Wow it's been almost a month since I last stopped by. Okay here is a recap of things so far.
As I said in my previous post, the 29th of August was my last day on the job. -It was a day of mixed feelings, I was hopping into the world on my own not knowing what would come next. But I had faith that I would succeed and it's with that faith that I have been handling things.
The partners at my job reassured me that my job is always available anytime I want it, all I need to do is just call. Well its good to know that I have that lifeline open to me.
Well things have not been as easy as I thought it would be, and I have been putting in more than I did at my previous job. I have also been on the phone a lot.........calling to try to set up deals and contracts between continents...when it's all set and done, I'll come back here and let you know what project I have been working on, and the outcome.
Till then it's ciao from me
Friday, September 19, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
GOING SOLO
One of the reasons I started this blog, is to be able to chronicle my journey from being an employee, to being self employed.
Well, I had planned and labored for the past year about the idea of being my own boss. I talked it over and over with my spouse, and my parents. There were times when the thought of it would give me fears about how I would be able to cope with the concept of not having money come from my usual and dependable source.
When working for someone else, all you need to do is make sure you show up and do the work to your best. And as long as you fulfill your end of the bargain (contract, work...) you get paid. So you can imagine all the thoughts that began to run in my head when I the idea of being self employed arose. (Will I make it, what if I don't, ???) I discussed at length with my husband and parents and they all said "pray about it". I began to ask God to please let his will be done, (though I was praying that, Lord help me so I can stand on my own)
Praying about it took months and, with the months came doubts and assurances. The assurance was certainly greater than the doubts and I sort further advice from my dad who took me back to my history and roots.
After much thought, I resigned from my job on the 18th of August, and the 29th of August will be my last day.
I thought I was going to be sad and all emotional when I tendered my resignation but, the opposite is the case. I have been very happy , it seems like a big burden has been lifted off my shoulders. Like I tell people, when the thought of what you do or where you work begins to make you cringe, It is definitely time for a change.
Thank God my change is here.
Well, I had planned and labored for the past year about the idea of being my own boss. I talked it over and over with my spouse, and my parents. There were times when the thought of it would give me fears about how I would be able to cope with the concept of not having money come from my usual and dependable source.
When working for someone else, all you need to do is make sure you show up and do the work to your best. And as long as you fulfill your end of the bargain (contract, work...) you get paid. So you can imagine all the thoughts that began to run in my head when I the idea of being self employed arose. (Will I make it, what if I don't, ???) I discussed at length with my husband and parents and they all said "pray about it". I began to ask God to please let his will be done, (though I was praying that, Lord help me so I can stand on my own)
Praying about it took months and, with the months came doubts and assurances. The assurance was certainly greater than the doubts and I sort further advice from my dad who took me back to my history and roots.
After much thought, I resigned from my job on the 18th of August, and the 29th of August will be my last day.
I thought I was going to be sad and all emotional when I tendered my resignation but, the opposite is the case. I have been very happy , it seems like a big burden has been lifted off my shoulders. Like I tell people, when the thought of what you do or where you work begins to make you cringe, It is definitely time for a change.
Thank God my change is here.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
See Me See Trouble II
Sorry I have been Mia, I promised to continue my last post and every time I try to finish, one thing or the other pops up.
Well back to the gist about my trip.
After the immigration wahala, I proceeded to get my stuff from the conveyor belt. I had about three suitcases and me being me, I always overpack. (I pack a month in advance of my scheduled trip, so I never forget anything). My brother on the other hand is the opposite, my opinion is that he does not care, to him, its naija, and whatever he does not bring with him can always be bought.
when we arrived at customs with our heavy looking luggage's, the customs guys felt they had got a good catch. They demanded that we open our suitcases for inspection, my brother's was the first, he opened and they saw all these shirts and suits and all what his groomsmen were going to wear for his wedding and they kept telling him that, they think he was going to be selling them.
I quickly jumped in and told them that he was not going to sell them because at this point the guy was looking for his size and that of his colleagues. I explained to the customs guy that my brother was getting married and the shirts were for his groomsmen and stuff. They then said ok, find us something, while we were there arguing, my father walked in and demanded to know "what's up" ? The guy not knowing who my dad is, said he was just welcoming us to Nigeria.
We all laughed, and proceeded out of the arrival lounge to our car and stuff.
It's so surprising to see how Nigerian officials on contact with them expect that you "must drop something". I asked the policeman that stopped us on our way from the airport why he felt the need to delay us, then ask us to find him something. From the airport, to my parents house we had contact with at least three different types of officials and they all wanted money from us.
I concluded that we had mega MUGUN written all over our foreheads and this officials wanted their share of the national cake we were carrying.
till I update again its ciao from this end
Well back to the gist about my trip.
After the immigration wahala, I proceeded to get my stuff from the conveyor belt. I had about three suitcases and me being me, I always overpack. (I pack a month in advance of my scheduled trip, so I never forget anything). My brother on the other hand is the opposite, my opinion is that he does not care, to him, its naija, and whatever he does not bring with him can always be bought.
when we arrived at customs with our heavy looking luggage's, the customs guys felt they had got a good catch. They demanded that we open our suitcases for inspection, my brother's was the first, he opened and they saw all these shirts and suits and all what his groomsmen were going to wear for his wedding and they kept telling him that, they think he was going to be selling them.
