Another morning in Africa!

I struggle with what to write in this blog this time around...technology is not so easy to come by, which is my excuse for not writing more often, but so much happens that is just not understood that I find it difficult to explain!

Rainy season here is dragging on, but I have already seen the difference and this morning the sun is shining! It’s getting hotter every day, and soon, the rain will stop, and not start again until April. Right now, there is mould everywhere and everything goes bad fast, but soon, it’ll be bone dry! The heat is more than tolerable, but air conditioners are everywhere...the problem is that they mostly don’t work, and that we only have power for a few hours each day! We have a generator on the compound and one at school, so I don’t notice it much, but the generator broke this morning and so I can’t boil water for coffee...so today I’m noticing!

The other excitement...well, the power company went on strike for 2 and a half days, which meant no water and no power unless you live on a compound like mine and have a borehole and a generator! At school though, there was no running water! It all seems rather normal now!

Yesterday there was an election, and so a state-wide curfew was imposed and we couldn’t leave the house until 5pm! Between that, the rains and the fact that there’s not much to do here, I spend a lot of time laying in bed, dozing until 2pm!!! It’s a slower way of life, and though it may sound like we are lacking for a lot, I don’t miss much (except coffee!). I have a lot of friends, and I’m out every night. School is busy and the kids are wild! I’m getting to know the whose who of Calabar! I like it!

Today I am learning to use the washing machine! Because the power goes out so often, we have an old school washer that gets the job done, but is a lot of work on my part! The power is back on, so I can get a bit done and have a coffee. Then I’ll get some planning done for this week and we go to the pool on Sunday afternoons, so I’ll get my fix of swim and sun, maybe a hike before that...it’s all good!

If you are trying to reach me, facebook rarely works here, so email me....if you email me, I’ll email back! Peace!

Greetings from Africa!!!

Calabar, Nigeria....in case I didn't tell you before I left!

I know, I’m the worst blogger ever....but in my own defence, I only got internet connection yesterday!!!! I feel as though I should have written and saved all of this to post when I finally got it, but then you would be reading for days on end! Even now, I don’t know where to start!

The trip over was fine, quicker than expected, because, as all things here that run on “africa time”, the connecting flight that I couldn’t possibly make, was available! I’ve been here for a week and half and I feel like I know it all! The new Canadian teacher arrived today, and I took her out and showed her everything...I’m a pro already! I’m even getting used to the lack of water and power...

What to tell...well, there are far fewer guns than I expected...not saying that they are not a part of my daily life, but they are not as prominent as other places I’ve been. My securing guard has an AK-47, which is comforting, and I have a dog, which is even more comforting, cause guards tend to sleep, but my dog does not!!!! I feel completely safe being out in the daytime, and in my compound at night. My house is great, I share with the only other young expat and we have two bedrooms with king size beds, three bathrooms, a living and dinning room and kitchen...and a cleaner, who also does all of the ironing! I have literally not lifted a single thing since leaving Canada...my security guard even carried my market purchases the ten feet from the van to my house! My roomate has lived here for a few years and so knows the important people, and so now, so do I! Being one of the few white chicks makes me memorable!!!

School is ridiculous, my kids are awesome, and at the same time make me crazy! It’s a busy, and oftentimes incredibly frustrating day that usually drives me to drink, but that’s part of the life here! I’ll leave it at that!

At home, well, we have a generator, so I have power from 4pm till 1am, and again from 4am till 7am, with an extra 5 hours on weekends. We have a borehole, so I have running water every day, which is better than anywhere else (cause life is so much more tolerable after a shower and brushing your teeth!). The internet is not great, particularly in rainy season, which is now, so if I don’t answer you don’t be offended! Life here is slower...things that would drive me crazy at home, don’t seem to matter here...when the power goes out, I sit outside and talk to my guards, or the other expat teachers, or read, or veg...there are good days and bad (this is a bad day!) but it’s an adventure...we’ll see how it goes after two years!!!!

I’ll try to write more regularly to tell you of the stupid shit that happens here...I’m sure it’s far more entertaining for me than you, but I’ll post it anyway, cause what else do I have to do!!!!!!! My facebook is not great here, so email me if you actually expect me to respond to anything...and even then, if could take a few days! Will post again this weekend, and will be on skype on sunday, cause everyone here is in church all day, so the email not only works, but it works fast!!!! Get skype, call me, email me....entertain me in Nigeria!!!! Peace!