.  While I can appreciate the fact that food is so central to most Nigerian's lives, it's a common topic of conversation (believe me, food is probably THE most common topic discussed in the Conley house), I find it an interesting opening question.   While it might be strange to Westerners to discuss what we've eaten, it appropriately illustrates Nigerian's love for their food - notice I said THEIR food and not just any food.  Over the course of the almost 12 months I've been here, if I've learned one thing, it's that Nigerian's take 'feeding' very seriously.

I've been waiting to be inspired by a Nigerian dish to write this post about food.  To my disappointment, Nigerian food is not exactly inspiring.  So instead, I'm capitalizing on my excitement over one of my favorite (and very not Nigerian) snacks - almond butter (yes, almond butter!!)  and banana wrap, to encourage my writing.  For those that haven't experienced the greatness of a peanut or almond butter  wrap, I highly suggest trying it - simply slap some peanut butter on a wrap (tortilla), add sliced banana, raisins, honey, jelly, or whatever you can dream up (almost everything is good with peanut butter), and enjoy!  This delicacy is one I didn't think I would be enjoying here, but thanks to a care package from home, a local bakery, and a couple bags full of oh-so-valuable "North American" food given to us by the departing Canadian VSO Country Director, I am more than pleased to report I'm enjoying this "luxury" here in Nigeria.

I will admit I am a bit of a snob when it comes to food.  I fully believe that you are what you eat and have been known to be a bit obsessive when it comes to eating healthy.   This is one of the main reasons I'm not crazy about most Nigerian dishes.

While there are a few Nigerian dishes I like, or at least can stomach, I prefer my "funny, funny oyibo (white woman) food," fixed in-house.  I prefer cooking over eating out (even if my work life doesn't support it) no matter my location, but having the means to cook here is key to my survival - and health. 

 Nigerian dishes tend to be very starch-heavy, rarely have vegetables, and if they contain meat, contain weird animal parts (like liver, intestine, skin ) that I generally steer clear of.  While the content of the dishes is enough to keep me from eating it on a regular basis (for the sake of keeping regular), the taste is something else.  The Nigerian  seasoning gamut contains two flavors - pepe (hot chili pepper) and fish.  Yes, fish - typically dried and added to a dish whole to flavor and add protein.  These can be used alone, but are often combined for what you can imagine is a very interesting taste.   Pepe, as a staple of any Nigerian dish, cannot be avoided if eating out or even buying some Nigerian made products - including peanut butter.  You can imagine our disappointment when we found what we thought was pure peanut butter contained pepe.

Though it doesn't sound so appetizing, if it's the only thing available, you tend to get used to just about anything - including fish and pepe flavored meals.  I'm not saying I will be cooking or missing most of these dishes, but I'm now able to stomach dishes that I almost immediately spit out when I first tried them.

All this said, there are a few Nigerian dishes I do like, and may even miss - see last post - 27 Things I'll Miss About Nigeria - and I have certainly not gone hungry. 

 

 

Soup and swallow.  What I would call THE Nigerian dish.  Almost every Nigerian eats one form of this or another on a daily basis.  The swallow, which can be made of yam, semo (grain), corn, or other grains is used to scoop up the soup using your fingers. No utensils required.

 

Roasted Fish.  A whole fish you select live (cleverly termed "point 'n kill"), spiced, grilled, and shared. 

Moi-moi.  My favorite Nigerian dish.  A bean tamale, of sorts, steamed in a banana leaf.

27 Things I Will Miss About Nigeria

Partly cloudy, 91 degrees, 65% humidity

As I quickly draw close to the date in which I will leave the crazy place I've called home for the last 11 months, I decided it was appropriate to commemorate my 27 years of existence, the fact that this year I celebrated my Golden Birthday (turned 27 on the 27th), AND the fact that I have (now less than) 27 days before I leave with an account of 27 things I will miss about Nigeria.  In no particular order, they are as follows:

1.      The simplicity of the life I live here. No iPhone, inconsistent (sometimes non-existent) internet, power, and running water.  Need I say more?

2.       The ridiculously low cost of a cab.  Less than $1.50 for a 10 min cab ride.

3.       My friends at the Farmer's Market and other establishments I frequent who know what I want before I walk in.

4.       The lack of structure and policy.  Though I sometimes HATE this, there is something about it that makes one feel free.

5.      The look and/or response I get when I tell someone I'm a volunteer and how much I get "paid."

6.       Being lulled back to sleep at 4 am by the call to prayer.

7.       The ease in which you can get anything on the black market - currency, videos, fuel, drugs, you name it.

8.       Getting respect - from almost everyone, everywhere.  Though it's normally not for the right reasons (my skin color), I appreciate it.

