At home in Nigeria
Door: Sanne
02 Januari 2014 | Nigeria, Abuja
It is 11 o’clock in the morning, but already 37⁰C and even a bit warmer in the car. I am waiting together with a woman of around 50 years old on the dusty parking lot for regional public transport next to the high-way, on the outskirts of Abuja. We are waiting for the car to fill up so we can start our 4 hour journey up north. She is smartly dressed in a yellow and blue fitted skirt and top made out of local fabric, with matching intricate head-dress which is slightly squashes because of the low ceiling of the car. It is busy. Mainly with street-vendors: young men with perfume bottles and toothbrushes piled up on their heads, women with buckets of the local dish ‘moi-moi’ wrapped in banana leaves, children with the small bags of drinking water which they sell for 10 Naira (around €0.05) each. They peer through the car-window, offering whatever they are selling. Most of their surprised faces because of seeing a white person turn into big smiles and a ‘you are welcome’.
All of a sudden people start shouting about two meters away from our car. When I turn I see one of the women selling moi-moi: her bucket is on its side on the ground and she is shouting at one of the uniformed men who hang around the parking lot. He is shouting back and starts pulling at the whip which hangs from his belt. A crowd of people has gathered around in a matter of seconds and some of them are holding the woman back as she pulls out the knife which has been tucked into her skirt that she uses to cut open the banana-leave packets. The shouting increases and there is some pulling and pushing going on within the gathered crowd. Suddenly, things seem to calm down as people start dispersing. The woman picks up her bucket, brushes the dust off, balances it again on her head and pushes her way through the onlookers.
‘Aaah, that’s what’s wrong with this country’, I hear the woman next to me in the car say. ‘Always they fight. A small thing happens and they fight.’ I ask her about the security situation in the place that we are travelling to, since she told me earlier that she lives there. There were some incidents of sectarian violence in the last months. Her face gets a determined expression and she raises her voice and exclaims: ‘They are killing us! It’s bad, they’re bad people! And they still come for us. But they can’t kill me!’ She pulls the corners of her mouth downwards. ‘They can’t kill me, because my blood is too bitter! They can’t kill my family, our blood is bitter now.’ She sighs and is silent for a moment. Then she offers me some pieces of coconut while she says ‘Take, take. Don’t worry, I washed it in pure water.’
A valuable tip I was given years ago during my anthropological study was to write down all the details of the new place where you settle down. Where ever in the world. Try and capture all those small things that are different from what you are used to, however insignificant they seem. Because very soon you grow accustomed to your new surroundings; the smells, the sounds on the street, the way people greet each other. To me, the beauty of going to new places in the world is to experience exactly these small differences in everyday life.
To be able to keep noticing these details, capture them and share them requires reflection. I came to Nigeria just over 6 months ago. And in my experience, Nigeria is not a place for reflection. My experiences compare better to a speeding car, taking sudden turns. Although it sometimes seems I am behind the wheel and in control, more often I feel being in the passenger seat, holding on for the ride and see what happens along the way. But in either case, full attention is needed to keep up.
My intention was to share some of my Nigerian experiences every month, but for the last few months I haven’t. And I haven’t been in contact much with anyone outside Nigeria. I needed all my attention to live here, with so many positive and some negative things happening. A very very big thank you to everyone who keeps sending messages, checking if I am doing ok. I am very ok. Feeling at home in Nigeria, and looking forward to see what the next 6 months will bring.
Wishing you a wonderful 2014, full of new adventures!
All of a sudden people start shouting about two meters away from our car. When I turn I see one of the women selling moi-moi: her bucket is on its side on the ground and she is shouting at one of the uniformed men who hang around the parking lot. He is shouting back and starts pulling at the whip which hangs from his belt. A crowd of people has gathered around in a matter of seconds and some of them are holding the woman back as she pulls out the knife which has been tucked into her skirt that she uses to cut open the banana-leave packets. The shouting increases and there is some pulling and pushing going on within the gathered crowd. Suddenly, things seem to calm down as people start dispersing. The woman picks up her bucket, brushes the dust off, balances it again on her head and pushes her way through the onlookers.
‘Aaah, that’s what’s wrong with this country’, I hear the woman next to me in the car say. ‘Always they fight. A small thing happens and they fight.’ I ask her about the security situation in the place that we are travelling to, since she told me earlier that she lives there. There were some incidents of sectarian violence in the last months. Her face gets a determined expression and she raises her voice and exclaims: ‘They are killing us! It’s bad, they’re bad people! And they still come for us. But they can’t kill me!’ She pulls the corners of her mouth downwards. ‘They can’t kill me, because my blood is too bitter! They can’t kill my family, our blood is bitter now.’ She sighs and is silent for a moment. Then she offers me some pieces of coconut while she says ‘Take, take. Don’t worry, I washed it in pure water.’
A valuable tip I was given years ago during my anthropological study was to write down all the details of the new place where you settle down. Where ever in the world. Try and capture all those small things that are different from what you are used to, however insignificant they seem. Because very soon you grow accustomed to your new surroundings; the smells, the sounds on the street, the way people greet each other. To me, the beauty of going to new places in the world is to experience exactly these small differences in everyday life.
