What My YORUBA Friend Taught Me About Eating Etiquette

Apparently, I have been self opinionated and pompous to have believed that once I make an utterance of being full- after eating that it is, a drum will be rolled out in my honor. I lied.

As you may already know, I love to eat akara at least 3 days /week (and now please do not ask me what I eat them with) lol. So after eating, I said “oh I am full” hoping that what would follow my statement would be something in the lines of Thank God, you wouldn’t have to whine or fuss about not eating breakfast since you already had a huge meal. I was again wrong! What followed instead was the opposite. My colleague goes ‘Hey you don’t say something like that, IMAGINE! You have already said that like three times already’. He continues to say that in his tribe, what I said would automatically be misconstrued as a proud statement. Instead you say, Thank God for provision. I know that most culture in Nigeria like to attribute everything to God or god, (sometimes they put all two in the same pack), and like me, always operate a faith-based life, and hence always believe that God comes down literally to tend to our daily needs. I must say that while I know that is the case for many households in Nigeria, there are individuals or even families who also think otherwise. What do I know?

P.s For those with a different opinion, please share your thoughts I'm listening.

 

Xo.

Yayyy! I am VICTORIA’s Role Model

I have been the one to look up to people… This I have been doing since I realized I was growing mangoes on my chest. I had thought it was a wonderful experience or one of those bragging rights of any woman to be able to say they look up to someone because of reason A or B.

The job market in Nigeria has made me cry blood if ever I was to get away with any of my exaggerations…Little did I know that today, would be my happiest day. And oh, by the way, if any of you still know about that Facebook nomination the one that people get to be nominated by friends to say what they are grateful for, please tag me.

It happened that a teenage girl (who I think just got her periods today, not sure why I feel this way about her though. lol) and her mom came by my office today. Actually, this happens to be her second visit, and we discussed about a variety of things INCLUDING life (Not like I know where I’m headed myself, but I could have swore that I gave her a honest opinion about where her life should be headed in some five, six years down the lane. Anyways, before they could stand back to their feet, her mom just said “its no surprise my daughter looks up to you”. I asked her what she really meant, but she gave me that eye look smiling and said nothing.  And it’s not like I’ve seen them before other than the first consultation last week, which I am sure didn’t last no more than 30 minutes. Then again, I was excited, I was giddy at the thought of it, that this mother made this open confession, and here am I thinking that the only person that could possibly be looking up to me should be my daughter. After all, in my right, I birthed her, I have sworn to lead by example, and she will have no choice than to do my bidding. The statement made me realize that I had to be grateful for the little things. I didn’t have to have a big job, hold a political office, or have had 4 or 5 children, or remained married(as some people still think these are the only standards to qualify one as a role model in our society) but right HERE is a girl- a single mother, one who holds a job that is nothing compared to her equals. Oh! It’s such great news to my soul and I pray that God blesses Victoria and her mama.

The Ninth Month and Its Implications

My guess is that by now, as in being in the ninth month many of you would have achieved that year long plan of getting a good job, getting engaged, married, birthing your kids, either in this order, or vice versa. No kidding! Then again, it’s September, and we are only three months away from the end of 2014 which begs the question as to whether our set goals have been attained or not. There may be those who have no goals to begin with, but have since January been going head on with every other month like it’s their making. I do not want to judge anyone you know why? Not like I’m fully in either camp, but just that sometimes I can’t even find where I belong. I experience the guilty pangs of not confronting a deadline head on, and  not fully committed at them. I hope that the purpose of today’s post is to encourage you guys as with myself that for the fact that things may not be panning out as we had hoped, we can still stay focused, and encouraged that  our rewarding days lay ahead.

Hold on! Hold out!!