So, more adventures in this wonderful country of Nigeria!
We were on mission just a few hours north of Abuja, in a really nice area called Jos. We had just started a campaign to immunize kids against polio, measles and hand out malaria nets. Everything was going great…we had just taken a little side trip to visit the farm where I get all my organic fruit and veggies delivered from and met the people who run it, when they warned about some problems happening in the village below. Jos was having their elections on Thursday, and while in many areas these things go rather smoothly, Jos is a little different as it is not the most religious tolerant city. Mainly a Christian state, however as the north is predominantly Muslim, they are trying to take over all Northern states and make them Muslim…on this day they elected a Christian leader in this local government area, where it had been predicted (I.e., set up) for a Muslim to win…well, for whatever reason a Muslim did not win, and a Christian was elected…so basically, all hell broke loose. It started out rather innocently, just some verbal arguing, workers at the farm started to come and see us and ask what was going on, and at this point we really had to clue… but very quickly we started to see a lot of smoke not too far ahead of us…the Muslims were setting fire to garbage, houses and cars in the Christian areas, and to retaliate the Christians were doing the same in the Muslim areas..but then from what we hear, things went really wrong…2 muslims were razzing a church and a few of the local boys from the neighbourhood (Christians) were trying to defend their church…well, they were shot and killed,a s was the pastor of the church…so much for peaceful demonstrations….from the information we were getting via text message (from the Deputy Police Officer), all roads in and out of Jos were now being road blocked, and because we were in a marked UN vehicle, there were chances there could be problems, so we were told to go to the Military barracks and take cover, until we could be guaranteed safe movement out of the state…this was also made difficult by the fact that we had a muslim driver with us, who did not feel safe driving us there, nor did he want to enter the barracks (as the soldiers are primarily Christians)…I may be sounding as if this was really no big deal, but all of this was happening over a 4 hour period, and there was utter confusion at different points…our only communication was with our Abuja base (4 hours away) who could not get a clear idea of what was going on…the more time passed, the more things got shut down (they shut down all telecommunications, so our mobile phones were not really working), and even our high frequency radios in the car were compromised! At no time did I actually think we were in any real danger, but knowing that we were in the same area where there was active gunfire on other human beings just because of a silly election (that really in the scheme of things does not mean much – it is of course always about the money here). We finally made it to the barracks and it was a very odd sensation being the only female and hundreds of men just sitting around staring at you, I at least was with Thomas, another white guy (that is our WHO polio photographer based in Geneva), who has become a good friend during my time here, and he has lived and worked in Pakistan and Iraq, so he was pretty comfortable throughout the situation! We made it back to Abuja safe and sound yesterday evening, after a full day of just sitting in the army barracks being stared at, and we decided to go out for a few (or a lot) of beers! The update on the situation is that the violence is still ongoing, we have evacuated all staff from the area to Abuja, and there are over 80 people dead in the area, and it is not foreseen for the violence to end…the problem is that this is an ongoing battle going on for decades, and usually it is left to just sort itself out, so I can’t imagine how many more people are going to lose their life for this, but those who die, are said to die for a cause “martyrdom”…crazy shit is all I can say!
This will never come to Abuja, thankfully, as the military would not hesitate to just shoot and kill anyone who caused any problems! Nice to at least be in the capital city, where all we really have to worry about are house invasions and car jackings!
God bless Nigeria!
samedi 29 novembre 2008
mercredi 26 novembre 2008
The Annual Nigeria Durbar...
Hi everyone,
I am taking a little break from my day of trying to figure out our $400 million budget to write an update. i am not sure why they gave me, the numbers dyslexic person a budget to prepare, but I think everyone has to have a go at it...i only wish I had my high school report cards, where they basically gave me the credit as long as I promised never to take math again!
All is well. It is HOT here...and I mean day in and day out, it is over 38 degrees, and the problem is that it is not even the hot season yet...that comes in February...its not like I am outside all day long, but we are starting a campaign this weekend in the north, so I will be outside all day long, walking from house to house all covered up, as I am going to an area again where I can't show any skin.
