I have now reached Gumel a town in the very north of Nigeria. Nothing could be more different from the life I left in Killeshin 5 weeks ago. I live in a large house on the college compound. I share with another volunteer Sarah from Canada.We are the only 2 white people here, so we are never anonymous.
In this article I will describe my morning routine. I awake at 5:15am with the call to prayer. It is a muslim area which is ruled by Shari'a Law at the state level. I get up at 6am and the day begins. At this time a cool breeze blows and it reminds me of a very warm summer evening in Killeshin. My first task is to shower. I get my large round basin and fill it with 4 saucepans of water and then fill my bucket with 2 saucepans of water. I also bring my plastic cup. Today is hair wash day so I kneel on the ground wash and lather my hair bending over the basin and then rinse it with water from the bucket. Next my bucket shower. I wet myself, lather with soap and rinse myself by throwing the bucket of water all over myself; how refreshing! I now throw my dirty clothes into the basin to steep while I dry and get dressed. I return and hand wash my clothes, but I have to refill my bucket with clean water so I can rinse them. I go outside put my clothes on the line, greet the guard and look at the day.
I bring the basin of water into the toilet and leave it there to flush the toilet at a later time. Next for breakfast. The menu is always the same: boiled eggs with a slice of bread, - sugar bread may I state - and a glass of cold water or black tea as there is no milk or butter in this region. Sarah mentions that the water is low so off we go to the well to bring 2 big plastic barrels home.
Work begins at 8 o'clock so we gather our things, make sure we are modestly dressed from head to foot, lock the door and walk to work; me with my large hat, Sarah with her umbrella.
At the moment the sun is appearing and by mid-day it will have reached 40 degrees when once again I will be dripping with sweat. Everything is hard in such heat.
That is my morning routine here in Gumel. Next month I will update you on the rest of my experiences here.
Chapter 2 on life in Gumel Northern Nigeria.
So I walk to work. Mind you it is a short walk as we live in the College Compound. It starts with the greeting from children. "Good Morning, Sarah and Vonnie", screamed out over the tops of houses. The houses are so different from home.Many have iron or galvanize sheeting surrounding them, to make a yard, where the family cook and rear chickens, or house their goat.The house itself is made of blocks with 2 windows and a door. No paint on the walls as it is too hot and the walls must breath.The windows have no glass, any breath of air is welcomed in such heat. My dread are the lizards, 5 or 6 cling to the walls ready to capture any fly that might land on the hot wall. Large families are reared in these houses, sometimes up to 20 or 30 children, depending on how many wives the man has. A man can have up to four wives and these wives remain within the house or compound once they get married. The man's duty is to provide for his family and this includes: bringing the children to school, shopping in the market, farming and providing food and financially supporting his families.The wife in turn will mind the children, cook, clean discipline the children and provide satisfaction for the husband. The children sweep, go for water and look after the younger children. So life in the house is ordered with a task for everyone and all adds to the happy life within the family.
The college is close by, so we next greet the students; "Good morning Mam", how different from home as the greeting is so important. We as females, however, may not shake hands with any male, we just raise our right hand and acknowledge the greeting.It is important that the right hand is raised, should it be the left hand it is regarded as an insult.Tradition is so important. Seniority and rank is what this society is based on. I often hear "my senior brother, the lecturer is not professor but doctor." We feel the sand under our feet, warming up, so the sun is really heating up the area it will be very hot today. It is only 8.30am I am dripping already and I have not even reached the office. On entering the office, we leave our shoes outside the door. All who enter here, leave their shoes outside, it is very important that this rule is up held, as it can be an insult if for some reason you forgot. There is no electricity in the office. Lovely fans remain still, while I drip with sweat. Surely some wise sage, will think of installing solar power here, where so much sun is present. The day's work begins. For me it is the arrival of students looking for help with lesson plans for Sarah it is preparing maths lectures. No internet, limited library and very interested students, certainly not the ususal combination. The work must go on...... Soon the call to prayer resounds across the college grounds. All students rise and leave, to get ready to observe their purification cermony, before going to the mosque. The work stops, be it lectures, building, teaching and all muslims prepare for sallet.Women do not pray at the same time, as men but after them. It is amazing to see young men with their beads wrapped around their arms or neck walking about the college. Or indeed to hear the devout way they speak of Allah throughout their day. Sometimes you see a young man with an i pod, I asked what he was listening to and he told me the Koran. In a modern society how amazing to see this pocket of unspoilt history. It is like stepping back in time. It reminds me of life in Ireland in past generations where families were 20 children, money was scarce and religion was very important. The values that are lost.... have we become too commerlized. I wonder.
