Giving back in small ways.

 Hey people

So, some update on events.

Some time ago during one of our library visits, Chioma and i came across an advert requesting volunteers to assist a home library service for the Brent council.

It looked like such a great thing to do and considering that I really enjoy being in the library and its services, we were like, why the hell not? So we went ahead and applied.

Weeks later, I got the mail that I’d been successful (unfortunately Chioma wasn’t) and the whole onboarding process to be a volunteer started.

Bruh…these people are thorough with their stuff.

After one informal but grueling interview with some lovely ladies, I’ve had to get a DBS check done. This is a kind of comprehensive background check with all the authorities to verify your status. Apparently, since I would be getting to meet a lot of people in their homes, with most of them being elderly and vulnerable, they need to ensure that I’m not some sort of closet serial killer.

Suffice to say, I passed the DBS check in flying, spotless colours (being the angelic soul that I am 😇👼) and I’ve since resumed as a volunteer for the Brent Council Home Library service.

Small wins. Yay.

I’m grateful for it because it gives me a chance (no matter how little) to give back to the wonderful Brent Library service where I spent so much time during my school year. Besides, it’s just for a couple of hours weekly and I hopefully get to meet some interesting people.

We are to collect book requests from people who aren’t mobile enough to come to the library and assist with dropping off at their respective houses. My first drop-off was to this lovely elderly Indian couple. They were clearly expecting another of my colleagues, (the usual babe who comes to their place) and were a bit wary at first but they quickly warmed up and even though it ended up being brief, it was a good start.

Well…here’s to serving the community.

 

The absolute Ghetto of Job hunting

 

Hola amigos.

Its been a while…phew… I’ve been busy trying to get post-school life going and mehn..its not been easy at all.

Let nobody tell you any different…getting a full-time job here as an immigrant is most certainly not the easiest of tasks. At one point, I’ve had to create a separate folder in my mailbox to house all the rejection emails from all the companies ive applied to and to be honest, it’s the most frustrating thing ever. As I sit back and watch the mails pile up in that accursed folder, I always make a conscious effort to remind myself that its nothing to do with me and it’s just a by-product of the system here and how it operates.

Bruh. It’s tiring.

If the numerous job search sites in this country are to be believed, it’s not as if there are no available roles o….they are there. Its just that even after all the applications, tests and what not, they always send that stupid rejection email, always starting with some bullshit “thanking you so much for taking the time to consider joining us but unfortunately, we have decided not to progress with your application” speech.

It’s so bad that I’ve been applying to roles much below my skill and competency level. Omo. I just tire.

Funny enough, there is one job offer I have that is still on the table and that is the aftermath of the Birmingham trip I mentioned here but I’m still trying to sort some issues with that one out but the point I wanted to highlight is that this job offer only came about from a personal referral from one of Chioma’s friends who works there. So apparently, unless you get referred, it’s an insane endeavor trying to get a regular job.

Of course, you would hear of all the success stories from people who claim to have gotten it but at some point, you have to start wondering if its real at all. I’ve also noticed that my data looks to have been farmed out to different agents without my consent (probably from all the numerous sites I’ve put up my CV). You’ll wake up and see one email from a strange person talmbout “I saw your cv on xyz site and I think you’ll be a fit for this role I have open…bla bla bla”…omo na scam o. I’ve responded to a lot of these clowns and the funny thing is that ive never heard back from even one of them. I think its time to take steps to remove my data from wherever they’re getting it from.

Sigh.

Biko, you people should help me pray for something good to come up quick cos the frustration is mounting. Small consolation is the fact that I’m still doing the stuff at the restaurant and trying to squeeze in more hours, now that I’m out of term time in school. However, working for minimum wage at this stage of my life just doesn’t cut it with me.

Anyhow sha, this is me putting it out in the universe that I will come back to this post very soon and laugh at all the frustrations with an update of a very good job offer!! And the church says whaaat????

 

AMEN!!

Autumn

 

Hey guys..

The seasons are changing guard once again…. Ladies and gentlemen…say hello to AUTUMN.

It was a good summer, hot, but not as punishing as people predicted it to be..at least here in London.

Elsewhere, it was a different story altogether. We were hearing stories of it being the hottest month on record. WOW. It was so hot that people died from heatwaves, sunstrokes and other heat related ailments… Na wa o.

Here in London, the summer was hot, with temperatures reaching lower 40’s. However, I’ve seen worse and I’m not trying to be insensitive to my lighter skinned brethren, but I would describe my first summer experience as “mildly uncomfortable”.

Anyway, the change of guard has arrived, the leaves have yellowed off and are gradually falling off, duvets have reappeared in homes, wool lined, and heavy-duty jackets have started making appearances on the streets again and that ominous chill in the air is very evident now.

It’s a testament to Nature’s wonder and God’s wonderful design.

You all know I’m not a big fan of the winter season … so preparations have started in earnest, here at the Ibemere household. Chioma has brought out all the jackets and we’ve laundered them, thermal underwear has made a reappearance, the wall heaters in the rooms have been test run for functionality, our boiler is confirmed in good condition, ginger and lemon solutions were recently bought and aboniki will be sourced out very soon. LMAO.