9.       Shaking my butt to Naija (Nigerian) tunes in the club.

10.  Fresh papaya.

11.  Getting my hair touched, played with, and fixed regularly by colleagues and other admirers.

12. Traffic cop's performances.  If you've never seen a Nigerian traffic cop in action, check out the following video.  Entertaining.

13. Being serenaded by colleagues throughout the work day.

14. Not having to shave my legs to wear skirts/dresses to work.  Most Nigerian women don't shave at all.  Why should I?

15.  Informing Nigerians that I CANNOT do anything to help them get a U.S. visa.

16.  Travelling by public transport.  Imagine 9 adults, 2 babies, and some kind of livestock packed in to an AC-less van that seats 7 while listening to Celine Dion for hours upon end.

17.  Wearing leggings to work.

18.  Squatting over the toilet at work and in most public places because there is no toilet seat.  Very good workout.

19.  Corn on the cob and coconut.  Together, these two things make for a great lunch.

20.  The song-like call of "oyibo" (white woman/man) by village kids echoing through the bush as we ride through remote FCT villages on mountain bikes.

21. Turning heads.  No matter how good or bad I look, I always get attention.  Though most of the time I am irritated by this, I'm pretty sure I will return home, to a world where I am the norm, and be upset that I am not getting such attention.

22. Winning a negotiation.  Nothing feels better than coming out of a bargaining session, having talked someone down to the price I want.

23. Hand washing my clothes.  NOT.  This is probably the thing I will miss the least.

24.  The oh-so-honest daily comments (compliments and cut downs) from colleagues about my appearance, including, but not limited to, "Your face is oily," "Is that a zit?" "You look tired," "What did you eat this morning? Your belly is protruding," "I like your dress," "You're looking fresh," "Your hair looks nice like that," and my all time favorite, "Oh, you've added weight back there too. I thought it was only in your face."

25. Moi moi.  One of few Nigerian dishes that I like.  Sort of like a tamale, but with beans instead of corn.

26.  Warm weather.  Yes, I bitch about the heat and the fact that I am constantly sweating, but you really can't beat having summer weather (and a tan) year round.

27.  The people - colleagues, volunteers, friends - from all corners of the world.  What has truly made my experience.

Christmas in Cameroon. New Years (NOT) in Benin.

Partly cloudy, 101 degrees

Travel.  A hobby or interest of most foreigners living in places like Nigeria.  Also one of the top reasons I decided to pursue a volunteer placement.  The sense of adventure and the chance to not only see, but truly experience, a different culture is what drew me to the VSO opportunity.  Now I know you might be asking "But what drew you to Nigeria?  It's a far cry from a tourist destination!"  That, my friends, is a good question.  One I still haven't quite answered, myself, but my thought was that Abuja would make for an okay place from which to travel.

Before arriving, I had BIG travel plans.  How could I not take full advantage of the opportunity to explore a continent I had never yet stepped foot on?  Serengeti, Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls, and a safari or two were all in the so-called plans.   None of these plans were concrete, of course, because I didn't know what the year would hold for me work-wise.  It was with this I'll plan trips as soon as I can get a handle on what work will be like attitude that I arrived in Nigeria.  Not long after my arrival, however, these dreams were flushed down the toilet. 

On day 2, our passports were taken from our possession and we were given the disappointing news that we would likely not see them again until either the end of our placement or we were granted a resident permit/multi-entry visa.  As a development agency, VSO doesn't pay bribes and to get anything done in the Nigerian immigration office, a bribe is often what is needed.  Because of this, most volunteers don't ever get a resident permit or multi-entry visa and are thus forced to succumb to the long and painful process of requesting single re-entry visas any time they want to leave (and re-enter) the country.  These re-entry visas not only take a couple months to process but can only be granted one at a time - meaning any travel outside of the country has to be planned at least a couple months in advance and spaced appropriately to allow for re-application in between.  It was with this dictated timeline, and much aggravation, that I planned my travel for the year.  A trip over the Christmas holiday, one in the Spring, and one at the end of my placement, in July, was what I decided on.

Choosing where to go over the Holidays was the hardest.  In addition to a slew of destinations on my ever-growing list of places I want to travel, home was a top contender, for obvious reasons.  Would I be able to enjoy the holidays away from home?  Would I break down on Christmas Day, realizing I was thousands of miles from my family?  These were questions I asked myself as I weighed my options. The opportunity however - having 2.5 weeks off work and being in Africa - won out. A trip to visit our neighbors - Cameroon and Benin was in order.

