WELCOME TO INDIA IV: MUMBAI( EXPECTATION SETTING)

Going on twitter on Christmas day made me miss home like mad, Chatting with my Sister did not help matter at all. Even though we are not Christians, we still make sure to enjoy Christmas in my house.

My number one problem right is that i do not have a mobile number, my BB has gone sick, and MTN is billing me like crazy to roam...500 Naira per min for calls and 100naira for a text.

The fun of Christmas did not start here till I went to the club with the other interns and I hooked up with my Naija people. Yesterday was the best part of the holiday, from eating tomato Ketchup sweetened stew and salt less rice prepared by the boys to the roof top farewell dinner for some of the interns going back to their Countries....
.....................................................................................................

His name is Mustafa and He is from Turkey.
He hates Mumbai right now.
His hatred for Mumbai started the moment he stepped out of the Airport
and took a breath of Mumbai.
He hates the traffic, the smell and the nonchalance of AIESEC Mumbai members
I heard he was crying at some point
He wanted to go back after one day.

Every one talked to him
They understood how he felt.
No one steps in Mumbai and not wish to could back back home.
I felt that way when I stepped into Mumbai.
The sight of Mumbai, made me think I had made the worse decision of my life
Berna from Uganda too wanted to go back.
Feyi, my friend and fellow Nigerian felt the same way too.

Later, they all got tired of talking to him.
I talked to him when I was in Mumbai.
I still talk to him now that I am here in Hyderabad.
I have stopped telling him about how beautiful Hyderabad is.
Because he started comparing cities and wished he was in Hyderabad.

But like the AIESECers we are, we keep an open mind
We do not pretend the craziness is not there,
We do not pretend like the poverty does not exist,
We do not pretend not to notice the ugliness,

Rather we take our mind off the poverty, the Ugliness
Rather we see the beauty and the potential
We keep an open mind and enjoy the opportunity to experience the world from a different point of view.

I do not blame Mustafa,
Neither do I judge him.
Rather I know,
It is either that he had an Unrealistic Expectation of India.
He might have heard of Chandigarh, which has an European feel and according to some is not Indian in anyway.
He might of have expected Mumbai to be like Hyderabad, the so called Silicon Valley of India.
He did not expect Mumbai to be dirty, crowded and with mad traffic.
He did not expect things to be expensive in Mumbai, the story says things are cheap in India.

I know for one thing, Mustafa did not read the AIESEC reception package which was sent to him.
If he had read it, he would not have been disappointed when he saw Mumbai.
He would not have had his hope dashed.
He would have readily accepted Mumbai for what it is.
He would never compare Mumbai to his home town in Turkey.

I just hope he would sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of Mumbai.
Because even with its poverty and fast life.
Mumbai is beautiful.
Even though I did not get to explore Mumbai, I know it is beautiful.

It reminds me so much of Lagos.
The Lagos I knew before the days of Fashola.
The Lagos I grew up in and fell in love with.
I hope and pray that Mustafa would fall in love with Mumbai
Just like I am in love with Hyderabad.
------------------------------------------------
Happy Holidays people and may the new year bring us more joy, blessing and the best of this Life.
Happy New Year in Advance


♥ Lara  from Incredible India

WELCOME TO INDIA: Chaminar

Merry Christmas...wishing you all a love and fun filled Christmas...

Yesterday was work free day for us at TCS.
Like some people said, we were lucky to get a work free day, as India is not a Christian Nation.
So yesterday, Kristina, Sandra and I went out to tour Hyderabad.
The girls did not inform me that I was to take my resident permit, I actually thought Chaminar was a market. I was so mad when I was told to pay 100Rupees instead of 5Rupees the other girls and Indians payed.

Charminar (Telugu: చార్ మినార్, Hindi: चार मीनार)  meaning "Mosque of the Four Minarets" and "Four Towers" is the most famous mosque and monument in the city of Hyderabad, capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

Charminar is also home to Hyderabadi Pearls and Jewellery...If you are planning an Indian themed wedding, Charminar is the place to get the very best in Hyderabad. We did not get pictures of the Market, we were busy looking and forgot to take pictures.

Chaminar...home of De Chaminar van Haidrabad..."The Arc de triomphe of the East"

Chaminar...home of the Makkah Masjid...one of the oldest and biggest Mosques not only in Hyderabad, the whole of India.

Pictures of the Girls and I

This is all I can post for now...make sure to enjoy the holiday and make the best of it...Happy Holiday people.

♥ Lara  from Incredible India 

WELCOME TO INDIA III: MUMBAI

Before coming to India, most of what I knew about the country was what we watched on Bollywood and the beautiful accounts of Members who I sent to the country way back in 2006, when I was Vice President Responsible for Students going on Exchange/Internship. 

I remember one of the Interns coming to Mumbai and he arrived on the same week of the train bombing in 2006. He was in fact on the train but the compartment he was in and a few others where the few spared. Apart from the bomb scare, there was no complaint from him and He actually was interested in going on another internship. The other interns visited Delhi, Chandigarh and Pune and they all loved it. I had one who refused to come back and I had to practically beg the chick to come finish her study. She was in her finals but fell in love with Chandigarh and was ready to take the risk to start all over. 

If one is not open minded, you hate Mumbai, the moment you set sight on the airport, just before the Plane lands. I get it renovations are going on but the the exterior of the Mumbai airport is not welcoming at all. The beauty of the airport is inside, and better than Nigeria but the structure of the Nigeria airport alone is pride enough. 

The slums of Mumbai starts just outside the airport...welcome to Mumbai is welcome to the slums...Mumbai is overcrowded and crazy...This is not a post to paint Mumbai bad...I here there are some beautiful place in Mumbai...I just feel the airport is located at a wrong spot...The Airport to me is passing out the wrong message about Mumbai... stayed with my friends for two nights in at a district called Anderi West...Not really bad but not encouraging...A fellow Intern who arrived 2days before me and who is going to be working in Mumbai just cannot seem to adjust...right now the culture shock is too much for him and he just might not be here for too long.

