Idle hands

Forgive the randomness.
I am currently looking for a job (with a torch light I might add!) So I have a lot of time on my hands. I read a lot of things but lately, I noticed that a lot of people have different names for copulation. The interesting ones I have found include:

Playing the pokey table
Laying the Pipe and eating the Goodie box (Sounds icky)
Settling in the lady caves ( This is not funny stricto sensu but I can't stop laughing)

On to other things, I remember a time when make up regime consisted of dusting powder on the hands, rub said hands together and wipe over the face until well blended. I say this because I had to get ready for a party recently and I had 25 mins to take a shower get my face on and be ready!

I wondered how I was going to get it done within the time but I did. I went back to the old routine. Of course the finishing touches were done in the car. Which brought to fore the necessity of wearing make-up at all. Women Palava

I have been wondering lately, can men and women 'just be friends' without any strings? I have tried for years to reach a medium and even argued fervently in times past that it is possible but I can't help but conclude that it is very RARE. One party always want something more. In cases where they don't, if an opportunity ever presents itself, one party will try to take advantage of the other. Can anyone prove otherwise? I have had to prune down my friends list because of this. I can't give what I do not have.

Is anyone excited over Christmas? I am not and I just want the season to be over. The anxieties over the festivities is too much and the evil boys/girls are out en masse all because they want to have money for Christmas. Too many snatched cars, people getting killed etc it is just too close for comfort and I go out now ONLY if it is absolutely necessary. I don't even do the casual 'meet up for drinks' anymore. I sorely miss that.

I pray 2011 brings more good tidings. By the way, my graduation went very well. I had a great time with my parents and I left just a day before the snow started! That was coup for me. :D Have a great week people

This country of mine!

Hope everyone is doing great. My internet or my computer has been misbehaving, I could read post but was unable to leave comments. I discovered it was my computer, I have deleted all my cookies but yet to check the result, I am back on my old lappy.

I went to Cotonou last Saturday. Nigerian immigration officials are some of the most corrupt people ever! I was watching this freaking eejit demand for 9k to stamp our 'virgin' passports! Our crime? We wanted to do the right thing by stamping when we could have walked past the border gates simply or taken the car and paid 500naira! We wanted to take car. The virgin part was that we had never taken that route!

We were so miffed, I was dangerously quiet and my sister let it rip! They were so galled they went the 'we are not your mate route' and can you speak to your husband like that? My sister God bless that girl, promptly replied that if they had treated her like their daughter, she would have spoken to them like her father! EOD (End of Discussion) We finally got out of there, parked our car and hired a vehicle to take us there. We went through Ogun state, the state of our borders is laughable!

We left home at 5.30 in the morning, our drive to Otta-Idiroko-Igolo was pleasurable until we met those froggy looking immigration men. It is such a shame. They had this ridiculous pot bellies and I was very ashamed to share citizenship with these people.

The trip was fun and the journey back was terrible. Traffic on that Otta road was appalling! We got to the border at 4.30 and from Otta to the toll gate we spent 4hrs! Gbenga Daniel or whoever takes over from him needs to do something. We got back to my sister's house. Her husband drove, I was so tired, I was tempted to crash in their house! But I had to drive back home, Thank God I got home safely, my Dad waited up as usual. That is a road trip we will not be repeating in a while.

Next week is my graduation. Should be fun. So I ordered new boots for myself and Mumsie from ebay only to have my account blocked! I accessed my account from Nigeria! I was so miffed. After about 6hrs on their help line verifying my account etc I got the issue resolved. Nigeria needs a miracle seriously!

I will miss Sallah second time in a row. Not happy about it but grad preps have been in the works for ages. It's a shame they coincided. The funny thing is my parents are coming too and they will miss Sallah for the first time ever! The running joke in the house is that they should call all their regular guests that they won't be coming this year. I can imagine the number of people that throng our house in Ibadan for the festivities, the disappointment chei!

I wish NLC had not called off the strike. I want to see what the current President can do :D. Have a great weekend everyone.

shall i say... phew!