The plan was to spend 2 weeks in Cameroon with McKinley then hop over to Benin for the final week.  Because McKinley planned to travel Benin with her brother, the latter part of the trip I was going to do (notice the tense of the verb here) solo. In the couple months leading up to the trip, we spent countless hours researching, planning, and booking what we thought necessary to make the trip go smoothly.  Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, not many things - transport, accommodation, etc - require reservations or forward-looking thinking and can be done on the spot in Africa.  A Benin tourist visa, as it turns out, is not one of these things.

Because the timeline for retrieving our passports from Nigerian immigration and obtaining a Cameroon visa was tight, I was delighted to read in Lonely Planet that tourist visas were available at the Benin border.  What I failed to realize, or even frankly think any more about after reading it, was that arriving by road (and crossing the border) is NOT the same as arriving by air.  Minutes after stepping foot off the plane in Cotonou, I was forced back on to the plane by French speaking immigration officers.  After an attempt to sweet talk them, which turned less and less sweet by the minute, I realized I was not making any progress.  The three others, all Cameroonian, who were in the same boat (did not have visas) were not getting anywhere and the white-girl card was not coming to the rescue.  It was a helpless cause.  After being physically pushed toward the exit, I complied and stormed my way back out to the runway, where the Cameroon-bound plane was waiting.  After a short trip back to Douala and 5 hours in the Cameroon immigration office, I was given a Cameroon transit visa (necessary because I was now illegally in their country after using my single entry tourist visa) and booked flights to get back to Abuja.  Never did I think I would be so excited to be returning to Nigeria, but coming back was a welcome thought after the previous 24 hours. 

Visa hiccup aside, I had a great trip!  Though I'm not ready to return to Benin anytime soon, I loved Cameroon and would go back in a heartbeat.   Additionally, I handled being away from home at Christmas much better than I imagined.  I can attribute that mainly to being in a warm climate and disconnected from most things I associate with the Holidays.  It's amazing how the weather impacts the Christmas spirit.

 

In Belo - my favorite spot in all of Cameroon!

 

 

Belo Falls.  The trek up the river, to the bottom, was FREEZING!

 

 

45 minute okada ride to sacred Lake Oku

 

Mt. Cameroon summit

 

 

Merry Christmas!  Christmas Day spent playing my made up Christmas-themed drinking game sea-side



Race

Partly cloudy, 92 degrees

Though it sometimes works against us, using what we like to call the white-girl (or oyibo) card, is typically advantageous.  While this ID is not something we  carry in our wallets, it is always with us and can get us the best seat in a crowded bus, to the front of a long line, and, as I recently found out, an invitation to run a professional mountain race as a mediocre, recreational runner.

I had planned to take the year off from racing.  I didn't want the pressure of training/competing and the time off would be good for me. That was the plan, at least, until I stumbled upon an opportunity I couldn't pass up.  The Obudu Mountain Race, an uphill running race held in the beautiful mountainous state of Cross River, about 8 hours southeast of Abuja, had my name written all over it.

When I first found the race's website, which, in true Nigerian fashion, contained much less information than I would have liked, registration was open to both recreational and professionals runners.  It was only after I had my heart set on running it, and had been training for 4 weeks, that they made the decision to make it open to only invited professionals because of a change in the course from 80% asphalt road to 80% trail.  At this point, I was committed to doing the race and I was in no way, shape, or form ready to take a pass.

When I emailed the Race Director, I didn't expect to receive a response.   Why would he waste time telling yet another non-professional runner the race was now invite only?  To my surprise, he responded, but with a heart-breaking "Thanks for your interest, but registration is closed." Though the response was disappointing, I had his attention.  In my desperate state, what else was I to do except try to convince this man I was professional (enough) to compete in his race?  In a carefully worded email, I explained I was qualified to race elite/professional triathlons (these are not the same categories, but I pretended they were) in my home country and was positive I could handle the course.

It was a couple days later that I received an email asking for my biodata (still not sure what this is?) and record of performance.  I crafted a race resume, including some of my better race results, my birth date, and most importantly, my hometown.  I would like to think he was impressed by my race record and, as a result, gave me the invite, but truth be told, I'm fairly certain it was the Evansville, Indiana, United States of America printed (in large font) across the top that convinced him to let me run. 

I received my invite only 24 hours before I was scheduled to leave for Lagos en route to Obudu.  At the time, I was also recovering from what we think was a case of schistosomiasis (don't look it up - it's gross) that I had picked up while staying in rural Nasarawa State the week before and the allergic reaction I subsequently had to the meds I took to get rid of it.  To say things did not look promising is an understatement.    

