Let`s talk about hair...yes I`m a woman...Oh how I miss the joy of a hair cut!Back in Kenya I adorned a hair cut and knowing maintaining short hair was a challenge......it was no bother with my designated hair dresser Sam.....Sam always made sure the tonged hair remained the same throughout the week...
Then come to Naija oh!Weather cannot permit African hair to stay ok,,It frizzles out under the hot humid weather leaving one to wonder if you have a hair stylist at all......!So pls world..do not blame the Nigerian women for wearing weaves........trust me...better than sporting kinky looking hair....
So far..I have opted not to go for weaves..those things are hot and considering at some point if you scratch your head they tend to shift angles (lol!)..no..no..no...PICK AND DROP it is!..It is braided hair but only braided to a certain length then let lose...you can curl it,twist it,leave it free,braid it yeah...all that and more....The thing is the braids are made in such a way your head looks so big......once when I went back home somebody said my hair "looks Nigerian"..I understand and I have no choices...And the girls who make you hair?Pls.....was easy to get to a certain stall in KMat and get your braids done in 3hrs!Yes that painful experience of 5hands pulling your head in all directions....now I opt for home service...(read these girls can exploit you!)..you pay 5000 Naira...the girl does the hair on her own and it takes minimum 6hrs!Oh I would rather a quick painful 3hrs than 6hrs of trying to watch TV,listen to my ipod and get hair done..it is such a waste of a Sunday...and worse still...the girl who makes my hair disappeared for a while....so I was jumping from one girl to the other and hmmmmm...they all have their own dramas...Ok Gloria is back!Apparently she went to Abuja?I wonder why?3months...anyway..no wahala...we thenk God!My hair gon be nice nice now....
Ok Nigerian musician I`m trying to listen to....TIMAYA ......all this music sounds the same.......but it helps understand dat de pidgin English.....going to try Fela Kuti`s shrine in the mainland...though I understand the main drink is "ALOMO BITTERS" ...he..he now that will be an experience...
Look out for next post on my experiences with a house painter,curtain guy ,electrician,plumber,and carpenter........I truly appreciate the service and jua kali sector back home now more than ever!
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Six months and counting in Naija.........gotta live with it and live it up!...As I said....to live in Naija..you need a great sense of humour....
So how far now?There goes my English...two people have told me that my English is becoming "Nigerian"...I will have to go for refresher courses in English after my assignment.......hold on...two years down the lane not sure this will be reversible...but lets cross that bridge when we get there....
The weekends in Nigeria are nothing to look forward to...there is only so much to do during the day so it is better to try have a long night in a club,party or with friends and spend your daytime sleeping...or for me Saturday market go to the market and buy some groceries...what!The mamas at the market hustle you to buy their stuff you hate going out there as they shout "my sisto buy for me now...."...and amazingly the prices of perishables differ every time you visit de market so you learn to bargain...thank God for the Kyuk in me.....and these mamas have weighing scales for locals and for expats...nini hii?being snookered left right centre.....
So de President died and this being Nigeria...holiday!I was expecting it to be 7days of mourning but....ok I understand he was way dead before he came back....and he was muslim......so public holiday declared early in the morning and all and sundry were busy turning their vehicles around to go back home and enjoy another free day...Is this country serious?If holidays fall on Saturdays..they are moved to Monday..unlike Kenya where that cannot happen.....and there is a holiday every now and then...which makes me question the work ethic of NAIJA...anyway.......moving on....
Right..I fired my driver....?crazy man.......sleep all de time.....missing work and hmmm driving under the influence...I was nice and tolerant for a while....the learning is if you are too good to some de locals.....dey gon take advantage of you now......yes to the point they shout at you........?By the time I fired him...I was weak for bodi from the nonsense he decided to show me...leave me in the middle of the road etc?Hallo....who behaves like this on their job?
And I have now been driving myself around de Island.....I had no idea having a driver is soooooo intrusive...I mean they drive you to the market..to the party......to visit friends.....its like having a bff....no....better to learn to drive on your own over weekends........and leave them to drive you to work.it`s easy anyway just it is LHD and you have to negotiate the road in a sea of "okadas"
So ever tried to use a credit card in Naija..........hmmmmm happened to me in Southern Sun...and shock on me...guy asked for my password....eeeehh?I was horified because if they don`t know what to do with a cc...how do they run it...moral of the story..always carry cash...which reminds me......cash in Nigeria is a bit tacky to carry around...value is half that of Kenya....mmm yeah and so the notes come in huge bundles.....oh yeah and they smell depending on the handler .."read krokah fish"......so forget carrying cash in your Loius Vuitton purse.......nah.........paper bag baby or biiig hand bag!