Gist about him in my next post.

* I got my resident permit today

WELCOME TO INDIA II: First Day at Work

Today, I officially resumed work at Tata Consultancy Services.

Resumption time is 10am, so I can get enough sleep.

All I did was just fill out my resident permit registration form, get documents I would be taking with me to the FFRO and resolve issues with my data stored on the system. The person who created my employee id mixed up my name, wrote my surname as my first name and middle name as Surname. I had to wait for

There so much security and technology down in the office, Laptops and any other forms of electronic gadgets are not allowed, had to drop my laptop at the reception...Kristina did not tell me about this till we got to the front of the gate.Every employee has to swipe their ID to enter the building and offices. My log in details to use the computer is different from the log in details to use the company's system portal. My log in to the system portal was blocked because I typed in a wrong password thrice. All mails and social networking sites are blocked. Every one is so busy and I have to learn as fast as I can, because no body has the time to baby sit. Kristina has been so helpful, helping me out with all the registrations and following to about.

I was the only one in a suit, the Indian chicks were all in Saris, Kristina had on a jacket and a regular pant...some serious dressing down. I have to go lock my suit up and get myself some pants. It is too cold for the skirts I brought.

Tomorrow I have to go to downtown Hyderabad to the FFRO office to get my resident permit, I have been in India for 5days now and have less than 9day to get my permit. After getting my permit, then can I get a bank account and phone number. I hear the process of getting a number is so long and worse than applying for an american visa. I was expecting Tata telecoms would provide us with numbers but all subsidiaries are operated seperately so we must follow due process even though they share a parent.

Yesterday we attended a children event downtown Hyderabad. The name of the event is Balakalakaar and it is an art program organized by AIESEC Hyderabad for the public school children. Kristina, Sandra and I arrived at the end of the event, after almost getting lost...one thing with Rickshaw (Keke Marwa, as it is called in Lagos) drivers here is even though they do not know where you are going to them will tell you to enter and start doing roundabout till they find the place. Every one was staring at us as we entered the venue, I shake hand with them kids tire, I smiled till my mouth hurt. I said my name to so many time, I never stoped hearing, Hello, Miss what is your name? Your name is nice., Where are you from? Is this your real hair? My braids wa pulled so many times...I even signed autograph...my head was swelling.

Representing Naija: Dotun, I, OZ, Micheal, Anthony and Ib

Dotun and I are Teammates at TCS, the others are here in Hyderabad working in the schools with the kids. Iz is done with her internship and leaves for Nigeria on Thursday.

I have been eating them Indian dish, but I have been playing safe eating delicacies of rice...my best and the only one I know the name for now is Chicken Biryana. I ate it at some restaurant I and the other interns went to yesterday. It was some sort of send off for the some of the interns. In the last five days I have met and interacted people from all continents of the world. I am having fun and still very much overwhelmed. 

Right now I have sore throat and runny nose, Hyderabad is so cold...one of the reasons I decided to come down to India was because I believed it is hot and just like Nigeria, but I am wrong. People are wearing winter coats and Jackets here, even the Europeans find it cold.

Also there is a gym, tennis court, basket ball court at work...All work and no play makes a TCS staff dumb.

Good night people.

♥ Lara  from Incredible India

WELCOME TO INDIA I

I am supposed to start my gist from my arrival in India, but my experience in Hyderabad from yesterday took a very interesting turn.

I arrived Hyderabad on Friday after missing my flight on Thursday night, with my excess luggage and all *Mumbai gist later. I am staying at the Tata quarters till I get my own apartment.

I had to go to work yesterday, because a annual departmental training for my team was going on which I could not miss since they all knew I was in India. I got to meet my teammates, for now we are 3 ACE Interns in the team...two of us from Nigeria, the other has been here since last year, and might be leaving anytime soon and one lithuanian chick, Kristina, who is one hell of a character...the rest of the department people are Indians who all seem cool.

I find the city of Hyderabad overwhelming and intimidating, and it is a far cry from Mumbai...All major IT company's are represented here...Google, Amazon, Dell, to name a few and I guess that is why it is called the silicon valley of India.

I have always known that the Tata Group is a huge conglomerate and they practically own the whole of India as they have subsidiaries in every sector of the economy...but I did not expect the Tata Consultancy Services Limited to be a Corporation on its own...in Hyderabad, they have 3 different huge offices, just like in Mumbai and the security details is on another level...It brings back memories of visit to Exxon Mobil in Lagos.

Understanding the sessions was so hard, because the English spoken by this people is on another level...I would call it bastardized English, I hope I will be able to construct a correct sentence by the time I leave here. The presentation and quiz sessions by my team mates is the part I enjoyed in the whole session. During quiz one of the groups was asked the meaning of Job Description Title and dude said job...I could pick out the competitive, the intelligent and the *I am just lucky to be here* personalities.

Later that night, we decided to hang out with other   interns in Hyderabad and some other TCS interns from Mumbai and Chennai....I have to prepare myself for a lot of traveling with this people. Most of the other Interns are from Europe with a sprinkle from Latin America and just 2 of us from Africa. There was also this nerdy dude who works with Amazon and who seems to like Kristina with us.

Seems like there is a typical blood which runs through AIESECers around the world...drinks and partying...the drinks where already flowing by the time we got to the house of the other interns...after a while we set out to the club...by 12am on the dot the plug was pulled and we had to go...also typical of AIESECers they wanted to create a party of their own. We later ended in the house of some Brazilian dude who works for Novartis and there the party began and the trouble started.

