...charity!!! This is a Facebook group I'm part of. We basically visit charity homes in Naija as often as we can to help out in any way we can and we have so much fun!!! Our first visit was to SO-SAID, Society for the Safety of the Insane and Destitute. We recently visited Hearts of Gold Children's Hospice. Check out pics following this link ! Yeah and join us!
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Thursday, August 13, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Underconstruction
Nigeria is UNDERCONSTRUCTION! Everywhere you go, it's buildings, buildings, buildings, underconstruction. It's exciting cos it means Nigeria is progressing. Lagos for example is undergoing some major changes! It has a long way to go though. For those of you who have been away for a while, you'll be amazed at how much has changed and what they are doing. Take Lekki for example. They are now building a toll gate cos the traffic from beyond Lekki to VI is MADD! When you have only one road leading to Ajah, a suburb, if you will, you can imagine the traffic (although there is a back road, that can turn into an adventure and if you don't own an SUV, don't even try it). Anyways, this toll gate is supposed to help the traffic situation.
Housing in Lagos is also developing. All kinds of residential apartment complexes springing up. Their prices are pretty high but when you consider the amenities that come with some of them, it's usually worth it in the end. The nicer apartments with all amenities included are called "service flats." Basically means you have constant electricity (if PHCN takes the light, a generator is turned on almost immediately, I think day or night), water, etc., etc. It's cool stuff. Most of them are paid for in dollars though!
You know, as much as I complain about Nigeria, I am realizing that it is a young country that needs time to grow and develop. I guess when you've lived somewhere else where pretty much everything works, you can't help but get frustrated in an environment like this. It's all good :)
Housing in Lagos is also developing. All kinds of residential apartment complexes springing up. Their prices are pretty high but when you consider the amenities that come with some of them, it's usually worth it in the end. The nicer apartments with all amenities included are called "service flats." Basically means you have constant electricity (if PHCN takes the light, a generator is turned on almost immediately, I think day or night), water, etc., etc. It's cool stuff. Most of them are paid for in dollars though!
You know, as much as I complain about Nigeria, I am realizing that it is a young country that needs time to grow and develop. I guess when you've lived somewhere else where pretty much everything works, you can't help but get frustrated in an environment like this. It's all good :)
Thursday, June 4, 2009
The Land is Green!
The Land is very green in Naija o! Talk about abundant business opportunities. If you can think of the business opportunity, you can most likely do it successfully with the right plan and capital. Forget all those yankee runs for now o! This is the land of opportunity! Everyday when you look around, you see so many ways to improve or introduce products and services here. It's quite amazing and because this IS a developing country, now is a good time to be part of that development. There is an emerging middle-class. People want more, and can afford more things. Essentially, there is more money in more people's hands to be spent so if you're thinking about doing business in Naija right now, you are right on!!
Price Tags and Pricing
Ok, so, I love the fact that when I go to a store and I see a price tag of N500, that's exactly what I pay! Lol. Not like in Chicago where you think it's 9.99 (I love how they use the .99 to lure you. Lol. Although a grocery store here does that too!) and then you get to the counter and the price goes up cos of tax. Some stores say that VAT is included. I just like that feeling jare so I know exactly how much I'm paying.
Man, when I first starting taking cabs here it was quite hilarious in hindsight. I could not price o! (i.e. I couldn't negotiate/haggle the price well). They would say N2,000 and I'd be like N1,800. Lol. Well, I guess it was partly cos I didn't know what a good price was to pay for the distance. I tell you though, in these parts, you learn fast o! Now, They say N2,000, and I'd say like N1,000 or even N800!! LOL! JJC no more!
Man, when I first starting taking cabs here it was quite hilarious in hindsight. I could not price o! (i.e. I couldn't negotiate/haggle the price well). They would say N2,000 and I'd be like N1,800. Lol. Well, I guess it was partly cos I didn't know what a good price was to pay for the distance. I tell you though, in these parts, you learn fast o! Now, They say N2,000, and I'd say like N1,000 or even N800!! LOL! JJC no more!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Electricity and Cell Phone Service
I can't understand how I left this country almost a decade ago, came back, and we are still have electricity issues! I guess a lot doesn't always happen in a long time. It's mind bloggling. This past weekend, NEPA, or should I say Power Holdings Company of Nigeria (LOL, how appropriate), only gave us light for about 2 hours!! I know! Crazy! Sometimes people leave their generators running for days. It just doesn't make sense. Like someone said, in this country, you are your own Local Government i.e. you pretty much supply your own electricity, water, etc. Even if you have a generator, you still don't want them to "take the light", as we say, cos it's just stressful. You have to buy gas or diesel to power the generator and the sound produced by the generators is unpleasant especially when they run all night. Oh and they contribute to the pollution. Ah, Nigeria!