We thank God for everything, for life, for provision and for availability.

 

Bring on the cold weather.

Trick or treat?

 

Of all the holidays being celebrated around the world, I think Halloween amuses me the most.

See ehn, I don’t think the Westerners understand from an African Christian perspective just how much this sort of holiday is considered taboo.

I mean, why on earth would you be celebrating a “haunted” holiday with ghosts, witches, graveyard monsters, and spirits. Accompanied by actively encouraging kids to go about in scary costumes requesting treats from strangers????

Basically, everything our darling African moms warned us about while growing up. lol… You can imagine having a celebration of Ogbanje, Mami water, e.t.c😱😱

I believe it originated from a celebration which was dedicated to remembering the dead. Another origin story was that it was an ancient Celtic festival celebrated at the end of the harvest season. People believed it was a time when spirits could enter our world and damage crops. People all over the old countries would prepare feasts, with places set at the table to make spirits feel welcome, and bonfires lit to keep away unwanted ones.

Africans have been traumatized for generations with our own version of voodoo, juju, babalawos and the like and all these have been ingrained in us from a young age. It’d be a laughable suggestion to dedicate a whole holiday reason for them.  It’s very funny seeing some reactions to the Halloween celebrations from Naija parents over here abroad. i recall the way aunty Ngozi’s face changed when Nadine was talking about celebrating…lmao…biko don’t bring that kind of talk in this house. We are covered by the blood of Jesus!!

Here however, it’s a big deal and a billion-pound industry with every shop cashing out big time from sales of Halloween costumes, sweets, props, toys, and Cinemas raking in cash from Halloween movies and so on. Different strokes I guess.

For me personally, Its actually endearing seeing all the ongoing preparations and decorations. I’ve always been indifferent about stuff like this and I think that, for the most part, my mentality mirrors that of the white people with regards to all things spooky and scary. I don’t understand it but I’ll accept it anyway. I mean what exactly is a hollowed-out pumpkin on your doorstep supposed to mean?

In any case, we’ve stocked up on some sweets in the unlikely event of trick or treaters showing up at our doorstep.

Have a happy Halloween.

Thai.

 Hey guys…nice to be back..

We had our third-year wedding anniversary earlier this month….Yaaayy!!!

Wow.. three years already… Amazing how time has flown by. It still feels all fresh and new still. I guess that’s one of the perks of marrying right.

To celebrate, Chioma and I decided to go somewhere like we always do, so we did some scouting and of course, London, being the never-ending source of eating out places, provided several options. A nice Thai restaurant, “Cooper Thai” caught our browsing eyes, so we decided on it and headed there that evening.

Now, I think we’ve sufficiently established that Chioma is the one in the family with the gourmet, try-anything-once-at-least, international taste buds but once or twice I also like to get out of my gastric comfort zone and try new things as well.

Suffice it to say, it was an inspired choice.

The place was in Harrow and Wealdstone, not too far off from our zanga, so we had just about three stops on our train ride and a little walk in the cool autumn evening.

The exterior of the building wasn’t the best-looking place we’ve ever been to, but on getting inside, there was an abundance of that homey, comfort-filled ambience going on. We were welcomed with some nice Prawn crackers and settled down to enjoy the evening.

Bruh… the food. I think I have become a devotee of Thai Cuisine.

Thankfully, we decided on only one starter platter that turned out to be almost a meal on its own. It came with lots of finger foods, sweet sauces, and tasty veggies

, then moved on to the main courses. I had some Thai fried rice garnished liberally with fried duck meat (Yes…you read right…Duck meat) and other orishirishi. Chioma had some regular rice with a wild seafood sauce platter mixed with decorated veggies, which looked amazing.

Dear Lord..it was heavenly!!

Ticking off our international cuisine bucket list, I think we’ve tried Indian, Chinese, Italian, British (bleh), American, Argentine, and now Thai. Honestly, Thai food wins hands down. It was really good.

We ended off with a crazy, sweet banana split for dessert, containing scoops of ice cream, and drizzled with some delicious frosting.

By this time, we were stuffed to the gills and just managed to make room for it. Of course, we ordered takeaway and rounded up the evening.

Funny enough, the individual food items were very pocket-friendly (which you guys know is an essential criteria for your boy), so even though we did eat quite a lot and spent a bit more than intended, the whole evening was absolutely worth everything.

 

Ahhh…God bless Thailand. You’ve got a convert.

Finishing in style: The Distinction way.

 Hey people

Some piece of news.

*Drumroll*….🥁

After a very very stressful year of school, putting myself back into the academic world of studying, spending hours in Libraries, neglecting personal commitments, attending seminars, writing papers, assignments, and a beautiful dissertation (if I say so myself)…..I am proud to announce that I have officially graduated from the University of East London with a Master’s degree in Human Resource management!!!!!!