At 2.30am, there was a knock on the door, and everyone was suddenly silent...the door was opened and we saw 2 residents and about six people who claimed to be police officers at the door. They said we were consistuiting a nuisance, asking what we were doing, what we were playing and all sorts of funny questions.
Brazilian guy told them to he would switch off the music and that they should leave his apartment, but they refused. Later they went out and some of us decided to leave...when we got to the lift, we were not allowed to leave and was told there was a procedure. One of Brazilian guy's friend had exchange words with the so-called police officers and they were claiming that he is an illegal immigrant, even after dude showed them his work ID.

The men came back to search the apartment after all the guys followed them downstairs, in their mind, we had to be doing drugs or something bad for us to be partying at night. Then Kazakhstan girl got up told them to leave the apartment, that they had no right to be searching the apartment. She requested for the so-called police man's ID card, which he could not produce and told them that anyone could be dressed in their so-called uniform and claim to be a policeman. One of the residents, who was the one spear-heading the search then asked her to stay out of the whole issue since she was not the owner of the apartment. I loved the way she talked back to the man who was obviously affluent and told them all to leave the apartment. Everyone kept telling me after, welcome to India, welcome to the craze of India.

At 3.45am, Kristina, Sandra and I walked in the freezing night to our apartment which was not really far...We would all find out about how the issue was resolved at work on Monday.

Today we are attending a children's event organized by AIESEC Hyderabad, we get to meet other non-TCS interns and I will be officially reporting to work on Monday.

Here is a view of the office where I would be working...

A wonderful week to you all, and Merry Christmas in advance, even though there is no feeling of Christmas here in Hyderabad.

♥ Lara  from Incredible India

Namaste...

Namaste...

Thank you guys for all your comments.

I left Nigeria yesterday and I arrived Mumbai at 4.00 am Naija Time which was 8.20am in India today safely.

I had a hours stop over at the Dubai airport and I must say just seeing the Airport alone, the Country is Beautiful.

I spent the better part of my 2hrs 15min flight of the Dubai to Mumbai time sleeping and I ate my first Indian Dish on the plane. The name of the food is Anda Bhurji which is a meal of scrambled eggs, with sauteed potatoes with mustard seeds, and lentils cooked with fresh spinach.

I spent the better part of the day sleeping as everyone was at work...it is 12.35am of which it is 8.05pm in Nigeria, everyone is asleep now, but my body is still doing Naija time.

Mumbai is just like Lagos, the traffic, slum and the gra gra of drivers...to me it the Lagos of India.
I leave for Hyderabad tomorrow by the Grace of God...getting a ticket is so expensive right now and I have a team training to attend on friday...so I have no choice but to be in Hyderabad tomorrow.

Till later.

♥ Lara 

Story of my life

Same time, last Sunday... I was not sure of anything. On Friday, the 3rd of December, I resigned from my job with immediate effect. I was jobless and angry with my mum, she was denying me the opportunity of a life time. I had planned to travel to Abeokuta and hang out with my Bestie till I was sure of the next step to take.

Thing is, I did not want to leave the country with out my parents permission or consent. I spoke to a friend on Saturday the 4th of Dec, and he told me to go back to my mum and make her understand how much this opportunity means to me.

I was selected for a one year Human Resources Internship with Tata Consultancy Services in India and for me this is a dream come through. Mum did not have any issue with it when I told her,then she spoke to my dad and she changed mouth. Now I know you never become an adult to your parent because they believe they still always make the best decision for you.

When I talked with mum last Sunday, she did not even allow me finish and just agreed. She was surprised I had gone ahead to apply for my visa after she had told me she wasn't allowing me go.

She is allowing me go on one condition that I come back at the end of my internship, no staying back or have any plan to settle in india.

The last one week has been crazy, my start date is Dec 1 so I am already as of today, 12 days behind schedule. Getting a ticket self was Wahala. I come from a pretty much close maternal family and I have had to practically visit almost every one to tell them of my intending trip.

I leave on Tues the 14th, and fly to Mumbai but my final destination is Hyderabad. I shall be spending a day or two with friends in Mumbai.

What the future holds I know not but I intend to trust in my God and utilize every opportunity.
A wonderful week to you all.

♥ Lara 

I Thought She Was The One by Aigbe Igunma

I could have sworn she was the one. She was pretty, intelligent, spiritual, interesting and she laughed at my jokes.

All of the above was good enough but because of my spiritual background and associations I also needed spiritual signs in case my very spiritual friends asked me "Did God tell you she's your wife?"

I prayed and looked for signs and I got plenty: dreams showing me things about her that she hadn't told me but which she confirmed to be correct, seeing her very Nigerian name written in the middle of a book I bought at a used book store and many more such signs.

My spiritual friends were more than convinced that these were more than mere spiritual coincidences. To them, these were sure signs in the sky that I'd found the One.

One of my mentors was not so convinced. He felt that all my cosmic coincidences were not enough. He said he saw very fundamental differences in goals and outlook to life and so didn't think it could work. Well, i just couldn't discard all these sweet signs in the stars so I continued in love's quest. Eventually though, those fundamental differences that my very wise mentor saw came to the fore and the house I had built on signs came tumbling down.

In 1999, knowing that Nigerians are a religious bunch, the sellers of the Obasanjo presidency told us about the obvious signs showing why Obj was God's anointed. They said his release from prison made him a modern day Joseph. They said he was now born again and that God wanted to use him to repair Nigeria exactly 20 years after he handed over power in 1979. So they made Nigerians vote for Brother Obasanjo. And ofcourse we all know how that ended.

Today, we are being sold the spiritual significance of how Goodluck Jonathan has emerged as Nigeria's president. Surely, they say, this must be the Lord's anointed. A man who became Governor and President through such extraordinary means must be God's man.

