Since the proverbial cat is out of the figurative bag, I thought I'd share with the blogging world that my time in Nigeria is about to come to an end .... almost a full month ahead of schedule.
As readers of this blog may have realized, things here in Nigeria have been less-than-perfect. Of course, having lived in Africa for a large portion of my life, I realize that, as a continent, things seem to be generally less-than-perfect here and, as my heart seems to be set on working in and for Africa, I have come to accept the current state of things for better or worse.
However, during my stay in Nigeria I have realized that even someone as optimistic and flexible as myself has their limit, their breaking point, if you will; mine just so happens to come at a unique three-way junction between "lack of respect," "lack of cooperation," and "extreme financial cost." It seems that, personally speaking, at this junction a question arises: "What is the point?" - To which my answer, in this case, happens to be "There is none."
It was about that time that I began the arduous task of changing my flight out of Nigeria which is perhaps the most complicated flight-related task I have ever embarked upon. ** For a sidebar story about this particular adventure, please see italics below **
However, for as frustrating as this process has been - both being in Nigeria and trying to find a way out- it has been a blessing to have 3 companions to share the burden with me. More importantly, it reinforces my decision to leave ahead of schedule when all 3 of my companions, having reached similar conclusions about our time here, have made the decision to leave with me. As one of my FM Scouts colleagues said : "This wasn't a decision that was entered into lightly" but, having made the decision, I stand by it and I am happy to have others - especially those I respect - standing with me.
It is also worth saying that, despite my disappointment with the Nigerian organization that first brought us to this country, I have been impressed by the professionalism of many other organizations here as well as the extreme entrepreneurial spirit of the Nigerian people. To be certain, there are good and bad people everywhere in the world and Nigeria is no exception. However, I am lucky enough to have met more good than bad people here and I will leave this experience having learned a great deal - about entrepreneurship, Nigeria, Africa and, of course, myself. I'm sure it will be several weeks (possibly months) after my departure before I'm able to fully process everything that has happened; I'll be sure to keep my blog updated as my thoughts progress.
Finally, in order to make the most out of a less-than-perfect situation, I have decided to spend a few more weeks on this side of the world with my family and friends in the U.K. before returning to the US on May 3rd. Ultimately, I think the extra time on American soil will be the best thing for me and will (hopefully) allow me to better prepare for my up-coming 27-month Peace Corps assignment in Togo which begins June 2nd.
Here's lookin' at you, Nigeria.
**** Transportation/ Flight Drama Side-Bar ****
Since phones in Nigeria are pay-as-you-go, I gave my poor mother the sad task of calling the airline to re-schedule my departure. Unfortunately, this particular airline has an antiquated, anti-user system which requires an agent to submit a proposed flight change as a request to a supervisor which takes 24 hours to approve. Of course, to make matters worse, only one proposed flight change can be submitted at a time so in a situation such as mine when a customer would like to explore all of their options before making a decision, there is a great deal of headache-inducing red-tape to get through. And, of course, the matter of choosing a flight out of the country was further complicated by the impending elections. In an example of "great planning" by the airlines, flights were still scheduled to arrive and depart from Nigeria despite the fact that, due to the anti movement laws, no one can get to the airport. During this process, my mom spoke to no less than 4 different agents on my behalf only 1 of whom was even vague sympathetic of the difficulty of the situation. Needless to say, the sheer amount of time required to resolve this issue over the phone could not have been accomplished from Nigeria as, like I said, all phones are pay-as-you-go and I would have spent a fortune purchasing phone credit just to ask for the help of an airline to whom I have already paid a rather generous sum of money. (Thanks, Mom.)
Finally, my mother managed to secure a proposed departure date! Horray! But, when she tried to pay for the cost of the flight changes using a credit card, the agent informed her that, because the passenger (me) was originating in Nigeria, the airline will not accept a credit card over the phone. My mother calmly explained that she was an American citizen using an American credit card and that, given the great technological advances of our country, paying by credit card over the phone should not be a complicated affair. In turn, the agent calmly informed my mother that I would have to pay by credit card myself, in Nigeria, in person at the airline's airport location so that an airline agent could check my passport to ensure that I was the owner of the credit card. My mother informed the agent that I had expressed concern over my ability to use a credit card in Nigeria as it is a cash-based society and credit cards are not accepted anywhere. The agent informed my mother that "of course" the airline accepts credit cards, even in Nigeria... provided, of course, that I can produce identification that proves I am the credit card holder. ...
So, after finding a break in my work to make a secret escape, I paid the $50 (round-trip) cab fare to get to the airport to personally pay for the changes to my flight in-person with my personal identification and my personal credit card. When I got to the airport, there were 3 agents in the airline's office only 2 of whom were actually helping customers... none of whom were moving at a reasonably brisk pace. During the almost 45-minute wait, I watched the representatives tell 4 of the 6 customers in front of me that they would have to call the customer service number to get assistance solving their respective problems. I assumed they must have been making extremely complicated requests.