Last weekend I headed north to a little town outside of Abuja, for the annual Northern Durbar. A Durbar is basically a ceremonial gathering all people from the northern states and from Niger, to celebrate the naming/incoming Emir of the various states. It usually happens just before Eid (which falls on 08 Dec, a muslim holiday like Ramadan). It is a showcase of the horses, jewels, and money that each has. It was insanely hot and dusty, so while it was amazing to see, we were tired and dehydrated the whole time...and no one was selling any water or anything. it was funny because more of the locals were taking pictures of us (the white folk) then we were of them! Photo taking of locals and local places is actually illegal in Nigeria, but yu take the risk. So, I have attached a lot of photos from the weekend...mainly horses and their riders. All the riders are essentially considered the Emir's soldier's (the Emir, is the head of each area in his given state). You may notice on some of the photos that a person may have bunny -like ear on his head -- that means he is the upcoming Emir, while others only have one, which means they are his closest confidants and protectors. The rest that just have turbans are the soldiers, always around to protect him. The durbar is an ancient ritual, and while the Emir is no longer followed around by horsemen and soldiers, he always has the soldiers by his side wherever he goes, as he is a target. There were also lots of elephants there, but it was horrible to see them, as they were severly malnourished and horribly treated...to the point where one went on a bit of a rampage, and the only way to control it was to shoot it dead! Its body was left there to be feasted on by the vultures! Nigerians, especially the northern nigerians, have absolutely no respect for animals, and so the horses, goats, dogs, elephants are all treated very badly and then they are eaten at the end of the usefulness, so while it was nice to see all these immaculately dressed up horses, if you tried to go near them, they would have definitely bitten or bucked you! There was lots of cat roasting going on up there, as I understand it to be a delicacy...so I just went hungry, no interest in cats!
I often have to meet with these Emirs, and these are the guys that cause me a LOT of headaches. They think very highly of themselves, and think they know everything, but really they are rather useless and just lucky to have been born into the family they are in. Some are more helpful than others though!
It was awesome to get to experience the Durbar, as it is a huge event here! I got some great photos, but I have like hundreds, so I only put up a few. The music played there was unbelievable as well...I wish I could post the videos I took, as the musicians are almost trans-like, and just sit and play for hours on their drums, horns, etc! It was really intense to watch, but an incredible experience!
Enough from me for now. Christmas is very soon approaching, and I actually heard my first christmas "carole" the other day...snapped me back to reality! Still not sure what my Christmas plans are, but I have to go to Kuala Lumpar again next week...and from there I have to come back here for a few days of a silly retreat...and then holiday time! So, not sure where I will end up, but most likely Italy or eastern Kenya...ideally a beach, with lots of cold beverages.
Happy holidays to all!
love ange
I am taking a little break from my day of trying to figure out our $400 million budget to write an update. i am not sure why they gave me, the numbers dyslexic person a budget to prepare, but I think everyone has to have a go at it...i only wish I had my high school report cards, where they basically gave me the credit as long as I promised never to take math again!
All is well. It is HOT here...and I mean day in and day out, it is over 38 degrees, and the problem is that it is not even the hot season yet...that comes in February...its not like I am outside all day long, but we are starting a campaign this weekend in the north, so I will be outside all day long, walking from house to house all covered up, as I am going to an area again where I can't show any skin.