To put the icing on top of this, not only have I passed successfully, but I’ve also only gone and graduated with a DISTINCTION!!!!!

Whaaaaaaattt!!! *Trumpet blares!!!*🎆🎆🎉🎉

Sometimes, I amaze myself.

This has been one of the most challenging tasks I set myself and I’m so proud of what I’ve been able to achieve. To be honest, it was no easy feat. There’s so much to be said about studying in the UK, so many things about trying to mix studies with surviving your first year, working menial jobs for only 20 hours per week, getting used to an entirely new system of schooling, adjusting to the weather, new culture and way of life and most importantly, acquiring the right mindset and mental state to get back into the school game after such a long absence. I recall all the rants about it here and here..

Naaah…I try abeg. *Pats my own back and hands myself flowers*🎕

I have so much to be thankful for.

To Chioma….my wife, my babe, my love 💝💝💕…you don’t know how much your love and support has meant during this period. All this would have been impossible without you. (This is a massive understatement btw). Thank you for being there, for the encouragement, for helping to proofread some of the drafts(sometimes…lol), for accepting to be alone all the days I had to spend in the library and times I left to study, for taking the brunt of my bad moods when things were not going too well, for all the financial support which you were (and continue to be) generous with and most importantly, the unwavering belief in my ability to achieve this. You are my world.

To my family…Omo, you guys mean so much to me. I‘m not ashamed to say that a big motivation to get this done was the desire to make you all proud of me and the idea that I would die before letting you all down. I know I’ve made you all proud. (before nko).

Special shout out to my late dad, Nze Cosmas. Like I said in my dissertation dedication, you were the driving force for ensuring that all of us value education. I remember the numerous times you urged us to get more educational achievements and pushed me, especially to achieve potential. I recall once back in secondary school when I came 26^th position in class (the first and only time that ever happened by the way), you traveled all the way to my boarding school in Enugu, sat me down in Mr. Nwanguma’s (my “guardian” back then) house and had one of the most serious talks with me about getting my priorities straight and making sure I live up to my God-given potential.

I have never forgotten all you said dad, Thank you. I’m certain you’ll be up there, bursting with pride and celebrating this achievement with a bottle of Gulder 🍻. Have that drink, pops, this win is dedicated to you.

I’m grateful for some amazing tutors…Prof. Andrew Boocock, Dr. Precious Hepzhibar, and Jude Ritchie…God bless you all for all that you did. You made studying so easy and fun. You’re all great teachers. Andrew, especially…bruh..you be correct guy!

Weirdly, I’m very grateful to the libraries where I spent a lot of time studying. I remember mentioning it here. Stratford Library, Docklands Campus Library, and the fantastic Brent Council Library. These places became like a home away from home and showed me all the values of what a good library can provide. You have all gotten a lifelong patron.

 

Yeah…so it’s all said and done. I look back now and laugh at all the times I felt so stressed while going through school, but like Nze would always say, “Anything worth doing, is worth doing well”.

Congratulations Okey, it was worth it, and you did well.

Msc. Human resources with Distinction!! Cheers!!!.

Middle East peace

 Bruh…when will the Middle East catch a break?

That’s how we were just chilling last week and suddenly the news was flooded with reports about Hamas carrying out a massacre of Israeli civilians in their homes and villages and kidnapping several hostages!!. The bastards actually raided a music festival and gunned down so many people. The pictures, videos and stories are just horrific. Make no mistake about it, an absolutely condemnable, horrible act.

Trust Israel, they did not take this lightly and have launched a full-scale war against the idiots Hamas in the Gaza region, bombing and blitzing the region to pieces for the past week. Unfortunately, there is always a tendency to overdo it and as usual, Palestinian civilians are now caught in the crossfire and facing an extremely serious humanitarian crises of their own. It doesn’t help that Hamas has integrated themselves into the population and seem to be using the Palestinian population as human shields!

To be very fair, there are so many historical perspectives to this feud that it’s very difficult to take a side. HOWEVER, the overwhelming fact is that ordinary, helpless, and most importantly, INNOCENT civilians are being killed, displaced and suffering because of this.

It’s so bad that it has even eclipsed the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war.

I can very clearly remember when I was much younger and monitoring Israel’s war with Hezbollah (in the same region, Lebanon)…this was in about 2006 or so…it was a terrible time as well, and ever since then, this state of constant back and forth has never changed. Always one side lobbing missiles at the other, their Army killing the other civilians, bombs being blown up, suicide bombers, kidnaps and assaults, Hamas dedicating themselves to Jihad and pledging to “Wipe” Israel off the face of the Earth, Israel treating them like the terrorist group that they are, Iran chooking mouth where no concern them, USA supporting Israel with their full chest and it just goes on and on and on…

I’m just here wondering why we can’t all just get along and make this world a better place? Naïve I know but honestly, what good does this even bring about? The hatred is just going to intensify and trickle down to another generation of Israeli-Palestinian kids who will grow up with all the negative things handed down from their parents’ generation.

May God grant much needed peace to that region. Amen