Yesterday, I had to take my car to the mechanic. I assumed I would spend the whole day, so I called a friend to follow me, armed with magazines, snacks etc. After 3 hours we were told the diagnosis was over and the guys are on break so we decided to go on one ourselves. Picture me crossing the Lagos-Badagry Expressway, I was terrified. I can't remember ever crossing an express before. We went to this very nice place called Tank & Tummy. The food is fab and not over-priced. If anyone is ever in that area, they should try it.

My car wasn't going to be ready until the next day, so we set out for home. On getting home, I remembered I had not warmed the stew since the day before and I wasn't sure if my brother had warmed it before leaving the house. In haste, I put it on fire, dropped my bags and went back downstairs. I had to cook dinner, it was past five, I had to go to the tailor to pick up my outfit and buy plantain.

I left the house, strolled to the tailor's place, exchanged banters, (my clothe wasn't ready) and I walked further to get the plantain. That is when it occurred to me that I left the stew on fire! I don't know how I got on a bike and headed home leaving my friend on the roadside! I just ran into the house, leaving the gate open, to turn off the cooker. Yep, it was totally burnt! Smoke all over, I just opened the door and windows and got back on the bike to go back to the plantain place! It was hilarious on retrospect but at that time, I must have been a sight!

I haven't taken a bike since 2007. It was during chamber's attachment at Law School. There was mad traffic on the Falomo Bridge and I was staying with Uncle in VI at the time 'cos of the proximity to school. The red flag came flying suddenly and there was no way I could drive home without having major stains on the car seat so I hopped a bike!

I was pained that my stew got burnt but even better that I didn't burn down the house!

Currently on my mind

Fistly, happy birthday to Myne Whitman, hope you had a blast!
Omotee, I dey vex. That cake for Myne, I am envious!
RIP to the Cunning Linguist. Very sad but God knows best. May your family have the fortitude to bear the loss.

By the way, I can't leave comments on blogs today! Don't know what is wrong with blogger o. I like the sound of LG's register idea. Omotee knows me and my entire family we went to high school together. :D I by 2014 we would have been friends for 20yrs! I can't wait to celebrate that, we will have a sumptuous do celebrate. May God keep us beyond that time.

To my post of the day, it's official, I am BORED! I am not actively job searching anymore no one is returning my calls. Plus I still have to go for graduation. So I will keep chilling.

Something that has been bothering me, why do guys misbehave in a relationship? You break up and after sometime, they want to come back. I am asking because all my exes always come back.

Is anyone worried about the current rise in floods in Nigeria? I went to Lokoja last week and the level of water was alarming. It had covered some houses entirely and all that was visible were the roofs. I took pictures and said out loud that I wonder if the State government is thinking of doing something. I think I spoke too soon because it was on the news last night and the government is calling on the Federal Government to do something about the River Niger. Why is it that our government is useless? They have no rescue plan whatsoever on the floods save for Lagos State. I pray the people affected get some relief.

I wonder if the government can pass a law that dragging and touching people in the market is technically an assault. I dread going to the market, all those guys, shouting 'my colour, come buy' etc it freaks me out! I love shopping and I know most of the nooks and crannies of Lagos market but having being absent for some time I fear my re-entry. I say this because I have to follow a friend there today. I wish I could call her now to cancel but I can't, having cancelled twice already. So here I am clinging to the bed instead of getting a move.

Oh well, it's the middle of the week, hope you are all being the best you can be. Enjoy the rest of the week. I apologise for the randomness. Please show this girl some love I would really really appreciate it. http://bnuitville.blogspot.com/ Can anyone guess who she is?

Funny Dudes

Hello all, I hope everyone is having a good time. Is it me or some men are just totally clueless about some women?

I wonder why men who want to date me make suggestions like me visiting them in their states! I mean ain't you the one 'toasting' me? I have and will NEVER make such a trip. Why would I leave my house and travel all the way to make a visit with you when all you is just talk to me on the phone? Why don't you try visiting me first and see how it goes?

Such is what I have been getting since I arrived. The first guy asked me when I would be coming to Ibadan. I laughed inwardly, I am yet to visit my Grandmother who stays there, it is you I will now visit, puhleeeeeeeeeese. That is why men take women for granted I think. Why would I want to endanger my life on that perilous useless express-way to come visit you?

