From Me to You - Nigeria: Vol. 1
Written from 06/08-06/10/2018:
In truth, I wasn't in a journaling mood for the beginning of this trip. I've always only successfully kept journals for a few days and quit, not able to commit to writing. I feel, however, that it's necessary for me to write in order to process the events of my trip. So here goes.
For context, I am currently in Lagos, Nigeria staying with a friend - who is completing an independent project of her own on family structures - and her father, who works and spends most of his time in Nigeria. She has already completed one interview and is about to do a second in an effort to create a documentary based on her subject matter. Though our projects are different, I've been sitting in with her as she works to see if I can get any good information myself, given that education overlaps with some of her questions.
Since the last interview, much has happened in terms of personal observations made. I've been completely enthralled and sometimes shocked by the differences in displays of wealth (or lack thereof) in this city, and it seems very much to be to a "haves" and "have nots" society. Admittedly this is from assumption and the situations could be different, but to my naked eye I see impoverished people line the streets that surround larger and nicer buildings and - including my current place of residence - throughout the Lekki area. When leaving the comfort of the air-conditioned apartment to see the city, these stark differences have not yet failed to make me slightly uncomfortable, all the while allowing me to make connections discussions that have happened in many of my African Studies courses in school. I'm not necessarily sure that I like making such connections - classroom knowledge doesn’t always translate to real-life - but experiencing Lagos with academic knowledge and facts in the back of my mind has made my experience all the more interesting from an observational perspective.
It is more than clear to me that I have been experiencing portions of the "haves" part of this society; from the gated living areas I've visited, to the kind drivers that have taken us everywhere, to the generosity of all of my friend's family members, I have yet to be uncomfortable. And while I have thoroughly enjoyed such luxuries (given my picky eating habits and attachment to my phone and wi-fi accessibility), it's also made me hyper-aware of the fact that the Lagos I am experiencing is not the Lagos experienced by all who live or visit here. I've been struggling with this for the near entirety of this trip.
I'll be honest though; despite the intellectual stimulation and incredible experiences I'm having, its taking me a minute to calibrate to my surroundings. I've been having trouble sleeping, probably as a result of some of my discomfort as far as adjusting to the fact that I will be gone from home for another 25+ days. I struggled heavily on the days leading up to this trip - because I'm never a fan of traveling until I actually arrive at my intended location - and I didn't adjust as quickly as I wanted to, but I'm hopeful that once I get to Ghana I will begin to feel more at ease.
Reading has helped a bit; I started and finished NYT Bestseller The Hate U Give within 40 hours, and I've just becun to reread Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah for the upteenth time. This read is different, though, because I've now experienced and seen some of the landmarks and places that Adichie mentions that exist in Lagos, and I've also experienced some of the cultural and societal norms that the novel's characters deliberate about and operate within. I'm interested to see how this read will help me reflect on my visit to Lagos, even when I've left. Well, that's all for now.
From Me to You,
Sydney
In truth, I wasn't in a journaling mood for the beginning of this trip. I've always only successfully kept journals for a few days and quit, not able to commit to writing. I feel, however, that it's necessary for me to write in order to process the events of my trip. So here goes.
For context, I am currently in Lagos, Nigeria staying with a friend - who is completing an independent project of her own on family structures - and her father, who works and spends most of his time in Nigeria. She has already completed one interview and is about to do a second in an effort to create a documentary based on her subject matter. Though our projects are different, I've been sitting in with her as she works to see if I can get any good information myself, given that education overlaps with some of her questions.
Since the last interview, much has happened in terms of personal observations made. I've been completely enthralled and sometimes shocked by the differences in displays of wealth (or lack thereof) in this city, and it seems very much to be to a "haves" and "have nots" society. Admittedly this is from assumption and the situations could be different, but to my naked eye I see impoverished people line the streets that surround larger and nicer buildings and - including my current place of residence - throughout the Lekki area. When leaving the comfort of the air-conditioned apartment to see the city, these stark differences have not yet failed to make me slightly uncomfortable, all the while allowing me to make connections discussions that have happened in many of my African Studies courses in school. I'm not necessarily sure that I like making such connections - classroom knowledge doesn’t always translate to real-life - but experiencing Lagos with academic knowledge and facts in the back of my mind has made my experience all the more interesting from an observational perspective.
It is more than clear to me that I have been experiencing portions of the "haves" part of this society; from the gated living areas I've visited, to the kind drivers that have taken us everywhere, to the generosity of all of my friend's family members, I have yet to be uncomfortable. And while I have thoroughly enjoyed such luxuries (given my picky eating habits and attachment to my phone and wi-fi accessibility), it's also made me hyper-aware of the fact that the Lagos I am experiencing is not the Lagos experienced by all who live or visit here. I've been struggling with this for the near entirety of this trip.
I'll be honest though; despite the intellectual stimulation and incredible experiences I'm having, its taking me a minute to calibrate to my surroundings. I've been having trouble sleeping, probably as a result of some of my discomfort as far as adjusting to the fact that I will be gone from home for another 25+ days. I struggled heavily on the days leading up to this trip - because I'm never a fan of traveling until I actually arrive at my intended location - and I didn't adjust as quickly as I wanted to, but I'm hopeful that once I get to Ghana I will begin to feel more at ease.
Reading has helped a bit; I started and finished NYT Bestseller The Hate U Give within 40 hours, and I've just becun to reread Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah for the upteenth time. This read is different, though, because I've now experienced and seen some of the landmarks and places that Adichie mentions that exist in Lagos, and I've also experienced some of the cultural and societal norms that the novel's characters deliberate about and operate within. I'm interested to see how this read will help me reflect on my visit to Lagos, even when I've left. Well, that's all for now.
From Me to You,
Sydney
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