"Something Good Can Work"
CKGaither Posted on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at 11:59AM Let's make this happen, girl you gonna show the world that something good can work and it can work for you.
And you know that it will.
Today marks Three Years since we moved to Lagos. Three! It is hard to believe, even for me - the person who is actually living this life every day. Honestly, some days it feels like it has been a lifetime and other days, I am amazed at how fast it has gone. Recently, I was discussing plans for next year's school activities when I realized my now 10 year old daughter would be entering Grade 5 in the fall. When we moved here, my son was only 5 years old! He was still in pre-school (and in a car seat) which blows my mind only slightly less than how much he's grown since then.
When I reflect on the last three years, I am actually quite proud of everything we have accomplished and how much we have seen and experienced. I never thought I would work in a traditional way while I was here, let alone run a program that served an entire community. I've done A LOT. But I also wish I had done things differently. I wish I had had more patience with the customs here. I wish I had made an effort to meet more Nigerians and learn about their culture and their history. I have tried, to be sure, but it is a hard culture to infiltrate especially when safety issues restrict the radius of your world. I actually wish I had thrown caution aside and explored a bit further; seen how most Nigerians truly live - and not the ones working on the road outside our compound - or worse, within the walls of our compound.
But we did not come here just to explore Lagos for three straight years. We came to see as much of Africa as we could in the time we were given. With the exception of some places on my bucket list that are just not safe right now, I think we made a pretty good go of it. The trouble is, that kind of life can be addictive. It's hard to give up. I truly love travel. I love ticking that box. I love knowing that one day we will be old and grey and we can say, "Remember when we spent Christmas Day in Zambia?", "Remember when we talked to a man who had been one of Mandela's prison mates?", "Remember Ebola?" Well, that last one may be pushing it but you get the idea.
People thought we were crazy when we first chose to move to Lagos. It was exhausting to defend it. At times, I feel I've defended it for the last three years. Thankfully, time has somehow normalized it. I know how to work within the confines of the culture. I know how to get things done without tearing my hair out and cursing the country around me. I know how to make it work. I still deal with the occasional look of horror by a Westerner when I tell them Lagos is our home but instead of defending it, I celebrate it. "Yeah, that's right - we live in Nigeria. We are bad asses." (insert virtual high five here). Okay, maybe I don't say that (out loud) but I am secretly happy to add a bit of shock value to an otherwise boring conversation. Mostly, I feel proud because I know in my heart that we made it work for us when few people would have even tried.
I don't know what's next for us but there is one thing I know. Unless you have lived here, you will never understand this life, which makes us part of a very unique club.
Like I said, Bad Asses.
Reader Comments (2)
You guys rock!
I never doubted your ability or Joe's to handle and grow in your chosen life. Kerrigan and Clayton will be the greatest beneficiaries of your wonderful experiences and challenges. Happy Third Year Anniversary. Love. Dad