Taking Things for Granted

(Note: This blog post was written 2 weeks ago)

Per the title, this update will chronicle the major blessings and deprivations that so contrast my life now from my life in the States. This is not a rant of frustration; neither is it a complaint. Rather, this is just an illustration of the way my life has changed—for better or worse—in the past week. And let me preface everything by saying that I LOVE my life here in Nigeria. I love it.

Item One: Power
As I write this, I am enjoying my first taste of electricity in 16 hours. NEPA (Nigerian Electric Power [nep’ uh]) lets the power go without notice, and depending on the time of day, the owners of my compound (Mr. & Mrs. O) will turn on the diesel-run generator. It’s happened a lot in one week, and now Jan and I just rejoice when NEPA comes back after a long break. I’ve got my trusty headlight (even though I look like a dork wearing it, I’ve got a picture for your viewing pleasure) which I hang on my doorknob so I always know how to find it in the dark. Our stove is gas-powered, so we can cook when the power goes off, but generally, we try not to open the fridge or freezer when there’s no power. It never stays off too long (if NEPA doesn’t come back, the generator will), so our food doesn’t spoil and our freezer doesn’t de-thaw. Even today, which was the longest I’ve gone without power, our perishables did not perish, praise God!

Item Two: Water
Today I took a cold shower that dripped. I have never appreciated water pressure more! Thankfully, the water heater that hangs just above my shower works fine as long as we have power. Also, I’ve been so happy with the taste of the water here at the house. I have not had to flavor it at all. The water at the compound is cleaner than city water because we have a separate well system that goes very deep into the ground. It does smell like rust, but I only notice that in my bathroom; I think the Katadyn water filter takes out the rust taste from our drinking water.

Item Three: Bugs
Right before I left for Nigeria, I killed a spider on the wall with my bare hands, and my friend patted my arm and said, “Oh, you’re gonna do great in Nigeria.” I’ve never had many problems with bugs I can see, and it’s a skill that’s benefiting me well here. The first night as I was unpacking the plastic-wrapped pillow provided for my use, I saw tons of tiny, almost-transparent red ants inside the plastic and crawling around the pillow. Not joking, I got that creepy-crawly feeling and threw the pillow across the room. The second pillow did not have ants but got zippered into a hypoallergenic case anyways. Then I discovered them on my mattress, on the walls, on the floor, and in my furniture. And not just ants: black bedbugs and tiniest little flea-like bugs you’ve ever seen. (I’ll admit that I don’t actually know what any of these bugs are, I just imagine what their American equivalent might be.) Oh, and let’s not forget my favorite: what I call the Cinnamon bugs. These hard-shelled beetles give off the distinct smell of cinnamon when touched or crushed. We have these only in our living room, thank God, because I don’t think I could get used to them crawling on me when I sleep.
So I’ve made friends with all the bugs that live in my room and just brush off my sheets before I get under the covers at night. I heard once that you eat about 8 spiders in your sleep in the course of a lifetime; I’ll probably have eaten twice as many bugs by the time this school year is over!
Here’s the principle by which I now live: Life in Nigeria is one eternal picnic. If you put down a pair of jeans (on the floor, bed, or folded in a drawer, it doesn’t matter) there WILL be bugs on it when you pick it back up. If you leave food on the counter, or scraps on a plate, there WILL be fruit flies or ants on it in about 30 seconds. The solution is simple: shake out all clothes before putting them on and seal all food scraps in plastic before throwing them in the garbage bin. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.
Addendum: Cockroaches, geckos, and lizards have now joined the fray. Cockroaches were promptly attended to with insecticide. Lizards and geckos have been left alone, since they eat the other bugs. Our gecko I’ve named Geico, obviously. The female lizard that lives in my room I’ve named Lizzie for two reasons: firstly, it is the name of the lizard in the Magic School Bus books I read as a little girl and secondly, it is the nickname of Elizabeth Bennett of Pride & Prejudice. Now that I’ve named them, I can seem them as pets and not be bothered by them. It’s all a psychological coping mechanism, really.

Item Four: Fruit
And now, the part of the update where I get to revel in the glories of Nigeria. I love fruit. There aren’t many fruits I won’t eat, honestly. Apples with peanut butter was my favorite after-dinner snack in the States, but I’ve discovered that apples here come from South Africa, so they’re very expensive to import.
Enter the Custard Apple. You haven’t tasted fruit until you’ve tasted the Custard Apple. I don’t know what it’s called in the States, although I’m sure I’ve never had it before, and I don’t know the “real” name, but I know that eating one is the closest I’ve been to bliss here in Abuja. It’s like a prickly pear on the outside, all bumpy and green, but when you peel it open and eat the white flesh, it has a thick, custard-like juice that tastes faintly of apple, with big black seeds encased in the flesh. I bought 2 more at the market yesterday and almost made myself sick from eating an unripe one last night.
My new favorite snack is a fruit salad with watermelon (which is pretty much the same as home, only smaller), papaya (which my roommate Jan calls pawpaw—she grew up in Guyana), and pineapple (not as sweet as the ones at home). The fruit is glorious, let me tell you. Jan just rolls her eyes and laughs when I eat custard apples, but honestly, it’s the highlight of my day.
Addendum: We recently bought white guava and coconut. And we’re anticipating the Mango Season.

To reiterate, I love, Love, LOVE my new life. It’s taking some adjustment, certainly, but I love the landscape, the vitality, the rawness of life here. My life is simpler and I love that, too. I’ve given up trying to keep my feet clean, my hair straight, and my face not-shiny. In doing so, I’ve given up feeling self-conscious, and I feel more beautiful now than ever.

Blessed Assurance, Jesus is mine.