Another asked me when I would be coming to Warri, wetin I wan come buy for there? I have no business in those places. I don't make such visits, the next thing I heard was, you are a big girl now. Big girl or not, I am not interested in visiting people. I don't understand why people just make such assumptions that you would come running when they say so. Again, why do guys just go loving up on you on the BB in 24hrs when 48 hrs before you didn't exist in their orbit? I adopt the siddon-look attitude, shebi you are fooling yourself ni not me.

That is it for today. Wish it was written better but I just had to get that ish off my mind. I am beginning to get pissed off at all the 'when are you coming to so so place' requests. Get off my case brother, only in your dreams will I make such a trip!

Vacuum

The wedding was a huge success! Thank you all for your wishes. I am waiting to watch the video since I spent most of my time coordinating the event. I even earned the title of 'field marshall'. We had security at the door and people were turned back, there were too many guests; Some uninvited and or without IVs or the aso-ebi.

I couldn't sleep for a few days after the wedding, I miss my sis. She has been coming and going the past week to get her remaining stuffs. I am yet to fill her wardrobe space, it feels like I am invading her privacy.

On the engagement day, I wore my heels, to say I regret the action is an understatement! I wore flats all through the next day! Wise decision and it wasn't as bad as I thought 'cos I didnt even have time to think about it.

Too many people saw the wedding on air judging by the calls I am still receiving. I just thank God the ceremony was money well spent. May the couple enjoy marital bliss.
The room feels empty now and I ocassionally mention my sister when I want to call my brother hence the vacuum.

I was just chatting with a friend and she is quite angry. Still on the subject of weddings: She says a friend didn't inform her she had a boyfriend and she is getting married on Friday. Her grouse is the 'big secret' and she asked me why people are usually secretive about theitr wedding. I had no answer to that and simply told her to relax, if the other lady valued their friendship or had belief in it, she would have been informed.

I am a realist and I try to avoid assumptions so I don't get upset much by my friends. I have come to realise people have different definitions of friendship. Hope everyone is doing alright. Remember to be the best you can be all the time. Have a nice week

Just how many is too much?

The wedding is two weeks away! I miss her very much already. That is why I came home early, to spend more time with her before she leaves! It would be so strange to wake up in the morning and not see her beside me. We have shared a room and finally a massive bed to create more space for as long as I can remember.

I watched her grow up, from being the cutest thing into a strong minded woman. From copying everything I did to exchanging words with me to correcting me when I am wrong. It has been an amazing journey and I can't believe this girl whom I would always see as my baby sister is getting married!

She sometimes call me mummy! My voice sounds so much like our Mum's that when I call her she says yes mummy! I even capitalise on that sometimes to get her to do some chores! :D

She said just this morning, (after she woke up at 6.38, late for work already!) that Mum does not bother to ensure she is awake early again since I arrived and I responded that her second mummy is back now so why bother? We laughed about it while she said, she is having anxiety attacks and she can't believe she is leaving in two weeks!

I thought September was far away! Now it's here and we can only count days. She is just so amazing and if I had handpicked my sister, I couldn't have done a better job!

Back to today's topic, our room looks like a bomb explosion site. Thanks to packing and unpacking. She has started packing and is complaining about all the suitcases filled with my clothes that must be empty so she can use them to pack her stuff. Then she jokes about my lingerie, that she could write a book on them!

I know I have quite a number, make that a lot! We have both resorted to keeping a giant vacuum bag to drop whatever we wear after washing so that we can go through them all! The ones I left before I travelled are still untouched in their various bags and none of us wants to even open the wardrobe to find out what is there! It is daunting as she rightly said! So just how many is too much? I know I have more than 150 brassieres, I just love the damn things and I am one of those people that can get away with not wearing one. I do it sometimes especially when the heat is too much.

As for panties, well we are not even going to count or attempt to and I love basques too. On the subject of clothes, I am afraid for myself. Our Dad believes that every occasion needs a new native cloth so he just buys, so I attempted to clear out some from the wardrobe, so that I can unpack some suitcases and fill them with the natives instead since I rarely wear them. I wish I hadn't started. They are just too many. I got so tired that I simply started shoving everything from the suitcases into the wardrobe without folding them. Our dressing room is overrun with cases, we have a narrow path to walk through and then there is this mini room that we designated a prayer room, but now you can barely fit in a mat to pray simply because of our suitcases.