In a short and hectic 12 hour period, I pulled myself together, packed my bags, and jumped on the first flight to Lagos the next morning.  This was my first time flying domestically in Nigeria, and although security was a joke - not once was I asked to show an ID and I was allowed to take bottles of water and other liquids in my carry-on - I was pleasantly surprised to leave only 5 minutes behind the scheduled departure time and arrive a full 10 minutes ahead of schedule.  By my account, Nigeria has a better record than the US on domestic flights. 

Upon arrival to the private terminal, I met the other international athletes.  Oh, that's nice, I thought, the athlete's families have come with them.  The girls (or, as it turns out, women) I was looking at turned out to be the athletes themselves - not their daughters.   Since I'm sure most of you have seen professional Ethiopian, Kenyan, and Ugandan runners, I don't need to spend a lot of time describing them, but they are, in one word, tiny.  These were my competitors.  Though to call them my competitors would be demeaning.  I knew it wouldn't be a competition.  They were going to smoke me.  While I was merely hoping to finish the race, these ladies were running for their livelihoods - and a $50,000 cash prize. 

The fact that I was just there "for fun" and not looking to bring home any awards was bewildering.  Why would anyone want to run (especially up a mountain) for fun?  In each of my 5 interviews, I had to explain how running was simply a hobby and my only goal was to finish the race.  By the 3rd interview, I had learned to control the natural giggle that came in response to most of the questions I was asked, but when asked about my aspirations for the upcoming Olympics, I couldn't control myself.   Are you kidding? I asked.  Turns out they weren't.  They might have been, however, had they known before the race, where I would end up finishing.

Dead last.  Out of the 27 women that finished the race, I finished 27th.  If this was any other race, I would have been disappointed, but in this case, I was proud.  As one encouraging spectator told me, I won first for my country.  Though I cussed and questioned what I was thinking more than once, I was elated to simply be there. 

The 8 kilometer course was made up of 2 distinct sections.  The first 6k was straight up (Colorado Spring-ers, think The Incline - times 3 or 4) and physically impossible to run - even for my 95 pound professional friends, but once you reached the summit you were rewarded with a rolling track, cooler temperatures, many more cheerleaders, and a fabulous view.  Well worth it!

The race itself was grueling, but even more exhausting was the constant attention and special treatment.  The moment I stepped off the plane, it became clear that my main job (as the only white female) was to smile and look good in the hundreds of pictures that were to be taken, allowing the "international" race to show how truly international it was.  Though I joked I was charging a fee of 50 naira (equivalent to around $.33) per photo, I now regret not collecting on it.  I could have made a fortune. 

 

The entire weekend was awesome - awesomely exhausting, awesomely fun, and awesomely unique.  I made friends with world-renowned runners, stayed in one of the most beautiful regions in Nigeria, and ran up a mountain.   I really couldn't have asked for much more.  I am considering returning next year to do it again, as many inquired, and I might even "train properly" as some suggested, "and win."  Though I won't come close to medaling, I may do a little better with training the next go around.

I know I've not been great about blogging the last couple months, but I promise to make a conscious effort to do it more frequently after the holidays.  Before I get locked in to a new year's resolution, however, I'm headed out for a 3 week 'Tour de West Africa.'  Taking advantage of a long holiday break, I'm visiting our neighbors, spending 2 weeks in Cameroon with my one and only (my flat mate, McKinley - sorry to excite those who continue to enquire about my love life) and a week in Benin.  I'm very much looking forward to the trip, but with this being my first Christmas away from home, I'm sure I'll be thinking about family (and friends) constantly.

Catch you in 2013.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! 

Birthday Wish

Partly Cloudy, 90 degrees, 53% humidity

I'm sure on the top of your minds as the end of October nears is the fact that my birthday is quickly approaching.......it's top of mind for me, as well.  I understand ;)   Some of you have actually started asking me what I want so I thought I'd make it easy.  Nothing.  At least no purchased items.  While I  appreciate a nice care package, it is a lot of work and very costly - making it an inefficient use of money. 

This year, IF you'd like to do something for my birthday (and I'm not implying that all of you do), I am asking that you donate to one of the organizations I am working with/for.   There are two very credible organizations that could use your support much more than I personally could benefit from a present or package.  Below I've outlined each of the organizations - what they do, my connection, who should give to them, and how to give.