But alas, the signs will not be enough. Signs must not trump sense. They must work hand-in-hand. What kind of governor was Goodluck Jonathan? What kind of man is he? Does he have a record of performance or seeking solutions?

I am not yet for or against Jonathan. I am still watching, researching and praying. But when it's time to vote, let's not make the mistake I made in my story or the mistake we made with Obj. The signs may be good but they are not enough. Let's find out more about the man. Let's use both signs and sense.
by Aigbe Igunma

Dear Allah Elected One

Every day, I get at least two fraud mails. I read them not because I am interested, but because sometimes I wonder what it is some people read in such mails and fall victims. I read this today and I cannot help but imagine the person who will fall for this mail. For crying out loud, this idiot is using the name of God to dupe another person...and someone somewhere will read this and believe it is Allah's doing  and then fall mugu.

This girl has been pretty lazy to put up a proper post and besides I have been down with malaria.November is looking pretty good for me and I pray it continues that way.

Dear Allah elected one.

I am glad to know you, but Allah knows you better and he knows why he has directed me to you at this point in time so do not be afraid. I saw your e-mail contact at tunishian ministries of commerce and foreign trade departments . I am writing this mail to you with heavy sorrow in my heart, My Name is Elham Farah.

I want to tell you this because I dont have any other option than to tell you as I was touched to open up to you, I am married to Mr. Toyo Farah who worked with Tunisia embassy in Burkina Faso for nine years before he died in the year 2005.We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only five days.

Since his death I decided not to remarry, When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of US$ 8.2 m (Eight million two hundred thousand dollars)in a bank in Ouagadougou the capital city of Burkina Faso in west Africa Presently this money is still in bank. He made this money available for exportation of Gold from Burkina Faso mining. Recently, My Doctor told me that I would not last for the period of seven months due to cancer problem. Whoever that wants to serve Allah must serve him in spirit and Truth because Allah is the Most High, Please always be prayerful all through your life.

The one that disturbs me most is my cancer sickness. Having known my condition I decided to hand you over this money to take care of the less-privileged people, you will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want you to take 30 Percent of the total money for your personal use While 70% of the money will go to charity" people in the street and helping the orphanage.

I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not good not even good at all because they are the one that responsible for the death of my late husband in other to have all my late husband properties and I don't want my husband's efforts to be used by those that conspired for his death. I grew up as an Orphan and I don't have anybody as my family member, just to endeavour that the name of Allah is maintained... Am doing this so that Allah will forgive my sins and accept my soul because this sickness has suffered me so much.

As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the bank in Burkina Faso and I will send authority letter that will prove you the present beneficiary of the money in the bank that is if you assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein. Hopiing to receive your reply.

Mrs Elham Farah

swritten from Hospital.

Reply to this e-mail (mrs_farah.elham@sify.com)

2ND OF NOVEMBER

2nd of November
Five Years ago
Was on a Wednesday.
On the 2nd of November, 2005

The Muslim faithfuls like I were preparing for the Id El-fitri prayers
The month of Ramadhan came to an end the day before.
It is a day of joy and prayers.
I looked forward to it.

On my way home from school,
Mum called, She had to go to the hospital
An aunt was ill and it was serious.

She had battle breast cancer
It was a long  journey, she overcame cancer.

Some months back she fell on from the stairs
She was rushing to call some people preaching outside her house.
They thought it was just a sprain,
an operation on the leg at the Igbobi Orthopaedic crushed that thought.
I went to visit, while she was there.
That was the last time I saw here.

A loving and dutiful wife, she was
A beautiful mother, she was
and most of all a wonderful aunt.

She was a role model
She never minced her words
She never treated her children differently
I always looked forward to visit to her house during the holidays.

The doctors said the leg was not healing properly.
It had been in POP, so nobody knew
The leg was decaying.
They were thinking of an amputation.

On the 2nd of November 2005
Death snatched her away from us.
Death took away her smile, her wise words.
Depriving her the joy of motherhood.

She was not there to hand over Toyin to her husband
She never got to meet Toyosi's husband
and She will not be there to see 'Labisi  from graduate medical school.

I miss her,
any time I see any of her children
I miss her.
but I know I can never miss her more than her children.

Yes she is gone,
Yesterday, 2nd of November
Made it five years, departed this world

Allah knows better for taking her away from us.
All we can now do is ask forgiveness for her sin
And pray,
Allah grants her Al-Jannah Firdaus

♥ Lara 

If only...

Why do they always leave
When they ask me what is wrong,
and I say nothing.
Why do they not ask me again
They only ask me once and
When I say nothing, they walk away.

Why do you walk away
Why do you not ask me again.
Why don't you pester me to tell you,
What is wrong with me.

I have been pacing around the house.
I have been clumsy,
Dropping plates and splilling food and water.

My heart is heavy
I want to talk
But nobody is ready to listen
I know you ask me what is wrong
Yet your eyes tell me you are not interested in knowing
You ask just to ask
You just want to fulfill all righteousness
So that when they ask
You will say I asked but she said nothing

Ask me one more time
Pester me
and I will tell you what is wrong
I shall confide in you
Even though you will not be able to bear my burden
nor make light my pain.

If only you had asked one more time
maybe you would have been able to stop the disaster that is about to happen.

