A Timeless Existence

Abuja.

Friday Night.

International Women's Day.

2013.

Timeless existence.

Abuja. The capital of Nigeria. Today was the first time I've really seen it, even though I was here in 2010 for over a week and drove through it twice in 2011. From the backseat of a car, you miss a lot. Squished in the middle seat of a mini-bus stuck in a soul-crushing go-slow for hours should provide the perfect opportunity to get a very detailed view of Abuja. I assure you, this is not the case. Night doesn't help either.
So, this time, driving through the tropical landscape at dusk's glow, progressing towards high rise buildings at a comfortable pace was a very nice welcome to my home for the next year.

Friday Night. The music at the bar next door starts with a mediocre cover band singing their hearts out to songs that mediocre cover bands in Canada would play around the same time of night. At some point which I am not cognisant of, the drum beat deepens and drives a much more dance demanding rhythm. Eventually I realize that there is a club next door, and I will not be sleeping soundl(essl)y until well after 4am. Will the sunrise call to prayer signal the end of the madness??!!! I'm sure I will be able to let you know tomorrow!

International Women's Day. Didn't do much to celebrate. Ogadinma made it to see me which was gift enough. At 12:05am we realized it had been International Women's Day. Fortunately, I am fresh enough off the plane that recognition within the limits of Canada time was still acceptable :) Unfortunately, within that grace period, I was also told that I must obey my Nigerian husband if he tells me to stay in Nigeria. I said, to the young man who really had no understanding of our relationship outside of the very obvious factors, that we were trying to figure out what was best for both of us and do whatever made the most sense and still enabled us to be together. I'm not in a relationship with him, after all.

2013. Is that significant? Probably. In a bajillion ways that won't begin to become clear for at least 10-15 years. Likely longer. Some very vague but obvious things. . .At other times in history travel this far overseas wasn't very possible by a female commoner like me! Wars at various points in history would have prevented the kind of work VSO does from happening. Scanners/fax machines/email and the internet definitely helped me to get my visa processed quickly (although it didn't stop a lot of hold ups and red tape!). I am old enough and experienced enough with a few things that I feel that I can actually make a valuable contribution to VSO in 2013. Even last year at this time, I didn't feel like that.

Timeless Existence. All this travelling around and stuff has made me feel kind of like a time traveller and very jet-lagged. It didn't help that I watched Cloud Atlas on the plane (very cool movie and I've heard, even better book!!). The stars were amazing from the plane. I've never seen so many before. It made me feel like I was floating through space. . .and then I realized that in fact, that's exactly what I'm doing all the time. That is what we all are doing all the time.