Fabric

At school, we have a Nigerian culture day. On day two, we were informed that we were to have an outfit to wear to the celebration. Today someone had called a fabric vendor to the school…of course being deprived of shopping I had to look. Wonderful prints nothing like we see in the states. I am so excited that Andrew also gets a customary outfit too. The standard Nigerian wear for men is a matching two piece highly patterned tailored shirt and pants. The only equivalent I can think of in the states are high quality pajamas. I really want a quilt out of all of the scraps. As for seeing Andrew and Harper in matching outfits, I can’t wait. As for my own dress, I guess custom is to take a picture from a Nigerian magazine and take it to the tailor. Oh yes, you have a tailor, or will have and as with everything the price is negotiable. You can get an dress or suit made anywhere from $20 to $70…pretty cheap if you ask me.

Status and skin

Lagos seems to be warming up though the thunder and lightning come on periodically, darkening the sky pouring and disappearing almost as quickly. I like the downpours it reminds me of my home in the northwest and Burns Oregon.
We have managed to procure a driver and are looking for a car. He seems to be a very nice man and we were surprised and disappointed when he did not show up for work today. Then, he finally did show up. He called Andrew several times. It turns out that he had been hit on his Okada. Okada are little motor bikes that jet around here everywhere. They are terrifying to watch and I can say I will probably never ride one here. People do. I have seen a family of four, small children and all riding down the streets. He was pretty badly injured. Andrew took him to our school nurse who suggested he go to the hospital because of the swelling in his ear. Someone we work with who has been here a long time strongly suggested Andrew not accompany him to the hospital. He said it will make it way worse for him to get care. Our status and our skin. I wonder if he will actually go at all. What would definitely be an emergency room visit in the states could and does go untreated here. And of course we are slapped with our useless guilt at having been disappointed and somewhat responsible for him being in the wrong place at the wrong time. It is difficult to feel helpless when wanting to help someone and trying to grasp that what I consider help (taking someone to the hospital) would actually cause more conflict than good. The sun has come out now. Harper is resting and I sent Andrew outside to play softball but it looks as though a dark cloud may be coming in.

Well, It has been a whirlwind first week here at school. Acclimating to middle school has been quite an adjustment but so far it is good. We are on a mad hunt for a car. Harper is busy pressing the volume button up and down so if this post is a little scattered it is because I am very distracted. Nigeria has been okay so far. Shopping is still a challenge and I can see a future where getting off campus will be imperative. I thought Whidbey Island got small at times. Bee=p beep beep…Harper has been enjoying the pool privileges. Beep beep vroom… Today Harper was chasing the brightly colored lizards down the sidewalk. Things here seen pretty urbanized and then I see something like lizards and flowers in bloom and I can imagine what Lagos may have looked like before modernization. We saw butterflies today and my first thought was “how beautiful”. …Then, “I wonder if it’s poisonous.” Most things on campus seem familiar to home except there are glances of things that remind us we aren’t in the states. Like the water we have to filter and the lack of chocolate. People become hoarders of things like chips from the states, good coffee or meats that they know are okay. But for the most part you don’t think about it. I don’t even give people who are in amazing African print fabrics a second glance any more....beep

Aitor

It is intense yet surprisingly normal. What is really funny is that someone with a basket full of full bodied fried fish on their head, someone with a stack of fifty pairs of socks on their head and someone riding four stacked on a little moped taxi is considered normal but that white girl over there walking down the street is the biggest spectacle ever. Pretty funny.
This city is huge decrepit and vibrant at the same time. Don't ask me how to get anywhere; it's like a national geographic magazine every time you go out. However here on campus is a very small bubble and at times you almost forget that you are in Nigeria.... until you go shopping...you absolutely have to have a driver. Finding produce that doesn't horrify you has been the hardest but I had measureable success today after I got up the nerve to talk with a street vender. Of course I probably got the "skin tax" as they call it but I don't mind most venders are scratching out a living. The unemployment rate is so high here.
It is a city- a very big city. As a city it is intimidating so far but each day something is falling into place as the reality of being here replaces the expectation of coming. A routine is beginning to develop.
Harper is still three going through a whiney phase. I am still a teacher and need to get my classroom ready to teach. Andrew and I are still doing what our relationship does.
But I would be kidding you if I said it was "normal" yet.

However, it hasn't been too hot yet and it even rained. 85 everyday but they keep saying this definitely will not last. A parrot flew by today all green and yellow just like in a pet store.
Philosophically everyday has tested my cultural norms and expectations. Hiring a nanny and steward is just weird. Hearing people talk about "them" and us and conversations about how some help is treated or paid is appalling and fascinating. Mostly it leaves me torn. Is this exploitation or actual help? The nanny we hired is also very old. (My guess is that she is at least 70 though with black folks it is hard for me to judge age) So of course I was realizing how ageist I am too! Should this woman have to work and how much do I pay her. Andrew and I decided that we were significantly increasing the going wage for our employees. (Average $150-200 a month) So we paid our conscientious so we would feel better. I guess this is why I will never be rich. And you know how I love a good deal but these are people’s lives here.
On the other hand other goods are through the roof expensive. Apple juice $10 Ziploc bags $10 cheap wine $10 (this might be my Nigerian persona: wino) We saw regular parmesan cheese for $70 ...and definitely don't expect to find it in one place. And expect anywhere you go to take at least three hours minimum.
Overall, it is an adventure as far as knowing what I think about anything here or our decision to come the jury is out not that any of that really matters either.

Were here

Ahh where do I begin. We have had a power blasted couple of days but are settling in quite well. Nigeria is hot but not too bad this time of year. Rene and Miles left yesterday to Paris. It was wonderful to have them here to help us put our minds at ease. Let me just list all that we have had to do in the past three days.
Find a nanny...Florence
Restock a kitchen
Clean a gross apartment
Acclimate to shopping with a driver
Meet new employees...(most cool)
Suffer through jet lag (so weird)
Travel through the city (traffic is its own personality)
Hire a steward
Go to the market
Get a new classroom
Change money...you don't use banks
Learn how to use the money
Figure out how to shop (still not done)
Explain to Harper that we aren't moving to Africa we are in Africa
Realize that I am a spectacle and that some people notice I'm white
Join commisary
Go to Lekki market...its like national geographic come to life
And more...
Yikes! Needless to say we were a bit shell shocked