Man, I miss my contract cell phone service! T-Mobile! Where art thou! Ok, so, you can get a contract phone here but it's pretty expensive. The way cell phones work here is you purchase a sim card and then you "buy credit" as necessary. Once your credit expires, you can't make any phone calls!! Now, that's pretty scary! I know I used to complain about the 40 cents per minute that T-Mobile used to charge once you've exhausted your minutes for the month but man! what I would do to have that kind of security. Think about it now, if you run out of credit and need to make an urgent phone call, you can't! That's why you always have to have "emergency credit" in your wallet. Also, sometimes, if the "network is bad", you might not be able to "load" your credit. Geez louise! Now I understand why people have two or more phones! I used to think it was funny but it's quite necessary!
Man, I miss my contract cell phone service! T-Mobile! Where art thou! Ok, so, you can get a contract phone here but it's pretty expensive. The way cell phones work here is you purchase a sim card and then you "buy credit" as necessary. Once your credit expires, you can't make any phone calls!! Now, that's pretty scary! I know I used to complain about the 40 cents per minute that T-Mobile used to charge once you've exhausted your minutes for the month but man! what I would do to have that kind of security. Think about it now, if you run out of credit and need to make an urgent phone call, you can't! That's why you always have to have "emergency credit" in your wallet. Also, sometimes, if the "network is bad", you might not be able to "load" your credit. Geez louise! Now I understand why people have two or more phones! I used to think it was funny but it's quite necessary!
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Holy Child College
I visited my high school for the first time in over a decade yesterday! Wow, has it changed for the better or what! First of all, the missionaries have taken over! You ask what that means, well, it means that the quality of education is probably better, the facilities have been and are being upgraded, etc.
When I walked in, I was shocked. It was quiet and the students were there. Lol. The roads were paved!!! It was clean. They now have a boarding school, which, back then we thought they never would. It now has junior and senior secondary schools. The uniform has chnaged, as in, if you're in the junior school, you wear a pinafore and if you're in the senior school, you don't. Pretty straight forward. Oh, yeah, the cap is still the same though. LOL. You have to see it to know why I'm laughing. Anyways, it was great to be back there, the place where a lot of things happened in shaping who I am today.
When I walked in, I was shocked. It was quiet and the students were there. Lol. The roads were paved!!! It was clean. They now have a boarding school, which, back then we thought they never would. It now has junior and senior secondary schools. The uniform has chnaged, as in, if you're in the junior school, you wear a pinafore and if you're in the senior school, you don't. Pretty straight forward. Oh, yeah, the cap is still the same though. LOL. You have to see it to know why I'm laughing. Anyways, it was great to be back there, the place where a lot of things happened in shaping who I am today.
I'm Back!!!!!!!
Oh yeah!! I'm back and boy do I have a lot to say! Nigeria is crazy y'all. What?? Anyways, I know I was away from my blog for a while but I figured I have to get back otherwise I'll just keep making excuses about why I haven't blogged in a while.
Geez, where do I start? A lot has been going on to say the least. I was reading my blog the other day and I was like wow! what a JJC I was a few months ago! LOL! I can say I have adjusted to Nigeria but man, there are still some things I don't get. Ah, customer service? Non-existent! Driving situation, crazy as ever, actually, it's really the traffic that's MADD!! The air? LOL. Still different as in P-O-L-L-U-T-E-D. I was in a cab the other day and I had to video tape the fumes coming out of the truck in front of the cab (will try to upload it). It was insane and to think people have to inhale that everyday! Mad! Something needs to be done about that. I might have to write a petition or something to ban cars that emit a ridiculous amount of fumes. You should see how much fumes one small okada (motorcycle) emits all by itself. It's actually quite funny.
In Nigeria enh, you have to find a way around all the madness. Join a club of some sort or something (I've been salsaing by the way! So much fun!) otherwise you could lose it.
I'm so excited to be back to blogging!
Alrightie, Later :)
Geez, where do I start? A lot has been going on to say the least. I was reading my blog the other day and I was like wow! what a JJC I was a few months ago! LOL! I can say I have adjusted to Nigeria but man, there are still some things I don't get. Ah, customer service? Non-existent! Driving situation, crazy as ever, actually, it's really the traffic that's MADD!! The air? LOL. Still different as in P-O-L-L-U-T-E-D. I was in a cab the other day and I had to video tape the fumes coming out of the truck in front of the cab (will try to upload it). It was insane and to think people have to inhale that everyday! Mad! Something needs to be done about that. I might have to write a petition or something to ban cars that emit a ridiculous amount of fumes. You should see how much fumes one small okada (motorcycle) emits all by itself. It's actually quite funny.
In Nigeria enh, you have to find a way around all the madness. Join a club of some sort or something (I've been salsaing by the way! So much fun!) otherwise you could lose it.
I'm so excited to be back to blogging!
Alrightie, Later :)
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