Our Dad is tired of complaining, last week he said, we have about half of the house between us and that is too much. We disagree with him of course! He is a shopaholic too and I take after him. I arrived about a week ago, and during the week, he came home with a bag for me, when I opened it, more shoes! And he is the one that complains that I have far too many shoes. The funny thing is, we have the same size and the unfortunate thing is, no one else in the house shares our size! He is a 41 and so am I! In the three homes we have, he has racks of shoes stretching from wall to wall, the difference between him and I is that I like to have all my shoes in one place.

So I will miss my sister sorely. I already do but I am also looking forward to having her wardrobe space to myself, the shelves, dressing table, shoe racks gosh! I will miss waking up in the middle of the night to tell her to move over, telling her to switch off the light etc.

Here is to my sister my very own ever sparkly, keep me grounded, part-time hairdresser, nail-polisher, cook, drive me crazy, sparring partner, go-to-girl, financial advisor/planner and so much more HAB, I love you so much, I always will be here for you like I always tell you, your hubby is so lucky, your kids are going to be so lucky for having you as a mother! Remember you are to send them to me for some discipline and fabulosity like you always say, and I am sending my kids to you to get away from my sometimes crazy hare-brained fashion ideas (Like the time I decided I wanted short hair and a different colour) and cooking experiments! I will also try not to drag them on my all day shopping trips so as not to kill them like you say.

I love you so very much, I never get tired of saying that. And I am going to miss your 'love you' call outs when you are leaving the house. Have a very happy married life sweetness, you deserve it and much more.

Home and Away....Several months after

Hi People! I know I have been a lazy gal. Hope everyone is doing greaaaaaaaaaaat! The past few months have been indescribable. So many things to talk about, hope I won't get lazy about it again.

My dissertation went way better than I expected! I thought it would be hell. It was a lot of hard work but my Supervisor was very supportive, I know most of my classmates had a very rought time with it. I am glad mine went smoothly.

My baby sis is getting married and I am so happy! I will make a post specially for her. Wedding is a month away now. I am just so excited. I was in charge of my favorite activity... shopping! I had a wild good time. My goodness! It was fabulous. I had to ship 6 suitcases home!

This is a mini post, thank you to everyone who left a comment on my last post and who checked up on me. I wanted to post but in between watching several series, yoruba film (Yes... I am a fan!), online and high street shopping, making day trips round Scotland (Y'all should visit some day, is VERY beautiful) and a myriad of other activities, I have had little time.

The summer was very bried but the sunset and sunrise left me saying OMG everytime. There were days I slept at 6am and I watched a new day unfold all I can say is God is wonderful. Nighttime during summer in Scotland lasted about 3 and a half hours so it's not much fun sleeping.

Missed this space. Will make the rounds soon. I am going back to bed, this Ramadan is going good. Cheers everyone and I wish you all the best. My eyes hurt already so I apologise for any typos!

Mini Update

Hi loves! How is everyone doing? I am fine. I feel very guilty that I didn't blog in my birth month April. I have been all over and busy too.

My exams start on Tuesday, forgive me if I have been shirking my duties *wink*

I am stuck that's why I am writing this mini update. Things are good. I have so many things to blog about but they are all in my head and I simply can't put them down until after my exams.

I am back to my hermit mode. I never leave my house during exams prep. I hardly venture into the kitchen too. If it doesn't come in a packet I ain't eating. Why waste time in the kitchen? It shall pass soon though.

I was in Geneva for my birthday. That place is f.a.b.u.l.o.u.s. Deets when I blog properly! I was also in London and got caught in the volcanic ash! I was stuck there for 3 days before I dipped into my very scarce resources and purchased a business class ticket on the Eurostar to return to Paris. I am still very miffed about that! All the tickets were sold out!

Oh so many things to talk about and do! Happy new month people. My apartment block caught fire on Easter Sunday! My God, it was an inferno. Thank God no one was hurt. It was a totally crazy experience. It feels surreal now though.
I also went for a check up in the beginning of April and was told I have a heart murmur. Got to check that out too. Told you there is a lot going down.

