Homeland and Wonderland- If Alice had a choice?

Dear Journal,

It is 18th January 2015! I cringe in horror just thinking about how long it has been since I last wrote in my beloved journal. Every reason I can give might sound like an excuse so, I will just save my breath and entertain my readers. (who I hope would forgive my backsliding)

As I sat through the 6-hour flight, I sat watching a few movies, looking out of the window and pondering what life had in store for me. There was a lot of uncertainty and I was no closer to a solution than I was few days before. However, as the plane landed, I looked out the window and there it was! My heart rate quickened, my lips parted in a broad smile and I could hear the silent scream of glee in my head- I had arrived London.

As I settled into my new life, I literally had to tell my mind not to worry about things like ironing my clothes as the power will not go out. I started to understand that harmattan is a disgrace to the word ‘cold’ in comparison to what marked ‘the end of summer’ in England-Summer is supposed to be the warmest part of the year for pete’s sake! I began to wonder why there are still obese people in London considering that you have to run for your bus if you have an appointment/lecture. (My Lagos friends, by running, I do not mean running after a moving bus and jumping on it. I mean running to catch the bus before it arrives or leaves the bus stop :)) I also realised that if you never want to cook again, you have nothing to fear. The supermarkets can single-handedly ensure that you are fed from a whole range of freshly made foods daily for the rest of your life!

I started to appreciate the fact that while on the tube, you have to put on your ‘game face’ and try not to make eye contact with anyone else. I also began to realise that you can easily fade into the background in this huge city! Did I forget to mention that half the time you are on the bus, tube or train, majority of the people have their ears plugged?

Anyway, my first few weeks was hilarious. I literally got lost at every turn regardless of the means of transport I employed- bus, train, tube. As of today, I think I have been lost in different locations over 50 times and counting! Also, I started to make eye contact and smile with anyone that sat opposite me on the tube. Well, since it is not their tradition to do so, all I had to do was stare at them long enough for them to reciprocate. This trick has not failed me yet and some people still believe I am insane. However, I have met some very interesting people on the tube that way and had life-changing conversations that I would not have otherwise had.

Moreover, in the short time I have been here, I have come to appreciate some differences in the world I left behind and the one I’m currently in. I can be more fashionable back home with colours and all than I can be in London-all thanks to the cold and the sometimes grim weather. I can literally tell you the names of all my neighbours but the same cannot be said for where I am now- you never really meet them.

Although Nigeria has its issues with corruption, hardship and so on, the fact that people can still smile in the face of all that makes me proud to be associated with my country. The fact that most Nigerians can say I will take that poor paying job, work hard and sustain myself is their winning characteristic over majority of the young people that I have met and spoken with in my short time in London. Nigeria is not wonderland compared to England but it does have a personality of its own that no one can ever take from it. It definitely has all organic foods and does not cost much in comparison to anything else. For once, I am glad that we do not have the technology to genetically modify our food. That way, whatever we eat is healthy and not riddled with pesticides and chemicals.

In conclusion, although I am not looking to return home soon, I would not trade my experiences and upbringing from back home for anything else in the world. But I would love to see other parts of the world and see how they compare with ours. That way, we can identify what we need to do to shape our country and make it a place we can be proud of.

Dear readers, if given a choice between homeland and wonderland, what will your choice be? I will appreciate your thoughts and comments on this as always. Enjoy and critique. *wink*