I quickly jumped in and told them that he was not going to sell them because at this point the guy was looking for his size and that of his colleagues. I explained to the customs guy that my brother was getting married and the shirts were for his groomsmen and stuff. They then said ok, find us something, while we were there arguing, my father walked in and demanded to know "what's up" ? The guy not knowing who my dad is, said he was just welcoming us to Nigeria.
We all laughed, and proceeded out of the arrival lounge to our car and stuff.
It's so surprising to see how Nigerian officials on contact with them expect that you "must drop something". I asked the policeman that stopped us on our way from the airport why he felt the need to delay us, then ask us to find him something. From the airport, to my parents house we had contact with at least three different types of officials and they all wanted money from us.
I concluded that we had mega MUGUN written all over our foreheads and this officials wanted their share of the national cake we were carrying.
till I update again its ciao from this end
Friday, August 1, 2008
See me see trouble
My recent visit to Nigeria I would say seems to be the most productive of all my trips to Nigeria. I prepared a schedule of things before I flew into Nigeria, and I fulfilled almost all excerpt for visiting my friends homes. – I am very bad at visiting people in their homes or residences; it’s the same for me even here in MD. I have friends that I have known since elementary school who have visited my home, my fathers home town and stayed with us for months and I on the other hand have never stepped foot into their house. So I placed visiting of friends on my to do list for this Nigeria trip and it is the only thing I did not accomplish.
Well, visiting of friends was not a smart item to put on my schedule since I was attending a wedding and not just any wedding, my brothers wedding. I was occupied from the moment I landed in Nigeria and told my peeps eku ile, to the time I said
au revoir. Me being me, I sent out text messages to all of them (just two ooo don’t mind me, I am bad at keeping in touch with people so I have only two people left as friends and my other family members know that this is typical of me and have always looked the other way) and asked for forgiveness and will make sure that I make it my priority to visit them when next I step foot on the shores of Lagos.
From the moment I landed in Lagos to the time I left, I had people asking me for money. These people were in no way or form related to me ooo egba mi, My brother the one that got married and I decided to charge our dead phones at the kiosk before immigration, the one provided by GLO for this purpose. We were challenged by a guy who had no uniform on and no badge on him to move to the long que at immigration. When we explained to him that our phones were dead and we were only charging it while we waited for the long line to subside, he told us that we had to go through immigration first, and then come back to charge our phones. We ended up embarrassing him; my brother told him that wouldn’t he confront us if he saw us do exactly what he had just told us to do, i.e. go through immigration and then comeback through to charge our phones. To avoid further argument, we joined the line and went through to Immigration. Then at the Immigration desk, the officer who stamped my passport wanted to know why I did not have a visa in my Nigerian passport and after my explanation, my question to him was when did Nigerians with a valid Nigerian passport begin to need visa’s to enter Nigeria. He knew that I had him in a corner and asked what I brought for him.
Story of trip to be continued…..
Well, visiting of friends was not a smart item to put on my schedule since I was attending a wedding and not just any wedding, my brothers wedding. I was occupied from the moment I landed in Nigeria and told my peeps eku ile, to the time I said
au revoir. Me being me, I sent out text messages to all of them (just two ooo don’t mind me, I am bad at keeping in touch with people so I have only two people left as friends and my other family members know that this is typical of me and have always looked the other way) and asked for forgiveness and will make sure that I make it my priority to visit them when next I step foot on the shores of Lagos.
From the moment I landed in Lagos to the time I left, I had people asking me for money. These people were in no way or form related to me ooo egba mi, My brother the one that got married and I decided to charge our dead phones at the kiosk before immigration, the one provided by GLO for this purpose. We were challenged by a guy who had no uniform on and no badge on him to move to the long que at immigration. When we explained to him that our phones were dead and we were only charging it while we waited for the long line to subside, he told us that we had to go through immigration first, and then come back to charge our phones. We ended up embarrassing him; my brother told him that wouldn’t he confront us if he saw us do exactly what he had just told us to do, i.e. go through immigration and then comeback through to charge our phones. To avoid further argument, we joined the line and went through to Immigration. Then at the Immigration desk, the officer who stamped my passport wanted to know why I did not have a visa in my Nigerian passport and after my explanation, my question to him was when did Nigerians with a valid Nigerian passport begin to need visa’s to enter Nigeria. He knew that I had him in a corner and asked what I brought for him.
Story of trip to be continued…..
Monday, July 28, 2008
Faraya
Wow, this will be my first post and I do not even know where to begin. I spent the last two weeks in Nigeria; I attended my younger brother's wedding. Despite the fact that I visit Nigeria every year, and twice this year, Nigeria is never the same on each visit.
I'll continue the gist of my Nigeria trip on my next post. It seems like I am still jet lagged and will be going home now to take a nap.
I'll continue the gist of my Nigeria trip on my next post. It seems like I am still jet lagged and will be going home now to take a nap.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
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