Word of the day – Oyinbo. It means white person or white people in the local Yoruba language. I’ve also developed several new nieces and nephews and they all call me Auntie from England. The little ones are very, very cute and just sit and grin at the Oyinbos! One of the English teachers (who is working at the primary school) showed us photos yesterday and any time he gets his camera out he is mobbed by kids who want their picture taking. I think it’s the Nigerian way to LOVE being on film. Even the security guards keep asking us to take pictures of them when they spot that we have a camera. Today Dr Ash (as he’s known here) has travelled down to Lagos and he will return to England on Saturday so we ... read more

Yesterday afternoon was spent planning what we would be doing for the next week or so. Everyone is so keen to see us and to speak to us and find out our ideas from the UK. I had planned to get my lessons ready early but I just don’t have enough information to do it. The staff are lovely but they are so laid back. It’s very hard to get things done. That is in total contrast to the two very experienced teachers we have with us who seem to be quite stressed out. After we’d finished with our departments (it was Sunday after all) we headed to the principal’s lodge for lunch then to a birthday party at the pool. The party was for a junior member of the staff and due to her lack ... read more

I’ve now been in Africa for 26 hours and already I think I can understand why people are enchanted by the place. I'm not sure if I'm just being incredibly nieve or if it’s because we are being really well looked after but all the worry and doubt I had before I left the UK seems to have dissolved away in the heat. People are so nice and friendly here. Their greeting and general way of dealing with things is “you’re welcome!” The staff here and at the hotel we stayed at last night seem genuinely happy to meet us and hear what we have to say. Well, I probably should tell you about last night… The flight over was really good – the plane was about 1/5 full (possibly less that that!) so I had ... read more