Too many happenings. Anyhoos I need to go rest my brain for a minute. See you after the 13th.

Then I shall be F.R.E.E. until hell begins in the form of my dissertation. Can't wait. Have a fab weekend and week. A bientot!

BTW: Forgive the typos, no time to proofread.

Trips & Happenings

How is everyone doing? Hope things are going good. I have been busy like crazy, had a presentation last week, another one on Thursday and another next Tuesday! I decided come whatever, I am blogging tonight, even if I cannot read posts.

I went to Amsterdam during the winter break and boy, was it an adventure! It started with the bus, the buses from my house to the train station stop working at 9.48pm on a week day. We were meeting at the station to take off at 2.00am. I didn’t want to walk alone at mid-night besides, it’s quite far, so I took the bus and beagn the waiting game. I killed time with an apple cider at a pub with like-minded individuals going on the trip.

We finally gathered everyone and set off to board the bus only to discover that it was running late. We were standing in the middle of the expressway in the middle of the night with no shield from the cold! It was 0 degrees! The bus showed up at 3.00am and we set off. I was dozing off after cornering 2 seats for myself in the from of the bus and getting used to the usual chatter among people bound together on a trip when the first wahala started.

I heard WTF? I woke and smelled smoke, and someone went ‘the bus is f****** and the driver is still driving?’ The smoke was so much we could smell it in the bus with all the windows shut against the cold! And the people at the back could see smoke coming from the bus. The driver finally stopped and we were ordered off the bus, it was 4.10am. We had to wait for the police to set up the emergency cones as we were between borders on the Highway and no one was allowed to get into the warmth of the bus. The temperature had further plummeted of course as I was shivering and everyone was complaining. People had to pee but the bus didn’t even have toilet facilities, it was locked, someone said ‘hit the bushes’ but it was ridiculous as we were on a highway, no shoulder on the road to even stay in clusters! We had to make a single file as it was a bridge and the little space on the side of the road was very narrow. I have never heard so many swear words in a single night before.

We got back on the bus around 5.00am when the emergency signs had been erected and proceeded to wait for the replacement bus. It came 3 hours later. Set off again at 8.00am, badly pressed and quite grumpy we were the motley crew . We found a rest stop after 2 hrs and everyone got about their business. Arrived Amsterdam at about 4.00pm. School trips, you gotta love them!

We got to the hotel/hostel only to discover the fool that organised the trip got two rooms only to be co-shared between both sexes! I promptly objected that the smaller room be taken by the girls and I could see the hesitation on the guy’s face, I ignored him, I am a full grown adult and no way would I share a room with over-grown kids still exhibiting traits of youthful exuberance. They are undergrads after all! Still have the boorishness and manners or lack thereof attached to males of that class.

We girls had our way but some unlucky girls had to share the other room with the guys. I told them they could bring their mattress and bunk with us. We rested a bit and met in the lobby for what they called a visit to the ‘coffee house’. Innocent enough until you have been to Amsterdam and discovered that coffee houses do not have the same meaning. These are cafes where marijuana is sold and smoked freely! Innocent me! I have never inhaled so much smoke. It’s everywhere. The laws are not like in the UK or France where smokers go outside, they can stay in the room and do it. I responded with having allergy attacks! So severe my eyes were almost swollen shut!

Another pet peeve of the trip was, the ‘leader’ kept giving information in French, it was so annoying considering that half the people on the trip do not speak it and he manages English quiet well in school environs. As eloquently pointed out by a friend, since the guy had been smoking weed, all his language capabilities had been disconnected, and he can only resort to his native language!

The guys were principally there for the smoke. We meet in the mornings and go to a museum after that everyone is left to their own devices. I like the city away from the smoke and red lights. It’s a bicycle city. There are thousands of them everywhere. My friend almost got hit by a tram too. Between them and cycles, it was all very crazy.

The food is great! I love their Vlaamse fries, so thick and long, just how I like my fries. And the waffles and huge street pizzas, doughnuts etc. The foods are available 24/7 on most of the streets. Even in the 'coffee shops' you have muffins (made with hash), brownie (made with weed) etc proudly displayed in neon signs! They also have fab restaurants. Even the silly hotel we stayed in, the beef of the burger was so huge the bread only covered half of it. Some of them had silly names, space cakes, space brownie, anyway I assume by the time you finish onhe, you will be in space! This aptly named.