♥ Lara

BOOKSHOP VENT

Note to Bookshop Owners: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Chinua Achebe are not the only authors in Nigeria. And it is not everyone read motivational books

I went all the way to Yaba on Wednesday with one mission, to buy Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s The Thing Around Your Neck and Helon Habila’s Measuring time. I got my copy of Measuring Time at the Unilag bookshop during my last visit there, but I did not see a reason to go all the way down there. There are over 30 bookshops if not more in yaba, 90% of them do not even sell Nigerian Literature books but stock various so called motivational books and professional textbooks. The 10% which bother to stock Nigerian Literature have never heard the name HELON HABILA not to talk of selling his books. This 10% who sell Nigerian literature only have Chimamanda Ndozi Adichie’s Purple’s Hibiscus and Half of a yellow sun, most have never heard of her latest book, The Thing around Your neck. Chinua Achebe’s works they stocked in multitude, thanks to WAEC for this. After walking the length and breadth of Yaba market, I finally saw a bookshop which had The thing around your neck

The next day, I went to the Unilag bookshop and they had also run out of Measuring Time, I could not leave a bookshop without buying any book (no more visit to any bookshop any time soon). I was lost in the sea of books, all calling out to be read and not sure which to choose since i could not go home with all of them, then I saw it, calling out to me at the same spot where the book I had originally visited the bookshop was last placed...Myne Whitman’s A Heart to Mend.

These are the latest addition to my ever growing library

I need to have a book budget...the rate at which i buy books and magazines nowadays call for caution. Books I understand but most of the magazine I do not read for months, why I keep buying them, I do not know.  I wish I was this passionate about recommended texts while in school.

And yeah on my bed spread is the 101 dalmatians, blame it on my aunt who bought it.
Also the poem in the last post was not written by me

For Myne: Is the raffle still on
Naija Blogsville is mourning the loss of its own, sad I never read his blog till today when i saw the farewell posts. May The Good God grant his family the stregth to bear the loss and may he also find eternal peace.

Wishing you all a wonderful and blessed week

♥ Lara 

WHY

WHY?


When the man on the corner,
Looks in the trashcan,
Pulling out brown bags,
And an empty soda can...


When the towers came down
On that day in September,
And terror was felt,
How could you not remember?

When a friend is lost,
'Cause someone else drank too much beer.
A family is torn apart
To someone, that friend was so dear...

When teenagers,
Who think they are cool,
Make fun of those different,
In your public school...

When an infant is found
In a dumpster near death,
Unsure of this world,
As she takes her last breath...

When a child is kidnapped,
When a mother is killed,
When a puppy's run over,
As the world stands still...

What will you say,
To your child with angel eyes,
As she looks straight at you,
And tearfully asks...

WHY?
 
by Kristen Grace

Bus Gbege: CRAZE WOMAN

A friend of mine once said that most people on the street of Lagos are mad, just that their madness has not degenerated to the regular naked mad man eating from the dustbin.

It all started when this woman seeing in the front row, a child strapped to her back with the twin positioned on her lap offered the conductor 10Naira for a 20Naira bus fare. The conductor refused and told his driver who also bluntly refused. as is with Nigerian drivers, this is an opportunity for him to start talking anyhow.

Can't tell if it was a fellow passenger that gave the woman the extra 10Naira or she brought it out from her bag, she squeezed the money into the conductors hand.

Unknown to the driver that she has paid her correct fare, he continue talking that if she had told him it was another matter, she entered and sat and is not offering him 10Naira.

The woman then responded that it was enough oh, that she has paid the money...

The next we heard was Thunder fire you from the driver and the exchange of words and curse began and...gbam, a slap on the driver’s face. He almost lost control of the wheel, and then he packed.

You dey craze, he said...shey you wan beat me she replied, dropping the twin on her lap and standing, ready for a show down. You dey craze, I be your wife wey you dey curse me...I never pay you your money.

The driver to the conductor, oya give her money make she come down.

Shey na for here you carry me, I no dey come down...I wan see wetin you wan do She said, sitting down.

The look on my face as well as the others was that of shock, as in I could not even laugh. When I heard the slap...in my head I was like see ‘were’. I have seen drivers and passengers insult themselves and say worse things to each other, but this one get k-leg. When one of the passengers tried to talk to the woman, she turned and wanted to start cursing that one, na so she padlock her mouth.

Everyone sha begged the driver, who obviously is not a violent man, to carry us to our destination. I can only but imagine if she had tried it with some other man, I am sure it is her dead body the husband will come to carry.

Some women sabi pass dem boundary no be small.

♥ Lara 

And the winner is...

Yeah Uti won BBA...I scream like a mad woman when I heard his name, I have not uttered the National Anthem in 9 years, the words came out of my mouth as I listened to Uti.  Must say I thought the money was going to Munya...that look on Munya's face when he heard Uti's name is priceless, he was shocked, dude already thought the money was coming to him.

To the post , the winner of the giveaway is commenter number 12

 and Commenter 12 is Aloofar
Aloofar is the winner of  Helon Habila's Measuring Time. Kindly send your contact details

Thank you guys for reading and the comments.
A fulfilling and wonderful week to all.

♥ Lara

MASS WEDDING + Give-away

I had almost boycotted the wedding.

I was informed 3days to the date.

Bride and I see eachother almost everyday, but she kept the news to her self.

Even when I was telling her a mutual friend had invited me to his son's first year birthday and I should invite her if she was available she still did not open her mouth to give me the news.

My aunt informed me the next day and my attendance was expected.

I was angry and decided to show face only so as not to have family drama and stories of jealousy spring up.

I was given 3days notice and I was angry

Her Stepmother was given a day's notice, the woman did not bother showing up

Her half brother was called by her father that day, He showed up because he had nothing important to do.

Besto got married in a registry, which was in everyway like every normal church/trad wedding

Was shocked at the manner of wedding that took place at the Ikeja Registry.

For the 1st time in my life I witnessed a mass wedding.

When the five couples were told to all enter the hall, we wondered

One of the reason they had elected to use the Ikeja Registry is because someone told them the Ikeja and Ikoyi registry are the only Embassies recognized marriage courts in Lagos...how tue that is I do not know.

So I guessed the idea of a mass wedding is because, too many people want to get married in said registry.

There were about five batch of five couples.

The whole wedding ceremony lasted about 30mins.

