Well- he chickened out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He wouldn't wear the hilarious outfit and thank goodness he didn't because he would have been so out of place - funny yes but out of place. He said, "I look too much like a pair of curtains and I can't pull myself together!" Nice to be reassured that his sense of humour isn't any better.
The weekend started really well - we had a fantastic dinner with Carl's old friend from Zimbabwe - drank too much champagne and ate loads of brai.
Early Saturday morning we were awakened at 3:00 am by what I thought was an explosion , the loudest clap of thunder I have ever heard all windows were shaking. The storm raged all around us until 7:00 am - I stood on the balcony watching sheet lightening that you could read a book by. Our balcony is covered but the force of the rain completely flooded it and my poor lettuces were bashed flat. The hardy Welsh mint stood the test! (I'm growing it for Mohitos not lamb / goat). A huge part of Ikoyi was under water by the morning.
We then watched the Welsh match live- fantastic we are in the semi final. I have tried (unsuccessfully) all week not to crow over my many South African parents but the parody of the slogan "go bokker go" -Go home bokker- just seems to slip out.
Then Saturday morning I was interviewed on the Richard and Judy of Nigeria- and it has been repeated so everyone (all our security guards, stewards and drivers) have seen it at least once and I can't face the comments about my very late Saturday night MNET interview and segue where after describing my school ( and after many champagnes) I had to say, " and this is Susan Eriksson and you are watching MNET 53 live" This little bit is on all the time in between the non-stop music channels - why, oh why?
My dress turned out perfect. Very pink and sparkly- very glam and just right. The party was wonderful. The entertainment especially Two Face (find him on i-tunes great music) was fantastic. We raised a huge amount of money for the school and in the raffle, the first prize, a top of the range Nissan car worth about £40,000 and out of the reach of most ordinary Nigerians, was won by my school administrator Friday. It couldn't have gone to a more deserving man and all the parents joined in celebrating with him.
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Dying- Nigerian bacteria are strong
I have a cold. Not any cold but a Lagoatian cold. Think the worst case of man flu anyone (Carl) has ever complained about and I have that. Tonight was parents' consultations in school and I sat with the Year 6 teacher (I 'll tell you why in a minute) and I sneezed and coughed and sniffed, and Nigerian parents being incredibly polite and friendly all went to say goodbye to me by shaking my hand BUT you could see the horror in their eyes- I have to shake the headteacher's hand - the hand that she has used to hold many, many tissues and she has been sneezing and coughing into!!! In the end I just said don't touch me I am contagious and it broke the ice and everyone laughed - except me I coughed.
One of the girls that was involved in the fire has left Nigeria! she never settled back and was unhappy so has gone- hence me explaining to parents that they now have a new Y6 teacher- the competition for school places in Nigeria and the top UK schools is very fierce so disruption in this year is not good, but luckily we have a truly outstanding teacher in school who has stepped up to the role. I am keen to further develop music and drama in school, so today I created a performing arts faculty I already have some talented and dedicated staff but am advertising to strengthen music even further - a full orchestra and choir to enter competitions.
To give you an idea about the scope of the school, a parent in school asked if she could invite her uncle - an author to talk to Y6 during book week (in November here) I said yes and he is duly coming. Today I mentioned his name to someone and they nearly collapsed- he is only a Nobel Laureate!! he won the prize for literature!
When we lived in Monmouth- Sleepy Hollow- we often heard gun shots and never commented. We'd think it was either the Garrison or someone stalking / pigeon shooting. But here tonight Carl heard 5 shots and it was somehow unnerving. Luckily the shots didn't continue but even so, when you live in a compound where you drive through a gated chicane with armed guards (AK47s) who work around the clock, and where you have armed guards outside your school security perimeter you stop noticing the guns, but gunfire is something else and this is the first time we have heard it.
Heigh ho, life goes on. Tomorrow there may be fresh milk in La Pointe- I'll be there straight after school! You may have thought queuing was a thing of the cold war Moscow past but milk in Lagos excites a feeding frenzy.
One of the girls that was involved in the fire has left Nigeria! she never settled back and was unhappy so has gone- hence me explaining to parents that they now have a new Y6 teacher- the competition for school places in Nigeria and the top UK schools is very fierce so disruption in this year is not good, but luckily we have a truly outstanding teacher in school who has stepped up to the role. I am keen to further develop music and drama in school, so today I created a performing arts faculty I already have some talented and dedicated staff but am advertising to strengthen music even further - a full orchestra and choir to enter competitions.
To give you an idea about the scope of the school, a parent in school asked if she could invite her uncle - an author to talk to Y6 during book week (in November here) I said yes and he is duly coming. Today I mentioned his name to someone and they nearly collapsed- he is only a Nobel Laureate!! he won the prize for literature!