To be able to keep noticing these details, capture them and share them requires reflection. I came to Nigeria just over 6 months ago. And in my experience, Nigeria is not a place for reflection. My experiences compare better to a speeding car, taking sudden turns. Although it sometimes seems I am behind the wheel and in control, more often I feel being in the passenger seat, holding on for the ride and see what happens along the way. But in either case, full attention is needed to keep up.
My intention was to share some of my Nigerian experiences every month, but for the last few months I haven’t. And I haven’t been in contact much with anyone outside Nigeria. I needed all my attention to live here, with so many positive and some negative things happening. A very very big thank you to everyone who keeps sending messages, checking if I am doing ok. I am very ok. Feeling at home in Nigeria, and looking forward to see what the next 6 months will bring.
Wishing you a wonderful 2014, full of new adventures!
-
02 Januari 2014 - 10:39
Marlise:
Leuk om je antropologische beschouwing vol details te lezen Sanne! En ik ben inderdaad heel blij dat alles goed met je gaat. Een heel gelukkig en gezond 2014 gewenst :)
Marlise -
02 Januari 2014 - 13:44
Karin Kortenhorst:
Lieve Sanne,
Een heel gelukkig nieuwjaar voor jou. Op de hoogte gehouden door je familie ben ik weer onder de indruk van je schrijven nu. Interessant en leuk om te lezen. Ik blijf graag op de hoogte en ik hoorde ook dan je vader en Gerdien binnenkort langskomen. Fijne tijd alvast
Dikke zoen, Karin. See you. -
02 Januari 2014 - 22:51
Ankie:
AAAAaaaawwwww Sanne!!! Dank je wel voor je prachtverhaal
en inderdaad ontzettend fijn dat het je goed gaat. Voor jou al het wenselijks in 2014; keep up the open mind!
BIG hugs van Paul en Ankie -
03 Januari 2014 - 16:34
Lotte:
Lieve Sanne,
Wat schrijf je toch goed en mooi! Daardoor kan ik me weer voorstellen waar je bent, en ook waarom ook al weer:) Wens je heel veel plezier en mooie momenten in 2014! En heb me al een paar keer voorgenomen je prive te mailen, wellicht lukt dat binnenkort ook! Want, ook al zijn wij nog gewoon in Nederland, het leven is hier op het ogenblik ook best consuming:) Maar ook heel goed!
Veel liefs, big hug,
Lotte -
04 Januari 2014 - 18:02
Hank :
Lieve Sanne
Fijn weer een berichtje te ontvangen van jou. Fijn dat het goed met je gaat. Nigeria is voor mij een moeilijk te 'vatten ' land. Fijn dat je ons een stukje mee neemt op je reis .
Liefs Hank
-
07 Januari 2014 - 09:11
Mario:
Dear Sanne,
it is always a pleasure to read what you write about your daily experiences in all the places you travel, it reminds me a lot of how you worked here in Zambia and in cambodia. you surely are a brave and very interesting lady, i am glad i shared the opportunity to travel with you and experience part of your research, i am sure i was quite a hand full for you.lol
lots of warm love
Mario -
07 Januari 2014 - 12:22
Hanneke:
Hi lieferd
je zou een boek moeten beginnen echt prachtig
wereldwijf ;)
Mis je mail je snel
Mijn 2014 is goed begonnen; bod op me huis :)
Het word ons jaar
beste wensen schat
tot gauw waar ter wereld
we kijken naar dezelfde sterren! ;)
-
08 Januari 2014 - 21:35
Karin Van Straten:
Sanne, ik blijf je berichtjes graag ontvangen om mee te lezen.
En wellicht komen we elkaar dan ooit weer tegen.
Voor nu de beste wensen en ene goede tijd in Nigeria -
11 Januari 2014 - 11:45
Lies Kortenhorst:
Ha die Sanne
Een prachtig nieuwjaar gewenst. Dank voor je mooi verslag en goede tips als je ergens nieuw bent. (noteer alle kleine dingen). Ga ik doen, want binnenkort zitten we 2 maanden in Spanje: nieuw gebied verkennen. Keep in touch. Dikke kus. Lies -
13 Januari 2014 - 12:19
Ranjana Van Dijk:
Hoi Sanne,
Een gelukkig nieuwjaar!
Jouw verhaal is weer leuk :)
Groetjes, Ranjana -
27 Januari 2014 - 02:33
Beatriz:
Sanne:
I know how hard is to communicate to others when the country absorbs you. I experience the same too. But those who loves u and supports you understand that you are there for selfdevelopment. Keep strong!! Love u. Betty -
29 Januari 2014 - 22:29
Hillie Van Elck:
Hey die Sanne!!
Het klinkt alsof je ineens je draai gevonden hebt in Nigeria?... Ik ben benieuwd of het nieuws dat wij hier de afgelopen dagen mochten ontvangen over Nigeria, invloed heeft op jouw verblijf en werkzaamheden?
Ik wens je een super jaar en veel mooie, kleine, grote en bijzondere verhalen. Dikke kus en kom eens langs voor een bakkie!!
Hillie -
01 Februari 2015 - 23:16
Hanneke:
Lieve sanne hoe is het nou??
2015 al eeuwen n iks van je gehoord?
denk aan je
en je weet t het
kom je halen ;)
Bel me mail me kus hanneke
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