Tuesday 20 September 2016

When You're in Rome

I currently live in the west after having lived in the South for most of my life. The cultures and traditions of both areas are almost as different as night and day. Even though as a child I lived in Lagos for about 5 years, it did not prepare me for life in Akure. And y'all know Lagos is everybody's land.

Throw back pic to when my service year(2012). My first time in Akure. 

All my life before coming here, I did not have to kneel or genuflect to greet anybody. Here however,  it's a different thing. Every time I do it I feel awkward and ask myself if it is really necessary. I'm sure I look awkward too. Will they really think I do not respect them if I do not do it? Sometimes I'd only remember to genuflect after greeting. When this happens I pray I'm the only person who noticed. I wonder how awkward they must find me.


Then you have people who are your in your Aunt's age range adding "ma" to every sentence they say to you. I'm like, for real!? Because of these ones you too now want to add "ma" to everything you say. So they won't go and say this Omo Ibo is rude o. Really though, is it necessary? Whatever happened to just greeting "good morning"? Or simply answering "yes or no"?
Then the Aunty calling. It does not matter if your the person is younger than you. You call them Aunty. And if the person is your in-law....ha, you better call that Aunty with respect. Even if they're your baby sister's age.




Also, did you know that it's expected  of you to speak for your baby who can't speak yet? For example, if someone sees you with your baby and decides to have a conversation with her,  you have answer for the baby. And I'm thinking, why talk to a baby who you know cannot speak yet and expect their mom to answer? Even on the phone? How about you just say whatever you want to say to me? It really took me while to understand that they actually expect me to reply when they tell my baby good morning. That's after we've exchanged our own good mornings o. Haha! One person was even offended and told me when they greet my baby I'm supposed to answer. Hian! How am I supposed to know? We don't do that where I come from na.



Let me end my rant with this story. Someone told me how she went to the market and stopped at a stall. When she asked how much the goods cost, the seller told her she would not sell to her. Why? She did not greet her. Really? Are you not in the market to sell? Which is more important? Selling your goods or receiving greeting?


They say when you're in Rome you should act like a Roman abi? I will...but I'm a bad actor so no one should expect perfect delivery.

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Relaxer Update

So, in my last post I told you guys about my hair challenges and the temptation to relax my hair. Well, I went relaxer shopping and I relaxed my hair... NOT.

Haha, I really did go relaxer shopping but right there in the midst of it, I changed my mind. I couldn't bring myself to buy it. Nope. This was after doing some serious research on texlaxing. My mind was pretty much made up. I was going to texlax my hair. I was really excited about the coming change. Went to the market and I just couldn't bring myself to go through with it. Guess I wasn't ready for the change after all.

I then decided to do what I should have done in the first place ; put my hair away. I got two packs of Naomi boom, amongst other things from the market with which I made crochet braids.

I did about ten corn rows to the back. I joined two in front to make a side part. Sorry, I couldn't take a clear picture of the corn rows. I crocheted the twists using a big bobby pin. It wasn't so easy to pull the twisted hair through the corn rows. They were really big. Or maybe it was because I used a bobby pin. For the life of me I can't figure out how to use a crochet pin. I did get one but had to return it for something else when I couldn't use it. I'll have to give it another try.

Anyways,  when the hair was finished, I did not like it :-(. It was too bulky for my liking. I couldn't sleep comfortably with it. Plus my cornrows were too tight. I only had the hair for a couple of days and I took it out, made the cornrows less tight and crocheted on my pre-braided  hair (details in another post).

That's it for now guys. See you some other time. Enjoy the pictures. Hopefully network or whatever will let me post them :-).


PS : Network only let me post that one picture :-(.


Monday 5 September 2016

Blow Drying and Straightening Attempt

For the first time since I've been natural I attempted to straighten my hair. I washed and deep conditioned and then got to the task. I blow dried first using a blow dryer with comb attachment. I did this in sections and made a loose twist of each section as I went. Then I straightened each of those sections when I was done with the blow drying. It took quite sometime. Especially as the power holders took and brought back power in between:-) .

I almost gave up but I trudged on. I Bantu knotted each section after straightening. Only for me to finish and my hair was already reverting. All my labour.... Just poof! My hair merely looked blow dried, not straightened. Sigh. I had to bun it when what I really wanted was to flaunt it and show off my length. The struggle!

Guys, it's getting more difficult to take care of my hair. I don't know how much of this I can take before I backslide o. Right now, it's really tempting to get a tub of relaxer. I'm just tired. I'm not feeling my hair. It's not doing so well. Still shedding. My ends look terrible. Edges scanty. Overall appearance to me is unhealthy. And I don't have time. Did I mention how many breaks I had to take to attend to a fussy baby? I'm seriously losing it with this hair. Oh well, enough of my ranting. Just don't be surprised if in the next post I tell you I've relaxed my hair. This may very well be the last picture of my natural hair you'll be seeing.

Alright. See you all later :-).





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