Living The Unexpected - Lagos End of March
Arriving in Lagos again last Friday after a long trip from Jakarta, the Murtala Muhammad airport was as busy as usual and my luggage was coming as late as usual since it came and then up-loaded the first in Dubai during my transit, therefore it came out the last in Lagos. It took around 1.5 hours to get it out. My escort was all the time asking me, “ Is that your bag?” everytime she saw a big black bag accross the automatic luggage belt. She looked stresfull and in hurry, yet I know that she was relax inside. I simpy replied with smile, “It will come when the time is coming ..... However, nothing we can do more about it”. As matter of fact, it is amazing to see how I am now adapting to the “special” situation over here. To be relax to face the unexpected and to be patient to face situations when our best is not good enough.
The unexpected was not yet over. I then learnt from my friend that Port Harcourt was conducting a local election during the weekend and my company decided to stop all movement within the city as well as the travel into the city for a security reason. Meaning that I would be able to travel only on Monday instead of Saturday ...oh my God, I should have stayed longer in Jakarta if I knew the situation earlier. As life must go on and I did not have any other option, I decided to make my stay in Lagos worth. I tried to make some bussiness done such as sending my gabonese visa application to the formalities section in the office and make some bussiness calls. Over the weekend, I was spending my time in the hotel doing many productive things like arranging my music files in the Ipod (I have never had time to do it), writing some e-mais and indeed doing sports.
On Sunday, I went to a small shopping mall just about 150 m from my hotel. Walking on the street, seeing people, feeling the sun shine warming my skin made me fell good. It is a small mall not even half of Bintaro Plaza in Jakarta. However, since it appears to be the most ”a la mode” mall in Lagos, people come neat and trendy, it is far different then people that I observe in Port Harcourt and it is always nice to be among people that look good. I did enjoy it.
I decided to watch a movie in the cinema at that mall. The comparison between Lagos and Port Harcourt is just as Jakarta and Balikpapan. We do not have any cinemas in Port Harcourt, just as in Balikpapan. The film that I watched is very good and quite recent, Vantage Point. It is now in scene as well in Jakarta and I do recommend you guys to see it.
The cinema was above my expectation, with nice cozy one-seater sofa, air conditioning (To be honest I did not expect to have AC here) and powerfull sound system. It all started with Indomie advertising which remained me of home and some advertising of the films that would come up soon. It seems that the films here are quite up-dated. People discussed and chatted during the film, they made a comments, they gave applauses when the good guys beated the bad guys in the movie. It is indeed not usual in Indonesia culture but I found that it was nice and cheerfull making the atmospher in the cinema so alive.
The way they are appreciating the movie represent their culture. As any other african people, I found the Nigerians are very spontan, emonional and honest. When you get to know them, living with them is very simple, easy and richfull. They face life as it is, not complicated and for whatever it takes, they face it with relax and smile , that’s why people call them the happiest people on earth and as long as you can manage the unexpeted, which can be good or bad, you are able as well to take things easy while keeping doing your best even when life hits your face with a brick. Do not lose faith!
posted at 2:54 AM
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