When we lived in Monmouth- Sleepy Hollow- we often heard gun shots and never commented. We'd think it was either the Garrison or someone stalking / pigeon shooting. But here tonight Carl heard 5 shots and it was somehow unnerving. Luckily the shots didn't continue but even so, when you live in a compound where you drive through a gated chicane with armed guards (AK47s) who work around the clock, and where you have armed guards outside your school security perimeter you stop noticing the guns, but gunfire is something else and this is the first time we have heard it.
Heigh ho, life goes on. Tomorrow there may be fresh milk in La Pointe- I'll be there straight after school! You may have thought queuing was a thing of the cold war Moscow past but milk in Lagos excites a feeding frenzy.
Sunday, 9 October 2011
Very quick update
The gala dinner was amazing and I will write in depth about it later if you are fortunate enough(!) to get Africa's premier channel MNET you would have seen me many many times as I was interviewed and had to do bits for them all night.- oh and the pink dress was VERY BRIGHT (puce even) on air. I am so shattered I wasn't going to blog tonight, but you know how I say things are different in Nigeria, not better not worse but different/ well it is a lie!!!". Tonight I dropped onto the stone kitchen floor a whole bottle of soy sauce- it went everywhere. So I get one of the four mops that we now have (each one we've bought, Beatrice, our steward/maid/woman of many parts has not liked) and I duly went to clean it up. The mops are total rubbish!!! different yes but certainly worse. I now know how to make money in Nigeria- import Vileda mops. When we go home at Christmas I am going to buy a ruck of them!
I can't believe I have just spent 10 minutes of my life talking about mops but I now know that Beatrice wasn't fussy- the mops are rubbish but they are the best you can buy.
Stop press - fresh milk has been discontinued in shop rite! is was only a promotion!! life as we know it might end, but I head a rumour that La Pointe imports milk on a Wednesday. Do you see what my life is deteriorating into - talking about mops and milk. The joy of an ex-pat lifestyle!!!!
I can't believe I have just spent 10 minutes of my life talking about mops but I now know that Beatrice wasn't fussy- the mops are rubbish but they are the best you can buy.
Stop press - fresh milk has been discontinued in shop rite! is was only a promotion!! life as we know it might end, but I head a rumour that La Pointe imports milk on a Wednesday. Do you see what my life is deteriorating into - talking about mops and milk. The joy of an ex-pat lifestyle!!!!
Saturday, 8 October 2011
the tailor comes
Well, Joseph turned up finally and my dress is lovely pink and gold very fitted understated - wonderful. But he was then very apologetic, Carl's outfit , he couldn't get the dark material with a subtle hint of gold that Carl had chosen. And here I have to be so careful because I am on my way to the TV studio, and everytime I look at the fabric I dissolve into totally helpless laughter. It is bright and looks like a 1070's curtain pattern and he has to wear it because his dinner suit is still in transit. the storm woke us last night and all I could hear ovr the roar of thunder was I don't want to wear that.
OMG I am crying typing this here is a preview of the material I'll add the official photo later.
Thursday, 6 October 2011
Thursday 6th October
Tensions are high in school over the Anniversary Gala Dinner (1000 guests and all the top artistes etc) and the meetings last for hours!. Tonight (whilst at the hospital with Carl - see later) I had a phone call from Nigerian TV, apparently on Saturday between 10:00am and 12:00 I am appearing on a top Nigerian chat show talking about the school and the anniversary. Of course no-one had told me!!!! I also found out by chance that I am giving the closing vote of thanks and probably the prayers. Still after this weekend we will be able to breathe and I might even get to do the day job ie see children!
So to the hospital. The boot arrived today - only 5 days late but heigh ho that is early by Nigerian postal service standards. They had had the boot for 3 days at the post office but hadn't told us. So now, ladies, I have a pump up pneumatic husband (every girls dream) I pump him up, and I can keep the pressure high as long as I want and then I can release the air and he deflates. Oh bliss. (unfortunately the only pneumatic part is his lower leg but we are working on that)
What else- well the traffic today was the worst ever it took me 1 hour to travel 3 miles but I noticed something that so far I hadn't spotted, the Lagos jail is in Freedom Park! Arbeit macht frei?
I also went to a Nigerian Secondary School prize giving- so much energy, so many huge hats, so bizarre and so, so, so long! But a huge welcome for me, special guest seats and amazingly talented, polite, helpful young people. when you see students like that you start to feel confident for the future of Nigeria- long may their idealism and fervour continue.
