The Journey

So here starts my blog about life and medical ministry in Nigeria.

As I write this I'll try to include as many interesting facts and stories, cultural oddities and differences as I can, especially before I become accustomed to them and adopt the many crazy things the locals do that at present I find hilarious! If you have any suggestions for blog topics and particular things you want to hear about don't hesitate to comment and suggest something.

Well I guess the first place to start is the beginning.

The Journey:

The night before I left NZ I was at my Dad's place looking at a globe with my brother. I put my finger on NZ and then another one on Nigeria, there was no other country that was further away, it was true...I was literally going to the other side of the world. With that in mind, I knew that my flight path was a long one and I'd mentally prepared in advance. My total travel time was to be 39 hours, 28 hours of which was actual flying time. So as I embarked the plane in wellington en route to Auckland I was defiantly apprehensive of what the next 2 days held.

I've never been a good sleeper at the best of times. My family will attest to this (I'm sure they recall black-out curtains during high school years) as will my most recent flatmates (who patiently accommodated my requests to turn down the TV and tip toe around while I am trying to sleep during the day after night shifts). So needless to say, it did not bode well for me trying to sleep on the plane. With a total of 3 hours sleep under my belt once reaching Africa, I was feeling jaded to say the least. Plus, who can resist the temptation to watch just 'one more' movie before trying to rest (I managed 6, and some TV series when my attention span was waning), and then there's the chance that I'd miss a meal if I fell asleep – heaven forbid! Airplane food is average at best, but something to break up the monotony and act as a distraction for 30 mins is always something to look forward to. On recollection, drinking 8 liters of water over this time span probably didn't help either. Before you ask, my logic was that the more I drunk, the more I'd need the toilet, the more often I'd be forced to get up out of my seat and walk around, and therefore the less likely my ankles would swell..... unfortunalty there must have been an error in this theory because after the first 14 hours, my feet indeed reminded me of the Frodo the hobbits, massive in size with squishy ankles and a horrible tight sensation, I could hardly fit my feet into my shoes again! Despite the fatigue and fat feet, with the knowledge I had to have my wits about me for navigating Nigerian immigration and customs, God gave me a supernatural alertness. This was probably also helped by the adrenaline rush achieved by spilling scolding hot coffee all over myself an hour before disembarking. Quite ironic really, Nurse Nicky needing first aid from the cabin crew. Picture me sitting at the back on the plane in the crew compartment with my hand in cold water and cold flannels between my knees!

Anyway, I arrived at Lagos airport (South Nigeria), my first stop in Africa, and joined the end of a massive line of non-Nigerians with Visas to be checked to clear immigration. A young Indian guy, I guessed in his late twenties, named Raj introduced himself and started chatting. He'd lived in Nigeria for 18 years and was returning after 6 years of university in India. Once successfully through immigration (a good 45mins later), Raj took it upon himself to make sure I made it through customs. He began arguing in Hausa with the officials about something and before I knew it, He'd bribed our way through the line without having to declare anything or have our bags searched! Welcome to Africa; where everything has a price!

I was met outside the airport by someone arranged by SIM to transport me to the domestic terminal. Once I arrived and found the correct desk I one of the lines to have my bag weighed and get my boarding pass. Unfortunately, as I was soon to find out, nothing is ever that easy or simple in Africa. Once my bag was weighed I was told I'd have to pay excess baggage and to wait in the other line. Once I reached the front of line number two I checked in and found that my flight scheduled for 5pm didn't exist and that I could be put on the 345pm (which would mean I'd have to contact the driver picking me up the other end to collect me earlier). I agreed to this and was booked on the flight. I was then told to stand in the other line to get my ticket. Once I reached the front of the first line again my bag was weighed again and I was given an excess baggage label which I had to pay for in line number two! Once I'd payed for my luggage I had to line up again with my form saying I'd payed it and then one of the 'nice' men said that he would put my bag through for me and to follow him (essentially put it out the back to go on the plane!), once he came back I thanked him and he asked if I had anything for him....my first forced tip. I played dumb with the security lady who riffled through my hand luggage waiting for me to offer a bribe to be let through, she eventually got tired of waiting for me to clue up and sighed and waved me on, obvious frustrated by my perceived naivety. As I sat in the departure lounge (the only white person in sight) waiting, trying to decipher the poor english over the intercom, it was announced my plane was delayed 50 mins, so the flight ended up leaving at the same time as the one that I had been scheduled to be one in the first place!

When I reached Abuja I was met by my lovely SIM driver Danjuma and experienced driving Nigerian style. If there are any road rules in Nigeria they are not obvious. There are no speed limits (even though the car was in miles per hour and I didn't know the conversion to k/hr, I'm sure we were going FAST!), no one really gives way unless the intersection is patrolled and you just seem to honk your horn to let people know you're coming and floor it! Nigerian drivers don't even seem to stick to their side of the road, it's all very fluid and if you have to use the other side to avoid a few pot holes then that's what you do.

It turned out that all the usual hostels used by missionaries were full so I was booked into The Penail Apartments, used by the missionaries when they need a break from ministry. They were very luxurious by African standards and I got a really good nights sleep.

I met Danjuma at 8am to start our drive to Jos and I was quite anxious about all the check points I'd been warned about. Danjuma told me Nigerians are very friendly and want to talk, just to smile and apologise for not knowing the language if they addressed me in Hausa. We were stopped 8 times by various police, officials and tax collectors, but didn't have any problems. After explaining what I was doing in Jos, one of the policemen even said to me “something good will come from this car; it is blessed”!” Thank you Jesus!

As we drove across the country it was very bare, barren and brown. Cacti actually do grow in the dessert! People seemed to spend their days in little shops and stalls along the main road selling everything under the sun, but typically motorbike tyres, fuel in glass coke bottles and massive yams (a staple here)! When we finally started to make our way up onto the Plateau the scenery changed and became mountainous and there were amazing rock formations with enormous boulders sitting on top of each other in a way that looked like someone has purposefully placed them just so, but there was no way humanly possibly for that to have happened so I marveled at God's design.

I finally arrived at Challenge compound, my home for the year, I was met my Helen and Chris Cowie who are the personnel directors and security team here. I was shown my apartment (which I will detail further in another blog) and then taken out to lunch (as European as possible so as not to give me too much culture shock!). Once back at the compound, Lani the Challenge home help had prepared fresh oat cookies and cinnamon scrolls for me.

There is so much more I want to write about, like my apartment, the climate, the culture, the food, clothing, electricity and church life to name a few, but that will wait for another post.

I have a very full week planned of lunches and dinners with various missionaries and orientation activities such as security lectures, mentoring, cultural, ministry and medical orientation as well as sorting out a Nigerian sim card for my phone, a guided tour of the market (how to barter for produce) and a visit to a Nigerian tailor! Bring on the multi colour dresses!!