'Just Another Day'

 

Today marks the end of our third full week here, two of which have been spent learning the ins and outs of the school day as well as trying out a stewardess that a friend recommended. As a result, I think I'm finally seeing a glimpse of a daily routine, which for me means everything. It's a really busy routine since we are starting from scratch with regards to groceries and household goods and we're using a temporary driver and a company car. Also, we still haven't received our air shipment so we are basically "camping out" in our own flat. This is how I spent most of my days this week:

• 545am: Start coffee (boil water in soup pot and ladle into mug w instant espresso mix)
• Make kids' lunches: Jam Sandwich/PB sandwich and any sad little snack I can muster up - Pringles are popular here but pricey. Canned fruit is all I can find that won't break the bank. 
• Pull school uniforms (Lands End- worth every penny!); do ponytails, pack backpacks
• 645am: Walk K across "compound" to shuttle bus- a breeze thank god and she loves being with the "big kids"
• Make more coffee (boil more water) - make/prep breakfast for E (lunch is slim pickings so best to eat a big brekky)
• 7am: Driver picks E up for work
• Feed/Entertain C who doesn't start school till 930 - groan
• Shower, make to do list, count Naira (everything is cash-only)
• Check emails (midnight in US so not too much action!)
• Pick up, sort laundry for stewardess 
• Entertain C some more/make more coffee
• Accompany C on pre-K shuttle bus to school (me, one other mom and a whole lotta nannies!)
• 9am: Kill time at school till 930 class, chat w moms, get info on where to shop
• 930am: Meet driver outside school, run errands, change US dollars with the local "money changers"
• 10am: Pick up temporary stewardess at her current place of employment
• Fight traffic, work way back to house; give stewardess instructions on laundry etc, discuss menu for upcoming dinners/lunches
• Hit the grocery stores while stewardess cleans, irons, folds. Spend ridiculous amounts of cash on spices, oil, ketchup, deli meat, chicken or fish. Great selection of breads and rice however. Yogurt is a fortune.
• Drop groceries with stewardess and head out for more errands. We need everything from sponges to toilet cleaner. Stewardess politely reminds me we still don't have a proper broom.
• 130pm: Driver takes me back to school to meet K and C who desperately want to take the bus home alone 
• 230pm: Accompany kids on the bus ride home (give me one more week and we'll see). Again, it's me, another mom and every nanny on our route
• 3:00pm: Arrive home to perfectly cleaned house and folded laundry. Dinner prepped. Politely ask Stewardess if she can watch kids while I work out. She is a god-send.
• 4:30pm: Stewardess ready to return to her other job and I'm ready to have my house back. Driver takes her back after bringing E home or she takes an "Okada" one of the many thousands of bikes that drive around Lagos looking for riders. I offer her a measly $500 Naira (~$4) for her ride home and/or a take away dinner. 
• 5:00pm: grab some pool time with the kids before the mosquitos come out, baths, homework, the usual weekday kids' stuff. 
• 6:00pm: Heat up Ready To Go dinner - so thankful!
• Climb into bed exhausted but notice perfectly pressed bed sheets complete with hospital corners. wow.

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