Blogs from Nigeria, Africa - page 4

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Africa » Nigeria June 7th 2011

Four days in Africa and I’m not tanned yet – what’s going on there? After I finished last night’s blog I snuggled under my sandpaper bed sheet and drifted off into a sweet slumber. At around two AM there was the loudest noise I have ever heard in my entire life, I sat bolt upright in bed and my eyes were violated with a good 10 seconds of extra bright strobe lighting. As I was trying to figure out what the hell was going on, if my retinas were permanently burned and whether or not I still had ear drums, there was a blood curdling scream from across the bungalow. It was only when I heard my name being shouted that my Malarone blurred, sleep deprived brain could work out that we were slap bang in ... read more

Africa » Nigeria June 6th 2011

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

Africa » Nigeria June 5th 2011

It is nine am on a Sunday morning and already we have been to an hour and a half church service. As members of staff we had to set a good example for the pupils by going and taking part. As a person with *gasp* no religion, I was asked to pick between, a catholic mass, a Muslim prayer school or an Anglican service at the big church. In chose the Anglican service because that’s where all the local kings go and where most of the pupils go also there was rumour of gospel choirs and I imagined something out of Sister Act! The service was long and confusing – It was half in English with the odd tribal word thrown in then there was a section in a tribal language with the odd English word ... read more

Africa » Nigeria June 4th 2011

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

Africa » Nigeria » Logos March 18th 2011

it is lunchtime here in Lagos and it is incredibly humid, there are so many power cuts on a daily basis no one even notices them anymore, they just carry on regardless. Horns are beeping and people are walking up and down the street with their shopping on their heads. this morning I came in and listened to the Health and Safety briefing, it was short so I came away to set up for the first aid assessments, I later discovered that they were short for a reason, it was so that Jane and I could be introduced along with all of the Safety committee.... ooops. I have since given my apologies. when I arrived to set up two of the first aiders were already here, they were in full practice, I was really proud to ... read more

Africa » Nigeria » Logos March 17th 2011

From 8am to 9am every day this week there has been a speaker discussing different aspects of health and safety to 250 people from the whole company - todays speaker discussed respiritory systems, as part of his discussion he talked about smoking, he advised that smoking was neither good for you or bad for you ... infact its up to you to decide for yourself, I thought hmmm I am not sure about this one I will talk to the first aiders about this in the class. we talked about the dangers of smoking, some agreed that smoking is bad for you but if you smoke it is your choice and you still get cancer anyway if you dont smoke. A gentleman asked me about breast cancer, he said that in Nigeria they can predict it ... read more
exam practice
more exam practice

Africa » Nigeria » Logos March 16th 2011

“What coffee you like?” Victor asked me yesterday “I always get Mike his favourite coffee when he comes” I smiled and said “don’t worry about me I don’t drink coffee, I am a PG tips girl and Mike says you cant get that in Africa” surprised Victor replied “WHAT? Who told him that? We will see” and then he left with a cheeky grin. This morning Victor came in the office with a box of PG tips, how lush! all the guys had a taste of them too and agreed that PG tips are good ... the attached PG tip pictures are taken for Mike I had my 250 person manual handling course – seemed to be popular – the first aiders helped me – they did the practical demonstrations and then Sheygan (not sure how ... read more
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Africa » Nigeria » Logos March 15th 2011

or so they tell me... its a herbal remedy with magic spells... hmmm I dont think so and most of them dont beleive it either... On driving into work Jane has been pointing out these incredible slums, Nigeria is very overcrowded and is filled with much poverty such as the rest of Africa therefore they build where they can. These slums are built on the water on a lagoon, they are huts built on stilts and this area is called Makako. Many fishermen and families from the country areas come to Lagos in the hope of finding their riches and a better life in Nigerias Oil Rich capital of Lagos; however this does not always happen for them, two out of three Lagos residents live in slums with no access to clean readily available water, electricity ... read more
Nigeria's biggest Slum area
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Africa » Nigeria » Logos March 14th 2011

not good when its really hot and you are drinking tons of water to have no loo roll - thank god its only number ones... will remember it tommorow. On arrival at the office today I went out to the yard where they are holding the HSE week meetings, the one hour sessions in the morning, I will be holding one of the sessions on Wednesday - there were at least 200 people there ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh how many?! ok chill out I can cope - there is a first time for everything - just imagine them all naked - eurgh no I cant do that - just forget they are there - yes thats better - hey I will have a mic - I can pretend to be Madonna (without the outfits). For lunch today I was ... read more
My Room

Africa » Nigeria » Logos March 13th 2011

When 6 people need to check your passport before you leave the airport you know you are back in Africa :) I came off the plane and felt that hot humidity that just takes your breath away and walked down towards immigration for everyone to view my passport. once through immigration it was time to wait for my bag... this bag is important, it holds not only my clothes but everything I need for my first aid training too. Ooooh my hotel has just had a power cut - it feels a bit creepy at the moment - ahhh here are the lights anyhow back to the story I walked down to the sea of Nigerians to get my bag and a gentleman asked me if I was one of the models for the fashion show! ... read more




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