I was finally assisted by a representative who slowly looked up my flight information. It is worth mentioning that she never once, through this entire process, asked for any kind of identification. She slowly read all the notes in her computer system about my unique situation (apparently there were a lot) and then she slowly asked me what I needed. I told her I needed to pay for the changes to my flight.
"Of course." she said, re-reading the notes in the computer system "Leaving April 2nd (2 days from the current date)?"
"No" I replied. "As April 2nd is an election day, I'm afraid the roads will be closed and I'll miss my flight. I would like to leave Monday, April 11th."
"Oh I see." said the representative. "In that case, you will have to go home, call the airline customer service number and ask them to change the date of your flight in the computer system and then come back here to pay for it"
"But you have my file open on the computer in front of you. Can you just change it for me?" I asked, feeling panicked at the thought of having to call the airline customer service number from my Nigerian cell phone... and having to part with another $50 in cab fare to return to the airport.
"No, I can't." the agent replied without much feeling
"But why not?" I asked...panic setting in.
"I can't. You have to call the number"
"Please..." I begged "I just need you to change the date from April 2nd to April 11th."
"Just call the number." she replied. "They can help you there. Then you can come back and pay for the flight tomorrow. Or when you come to the airport you can pay the day of your departure"
"But I don't understand why you can't help me here. All I want to do is pay for my flight and get out of this country" I whimpered... and, without realizing it, I began to cry. I hardly ever cry... least of all in situations where one is required to be polite and maintain some form of professionalism or dignity. Shameful, I know but somehow it convinced her I wasn't a threat,
"Oh no! Please don't cry." she said handing me a tissue "Here... look... I'm looking up the new information right now. Yes, it looks like we have openings on the flight leaving on April 11th. Give me just a moment and I'll change it in the system."
5 minutes later, my flight had been changed from April 2nd to April 11th.
.... and then the representative turned to me and said "You can pay for the changes in your ticket now. However, we do not accept credit cards and you'll have to pay in cash. Luckily, you can pay in either Naira (Nigerian currency - current exchange rate = 156 Niara to 1 USD) or in US Dollars"
I laughed to myself as I thought about the "helpful" airline representative who had assured my mother that "of course" they accepted credit cards .... and then I stopped laughing when I had to pay the $838 fee to change my flight ... in USD.... Damn.
And, wouldn't you know it, the airline representative had the nerve to charge me a $50 "in-person service fee."
This country has a serious issue with customer service.
And I am counting the days until my happy departure.
***********
As readers of this blog may have realized, things here in Nigeria have been less-than-perfect. Of course, having lived in Africa for a large portion of my life, I realize that, as a continent, things seem to be generally less-than-perfect here and, as my heart seems to be set on working in and for Africa, I have come to accept the current state of things for better or worse.
However, during my stay in Nigeria I have realized that even someone as optimistic and flexible as myself has their limit, their breaking point, if you will; mine just so happens to come at a unique three-way junction between "lack of respect," "lack of cooperation," and "extreme financial cost." It seems that, personally speaking, at this junction a question arises: "What is the point?" - To which my answer, in this case, happens to be "There is none."
It was about that time that I began the arduous task of changing my flight out of Nigeria which is perhaps the most complicated flight-related task I have ever embarked upon. ** For a sidebar story about this particular adventure, please see italics below **
However, for as frustrating as this process has been - both being in Nigeria and trying to find a way out- it has been a blessing to have 3 companions to share the burden with me. More importantly, it reinforces my decision to leave ahead of schedule when all 3 of my companions, having reached similar conclusions about our time here, have made the decision to leave with me. As one of my FM Scouts colleagues said : "This wasn't a decision that was entered into lightly" but, having made the decision, I stand by it and I am happy to have others - especially those I respect - standing with me.
It is also worth saying that, despite my disappointment with the Nigerian organization that first brought us to this country, I have been impressed by the professionalism of many other organizations here as well as the extreme entrepreneurial spirit of the Nigerian people. To be certain, there are good and bad people everywhere in the world and Nigeria is no exception. However, I am lucky enough to have met more good than bad people here and I will leave this experience having learned a great deal - about entrepreneurship, Nigeria, Africa and, of course, myself. I'm sure it will be several weeks (possibly months) after my departure before I'm able to fully process everything that has happened; I'll be sure to keep my blog updated as my thoughts progress.
Finally, in order to make the most out of a less-than-perfect situation, I have decided to spend a few more weeks on this side of the world with my family and friends in the U.K. before returning to the US on May 3rd. Ultimately, I think the extra time on American soil will be the best thing for me and will (hopefully) allow me to better prepare for my up-coming 27-month Peace Corps assignment in Togo which begins June 2nd.
