Hiya Peeps.
It’s actually been decided a while back but I think I forgot
to mention on here that we’ll be travelling back home at the end of this year
for my late father-in-law’s funeral proceedings.
It’s really the definition of mixed feelings here.
On the one hand, it’s such a devastating loss to the family
and most certainly NOT the type of circumstance anyone would wish to incur the
necessity for a trip back home, yet on the other hand, I won’t lie, there’s a
big part of me that is excited to travel back to Nigeria (even if its just a
couple of weeks), see my folks, hug lolo, reconnect with the kids (they’re all
growing so fast..Jesus!) and just generally reacquaint with the Naija feeling.
There was no doubt about the inevitability of this trip. My
late FIL was one of the best of men and deserves the greatest send off we can
give him and of course, we all have to play our parts in making this happen. We’ve
booked our tickets well in advance and Chioma will be going back a couple of
weeks before I do in December.
One thing people don’t realize is the amount of planning
that travelling back home to Nigeria entails (Moreso when you have a huge event
like a burial to plan for). Chioma, God bless her, as the natural planner of
the pair of us, has already started buying stuff months in advance. There are
clothes to buy, gifts for the immediate family to plan for and buy, serious deliberations
on how to even transport the stuff we buy back home in advance of our trip, plans
on where to stay in the different locations where we’ll be during the period,
other social stuff we have to consider attending, are there family and friends we’d
like to go and see? The nightmare scenario of how and if Chioma’ll work during
this period with the power situation, what’s going to keep her occupied e.t.c
Bruh, it’s exhausting.
My logical mind is spinning off all the cons about this
venture. The economy has never been great in my lifetime, but I can comfortably
say this is the worst it’s ever been. There are going to be so many costs
incurred with planning a successful event but God on our side, friends and
family as well (and the power of the pound), I believe we’ll pull it off very
well.
There are lots of logistical issues which could possibly
raise speedbumps and which honestly, Chioma and I have just resolved to go with
the flow and tackle along as they come.
I now understand why sometimes, my cousins who live in the US
just slip back into the country unannounced and make minimum fuss about their travel
arrangements. It just makes sense now that sometimes you’d want to just get
away from all the stress and just plan a solo trip somewhere you feel safe and
comfortable.
This is most certainly not the case here.
Anyway, I’m very excited. Despite the situation back home, the
country of my birth is still my motherland and my umbilical cord (actually buried
somewhere in the ground in Umuawuka) keeps tugging me back and reminding me
that there’s nowhere like home.
Wish us luck. I’ll keep y’all updated
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