Of all my posts, this has been the most difficult to write.
I got my passport last week and was all set to write when I realized that I would be leaving in less than 2 weeks. After having had some touching conversations with American friends, I didn't feel ready to start saying goodbye with this post. So, I waited.
Now it's 8 days until takeoff and I just don't feel right going any longer without writing some updates. (One reader's been particularly eager, so I hope this relieves his appetite, lol.)
First update: I got the passport! I picked it up 2 weeks after a 5-hour long application process. I was to pick it up sooner, but my pick-up date ended up being a Muslim holiday followed by Veteran's Day and then the weekend. When I finally received it, it was beautiful to see high-tech graphics with faint pictures of different Nigerian ethnic groups (just about all the major ones represented) on each of the light pink pages. That passport cost $65, lasts for five years, and seems quite more effective when compared to a $120 Visa that only lasts for 3 months.
Second update: My travel itinerary is growing. I'm so grateful for all the friends and colleagues who have recommended people and places to help me with my research as well have fun. Admittedly, traveling from one place to the next will not be easy given the high amount of traffic on big city roads in Nigeria and that wonderful cultural aspect called "African Time" (the equivalent of Colored People's Time here in the U.S., with a little bit more of a time delay.) If all goes as planned (or improvised), the trip will include visits to Yoruba art galleries, interviews with scholars and expatriates, and meetings with radio and movie producers who have made Nigeria's communications industry one of the most prolific in the world.
Third update: It's hard to stick to a budget. As a female participating in an out-of-country wedding, I did not realize how much is needed to cover the costs of beauty and wardrobe. I mean I even had to buy a weave that I think took a tenth out of my initial budget! It's a 5-week journey in total and without a doubt I'll have more than weaves to take care of. So, I'm trying to get my financial brain in shape RIGHT NOW.
But, here's one thing about "odysseys": you start out carrying your own provisions and deplete them along the way. What do you have in the end? Some memories of goodwill from strangers who saw your need or just wanted to add a hand.
On the flip side, there could be thieves, too, but...they won't be welcomed on my trip.
~ Odyssey
