A slightly different view!!!

Life looks a bit different now compared to 4 weeks ago.  When I looked out my window I used to see a smoky city skyline, battered old cars rushing by on dusty potholed streets, lots of people carrying their loads balanced on their heads and the odd policeman or soldier with an AK-47 slung over his shoulder.  Now when I look out the window I see green rolling English hills, garages concealing shiny bright cars, manicured gardens leading to smooth tarmac-ed roads, a few people unloading their shopping from the boot of their car and only very occasionally an un-armed policeman, and that’s just because my parents happen to have a policeman as their neighbour.

As you will have guessed I have made it back to the UK and am currently staying with parents in their new (to me at least, they have lived here for nearly a year!) house in Brinscall, a village in Lancashire in the North West of England.  I don’t know if the view from my window is better or worse.  I think it is just different and at the moment I am enjoying those differences.  I have been here nearly 4 weeks now and I am settling in well, I think.  It is a bit strange because I am not living down in London at the moment so it all feels a bit like a holiday.  When I head down to London in 10 days or so, I think things might hit me a bit more, especially when I get back to work after 6 weeks of chilling out!!

Travelling back from Nigeria was generally straight forward.  I flew with Lufthansa rather than BA as I was heading to Manchester and it worked out cheaper, or it would have had I not had to pay for an extra bag which BA would have let me take for free!!  Anyway, I think I am over that!!??

They don’t like to make things easy in Nigeria, and I was reminded of that even as I was leaving.  I got to the airport early as I was given a lift to Abuja by the youth Pastor from my church and he wanted to get back to Jos the same day.  So at the airport at 3.30 I had just 7 hours to wait for my flight.  I first wanted to eat something.  The restaurant was upstairs so I made my way to the lift, only to be told that the lift did not go up to the restaurant level, only to the offices.  I had to use the stairs!!!  So with three bags at 23kg each and two pieces of hand baggage I somehow had to reach the restaurant.  I was reluctant go up in two trips so I loaded a rucksack on my back, one bag over my right shoulder, one over my left and one in each hand.  Then, surprised at my own strength, I slowly plodded up the spiral staircase to the restaurant.  I have to admit, I did really begin to think, I won’t miss this and I can’t say I will miss experiences like that, but there are some things I will miss and some that I won’t.

I won’t miss opening my curtains each morning and usually seeing someone peeing at the side of the road outside, but I will miss having the freedom to pee at the side of the road when needed!!!

I won’t miss having to filter all my water before I drink it, but I will miss the fresh taste of clean water without added chemicals.

I won’t miss taking my life in my hands each morning as I drive to work on the crazy roads, but I will miss the amazing sights that you see on the roads with any number, shape and size of objects being carried on the back of a motorbike.

I won’t miss having to take anti-malaria medication every morning and deal with the side effects of that (only two more days to go – HOORAY), but I will miss being able to get medication delivered to my door after one text to the SIM nurse.

I won’t miss having to fight my way through a mosquito net to get in and out of my bed, but I will miss being able to sleep with just a light duvet all year round and not having to make sure every part of it is well tucked in so I don’t get a cold draught up my legs.

I won’t miss the intermittent and unreliable electricity supply, but I will miss the excitement and being able shout ‘Yauwa’ when the electricity does come on.

I won’t miss having to make sure that the compound internet power system is working well, but I will miss having the excuse that the internet system was down so I don’t have to reply to emails right away.

I won’t miss the effort and hassle of having to barter for a good price when buying fruit and vegetables when I am tired, but I will miss the fun and challenge of bartering to get a good price for fruit and vegetables when I have the energy for it.

I won’t miss being away from friends and family, but I will miss my friends in Nigeria.

I won’t miss being looked at and shouted to every time I walk down the street, but I will miss being joyfully greeted by friendly people everywhere I go.

I won’t miss the way things don’t quite work right in Nigeria, but I will miss, how against all the odds, things somehow work.

I won’t miss the frustration of working with limited facilities, but I will miss the gratefulness of people for the little I was able to do for them.

I won’t miss the uncertainty of the safety situation in Jos and not knowing what was going to happen next, but I will miss how that made me really trust in God to keep me safe.

So, there are many differences that I am finding and I am sure there will be more, especially as I move back down to London to start work again on 20^th September.  There are two ways for me to look at all these differences and hopefully I will be able to keep everything in perspective.

This will probably be my last blog for now as Matt is not in Nigeria anymore.  I know my blogs have tended to go on a bit, but I hope you have enjoyed reading them and you have found them interesting.  Who knows, I might be back in Nigeria at some time and I might start blogging again.

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