1.       Education as a Vaccine (EVA): www.evanigeria.org

·         What they do: EVA is a Nigerian non-profit founded with a mission to improve the quality of life for vulnerable children and young people.  With nearly one third of Nigeria’s total population of 160 million between the ages of 10 and 24, the country’s development is compromised by the sexual and reproductive health issues afflicting its youth. Lack of sexual health information and services make young people vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion, and other reproductive health issues. The majority of EVA's work focuses on improving the sexual and reproductive health of these young people.  EVA has won numerous awards for their work and is recognized as the strongest youth-led organization in the country.  I can personally vouch for the amazing work they do and the impact they have on the disadvantaged Nigerian youth population with the relatively limited financial resources they have.  For more information on EVA, visit their website, provided above.

·         My connection: As my partner organization, this is the non-profit I'm working directly with - where I spend the majority of my time (and energy).  As the Fundraising Advisor, I am responsible for helping them reach their annual fundraising goal by implementing processes and tools to ultimately reach a larger base of individual and corporate donors.

·         Who should give: Those looking for a recurring, long(er)-term donation opportunity.  Although I am responsible for EVA's fundraising and would love for you to give to this worthy organization, I ask that you only give if you are willing to make a commitment to contributing regularly - once a year (for example) for at least the next few years.  The reason I ask this is because I don't want to raise money for EVA in my time here that they will likely not receive once I'm gone.  I would like what I do and provide to be sustainable well after I leave.

·         How to give: Submit tax-deductible donation online at: EVA PayPal

 

2.       Cuso International: www.cusointernational.org

·         What they do: Cuso is an international development organization that works through volunteers (like me!) to fight global poverty.  They recruit and support volunteers from North America in placements with non-profits in Africa, Asia, and Central/S. America. For more information on Cuso, visit their website, provided above.

·         My connection:  This is the organization Accenture partners with that has matched me with EVA, my partner organization. In addition to acting as the link between volunteers and partner organizations, Cuso also provides training and support to their volunteers while they are in placement.

·         Who should give: Those looking for a one-time donation opportunity

·         How to give: Submit tax-deductible donation on my fundraising page at: Cuso Fundraising Page (also linked in left sidebar)

If you have any questions or want additional information, feel free to email me. 

Babies

Partly cloudy, 84 degrees, 90% humidity

If there is one thing I truly enjoy about our office, it's the two babies that spend their days with us.  These cuties, 4 and 5 months old respectively, can almost always bring a smile to my face and make for an excellent excuse to take a break from work at least a couple times a day - typically once mid-morning and then again mid-afternoon.  Because one of the babies is the daughter of my boss, the Executive Director, I find it more acceptable than the "western" equivalent - smoke or coffee break - AND much better for you.  In addition to providing the mental break I've found I often need, they add a bit of physical activity to my largely sedentary work day and typically cause me to work up a sweat.  While it doesn't take much to cause me to sweat, throwing around babies, especially Darren, can be a workout!

Although both mothers bring their house girls to take care of the babies while they work, Darren and Ase (pronounced Ah-shay)  tend to get passed around amongst the EVA employees and volunteers throughout the day.  This is something I realized likely lead to me feeling constantly sick and/or worn down the first couple months.  Turns out, babies are germ havens and even though they are young and their immune systems are still developing, as Nigerian babies, their immune systems are stronger than mine.  Nothing a good hand-washing (or hand sanitizing, if there's no running water) can't fix though.

Sadly, in the last week both babies have started going to creche (day care) so I am desperately in need of a new distraction.  What am I supposed to do now when I need that mental break during the day?  Without coffee within any reasonable distance (or for any reasonable price) and with smoking not an option, I need to get creative. 

Standard view from my desk

Although I don't openly admit this in the office, she is my favorite!

She typically wiggles too much to stay on my lap, but sometimes I can get work done while holding her

 

 

My favorite Darren look - "what up?"

 

 

For the moms who think they need  an expensive baby carrier, try this cheap, yet effective Nigerian model - a few yards of material wrapped around you and your baby

 

Nigeria and Conflict

Scattered T-storms, 79 degrees, 95% humidity

Because my roommate, McKinley, has so eloquently written about one of the most controversial but central topics in which ALL international news stories and many news stories within the country revolve, I'm going to cheat on this week's post by directing you to her post about conflict and terrorism in Nigeria, found at the following link: Boko Who?

Please note this is by no means a complete and comprehensive account of the state of conflict in Nigeria, but aims to further explain the complicated situation in the country we currently call home.  Also note (mom and dad especially), that in the capital city of Abuja, I live in a safe environment and have yet to feel uncomfortable or worried about my security.