If I ever have to do a court marriage abi is it wedding, the Ikeja Registry is so ruled out

That place is suitable for couple who do no have the support of their families and just want to tie the knot at all means

---------------------------------------
I just finished reading Helon Habila's Measuring Time...I love it and I would love share it...so I am having a give-away...all you have to do is follow the blog and comment on this post...

watch this space for the lucky winner...
-------
Turns out I am still six more post to reach 100th post, my reader was reading 100th post...my bad but the give-away still stays

♥ Lara

RecentT Read, Movie/TV and Music

RECENT READ
Yellow-Yellow by Kaine Agary

I know am like three years late reading this book, I got captivated by the first page of the book when I first sighted it in 2008 in hands of a fellow student. I have always wanted to read the book and the opportunity came when I had visited the Unilag bookshop in search of Chimamanda Adichie's The Thing Around Your Neck. Disappointed and wanting a book to read and I bought Yellow-Yellow.

Although I do not like the way the book ended, I must say it is okay...never really read anything on the Niger Delta Issues, so I guess this book transported me to the region and gave me an insight into the real issues.

Zilayefa, refered to "Yellow-Yellow" , is 'a young girl of Greek and Nigerian parentage, who leaves her rustic experience and the protective grip of her mother in the village, in search of a better life in the city. With a recommendation from her church pastor, she is taken in and catered for by Sisi, an elderly woman, and her young friend, Lolo'.


RECENT TV
Been watching a lot of Reality Shows lately, Big Brother Africa 5 tops the list, even though I am already bored by the show because it is becoming too predictable especially when Munya is up for eviction. Ruby and Kimora: Life in the Fab Lane on TSN is also a must watch for me, whenever I am home weekends.

RECENT MUSIC

My current play list is Lagbaja's latest album and my favorite songs on the Album is Did I and Bling Bling Panda. A typical Lagbaja song, Did I is a love song between a Naija and A lady, though this time, she is an Oyinbo. The Spanish speaking chick in Did I's video is hot and cute, love the concept of the video and she sure has a sweet voice.

♥ Lara 

Bus Gbege: Agborodun

Thank God it's Friday, had a really stressful week and surely not going to have any rest this weekend. 

Taking my lil sis, Zainab shopping on saturday for her school provisions, she goes back to school on monday. On sunday, off to Ilisan to go drop, Aisha's laptop with her, don't know what I was thinking when I volunteered to take the laptop to school for her.

Discussing my bus experience is going to be a regular on this blog, what have i not seen or heard in the bus...the bus is a world on its own, where people are never afraid to be themselves or show that side of them, even the closest person to them has never experienced.  

Today, I left the house on hour earlier than my usual, the traffic has crazy lately and most times I get to work late. The road was unusually free this morning, guess the tanker drivers who usually queue to enter the Tincan port overslept...in my mind, thinking I will get to work early today, the driver and conductor of the bus I entered decided to show their craze.

At the National Petrol Station, just before the Tincan second gate, we saw a bus packed, all its passengers out with its driver fighting with one of the passengers. A normal sight in Lagos, you would say, just as I said to myself...before we knew it, the driver of our bus packed and jumped out the car with his conductor to join in the fight. I was stunned, every thing was like film trick...more like the guy forgot he was going somewhere or that he actually had it in mind that the people in the bus had a place to go to which is called work.

For more than thirty minutes, we sat and waited for the two idiots to come back to the bus...the dumb policeman in the bus, that we thought was going to go help get the mad driver and conductor, also joined in beating the guy the drivers were fighting with...I was mad, I could not even say anything...the spot he packed us was so muddy, so we were stuck in the bus and looking on till they stop their madness and hoping it was soon.

The two  idiots even followed the crowd into a big company they all entered and were actually beaten out of the premises before they remembered they had left some people in their bus. They were not even apologetic and just kept saying they had to help their man out and can not  go on without been there for him.

I just was not interested in the gist, in short nobody was...every one one was angry and some people kept telling the driver they wished someone had broken his head in the fight or something more terrible had happened to him...all I wanted to do was to get to get out of the bus and get to work

♥ Lara

The Beautiful Bride

The long holiday was spent wakaing round Lagos, I had planned to sleep all through, except on Saturday to attend my friends wedding. The aso-ebi did not turn out like I had expected, almost ditched it...but my friend would just not hear of it. After some modification and persuasion from my aunt and friend, wore it and funny, people loved it. I am not a fan of lace, I guess that was why I had issues with the dress...in all I had fun at the wedding.

The Beautiful bride, Gbemi

on our way

Sandra and I

Bunmi, Sandra, Niyi and Me

Friday night

Friday, 3rd September

Went to bed with a terrible headache at about 9:49pm.
All of a sudden I was awake, it cannot be 1am already, I said to myself, feeling for my phone in the dark. Then I heard the sound that was what woke me up, it was a gunshot, it was just 11:01pm. How could that be, I got out of bed, went into my uncle’s room where my cousin and niece slept, there was no more shot, they were soundly asleep, dead to the world and oblivious of the shot. My aunt is not home, she went for a Vigil.
I went back to the room, the gunshots has stopped
.
Tried going back to sleep, the gunshot started again, this time in multiples
At first, it sounded so far from the street, but one knew they were close by.
Then, there was one which sounded like it was shot right from the street.
With heart racing, i sprang out of bed, hurriedly got dressed
Pushing my laptop and phone under the bed, locked the door and ran out of the room.
I had money in my bag, would offer it to them if they came in.
I was alone at our side of the house with 3teenagers, who throughout this ordeal of mine did not even shake body not to talk of waking up.

Opened the gate, and moved to the other side of the house where our family friend and his family resides, they are closer to the gate and the shot were louder there. There I sat till the whole thing came to an end.