And bye Wagaki..you said it takes 2years to get used to Naija..I have a long way to go..Im sure by then.....I will be writing more positive things about the place...I`m sure I will......(trying to convince myself lol!)
BTW:The locals esp n my office very helpful,supportive,cheerful and always have energy.......Nigerians truly demonstrate their passion which is one positive thing I will take away from here..they are not afraid to blow their trumpet....and is why they find themselves in all sorts of places in the world up there if they are good at what they do.........Kenyans should show what they can do more often!We are smart,professional and hardworking..but people don`t get to know this as we are so reserved..we are afraid people will say we are bragging!If it is good......flaunt it!
Haha..I`m watching that silly "Alomo bitters" TV ad in middle of world cup match..Lord so much free entertainment here.....oh another one on air..that "Devon soap" ad...love at first bath!he..he..he
And to all the pips making my stay in Nigeria manageable........merci!you know yourselves.....
BTW:I`m not talking work........its rough..leave office at 9pm everyday.......story for another day..just get used to my Nigerian written accent.......nice nice!
So how far now?There goes my English...two people have told me that my English is becoming "Nigerian"...I will have to go for refresher courses in English after my assignment.......hold on...two years down the lane not sure this will be reversible...but lets cross that bridge when we get there....
The weekends in Nigeria are nothing to look forward to...there is only so much to do during the day so it is better to try have a long night in a club,party or with friends and spend your daytime sleeping...or for me Saturday market go to the market and buy some groceries...what!The mamas at the market hustle you to buy their stuff you hate going out there as they shout "my sisto buy for me now...."...and amazingly the prices of perishables differ every time you visit de market so you learn to bargain...thank God for the Kyuk in me.....and these mamas have weighing scales for locals and for expats...nini hii?being snookered left right centre.....
So de President died and this being Nigeria...holiday!I was expecting it to be 7days of mourning but....ok I understand he was way dead before he came back....and he was muslim......so public holiday declared early in the morning and all and sundry were busy turning their vehicles around to go back home and enjoy another free day...Is this country serious?If holidays fall on Saturdays..they are moved to Monday..unlike Kenya where that cannot happen.....and there is a holiday every now and then...which makes me question the work ethic of NAIJA...anyway.......moving on....
Right..I fired my driver....?crazy man.......sleep all de time.....missing work and hmmm driving under the influence...I was nice and tolerant for a while....the learning is if you are too good to some de locals.....dey gon take advantage of you now......yes to the point they shout at you........?By the time I fired him...I was weak for bodi from the nonsense he decided to show me...leave me in the middle of the road etc?Hallo....who behaves like this on their job?
And I have now been driving myself around de Island.....I had no idea having a driver is soooooo intrusive...I mean they drive you to the market..to the party......to visit friends.....its like having a bff....no....better to learn to drive on your own over weekends........and leave them to drive you to work.it`s easy anyway just it is LHD and you have to negotiate the road in a sea of "okadas"
So ever tried to use a credit card in Naija..........hmmmmm happened to me in Southern Sun...and shock on me...guy asked for my password....eeeehh?I was horified because if they don`t know what to do with a cc...how do they run it...moral of the story..always carry cash...which reminds me......cash in Nigeria is a bit tacky to carry around...value is half that of Kenya....mmm yeah and so the notes come in huge bundles.....oh yeah and they smell depending on the handler .."read krokah fish"......so forget carrying cash in your Loius Vuitton purse.......nah.........paper bag baby or biiig hand bag!
And bye Wagaki..you said it takes 2years to get used to Naija..I have a long way to go..Im sure by then.....I will be writing more positive things about the place...I`m sure I will......(trying to convince myself lol!)
BTW:The locals esp n my office very helpful,supportive,cheerful and always have energy.......Nigerians truly demonstrate their passion which is one positive thing I will take away from here..they are not afraid to blow their trumpet....and is why they find themselves in all sorts of places in the world up there if they are good at what they do.........Kenyans should show what they can do more often!We are smart,professional and hardworking..but people don`t get to know this as we are so reserved..we are afraid people will say we are bragging!If it is good......flaunt it!
Haha..I`m watching that silly "Alomo bitters" TV ad in middle of world cup match..Lord so much free entertainment here.....oh another one on air..that "Devon soap" ad...love at first bath!he..he..he
And to all the pips making my stay in Nigeria manageable........merci!you know yourselves.....
BTW:I`m not talking work........its rough..leave office at 9pm everyday.......story for another day..just get used to my Nigerian written accent.......nice nice!
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