Last weekend I headed north to a little town outside of Abuja, for the annual Northern Durbar. A Durbar is basically a ceremonial gathering all people from the northern states and from Niger, to celebrate the naming/incoming Emir of the various states. It usually happens just before Eid (which falls on 08 Dec, a muslim holiday like Ramadan). It is a showcase of the horses, jewels, and money that each has. It was insanely hot and dusty, so while it was amazing to see, we were tired and dehydrated the whole time...and no one was selling any water or anything. it was funny because more of the locals were taking pictures of us (the white folk) then we were of them! Photo taking of locals and local places is actually illegal in Nigeria, but yu take the risk. So, I have attached a lot of photos from the weekend...mainly horses and their riders. All the riders are essentially considered the Emir's soldier's (the Emir, is the head of each area in his given state). You may notice on some of the photos that a person may have bunny -like ear on his head -- that means he is the upcoming Emir, while others only have one, which means they are his closest confidants and protectors. The rest that just have turbans are the soldiers, always around to protect him. The durbar is an ancient ritual, and while the Emir is no longer followed around by horsemen and soldiers, he always has the soldiers by his side wherever he goes, as he is a target. There were also lots of elephants there, but it was horrible to see them, as they were severly malnourished and horribly treated...to the point where one went on a bit of a rampage, and the only way to control it was to shoot it dead! Its body was left there to be feasted on by the vultures! Nigerians, especially the northern nigerians, have absolutely no respect for animals, and so the horses, goats, dogs, elephants are all treated very badly and then they are eaten at the end of the usefulness, so while it was nice to see all these immaculately dressed up horses, if you tried to go near them, they would have definitely bitten or bucked you! There was lots of cat roasting going on up there, as I understand it to be a delicacy...so I just went hungry, no interest in cats!
I often have to meet with these Emirs, and these are the guys that cause me a LOT of headaches. They think very highly of themselves, and think they know everything, but really they are rather useless and just lucky to have been born into the family they are in. Some are more helpful than others though!
It was awesome to get to experience the Durbar, as it is a huge event here! I got some great photos, but I have like hundreds, so I only put up a few. The music played there was unbelievable as well...I wish I could post the videos I took, as the musicians are almost trans-like, and just sit and play for hours on their drums, horns, etc! It was really intense to watch, but an incredible experience!
Enough from me for now. Christmas is very soon approaching, and I actually heard my first christmas "carole" the other day...snapped me back to reality! Still not sure what my Christmas plans are, but I have to go to Kuala Lumpar again next week...and from there I have to come back here for a few days of a silly retreat...and then holiday time! So, not sure where I will end up, but most likely Italy or eastern Kenya...ideally a beach, with lots of cold beverages.
Happy holidays to all!
love ange
jeudi 20 novembre 2008
3 continents, 6 countries, 5 days....
Well hello friends, family and others!
All is well here, apart from whatever virus I am now carrying...but it could also just be jetlag or these damn Harmatan sand storms.
I made a very quick trip last week to California for Yvette's 40th birthday, where all the "De-Freitas women" were gathering for a celebration at my aunt's place in Palm Desert. It was a very last minute decision on my part, as i was supposed to be out in the field monitoring polio transmissions or something like that, but fate intervened and allowed me to get away for a few days!
So, as i had a meeting in Malabo, Equitorial Guinea on the Thursday, I was able to catch a plane from there to Germany and then direct to Los Angeles, where I then drove another 2 hours to get to my aunt's place to finally arrive on the Friday afteroon (good thing about traveling west is that the time difference is 9 hours to my advantage), but not so good for the jet lag! And, then I was back on a plane Monday morning, heading back to Africa for even more, never ending meetings! I came back exhausted, and even more exhausted after 3 days of meetings again In Malabo, and then in Accra, Ghana…but I was more than exhausted, I was flat out sick and so this last weekend, I spent almost the whole time in bed! But, all is good now…who knows what I had…I think it was just exhaustion! But, good thing I have Mary around…she is fantastic and knows all the non medicinal cures…although they don’t taste so good!
Work is very busy now, as we are just starting a major malaria, measles and meningitis campaign (along with polio vaccinations)…we are giving out over 60 million bed nets and measle and meningitis shots in the north parts of Nigeria over the next week, and then the second week of December we head south to do the same thing…so the next few weeks will be a bit of a whirlwind…but after that it will be holiday time again! That is turning into an interesting story into itself…and currently I am trying to figure out just where I will end up and when ( I at least have it narrowed down to one of 3 continents - Asia, Africa or Europe)…so I will keep you posted on that. But, you can be guaranteed it will be an adventure!