The ember month is here, December is around the corner and the race to make last minute money has started.
Mama Emeka has told him to come complete the mansion he started; the house must be opened this Christmas when everybody will be come. Everybody must know that Emeka has arrived and mama and papa emeka’s status in the village must be elevated.

Joel just got off the phone talking to his mother, she just saw Emma drive pass in a 2010 Toyota Camry. Joel’s must come home with a bigger car, so that Mama Emma must know that her son’s level is by far higher that Emma’s own.

Joel and Emeka cannot afford to disappoint, everybody must know they have arrived; they cannot afford to disappoint their parent. They take to the street, holding us to ransom and dispossess us of our possessions.

We have gotten to that time of the year, when we have to watch every step we take because we never know. Pray we never end up a victim...Lovely week to you all

My Prayer for Ramadhan

The month of mercy, forgiveness and blessings is drawing close its curtain.

By the end of today, it will be 27days of Ramadhan with only 2 or 3 days left.

By His Grace, I have not missed anyone.

By the end of Today, if Ms. flow does not disrupt,

I would have fasted for 27days.

Not unusual but a rare opportunity for women.

In all, I have had a spiritually fulfilling one.

Even though it could have been better,

It is one of my best Ramadhan.

I came to him this Holy month with a heart heavy,
With a huge void in me,
 I knew only him could fill.
A lot of unanswered questions.
I have never felt closer to Him,like I have this month.
I now experience peace.
I am in a better place this year than I was when I went through Ramadhan last year.
But like the saying goes;
My today must be better than my yesterday.
This year is my year of re dedication and I know it is the beginning of a wonderful relationship with my God, because I have the confidence and know that He is ever Merciful and Forgiving.

This has been my prayer in the last 27days, not just this but this I never fail to say every day. 

Oh Allah, surely You are Forgiving and Merciful forgive me, for there is none who can Forgive sins but You what I have sent before me and what I have left behind me, what I have concealed and what I have done openly, what i have done to excess, and what You are better aware of than I. I seek Your forgiveness and Your protection in my religion and in the life of the world and the next, in my family and in my property
 

Oh Allah, guide me together with those you have guided, and strengthen me together with those to whom you have given strength. Take me into Your care together with those You have taken into Your care. Bless me in what You have given me. Protect me from the evil You have ordained.

Oh Eternal Living one, by Your mercy I call upon You to set right all my affairs. Do not place me in charge of my soul even for a moment. Oh Allah, draw a veil across my secrets and preserve me from anguish.

Ya Allah, guard me from what is in front of me and behind me, from my left and from my right, and from above me. I seek protection in Your Greatness from being struck down from beneath.

I seek refuge in you from the evil of my soul and from the evil of Satan and his helpers. I seek refuge in you from bringing evil upon my soul and from harming fellow beings. I seek refuge in you from misery, from weakness and from laziness, from greed, from perversion of faith and the domination of others.

I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave, from the trails of the False Messiah, I seek refuge in you from the trials of life and death and from the punishment of Hell-fire.

In all, I ask that this is month is Eternally beneficial to me and all who participated in it.May He accepted it from us as an act of Ibadah and make us inmates of Al-Jannah (Ameen).

I look forward to a loving relationship with my Father.

TIRED

I am tired of just letting things hppen to me
Instead of doing what I want,
Instread o taking the risk,
I have always been the person
I do not want to be
Doing things, I do not want to do

I have always been looking out for
What every one else wants

Now  I look for to living my own dreams
I want to be my own person
and not Every one else's person

Dry

Dry

So when you quenched your thirst today
To where did your mind go and stray
When you fed your hunger this day
...To where your mind wandered away
And as your ears unclogged again
In that country did you remain

I hope you stayed in those dried lands
And still could see the needy hands
Where drying eyes afford no tears
Where crying is but no one hears
And as your ears unclogged again
In that country did you remain

Where swollen bellies have no feed
Where mothers have no milk to breed
Where skins and bones are crying too
Before another day goes through
Before your ears are clogged again
In that country did you remain

Najma Pirani ®
Copyright © 2010

Love Triangle

I love him
Him loves me not
Him loves her
She loves him not
She love He
She would do anything to He
He love her not
He is gay
He loves Him.

Exams was good, felt so strange been in the exam hall, last serious exams was '08, not that long but definately felt out of place.

My gum is back, wasn't self medicating...Pa is a doctor, though not a dentist and he recommended the use of anti-biotics and all them drugs...
Lovely and filfilling week to you all
♥ Lara

WEEKEND et al.

Attended the wedding of a fellow AIESEC Alumni...Seyi was the President of AIESEC in the University of Lagos and the first and only Female President of AIESEC Nigeria. Seyi is also on of the few AIESECER I look up to. Soeven though I was fasting, I had to a part of her Happy day . Here is wishing her a happy married life. 

Khadijat, Moyo, Bunmi, the Groom,Seyi, Me and Kole

Khadijat, Moyo, Bunmi, the Groom,Seyi, Me, Kole and Niyi

My gum has been giving me serious headache, woke up in pains on friday and my friends jokingly said my gum hurts because it was friday the 13th, the day bad things are assumed to happen. Now it is Monday the 15th and my gum still hurts. I have taken all the medications prescribed from the pain killers to the anti -biotics still nothing, it is even worse when I laugh, don't know what to do.


Writing  my cipmm exams this week

THE BLESSED MONTH IS HERE AGAIN

Today is the 1st day of Ramadan...Period of reflection, dedication and full commitment in seeking Allah"s favour and forgiveness... A period to look back with gratitude, look forward with hope and look up with confidence and thank Allah for making us see another blessed month...A time to relent not, sleep not...call Allah every seconds and seek for His forgiveness...RAMADHAN KAREEM to all muslims.