I also saw girls (in minuscule undies) in live windows, calling men and the bars are open all days and hours of the week and the girls are there in the windows even during the day. It really is a bustling city. We went to the Marijuana museum, the torture museum and the sex museum. We also saw the floating flower market. I went on the boat round the city too. I have never had so many touristy activities in a single trip!

There were also quirky quotes everywhere such as, 'drink beer and save water, do your part to save the environment' and ' Don't drink and drive, instead, smoke and fly! It was a lesson!

We went to the Anne Frank museum and it was a very sad experience for me because I could not imagine the persecution such a young girl must have faced during the Hitler era. She was just 15 and forced to hide in an upstairs room with her sister and the people in the office downstairs were not even aware of their existence! They were eventually betrayed and sent to the camps where they were killed. The only good moment was seeing a live Oscar won by one of the actresses in the Film based on her life. We were not allowed to take pictures though.

On getting back to school, a lecturer asked what we did for the winter break, I sat in front so I had to respond and told him I went to Amsterdam, his response? Ha you went there to smoke!

So there goes my trip, many more memories but this post is long enough already and I can’t even include the gist about the stalker I have managed to acquire.


The temperature is going up yipeeeeeeeeeee! It will be 15 degrees tomorrow, I will brave it and wear open toed flats, about time. Enjoy the rest of the week. Will be back after heavy school schedule.

Tales from a Party

Hi guys, how is everyone doing? Hope all the overzealous natural forces at work is not hampering your daily life. France is being battered by a horrible storm with winds that can lift a human body off the streets! I couldn't sleep through the storm, the howls of the wind was too terrifying and the temperatures magically dipped so it was very cold as well. It's been horrible but mercifully over. I hope the people in Chile are coping well though.


Went for a party last Saturday and I must say I have attended better parties. It was supposed to be a house party by a classmate who moved to Paris away from the school environs. You are thinking fun yeah? Maybe a little.

So I went with another classmate since I can't find my own tail with a compass. We got to the apartment. It was a very nice one complete with marble elevators and English speaking neighbours! We met a few of them 'cos they let us into the foyer. And it's very close to the Metro. Fab!

We met the hostess in sweats and she grabbed me the Nigerian to come make the Jollof rice! Did I mention the party was supposed to start at 9pm? Oh I got there at 9.30 or so. The hostess is a fly African who grew up American. She rarely attends lectures too. I have seen her all of twice since we started classes here, we mostly see on FB!

She was dishing out orders like we were her servants, oh you get the chicken, LusciousRon slice the onions, don't add too much pepper in the sauce for the jollof rice. Oh you go get the paper plates, the store is down the road. etc

On a regular day, I don't mind doing some work to get a party started and ready but sheeeet I did not leave my cosy flat, brave the cold weather, and travel into Paris in heels and flowing hair to come cut onions and ish! When I start reeking of maggi and other condiments at the party what am I supposed to tell other guests? That I had an accident with a curry shop? Puhleeeeeese.

I swallowed my annoyance and made the jollof, lighted the candles and did other minor stuff that kept the party going. It was the kind of party that people come in groups and leave after 2hrs to go to another party or club. And the hostess (we will call her H) kept making disappearing acts for lenthy chunks of time to attend to her stud-wearing-jeans-sagging boyfriend.

I was chatting with some of my classmates when H brought a dude over that he is Nigerian and I should talk to him. Behold a Nigerian that pronounced his name till I got a mild headache. He is supposedly 'Femi' but the way he said it, I asked him to repeat it so many times it sounded like a song! Get this, he speaks the kind of English a 2yr old would speak- very limited and I don't speak much French past what would get me items in a store. His parents are Nigerian but he grew up here. Having a conversation with loud blaring music is terrible at the best of times but having one with someone you cannot communicate with is crazy, besides he ain't that cute so I am not missing anything! I tilted him towards a Norwegian that speaks French and escaped!