The one thing I will say that is really weird is that this is the first time ever that I am not constantly reminded that it is Christmas season…even though Nigeria is 50% Christian, there are no overt signs that Christmas is coming…no obnoxious Christmas music playing everywhere, santa claus standing on street corners, holiday shopping, peppermint flavoured this or egg nog flavoured that…it just does not exist here. I have yet to see one single decoration, hear a Christmas jingle or overhear people talking about what to buy or how difficult others are to shop for…While it is celebrated, it not like the developed world where we try to outspend one another and give/get things we don’t really need…people here plan for time with their families, and going to church, etc. So, it is actually quite refreshing for a change. I am not anti-Christmas or anything, but I do think we go a little too crazy with the whole thing. While I have been away for Christmas before, this is the first time that I really forget it is coming…and it is also 40 degrees (Celcius) everyday…so that also a bit of a change!
I keep hearing about the fires in California, but they really need to start talking about the ones here in Africa…on a daily basis, outside my office window, there is a huge fire destroying homes and farmer fields, and as there is really no such thing as a fire department, everything just burns to the ground…the few people with buckets are relatively useless as 50 people using buckets on a huge fire just doesn’t really work so well…so quite sad to see, but then you just see then rebuilding a few hundred metres away!
Anyways, that is it for me for now. I have posted some new photos, but should have more coming soon.
Hope you are all getting ready for the season, and enjoying the rain/sun/snow/ice/cold where ever you are!
A presto, Andrea
All is well here, apart from whatever virus I am now carrying...but it could also just be jetlag or these damn Harmatan sand storms.
I made a very quick trip last week to California for Yvette's 40th birthday, where all the "De-Freitas women" were gathering for a celebration at my aunt's place in Palm Desert. It was a very last minute decision on my part, as i was supposed to be out in the field monitoring polio transmissions or something like that, but fate intervened and allowed me to get away for a few days!
So, as i had a meeting in Malabo, Equitorial Guinea on the Thursday, I was able to catch a plane from there to Germany and then direct to Los Angeles, where I then drove another 2 hours to get to my aunt's place to finally arrive on the Friday afteroon (good thing about traveling west is that the time difference is 9 hours to my advantage), but not so good for the jet lag! And, then I was back on a plane Monday morning, heading back to Africa for even more, never ending meetings! I came back exhausted, and even more exhausted after 3 days of meetings again In Malabo, and then in Accra, Ghana…but I was more than exhausted, I was flat out sick and so this last weekend, I spent almost the whole time in bed! But, all is good now…who knows what I had…I think it was just exhaustion! But, good thing I have Mary around…she is fantastic and knows all the non medicinal cures…although they don’t taste so good!
Work is very busy now, as we are just starting a major malaria, measles and meningitis campaign (along with polio vaccinations)…we are giving out over 60 million bed nets and measle and meningitis shots in the north parts of Nigeria over the next week, and then the second week of December we head south to do the same thing…so the next few weeks will be a bit of a whirlwind…but after that it will be holiday time again! That is turning into an interesting story into itself…and currently I am trying to figure out just where I will end up and when ( I at least have it narrowed down to one of 3 continents - Asia, Africa or Europe)…so I will keep you posted on that. But, you can be guaranteed it will be an adventure!
The one thing I will say that is really weird is that this is the first time ever that I am not constantly reminded that it is Christmas season…even though Nigeria is 50% Christian, there are no overt signs that Christmas is coming…no obnoxious Christmas music playing everywhere, santa claus standing on street corners, holiday shopping, peppermint flavoured this or egg nog flavoured that…it just does not exist here. I have yet to see one single decoration, hear a Christmas jingle or overhear people talking about what to buy or how difficult others are to shop for…While it is celebrated, it not like the developed world where we try to outspend one another and give/get things we don’t really need…people here plan for time with their families, and going to church, etc. So, it is actually quite refreshing for a change. I am not anti-Christmas or anything, but I do think we go a little too crazy with the whole thing. While I have been away for Christmas before, this is the first time that I really forget it is coming…and it is also 40 degrees (Celcius) everyday…so that also a bit of a change!
