Yesterday I had a long, interesting phone conversation with a MIIS alum who had just come back from a 3 month stint in Nigeria. Although she offered a lot of helpful hints in terms of where/how to exchange money (not in the airport, never more than $400 at a time), airport security in Lagos (make sure they write the correct length of stay on your entry paperwork), and dress code (formal... very very formal. All the time..), I have to say that the overall conversation made me feel as though I was going into battle.
Of course, this IS Africa after all. And I AM a blond, blue-eyed American woman. But..... it just doesn't seem right to me to arrive in a country, guns a-blazin', ready for the first Nigerian "Prince" to spam me before I snap and tell everyone to keep a safe distance from the windows of my tinted car. Still, I appreciate the words of wisdom and, knowing how absorbed I can become in a new place/culture once I'm there, I understand the importance of knowing what I'm getting myself into before I leave.
So, in an effort to be smart about all of this, this is where I admit to the potential dangers of being an American woman in Nigeria and how I'm going to avoid them:
Yes, there have been abductions in the oil-rich delta region in the south-east of the country (I'm going to be in the south-west). However, unlike the politically-charged Al-Qaeda kidnappings of Niger, these tend to be for ransom rather than execution. How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Make sure everyone understands how poor I am. Seriously. No smart person would kidnap 70K worth of debt. 2. Don't visit the Delta region.
Yes, there has been religious tension and conflict in the North near the Jos Plateau. There was even a Christmas Day Bombing in Abuja (the capital city) and many people have been killed. I plan to write a blog on this later to explain the basic "why"... until then... How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Stay out of the North. 2. Don't discuss religion. Ever.
Yes, there is corruption. Not just at the high levels of national government, not just at the mid-levels of state government, but at the local level...and, sometimes, sadly, at the individual level. Yes, there is a chance that people will try to scam me or steal from me... especially, house help. To be fair, this isn't exclusive to Nigeria. When we lived in Zambia, I remember our nanny/housekeeper stole one of my Mom's checks and forged her signature for a ridiculous amount of money... How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Hide valuable things ... Which is easy to do if you know how to be sneaky about it (my Mom was great about this during my last Peace Corps service). 2. Get to know people on a sincere, friendly basis. People are less likely to steal from you if you really know who they are and if they know you're not an average American a-hole.
Yes, apparently, there is a risk of getting HIV/AIDs from eating bush-meat sold on the side of the road. Seriously. This was one of the "warnings" I received.... How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Ask the vendor what kind of meat it is... often times, you don't have to ask as the animal is very recognizable just hanging there, dead and skinned right next to the stall 2. Don't eat meat sold on the side of the road! I'm not worried about HIV/AIDS so much as I am about getting amoebic dysentary... for the third time.
~*~*~*~*~*
If you had to guess where this picture was taken, Lagos or Los Angeles.... Which would you say?
I know to many of my friends and family I seem crazy for traveling to such "strange" and "scary" places overseas... and even more insane for my sometimes cavalier attitude towards the whole thing. In response I would just say that there are parts of the US (Compton or Skid Row for example) that are just as "strange" and "scary." In fact, there are certain parts of Reno that most people I know wouldn't visit after dark. For the record, the picture above is of the infamous Skid Row in Los Angeles California.
As in the US, being overseas in "strange" and "scary" places is all about managing risk. And, in my personal experience, one of the most important ways to manage risk is to avoid making yourself a target. The more scared you are, the more people wonder what reason you have to be afraid, and then you have people watching to see what valuables you're so eager to protect....Your best bet is to talk to people. Be friendly. Remember names. Remember interests, favorite sports teams, family names etc. When people know you, not only are they less likely to kidnap you, harass you, and steal from you, they're more likely to protect you from the people who will. (I personally saw this in action in Peace Corps).
In any case, I'm looking forward to my time in Nigeria. Yes, there are risks. There are always risks. If I waited until it was completely safe, I'd never leave the house. Still, for those of you who aren't "crazy" enough to leave your house to go all the way to Lagos, Nigeria, I understand... ...
