It is 12.53am IST, April 26th...Today is my born day.
My page on the office portal was filled with cake yesterday and I am told that is will be the look of my page for the whole week...Excited, I cried last year...I don't intend to cry this year.
My mum just sent an SMS and I am overwhelmed...I love that woman.
I was back in Mumbai for the long break, went for paintball with other interns and some friends...I had fun.
Even though, I do not have family around, I get to share my little moments of joy with friends I have here.
I finally decided on dinner with all TSC-Hyderabad interns and a mutual friend.
I am happy, not just because it is my birthday...I have decided to be happy in spite of the sadness around.
I hope nothing takes this smile away from my face.
My baby sister, Zainab was a year older on Friday...I miss that girl,I miss her trouble, I miss the way she woukd barge into my room and ask me some random question or tell me to warn Aisha for disturbing her precious life. I feel like a mother who is missing out on the progress of her child.
Saturday was supposed to be Fuad (my late cousin)'s 28th birthday, it also happens to be the birthday of a wonderful ex-roommate turned friend.
Yesterday was a paternal Cousin's birthday, even though we have never met, he is such a wonderful person. He is such an exceptional man and I can only pray for God's blessing and Grace in his life and that of his family.
Tomorrow is my cousin, Deola's birthday...She is in the Uk, I am in India...for now we are far from each other's world.
I shall be a year older in 8days...I don't even know if I will be celebrating. I am thinking of having dinner with my flatmates as they are my family for now. Maybe go to the club for the weekend, celebrate with colleagues.
I still have 7days to plan for that.
This morning,, I woke to read, the post of a friend to his late friend....I don't know what it means to lose a friend but I know what it is like to lose a loved one.
The first quarter of the year is almost over, I have spent 4months and 3days in India, far away from love, home, and family...In the last 4months, it's been death all around. Watching the New-Zealand quake live on TV, watching the Japanese tsunami and wishing in my head, that I was watching a movie. Reading and listening to the news of the Libyan, Ivory Coast and Bahrain uprising and wondering what the hell is going on in our world.
I was never one to be shaken by death...but any news of death gets to me nowadays, even if I do not know jack about the person. Some interns were teasing me the other day about the Japanese quake, and was wondering why I was so interested and emotional watching the water wash away the lives of people.
In the midst of all these sadness, also is joy for some. My Uncle by marriage celebrated his 80th birthday in February. Some days, I am jealous of the man, to me he has lived such a fulfilled life...not that it has been all rosy for him, but in all I must say, he is a happy man.
Not everyone will get the to chance to celebrate such age, just like the death talked about in my friend's post. but no matter how long or short our life is, it is the joy amidst the pain we leave in the heart of our beloved ones that matters. In my friend's post, I saw the love he felt for the deceased, the impact she made in his life. She left such a positive imprint in his life.
This is what I wish for, no matter how short or long my relationship with people, all I care about is the mark I leave in their lives...I love to always be remember for good and whenever I am remember, I want a smile across your face and not a frown.
It is a new week, It is the month of the Diamond and like the Diamond, I wish everyone a sparkling fulfilling week. To all the April aka Diamond darlings....wishing you all a Happy Birthday.
N.B: Sorry I had to put up such a sad and uncoordinated post on a Monday morning, but I have just been down lately with all the sadness around me and I just had to let it out.
Why are you in Mumbai? Why did you go to Mumbai? Why are you not in Kerala with your flat mates?
These were the questions I was asked...
Everyone was wondering why I had to visit Mumbai on such long break.
I did not fall in love with Mumbai
Hyderabad has my love and would be my lover for a very long time.
Mumbai, I visited because of a promise
I am not one to make promises, because once I make one, I do all I can to fulfill the promise. I made a promise to my Ugandan friend, Berna to see her before she leaves India.
I bought my ticket the same day I got back to Hyderabad from Goa.
Had I known the importance of April 1st and 2nd, I might not have visited Mumbai on the date or would have gone by road. It is was the eve of the Cricket final between India and Sri-lanka.
The flight which was supposed to be 10 minutes earlier ended up been 35minutes late...the plane had to hover for another 40mins and my 1: 15hour became 2hours. All these delay was caused because President and Prime Minister of India at the time of our takeoff, were landing at the Mumbai Airport....I finally got to my friend's flat at 1am IST after several minutes of trying to locate the street.
My weekend in Mumbai I must say was really beautiful, one of my best moments since I came to India. Not like there were really exciting places to visit, but the joy of spending the evening with other Nigerians, speaking pidgin English, eat our local dish and just laugh about things made it really memorable and beautiful for me.
I got on the train for the first time in my life in Mumbai, when the guys were buying the train tickets and talking about 2nd class coach, I had the inter-state trains in mind, only for me to get on the train and have to stand and be squeezed in between men....the train experience was not that bad except moments when I am squeezed between guys.
I got to spend time with my naija family, eat Amala and Ogbono soup on Saturday, Eba and Okro soup on Monday....I got to watch the Cricket final for 2hours in a bar in with some of the ACERS and few Mumbai Interns. Even though I did not understand jack of what happening on the screen, I jumped and screamed with them once in a while, for every other minute, I was completely lost.
It was so much fun having dinner and watching the excitement of the Indians after the game came to an end...The excitement was contagious and I was in such a happy mood...
On Sunday, I went to the Elephanta Caves with two friends and even though, I am bored from seeing temples in India, I enjoyed the company of those I went with.
Break fast on saturday
Yeah, the boys turned to their cook, made Egusi and Okro Soup for my friend, Chinedu.
Chinedu, Adonis (Benin Republic) and I
Lily and I
I, Feyi and Lily
Amala, Semo and Ogbono Soup, .
Thanks to Feyi for providing Elubo and Lilly for making the Amala and Soup.
TCS Naija family, Damola, Chinedu and Feran
The Churchgate Train Station
Yeah, at this point, I was lost, bored and struggling to stay awake
And the next day was the trip to the Elephanta Caves
Pictures in the next Post All Pictures from my friend's camera
I was back in Mumbai for the long break, went for paintball with other interns and some friends...I had fun.