I keep hearing about the fires in California, but they really need to start talking about the ones here in Africa…on a daily basis, outside my office window, there is a huge fire destroying homes and farmer fields, and as there is really no such thing as a fire department, everything just burns to the ground…the few people with buckets are relatively useless as 50 people using buckets on a huge fire just doesn’t really work so well…so quite sad to see, but then you just see then rebuilding a few hundred metres away!
Anyways, that is it for me for now. I have posted some new photos, but should have more coming soon.
Hope you are all getting ready for the season, and enjoying the rain/sun/snow/ice/cold where ever you are!
A presto, Andrea
mercredi 12 novembre 2008
Nigeria customs...
Well,
Sorry...meant to post this last week, but internet was really bad and then i went away for a few days....
Not much new to report on, in terms of my work and travel. I surprisingly did not get sick after eating a furry lamb’s tail! It is however, getting very hot again here, but at least we aren’t getting snow! So, instead of talking about work, I will talk about Nigeria customs and culture, as it is pretty fascinating stuff.
I am officially settled into my flat here in Abuja. It is slowly becoming a home. As is custom here, I am planning for my house warming party, where it gets blessed and then we drink and eat!! I have a huge bbq pit behind my flat, so we will have one heck of a cook up. The good thing is I have hired someone, Mary, who lives in my boys quarters (a separate building for hired help to live in), and she knows how to cook Nigerian, so I am sure she will be a huge help! She is very sweet and innocent…she said she was happy to find me, as every other house that she interviewed at, the men told her she “had to sleep with them” if she wanted the job. From what I have recently learned, this actually happens alot, and most women are desperate for work, that they have no choice…so clearly, sexual slavery is alive and well in Nigeria! She has asked if her sister Lydia can also live with her, as she needs out of her current situation (from the sound of it, this sister has been being abused by her employer)…I didn’t hesitate to agree…it is just one room they share, but whatever gets her out of her situation... They do everything for me, that I am a little nervous for when I return to the “developed” world, I will be a little useless, and not be able to take care of myself! I may just have to bring them with me, as they are of course desperate to get out of Nigeria…I am sure they would make really great nannies…too bad I don’t quite see kids in my near future.
I can now also be called a matchmaker…it just so happened that one of the driver’s (Soda) I use on weekends is single…he came to pick us up to take us to the market (she is an excellent negotiator, so I just give her the money, and that way I don’t get completely and ridiculously ripped off!!)…it was very cute, as they were very much flirting. Mary is from the north and her family all lives up there, so as I am now considered family, so Soda shows up at my door in his best suit and then asked me about her, and my permission to “accompany me and her to church”! He then proceeded to show my his CV, not quite a work CV, but a success CV!! The jobs he has held, and the money he saves monthly, and how much he sends home to his family, also in the north, as well as 2 letters of recommendation! I thought this was all great and sweet, but I was a little stuck with the church thing…in Nigeria church on Sunday is a full day affair, starting at 6am, going late into the evening. As a bit of a lapsed Christian…alright fully lapsed Christian, this was a bit much…but also because once you start this process, you are expected every week. So a bit of a dilemma…but another problem in all of this is that never once is Mary asked if she wants to go to church with him or if she is interested, as this is not custom. The African way, is the man chooses his wife, and she has no real say…I expected this from muslim, but not so much from Christians. But, thankfully she actually thinks he is very polite…interesting way to describe a man, but I guess that is important here! If everything works out, they are usually married within 3 months, so while I hope it works out for them, I really hope that I don’t lose her…yes, I know, I am spoiled, but it is a way of helping out locals here.
