The great indoors...

I am sharing my library with a wonderful variety of little creatures at the mo. The library has been unoccupied for a while now so the little mites have taken up residence. Saw my first cockroach this morning in the hall (was a little nippy outside so hopefully that was just a once-off). Also have centipedes, spiders, black ants and gekkos (or black ant hoovers as I like to think of them!). Fortunately the eviction notices are being sent out as I speak and I hope to be rid of my neighbours before we open (except maybe the gekkos who are very entertaining creatures!)

Jekyl and Hyde...

The Nigerian pace of life continues to fascinate me - there seems to be some sort of transformational power in the average set of car keys. Cos the very relaxed and easy-going pedestrians of Nigeria have a such a different attitude on the road. The smell of petrol seems to make everyone realise just how much of a hurry they are in. So its crazy roads and mellow paths - two parallel worlds running side by side!

Minna CERC...

This is Minna Community Education Resource Centre! The building to the left is the administration block and the library is at the back of that. The building straight in front houses the Introductory Technology workshop and the Integrated Science lab. The other labs are in the building to the right - physics, chemistry and biology. The home economics lab is right at the back, along with the clinic, and there is a function hall out of shot. So as you can see we have plenty of room! And its lovely and green even though we are in the middle of town. Will have some indoor shots soon.

Hotel entertainment...

The air conditioning in my hotel is pretty basic but it has the unexpected bonus of adding a strange sensory dimension to my evenings! The circulating air hints at what my neighbours are up to - either bad (stale ciggies) or good (peeling oranges). Its still only a close second to my last hotel though - there I had a room behind the kitchen and before dinner the chef often kept me entertained with his enthusiastic singing. It was less fun before breakfast!

The most famous Irishman...

I know the news reported at home about Nigeria's political situation isnt always very positive. But the funny thing is that the perspective of Ireland, from over here, isnt much better. Media coverage of Ireland just seems to have been about the violence for a long time. One of the most depressing things I've found since I got here is that Gerry Adams is by far the most famous Irishman in these parts. When people are trying to figure me out they seem to do so by asking whether I'm from Dublin or Belfast (just as well most people havent heard of Limerick then!)

The light going out...

The electricity (NEPA) in Nigeria is pretty tempermental - known locally as 'Never Expect Power Always'. It usually goes out 2 or 3 times a day. It's amazing how quickly you can adapt what you're doing when the light goes - reading by torchlight, eating by candlelight, speedily ironing before the iron gets cold! You normally either quit what you are doing or muddle on in the dark...
But I think I found the proverbial exception yesterday morning - while shaving my legs! It is very very hard to continue shaving your legs in the darkness, and a whole lot harder to leave them half done! You live and learn...

Stopping the traffic...

Friday is a short work day here because the majority of staff go to the Mosque for prayers at 2. I was heading home at this time last week when I encountered another uniquely-Muslim experience. The traffic stopped. People abandoned their cars in the middle of the road and got out to worship. Its such a different kind of devotion.
Its one of the many things I was told about before I came to Nigeria, but didnt really believe until I saw it...

My luxury item...

I finally got hold of some conditioner last weekend - Irish hair was just not designed with the African sun in mind! It cost a day's wages but was worth it. I haven't been very kind to my mullet since I arrived - one of my favourite parts of the day is having my hair blow-dried, ala Minna morning breeze, on the okada each day. It's a lovely and refreshing start to the day and if I'm going to get any tan at all it's likely to be wind burn... like many a summer in Spanish Point!

Slowing down...

One of the most difficult things to adjust to here in Nigeria is the pace of life. Everything is just sooooo sloooooow. Which does make alot of sense in this heat, but there's something genetically speedy about me and people frequently wonder what my rush is. I left a colleague waiting yesterday and I was rushing because I didn't want to keep him too long. But on my return he said I "run like a soldier"! The concept of rushing about just doesn't make sense to people over here. I have alot to learn from this country!

Nigerian music...