Of course, this IS Africa after all. And I AM a blond, blue-eyed American woman. But..... it just doesn't seem right to me to arrive in a country, guns a-blazin', ready for the first Nigerian "Prince" to spam me before I snap and tell everyone to keep a safe distance from the windows of my tinted car. Still, I appreciate the words of wisdom and, knowing how absorbed I can become in a new place/culture once I'm there, I understand the importance of knowing what I'm getting myself into before I leave.
So, in an effort to be smart about all of this, this is where I admit to the potential dangers of being an American woman in Nigeria and how I'm going to avoid them:
Yes, there have been abductions in the oil-rich delta region in the south-east of the country (I'm going to be in the south-west). However, unlike the politically-charged Al-Qaeda kidnappings of Niger, these tend to be for ransom rather than execution. How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Make sure everyone understands how poor I am. Seriously. No smart person would kidnap 70K worth of debt. 2. Don't visit the Delta region.
Yes, there has been religious tension and conflict in the North near the Jos Plateau. There was even a Christmas Day Bombing in Abuja (the capital city) and many people have been killed. I plan to write a blog on this later to explain the basic "why"... until then... How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Stay out of the North. 2. Don't discuss religion. Ever.
Yes, there is corruption. Not just at the high levels of national government, not just at the mid-levels of state government, but at the local level...and, sometimes, sadly, at the individual level. Yes, there is a chance that people will try to scam me or steal from me... especially, house help. To be fair, this isn't exclusive to Nigeria. When we lived in Zambia, I remember our nanny/housekeeper stole one of my Mom's checks and forged her signature for a ridiculous amount of money... How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Hide valuable things ... Which is easy to do if you know how to be sneaky about it (my Mom was great about this during my last Peace Corps service). 2. Get to know people on a sincere, friendly basis. People are less likely to steal from you if you really know who they are and if they know you're not an average American a-hole.
Yes, apparently, there is a risk of getting HIV/AIDs from eating bush-meat sold on the side of the road. Seriously. This was one of the "warnings" I received.... How I Plan to Avoid This: 1. Ask the vendor what kind of meat it is... often times, you don't have to ask as the animal is very recognizable just hanging there, dead and skinned right next to the stall 2. Don't eat meat sold on the side of the road! I'm not worried about HIV/AIDS so much as I am about getting amoebic dysentary... for the third time.
~*~*~*~*~*
If you had to guess where this picture was taken, Lagos or Los Angeles.... Which would you say?
I know to many of my friends and family I seem crazy for traveling to such "strange" and "scary" places overseas... and even more insane for my sometimes cavalier attitude towards the whole thing. In response I would just say that there are parts of the US (Compton or Skid Row for example) that are just as "strange" and "scary." In fact, there are certain parts of Reno that most people I know wouldn't visit after dark. For the record, the picture above is of the infamous Skid Row in Los Angeles California.
As in the US, being overseas in "strange" and "scary" places is all about managing risk. And, in my personal experience, one of the most important ways to manage risk is to avoid making yourself a target. The more scared you are, the more people wonder what reason you have to be afraid, and then you have people watching to see what valuables you're so eager to protect....Your best bet is to talk to people. Be friendly. Remember names. Remember interests, favorite sports teams, family names etc. When people know you, not only are they less likely to kidnap you, harass you, and steal from you, they're more likely to protect you from the people who will. (I personally saw this in action in Peace Corps).
In any case, I'm looking forward to my time in Nigeria. Yes, there are risks. There are always risks. If I waited until it was completely safe, I'd never leave the house. Still, for those of you who aren't "crazy" enough to leave your house to go all the way to Lagos, Nigeria, I understand... ...
I'll send pictures.
Downtown Lagos, Nigeria
...hmm
ReplyDelete...Hopefully that's not a bad "hmm"
ReplyDeleteDid you take that picture of "downtown Lagos"?
ReplyDeletewhat is your lesson/tip for a white ( ok to good looking ) medical female doctor surgeon in Nigeria , probably Lagos working? Should she dare to go work there or not?
ReplyDelete