It is a good thing Obama won in the US…and an exciting time to be in Africa. There were big street parties all over Nigeria, and from what I understand, all over Africa when it was announced that he had won. People everywhere that day kept on coming up to me and congratulating me…they think that because I am white and don’t have a “funny” accent (like the Brits) that I must be American…but it was all good, and actually relatively peaceful, without gun shots ringing out to show their excitement, as this is the usual way of celebrating here ( a little known fact – about 500 people die a year here from people ‘celebrating’ with guns!!)
Anyways, I will write more soon…as work is starting to get interesting again.
Ciao, andrea
Sorry...meant to post this last week, but internet was really bad and then i went away for a few days....
Not much new to report on, in terms of my work and travel. I surprisingly did not get sick after eating a furry lamb’s tail! It is however, getting very hot again here, but at least we aren’t getting snow! So, instead of talking about work, I will talk about Nigeria customs and culture, as it is pretty fascinating stuff.
I am officially settled into my flat here in Abuja. It is slowly becoming a home. As is custom here, I am planning for my house warming party, where it gets blessed and then we drink and eat!! I have a huge bbq pit behind my flat, so we will have one heck of a cook up. The good thing is I have hired someone, Mary, who lives in my boys quarters (a separate building for hired help to live in), and she knows how to cook Nigerian, so I am sure she will be a huge help! She is very sweet and innocent…she said she was happy to find me, as every other house that she interviewed at, the men told her she “had to sleep with them” if she wanted the job. From what I have recently learned, this actually happens alot, and most women are desperate for work, that they have no choice…so clearly, sexual slavery is alive and well in Nigeria! She has asked if her sister Lydia can also live with her, as she needs out of her current situation (from the sound of it, this sister has been being abused by her employer)…I didn’t hesitate to agree…it is just one room they share, but whatever gets her out of her situation... They do everything for me, that I am a little nervous for when I return to the “developed” world, I will be a little useless, and not be able to take care of myself! I may just have to bring them with me, as they are of course desperate to get out of Nigeria…I am sure they would make really great nannies…too bad I don’t quite see kids in my near future.
I can now also be called a matchmaker…it just so happened that one of the driver’s (Soda) I use on weekends is single…he came to pick us up to take us to the market (she is an excellent negotiator, so I just give her the money, and that way I don’t get completely and ridiculously ripped off!!)…it was very cute, as they were very much flirting. Mary is from the north and her family all lives up there, so as I am now considered family, so Soda shows up at my door in his best suit and then asked me about her, and my permission to “accompany me and her to church”! He then proceeded to show my his CV, not quite a work CV, but a success CV!! The jobs he has held, and the money he saves monthly, and how much he sends home to his family, also in the north, as well as 2 letters of recommendation! I thought this was all great and sweet, but I was a little stuck with the church thing…in Nigeria church on Sunday is a full day affair, starting at 6am, going late into the evening. As a bit of a lapsed Christian…alright fully lapsed Christian, this was a bit much…but also because once you start this process, you are expected every week. So a bit of a dilemma…but another problem in all of this is that never once is Mary asked if she wants to go to church with him or if she is interested, as this is not custom. The African way, is the man chooses his wife, and she has no real say…I expected this from muslim, but not so much from Christians. But, thankfully she actually thinks he is very polite…interesting way to describe a man, but I guess that is important here! If everything works out, they are usually married within 3 months, so while I hope it works out for them, I really hope that I don’t lose her…yes, I know, I am spoiled, but it is a way of helping out locals here.
It is a good thing Obama won in the US…and an exciting time to be in Africa. There were big street parties all over Nigeria, and from what I understand, all over Africa when it was announced that he had won. People everywhere that day kept on coming up to me and congratulating me…they think that because I am white and don’t have a “funny” accent (like the Brits) that I must be American…but it was all good, and actually relatively peaceful, without gun shots ringing out to show their excitement, as this is the usual way of celebrating here ( a little known fact – about 500 people die a year here from people ‘celebrating’ with guns!!)
Anyways, I will write more soon…as work is starting to get interesting again.
Ciao, andrea
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