As I write this I am panicking Joseph my tailor has not arrived with my ball gown (2 days to go) I phoned him and he said he had had an accident on his ocada (motorbike) and was at the hospital- please God don't let my dress have been on the bike with him. (uncharitable thought I know but he said he wasn't badly injured and I am worried - what will I do if it isn't here?)
So to the hospital. The boot arrived today - only 5 days late but heigh ho that is early by Nigerian postal service standards. They had had the boot for 3 days at the post office but hadn't told us. So now, ladies, I have a pump up pneumatic husband (every girls dream) I pump him up, and I can keep the pressure high as long as I want and then I can release the air and he deflates. Oh bliss. (unfortunately the only pneumatic part is his lower leg but we are working on that)
What else- well the traffic today was the worst ever it took me 1 hour to travel 3 miles but I noticed something that so far I hadn't spotted, the Lagos jail is in Freedom Park! Arbeit macht frei?
I also went to a Nigerian Secondary School prize giving- so much energy, so many huge hats, so bizarre and so, so, so long! But a huge welcome for me, special guest seats and amazingly talented, polite, helpful young people. when you see students like that you start to feel confident for the future of Nigeria- long may their idealism and fervour continue.
As I write this I am panicking Joseph my tailor has not arrived with my ball gown (2 days to go) I phoned him and he said he had had an accident on his ocada (motorbike) and was at the hospital- please God don't let my dress have been on the bike with him. (uncharitable thought I know but he said he wasn't badly injured and I am worried - what will I do if it isn't here?)
Tuesday, 4 October 2011
Nigeria weekend
Friday night we went to the GQ club- a bit colonial, but with an American twist. We paid for everything in dollars and drank margaritas and ate Tex Mex. It was a bit surreal but good fun and met some really nice folks- and I won the raffle - so nothing else really matters!!!
For those of you who know me well, I have been described as a little bit competitive!. I have started walking with an American friend Clay, he has a great circuit of 3.5 miles and it is all level and very pretty to walk. He said after the first time we had walked, that we had shaved 30 seconds a mile off his best time. That was it it was like a red rag to a bull because the next night I had to set us a better target, make sure that we were warmed up and walking before we started the timer and really push on!
Perhaps not the enjoyable walking Clay had foreseen but it was the timer that did it.!!! I know it is a not so nice side to my character but I am only competing against myself really!
As we walked, there were flashes of red and I finally realised that they were bright red land crabs about the size of your hand diving into their burrows- if only we hadn't been walking against the timer I would have stopped to look at them...
On Saturday it rained, and rained and rained and rained- and then it decided to send some thunder and lightening. But on Sunday- the day of the huge "School Invasion Concert" on my school field dawned amazingly hot and sunny. The concert had all the big names of the Nigerian music scene and it was a fabulous day. All the kids and parents enjoyed themselves, there was no trouble, no bad language and lots of fun, only one tragedy, the school rabbit has disappeared. I charitably hope that someone left the door to her run open, but Carl thinks one of the many many people who were attached to bands, security, lighting etc had her!
Monday was a holiday, but unfortunately we couldn't go anywhere because of old peg leg! it is becoming a real pain. I know if it was me I would have gone completely barmy by now but Carl is very stoic and puts up with the inconvenience much better than I ever could. The thought of being trapped in the apartment for weeks sends a shiver down my spine. I was once trapped in a traffic jam with our best friend Peter for three hours, he still shudders when he remembers how bored and pesky I got! I managed to strike up a conversation with a lorry driver stuck in the lane next to us and went to see his microwave and cab areas, 3 hours with nothing to do or read nearly finished me and Pete will never travel with me without an anti-boredom kit again.. I don't do patience and boredom.- Lucky I am in Nigeria because that is not something you experience here!. School is an amazing place , but quiet and peaceful? I don't think so.
Seriously though, we are compiling a list of all the places we will go- we had to cancel the camping to Omo to see the elephants, but there will be plenty of time to see the country when his leg finally heals. If it was up to all the Nigerian people we have met, and the amount of prayers that have been said for Carl, he would be running a marathon next week, but as we all know, we can't foresee what is in store for us.
For those of you who know me well, I have been described as a little bit competitive!. I have started walking with an American friend Clay, he has a great circuit of 3.5 miles and it is all level and very pretty to walk. He said after the first time we had walked, that we had shaved 30 seconds a mile off his best time. That was it it was like a red rag to a bull because the next night I had to set us a better target, make sure that we were warmed up and walking before we started the timer and really push on!
Perhaps not the enjoyable walking Clay had foreseen but it was the timer that did it.!!! I know it is a not so nice side to my character but I am only competing against myself really!
As we walked, there were flashes of red and I finally realised that they were bright red land crabs about the size of your hand diving into their burrows- if only we hadn't been walking against the timer I would have stopped to look at them...