Think About That And Smile by IIWYM

Hello people,

How you all had a wonderful weekend, for me it was a sleep thingy...stole this from a blog and to avoid been sued for Copyright abi is it plagiarism  am referencing.  Post was stole from  IIWYM

Let’s talk about your man

and how he doesn’t respect you,

how he says he loves you

but leaves nothing but doubts in you

Remember how he mistreats you,

telling lies

about how you miss-saw him rubbing on that bitch’s thighs,

how he promised he wasn’t like other guys

But it was too late that you realized

he was sitting on a big surprise

His nappy-heads was in the fives

and that’s just from what you heard,

what you picked up from those clucking birds,

the ones that used to know her,

the one who gave him three,

three that neither could afford to feed

Only one was willing to be,

to be there,

to stay and raise both their shares,

and she still misses him

Imagine that

She still imagines kissing him

And he’s told you more than twice

that she could bump and grind it right,

that she didn’t like it nice,

not like you

No she was nothing like you

It was hard and rough that she liked

She was a garden plot

She wanted to be dug out,

pounded by meaty flesh till she was shouting out,

and that’s the way he wants you to be,

to give up your love talk

unless it’s that pillow talk

He wants you to walk her walk,

but you just want a man,

the type who will understand

that you desire a slow hand,

Millie’s All The Way Lover’s hands

You want him,

but what you got is that

He gave you lusty lies when you needed loving facts

And I’m sorry child

I’m sorry that right now

I can’t make you smile

I can only give you this,

these honest words and a virtual kiss,

written hugs and another kiss,

spiritual caresses and all of this

Think about it

Think about it and smile.

Think about it. That is your man, what I know about him at least. You have been putting up with his shit for a long time, and you knew better; you know better now. Baby, you should not be living lonely. I am not saying you should leave him, but I have to say that there has to be a man who will treat you better. A good man would not call you out in front of others. He would not call you out of your name. He would be a tender lover, more into touching your heart than your thighs, not that your thighs are not soft and smooth to the touch. I am sure they are, but what can a man get from them—or from between them—that is better than what he can get from your soul and mind?
Think about that.
Think about that and smile.
 By: IIWYM

ARRESTED....

You're under arrest, you have to follow us to the station, he said.
Oga, what did I do that I would follow you to the station, I said.
Madam said you have to follow us, he said.

Some minutes back, I had spoken to his boss on the phone inrespect of my chairman's instruction not to receive any letter on her behalf.

In the last one hour, I have been arguing with the police officer that I cannot follow him to the station. Station ke, ori mi ko, Iran mi sun station ri.
My offence is that i refused to accept a police letter.
The men brought a police invitation for my chairman for a matter which is concerning one of her properties. Chairman people no dey, an the receptionist came to call me to inform them that the chairman's staffs are not around and the matter self is not even related to organization I work for, it is chairman's personal matter.

The police oga was insisting on the phone that they come with me, chairman dey halla for my oga that they must not take me. Me self. liver dey do me dey argue with police people them.  It is even funny, i have never heard of where you arrest someone for refusing to accept letter on another person's behalf.
After all the grammar and phone calls, they left me...if my chairman had not shouted on the phone and I insisting I do not work for the chairman, na so dem for carry me go station on matter wey I no sabi anything about.
If persin no sabi im right for naija and no sabi correct influential persin, na OYO you dey oh.

DO NOT LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT

Do not look at me like that
I do not like it when you look at me like that
I hate that condesencing look you give me
Like you know where I am headed
or where I am coming from.
Do not look at me like that
Like you are better than me
Like you are sure you will make heaven
and I destined for hell.
Why not let the creator be the judge of me.
Last I checked or know, He did not appoint you
his scribe nor secretary.
Do not look at me like that
I hate it when you look at me like that.

(this is me trying to write a poem)
♥ Lara

Sweet...Sad Weekend

On Saturday, Finally met HappyBBB at her birthday party at the beach. She is such a lovely girl and a very good host. Did not get to take a picture with her, which is sad.

Laura, I and Sandra(My friends who went with me)

Yesterday, while ironing my aunt's clothes for the party she wanted to drag me to, the sad news came,Tunji's father died in the morning. Tunji is a friend of the family and he is a fiance to a cousin. The man had been in the hospital for about 2weeks and was discharged on Friday. The doctors had conducted a test on his discharge and told the family to come back for his result. On Saturday, the hospital called that his son should bring back to the hospital immediately that the man's blood level is very low and is in a delicate situation. The family refused to return him to the hospital saying they should not have discharged him, if they were not sure of his condition. They instead took him to the Lagoon hospital, which insisted on a N1million deposit before commencing treatment at all. After money was paid and treatment commenced, but as Allah will have it, the man passed away yesterday. Burial is today, because the other children wanted to come see their father for the last time. May Allah forgive his sins and grant him eternal peace and Aljannah.

The picture below is a bump on the head of a 5year old boy.

No he wasn't born like that, neither does he have a tumor or something growing inside his head. His class teacher did this to him and her excuse was that he is too stubborn. This picture was taken 12hours after the incident...blood was seriously gushing out and there was an opening at the top. The teacher said she hit him with a cane, but am sure she is lying. A cane would not do this, a plank or something else would cause this.

Like some people said on facebook, the woman most definately does not have a child or have never loved a child. Only a heartless and wicked soul will hit a child on the head and cause injury to the child. What if the child had concussion or something serious happens to him and they would not know in years. This is a criminal offence, I thought Gov. Fashola has a new rule which says, teachers will be jailed for caning a child and this is even worse than caning, she has cause an injury to the child.This teacher deserves to be in jail. The kids family were busy listening to story and the principal who was arguing she was not aware was giving them a dumb excuse of they would look into the matter. if the kid was related to me, she will so be smelling her ass in jail, where the so called devil which took over her will desert her.

♥ Lara