I joined the Mission Africa summer team who are in Jos to help them buy flip flops (or slippers as they are known locally) for the boys in Kagoro. We managed to get them for ₦5800 which worked out at about £1 a pair. I went with them to Hillcrest (the missionary school) to get suya (kebab type meat) for lunch.
After lunch we all went to Gyero. I really enjoyed hanging around with the kids without any responsibility.
In the evening I went to the girls house and we had a games night with the team, plus a couple of new medical electives called Jonny and Gillian who are here with Mission Africa. We played guess the truth where we all wrote down something about us and then everyone had to guess which truth belonged to who. We all played it really safe not really knowing each other apart from Jonny who managed to really embarrass himself!
Day 174 (Tuesday 26th July)
After 6 months of waiting and trying to go, today was the day I finally managed to go to Yankari which is a game park and hot springs. There have been constant security fears in Bauchi state which has prevented me from going. I was picked up at 7am by the team plus Jonny and Gillian. We got there after a four hour drive. When we arrived they asked for our passport details which I didn’t have, so I had to be a bit inventive. The whole day only cost me ₦200 (79p) which is a bit of a bargain. I got student price entry, and the transport and lunch were accounted for in the team budget.
We saw baboons, antelope and warthogs which was quite cool. The hot springs were 31 degrees and so so relaxing. I chose to not notice the sign which says you can’t jump from anything, and climbed the tree to jump in. It’s one of those have to do things, but none of the others would do it.
One of the girls had her flip flops stolen, and so we went off to look for them, and saw them with a ladies things. One of the others went and took them back, and the lady saw us and started talking to her guard who laughed. She couldn’t have been that bothered though because five minutes later her group wanted a picture with us, and then she wanted a picture just with me. Everyone found it really funny, and I had a look of “what do I do and how do I get away”. It is really unusual for Nigerian woman to be forward, it’s normally just the men.
Day 175 (Wednesday 27th July)
Today I mainly stayed at home sorting stuff out ready to go home. I ventured out to buy some milk and that as exciting as it got.
Day 176 (Thursday 28th July)
Today was the day of my Gidan Bege send forth. It made it feel really real going for the last time and saying goodbye to everybody.
Lots of people gave speeches, some I didn’t know but they knew me from my work and seeing me come and go. I was amazed at the thing that were said, it really touched me. The boys sung songs to me, my favourite was “We will miss you Uncle Neil”. One lady who gave a speech said, “I just hav to say, I love your hair”. And then the others started saying stuff like they love the way I talk, I like the way you dress. Abi and Ali who were there said they love my nose and ears which I think I found more funny than the Nigerians. Joseph told Abi and Ali to come and make a speech which they were really shy about. It made me smile though. They said “We love you Neil, mon gode Allah” which means we thank God and is a standard phrase here.
Day 177 (Friday 29th July)
I borrowed a Rav 4 today so I could drive out to Gyero with the girls and take lots of pictures on the road. This has been my forty five minute journey to work each day!
Above: This was the government school the children in Gyero went to before Cornerstone School was opened last September
Above: This is Gyero as you arrive
Above: Dazang who is a teacher at Gidan Bege and I on the infamous Gyero bridge
I then had my Gyero send forth which was the big official one. There was another round of speeches and songs. I managed to blag another speech thanking the relevant people etc. The funniest speech was from Bawa the uncle who lost his daughter. He said “When I first met you I thought you are a small man and not able to be up to the task of running the school, then I meet you a second time and I realise you are a great manager”. There were some lovely things said, especially by Sunday who is the kinda head teacher of the school. I got some cards and letters which were lovely.
Above: Lonz and Sunday
In the evening I went to the Fretheim’s for the last time. It was a really nice evening. Towards the end the compound alarm went off which woke us all up a bit. Everyone tried to look like they were chilled out while rushing to shut all the curtains, lock the doors, and turn out the lights. It took ages to work out that nobody had set it off, and it was probably the lightning. In the end they pulled a wire out to turn it off because they could work out where it had been activated from.
Day 178 (Saturday 30th July)
I went to town to do a bit of shopping, and then had my school handover with Anne-Karin who has just returned from furlough and is taking over from me. We chatted about loads of things, it was really strange getting rid of the piles of things I had from the school. It now feels like my time has really come to an end here, I have nothing left to do.
In the evening Anne-Karin took me out with her family for dinner to say thank you which was really nice.
Day 179 (Sunday 31st July)
I went to Jets church with Ali and Abi this morning for the last time. I came home and listened to a sermon from home. It was a really weird feeling that next week I will be at KCC, but really really exciting.
In the evening I went to Barcardi for a goodbye meal with some friends.
Day 180 (Monday 1st July)
Today is my last day in Jos, tomorrow I travel to the capital Abuja to spend my last day in Nigeria. Abi, Ali and Lyndsay are coming to spend the last day with me and to say goodbye. It feels very strange to have written my last proper blog update!
Today I have done nothing other than write this, pack and reflect.
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