Here's lookin' at you, Nigeria.
 |
| In a few days, I will be driving straight instead of exiting right... *Sigh of happiness* |
**** Transportation/ Flight Drama Side-Bar ****
Since phones in Nigeria are pay-as-you-go, I gave my poor mother the sad task of calling the airline to re-schedule my departure. Unfortunately, this particular airline has an antiquated, anti-user system which requires an agent to submit a proposed flight change as a request to a supervisor which takes 24 hours to approve. Of course, to make matters worse, only one proposed flight change can be submitted at a time so in a situation such as mine when a customer would like to explore all of their options before making a decision, there is a great deal of headache-inducing red-tape to get through. And, of course, the matter of choosing a flight out of the country was further complicated by the impending elections. In an example of "great planning" by the airlines, flights were still scheduled to arrive and depart from Nigeria despite the fact that, due to the anti movement laws, no one can get to the airport. During this process, my mom spoke to no less than 4 different agents on my behalf only 1 of whom was even vague sympathetic of the difficulty of the situation. Needless to say, the sheer amount of time required to resolve this issue over the phone could not have been accomplished from Nigeria as, like I said, all phones are pay-as-you-go and I would have spent a fortune purchasing phone credit just to ask for the help of an airline to whom I have already paid a rather generous sum of money. (Thanks, Mom.)
Finally, my mother managed to secure a proposed departure date! Horray! But, when she tried to pay for the cost of the flight changes using a credit card, the agent informed her that, because the passenger (me) was originating in Nigeria, the airline will not accept a credit card over the phone. My mother calmly explained that she was an American citizen using an American credit card and that, given the great technological advances of our country, paying by credit card over the phone should not be a complicated affair. In turn, the agent calmly informed my mother that I would have to pay by credit card myself, in Nigeria, in person at the airline's airport location so that an airline agent could check my passport to ensure that I was the owner of the credit card. My mother informed the agent that I had expressed concern over my ability to use a credit card in Nigeria as it is a cash-based society and credit cards are not accepted anywhere. The agent informed my mother that "of course" the airline accepts credit cards, even in Nigeria... provided, of course, that I can produce identification that proves I am the credit card holder. ...
So, after finding a break in my work to make a secret escape, I paid the $50 (round-trip) cab fare to get to the airport to personally pay for the changes to my flight in-person with my personal identification and my personal credit card. When I got to the airport, there were 3 agents in the airline's office only 2 of whom were actually helping customers... none of whom were moving at a reasonably brisk pace. During the almost 45-minute wait, I watched the representatives tell 4 of the 6 customers in front of me that they would have to call the customer service number to get assistance solving their respective problems. I assumed they must have been making extremely complicated requests.
I was finally assisted by a representative who slowly looked up my flight information. It is worth mentioning that she never once, through this entire process, asked for any kind of identification. She slowly read all the notes in her computer system about my unique situation (apparently there were a lot) and then she slowly asked me what I needed. I told her I needed to pay for the changes to my flight.
"Of course." she said, re-reading the notes in the computer system "Leaving April 2nd (2 days from the current date)?"
"No" I replied. "As April 2nd is an election day, I'm afraid the roads will be closed and I'll miss my flight. I would like to leave Monday, April 11th."
"Oh I see." said the representative. "In that case, you will have to go home, call the airline customer service number and ask them to change the date of your flight in the computer system and then come back here to pay for it"
"But you have my file open on the computer in front of you. Can you just change it for me?" I asked, feeling panicked at the thought of having to call the airline customer service number from my Nigerian cell phone... and having to part with another $50 in cab fare to return to the airport.
"No, I can't." the agent replied without much feeling
"But why not?" I asked...panic setting in.
"I can't. You have to call the number"
"Please..." I begged "I just need you to change the date from April 2nd to April 11th."
"Just call the number." she replied. "They can help you there. Then you can come back and pay for the flight tomorrow. Or when you come to the airport you can pay the day of your departure"
"But I don't understand why you can't help me here. All I want to do is pay for my flight and get out of this country" I whimpered... and, without realizing it, I began to cry. I hardly ever cry... least of all in situations where one is required to be polite and maintain some form of professionalism or dignity. Shameful, I know but somehow it convinced her I wasn't a threat,
"Oh no! Please don't cry." she said handing me a tissue "Here... look... I'm looking up the new information right now. Yes, it looks like we have openings on the flight leaving on April 11th. Give me just a moment and I'll change it in the system."
5 minutes later, my flight had been changed from April 2nd to April 11th.
.... and then the representative turned to me and said "You can pay for the changes in your ticket now. However, we do not accept credit cards and you'll have to pay in cash. Luckily, you can pay in either Naira (Nigerian currency - current exchange rate = 156 Niara to 1 USD) or in US Dollars"
I laughed to myself as I thought about the "helpful" airline representative who had assured my mother that "of course" they accepted credit cards .... and then I stopped laughing when I had to pay the $838 fee to change my flight ... in USD.... Damn.
And, wouldn't you know it, the airline representative had the nerve to charge me a $50 "in-person service fee."
This country has a serious issue with customer service.
And I am counting the days until my happy departure.
***********
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