I thought I had escaped most of the horrors of the night until a batch of French people came in. They were very drunk from another party. of course they had to do the French air kissing thing. Imagine the stale alcoholic breath coming into your nostrils, its utterly disgusting and 'cos they were drunk the kiss lingered and I had to endure that from about 8 people! I thought I would throw up. They were actually waiting in line to meet a delightful looking lady- their words not mine.

Some time after that, the Naija guy slipped beside me and from what I could decipher, he asked me to walk up to his friend and ask him to dance for me that he can really move. (Do you guys remember those silly games we played in secondary school and early Uni days? Where a guy's friend will tell you to go up to him and ask him to do something? Yes that one) I turned calmly and told him I was tired and the last thing I would do, is walk across the room to ask someone to dance for me! He gave me that incredulous look like, I want to miss the offer of the century. I simply turned to another person and struck up conversation.

I was stuck at the party 'cos the trains stop working at around 1am, so I couldn't go home. We left around 4 after we discovered we could get a bus to our place instead of waiting for the trains to start working. I was so glad. We walked to St. Lazare ran to catch the bus 'cos it was already leaving. Unlike the UK, the buses wait to pick you when they see you running. They even wait at bus-stops close to malls for shoppers.

We got to the Gare and I walked home. It's Sunday the regular buses don't start work until 7.30am. You gotta love France!


So it's winter break this week and I have signed up for a trip to Amsterdam on Wednesday. I have back-to-back presentations immediately after the break so I will be quite busy. I am looking forward to the trip though.
So thats how the past week has been. Have a fab week guys!

Illegal Valentine

So it was Valentine's day yesterday (like y'all didn't know that). Hope everyone did something fun.

I went out on a double date with my friend and the 2 guys who have been helping us get settled in this place. They both speak English and are students like us. One is Senegalese (tall and dark like Akon, that's where the similarities end!) and the other is Camerounian. (I called it an outing until I told another friend who insisted that since the guys paid, it was a date!)

They are both fab. We knew the Camerounian before we came over to France, he helped us get our flat. We shall call them S and C respectively.

They are quite brillant and make us laugh a lot and they are the go-to guys for anything we need and don't know where to get. They also say Nigerian girls are dangerous :D especially Lagos girls hahaha! When they talk they go, come on this girl is not just Nigerian she is comes from Lagos. That's me by the way.

They had nothing doing on Valentine's day, so we decided to go to Paris. I have no objection since I am not doing anything.

After getting primped and ready we set off, on getting to the train station, there was no one at the ticket stand and we wanted young people's day ticket (which is about half the price of the full ticket, sold only at weekends) and not available on the self ticketing machines. The guys had their Navigo cards so no problem on their side. They decided we could pass through in two's! That we did. You should have seen us (I held the guys jacket so we just go like one) (is that illegal by the way? got to check their rules here don't want to be in some Frnech jail)

We did that until we got to our first destination, Champs Elysees. After walking the length of the avenue with not a single free table at any restaurant on that stretch and people standing at every available space (it's Valentine's day and a Sunday!), we backtracked to the train station got a ticket for the metro and went to another place, this time Chatelet les Halles.

We bought tickets for a movie, had about 45 mins to kill, so we decided to get dinner. The food was horrible to say the least. I had something called Tagliani Saumon (some kind of flat spagheti with salmon and cheese. Salmon tasted like rubber and not like salmon at all and the cheese was just a milky concoction. Macdonalds an escalator down would have been far better). The guys' pizza wasn't much better, it looked like biscuit with congealed cheese and tomato! To cap it off their loo was locked and we were not allowed to use it.

So, after taking a leek (such a guy word) at the cinema loo, we went to see our movie. It was a good one, Brothers, very sad and poignant. I hated that feeling, it's Valentine's day afterall who needs to feel so sad. We should have seen George Clooney's In The Air. We came out and saw another movie was about to start in another screen room, someone said (I can't remember who) we could go in, so we went in and took seats. This time we saw Sherlock Holmes. An OK movie. I liked it though. Nothing like Jude Law to get me smiling :)

By the time the movie ended, it was 12.30. The guys had classes in the morning. We caught the last train home. We got to our Gare (station) only to find policemen on the platform and we were the only ones there. We made our way to the escalators. Remember we didn't have tickets. On getting to the exit, there the police were again we made as if we were going back downstairs- but there are no more trains for the day, it was 1.35 by the way and the policemen knew what was up so they called us, it was embarrassing.