On Saturday it rained, and rained and rained and rained- and then it decided to send some thunder and lightening. But on Sunday- the day of the huge "School Invasion Concert" on my school field dawned amazingly hot and sunny. The concert had all the big names of the Nigerian music scene and it was a fabulous day. All the kids and parents enjoyed themselves, there was no trouble, no bad language and lots of fun, only one tragedy, the school rabbit has disappeared. I charitably hope that someone left the door to her run open, but Carl thinks one of the many many people who were attached to bands, security, lighting etc had her!
Monday was a holiday, but unfortunately we couldn't go anywhere because of old peg leg! it is becoming a real pain. I know if it was me I would have gone completely barmy by now but Carl is very stoic and puts up with the inconvenience much better than I ever could. The thought of being trapped in the apartment for weeks sends a shiver down my spine. I was once trapped in a traffic jam with our best friend Peter for three hours, he still shudders when he remembers how bored and pesky I got! I managed to strike up a conversation with a lorry driver stuck in the lane next to us and went to see his microwave and cab areas, 3 hours with nothing to do or read nearly finished me and Pete will never travel with me without an anti-boredom kit again.. I don't do patience and boredom.- Lucky I am in Nigeria because that is not something you experience here!. School is an amazing place , but quiet and peaceful? I don't think so.
Seriously though, we are compiling a list of all the places we will go- we had to cancel the camping to Omo to see the elephants, but there will be plenty of time to see the country when his leg finally heals. If it was up to all the Nigerian people we have met, and the amount of prayers that have been said for Carl, he would be running a marathon next week, but as we all know, we can't foresee what is in store for us.
Saturday, 1 October 2011
Nigeria Day
It was amazing!!! the singing and dancing of the children was really special. Carl came and enjoyed it (as much as he has ever enjoyed any school do- but I took his crutches so he was trapped). The food was truly special. So much and such a variety from Biltong to pounded yam from sugar doughnuts to snails in some sort of green sauce which I have to say was truly the nastiest thing I have ever tasted! BUT I tried it (and discreetly spat it straight out) The beef stew and the rice were to die for. But I was amazed at the kids they didn't go for the doughnuts and cakes they went for the Jollof rice (very spicy) beef, chicken and other meaty looking things floating in red spicy sauce.
We also had a professional dance group with drums and dancers who put on a show that you would have been very willing to pay a lot of money to see anywhere. The only down side was I was in my full Nigerian costume and got quite badly sunburnt on my back.
It was a fabulous day and yes I did cry when the children sang and as always I was touched by the welcome and comments parents made. Later that afternoon, Carl and myself were talking to some parents and Governing Body members and we suddenly realised that we feel at home here.
Unfortunately I can't put any photos of the day on because my camera lead is in the sea freight and I can't download them yet!!!
There are so many negatives that you can focus on about living in Nigeria, the violence is awful three horrendous robbing incidents to staff in a week, but the positives are so many. If you wanted to you could be down all the time, OK shopping is a challenge but I don't waste any food now- not like at home, if a tomato looks like it is going a bit soft, it is cooked and frozen ready to make something So this week there has been no milk- but next week I'll buy 6 litres and freeze it!. Smoked haddock is N11,000 a kilo (£45.00 a kilo!!!!!) but beer is less than 50p a litre. You can't get caster sugar so I use raw cane sugar and my mint and lettuces are growing well.
Tomorrow is the school concert, 300 children 8 food marquees, a marquee that hold 2500 and 2 massive Video Screens, we all have security passes, backstage passes and secure parking-the bank is sending a full armoured van to collect the money and we have innumerable guards to keep the concert goers safe- I'll let you know what it is like.
We also had a professional dance group with drums and dancers who put on a show that you would have been very willing to pay a lot of money to see anywhere. The only down side was I was in my full Nigerian costume and got quite badly sunburnt on my back.
It was a fabulous day and yes I did cry when the children sang and as always I was touched by the welcome and comments parents made. Later that afternoon, Carl and myself were talking to some parents and Governing Body members and we suddenly realised that we feel at home here.
There are so many negatives that you can focus on about living in Nigeria, the violence is awful three horrendous robbing incidents to staff in a week, but the positives are so many. If you wanted to you could be down all the time, OK shopping is a challenge but I don't waste any food now- not like at home, if a tomato looks like it is going a bit soft, it is cooked and frozen ready to make something So this week there has been no milk- but next week I'll buy 6 litres and freeze it!. Smoked haddock is N11,000 a kilo (£45.00 a kilo!!!!!) but beer is less than 50p a litre. You can't get caster sugar so I use raw cane sugar and my mint and lettuces are growing well.
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| It rained this morning, this is what I drove through |
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