I heard my first live music this weekend which was a real treat! On Friday night we went to an open-air venue in Abuja, with music all night. It started out with some easy listening - 80s music is alive and well here in Nigeria. For any of you wondering what happened to Phil Collins and Michael Bolton - they're over here (or at least their music is)! The Sensationalists were a great live band though - they started out with some soul classics and introduced more and more contemporary African music as the night went on. All this was complimented by the very Nigerian dancing - "bottom shaking" as an artform! On Saturday night we went to see a dance-drama in the Nike Art Centre (nothing to do with the shoes...) "The Sword" was a very heartfelt show with a strong anti-violence theme. The dancing was energetic and tribal, and the traditional drums were amazing. A very entertaining weekend!

Bush taxis...

I am in Abuja this weekend for a HIV & AIDS workshop organised by VSO. I should get to meet all the VSOs in Northern and Central Nigeria which is really nice!
I had my first proper bush taxi experience to get here today. Inter-city public transport in Nigeria is largely by shared taxi - each taxi carries 8 or 9 people: 1 or 2 in the front seat, 4 in the middle and 3 in the back. On my last journey to & from Abuja I snagged the front seat which is pure luxury! Today I had a window seat in the back which is not! But the journey from Minna is only 2 hours so I am luckier than most...

Nigerian bureaucracy 101...

I got my first taste of Nigerian bureaucracy yesterday when I went to open a bank account. VSO had me well prepped so I had everything I needed (phew!), and I got fast-tracked via the manager's office (I'm shameless), and it still took 2 hours! Can't complain though cos everyone was very nice.
It's a bit hypocritical to say this, as I skipped the queue, but the Nigerians really don't have the same compulsion for queuing as the Irish! Waiting for service seems to be a collective and robust experience which involves laughing with your neighbours and elbowing them out of the way in turns!
Oh, and finally, I've figured out the only thing scarier than taking okada rides - and that's taking okada rides in a skirt! It seems my "clinging on for dear life" inclination can be surpassed only by my "ohmigod my knees are showing" inclination! Life is certainly never dull here in Nigeria!

Another first...

Today I attended my first mass in Minna - it will be good to be part of another community in Minna and get to know more of the locals. However, I realised it was going to be very different from home when I arrived for 10am mass and 8am mass was still on! Clearly running on Nigerian time (which is largely based on estimations rather than any actual correlation to the clock...)
The women dress so beautifully for mass and I realised that I was the only one without her head covered (something I was warned about & promptly forgot!) The people appear to sit according to gender with the women and children on one side of the church and the men on the other side. I found myself on the correct side by accident and was growing curious about the lack of church-going males before I started to look around properly!
Mass was a little over 2 hours long, with the sermon taking half that time. The sermon was funny, interactive & long! All-in-all another positive first experience!

After Sallah...

Yip, that's the correct spelling of Sallah - don't ever say I don't teach ye anything! Yesterday, we visited the Emir of Minna's Palace, as is traditional for Sallah. The kings of Niger come to pay homage to the Emir and there is a procession, on horses, of the kings and their followers to the palace. Then they accompany the Emir as he visits the local dignitaries - all very colourful and beautiful.
The most amazing & colourful outfits have emerged over the past 2 days - the people dress so beautifully for the celebration. In December, the 'big' Sallah is celebrated - and myself and my camera will be ready!

Barkada Saleh...

Not too sure about my Hausa spelling - but the sentiment is there. Today is Saleh, the end of Ramadan. My many Muslim colleagues have been fasting, and today they celebrate! I guess it's a little like Easter without the chocolate! I have been visiting and tasting some traditional food & drink, including Sobu a very nice fruit drink from the locality. It's a good time to be here!

Hotel life...

My accommodation saga continues! Seems like I will be living in a hotel for some time yet. It's not a major trauma, it just makes it a bit harder to settle in properly. I've gone all domestic and I want to cook & wash for myself!! After hauling several boxes of oxo cubes across the world, it would be a shame to let them go off...