I rooted in my handbag for a ticket, I have the one for buses, trams and the Metro but not the one for trains which was what I needed to exit. The guys in uniform let us through laughingly though and our friends said we were tourists in France for Valentine's day. How cheeky! but we got through.

My thoughts were, if they catch us, we are going to jail! I could literally see the headlines---- Nigerians attempt to get through the station without tickets! A la Mumutallab breaking News! And I saw my Dad's face. He called me when I was coming here not to go clubbing or anything like that 'cos exchange students are targets for robbery and worse. And I did the whole Yes Dad, of course not Dad thingy! Thank God there was no incident. We laughed about it all the way home. We walked again no buses or taxi in sight. Got home at 2.22am.

It was much fun. I can't remember ever breaking so many rules in a single day. Wouldn't be doing that again sha. I will wait for the ticket guy to show up and purchase mine like a good citizen before venturing anywhere. All that sleuth-like business is not my thing! Have a fab week people.

Guilty pleasures!

I have been away for too long. I feel guilty but I could not help it. Blame laziness! How is everyone? Hope the year is off to a great start. Things are good. Safely ensconced in France. Yet to visit the great city. Moved flats over the weekend so I am doing the big settling down. I love my room, I did it entirely in red with white walls!

Not much going on here, I prefer the UK Uni, much more engaging. Things are a bit slow here hence this free time. We are been taught in English so less books to read as they are mostly in French. I do not speak French and its been hilarious getting around. Picture a combination of sign languages punctuated with a few French words and fluent English. I sound like the idiot from grade 1.

It's sometimes amusing watching these people try to understand me but its equally frustrating. So I have signed up for the school French course which I have termed 'Learn French by force' because its a 6 hour class on Friday afternoons! Talk about losers who have nothing to do! How can I spend all my friday afternoon till early evening cooped up in a class learning a language? 2.30pm-8.30pm! I am still mad! There goes my plan to run away to London every chance I get for the weekend!

Things here are ridiculously expensive! I have been moaning about this since I got out of the plane. From the Travellex exchange service that charged me 27euros to change some money so I could get a bus to my town to the maxi pack of Maltesers I bought that cost 4 euros! I am still smarting form the injustice of it all. So I have resolved to get to London as much as possible and fit in copious amount of TESCO shoppings as I can manage. I will be on the Eurostar so it will be fine.

Getting here was another story entirely! FYI never book EasyJet unless you are going away ONLY for a weekend! They are hideous. I had to pay about £150 to carry 21kg extra luggage! That is more than double the amount I paid for the ticket itself plus I had to buy my own baggage space.

Anyway, all the gorgeous men I have been seeing all around have been compensating for my disappointment! They are crawling everywhere! So fine. I mean I have never seen so many beautiful guys in the same place. I know I am gushing but I just can't help it. Even in my flat. I have to touch my face often to make sure I am not gawking at someone!

Only downside is few speak any English but who cares when they look that good. I just want to stare at those faces! But the ones that do speak my language get extra points in the fuuuuuuuuuuiiiiiiiiiiiine department. Like the Ghanian that came to my flat yesterday. He could speak flawless English and perfect French and was switching effortlessly between the 2! He was so dreamy OMG. My friend & I couldn't wait for him to leave before we started screaming how gorg he is!

Excuse the typos, blame it on excitement and a decided laziness to proof read! I should go down some more water and a croissant (the pastry shops are divine!) and look at my French translation book to cram what I might say tomorrow if I do leave my apartment. I am free on Tuesdays so not obliged to go anywhere. After been relatively homeless for about a week, I am relishing the idea of staying put in my room.

I will do the rounds when I am done unpacking. Good to be back. I just wish it has a staying power. If anyone is coming to this part of the world anytime soon, kindly leave me a comment. I shall provide contact and maybe we can hook up. Strangely, there is a dearth of Nigerians here! Shocking but true. They ain't many. There are a lot of other African countries repping here though. Signing off. Be good people.