Living in Lagos, the only thing I bothered to be thankful for was for life. When I am asked to count my blessings, life will top the list and not many other things after. I would have to think hard to find things to be thankful for but living in a new city has changed this. I am thankful for more things. Not a lot more and its not that I am unappreciative, its just that I take certain things to be normal and oblivious about certain things which I take for granted. In the mode of being thankful. Here are a list of things I that come to my mind currently which I will update regularly.
1. Thankful for Good Weather
It would seem basic but you need to go through numb fingers and a bad cold day or miss the bus and have to wait outside in the cold for the next bus before you appreciate good weather and what it means to have sunshine. Winter is here in D.C and I cannot wait for it to be over. I am counting down the days. Feeling cold and having cold chills run down my spine is not a great one. My sister down in Chicago has it worse than I do, so I am thankful that I stay in the DMV which is fair compared with other cities in the US.
2. Thankful for Shelter
It is amazing the large amount of homeless people I see everyday. I am not sure if I was oblivious to this in Nigeria but I only remember seeing homeless people one time in university on my way back from a night club. It’s a terrible experience, I can tell you for free especially on cold nights. I honestly wonder how they do it. I cant imagine sleeping outside in the cold. Rent is crazy expensive. I share a flat and I have to pay $900 a month. Guys, I pay 324,000 Naira monthly in rent, its freaking crazy. Plus this is one of the barest minimums. I am thankful that I can afford to pay.
3. Thankful for Health
Health care is EXPENSIVE!!! No jokes!!! I have never experienced the feeling of not being able to afford health care but two days ago, I did. I subscribed to school insurance which is about $3,000 by the way and when I started having tooth ache, I remembered oh yeah, I have health insurance, I can go see a dentist. Made an appointment, got to the dentist only to find out that my insurance does not cover dental. There is a distinction between a health and dental insurance. Ok cool. How much to do a walk in without insurance. $150 to get a dentist’s appointment. For the first time, I had to reschedule my appointment solely because, I couldn’t afford it at that moment.
4. Thankful for Friends
I am not one with a lot of friends and making friends isn’t really one of my numerous soft skills. Trying to adjust to a new city and being alone has made me thankful for good friends. To appreciate the few in my life and I constantly wish I could just bring them over here. Life will definitely be more fun. It can be quite boring out here without people you have known for years.
Its no where near Thanksgiving which is usually in November but here are a bunch of things I am thankful for and I hope this spurs you to think inward and cherish everything, everyone and every good moment you have
4 Comments
1. I am grateful for friends and family, I am surrounded by so much love it is surreal and baffles me on most days, but I here for every moment of it! I am grateful I have it because I realise how many people don’t. I am also grateful that I am able to give love to others
2. I am grateful for Amala!
3. I am grateful for hope. I have had a number of losses in my life, but I am grateful for the hope that spurs me on to look forward to something better.
4. I am grateful for all the fine boys in my office, they make coming to work more interesting…lol
5. I am grateful for my landlord who doesn’t let me pay service charge, gives me his wifi password and cooks many delicious Kenyan meals for me. It’s a home away from my parents.
6. I am grateful for Lagos…Lagos is home
7. I am grateful for you…yes you!!! For always reminding me to live fully.
Mhen, I have never been grateful for friends but life in a new place teaches you to cherish what you have real quick. I was never into swallow but now, I miss it all, Amala, Semovita especially Pounded Yam. The fine boys part got laughing, I guess that counts, I haven’t met guys I will particularly call fine in school and at work, the only one I know is married so no one to motivate me here..lol. I want your Landlord pls can we switch 🙁 . Who would have thought I will miss Lagos and number 7 there got me blushing. Thanks Fisayo.
Hey there…
I stumbled on your page while searching for Alliance France and I am indeed glad to have found you. Thanks for sharing your experience about learning french as well as your thoughts on other issues too.
Thanks for also reminding me through this “Thanksgiving” post, the need to be grateful for things easily taken for granted.
Wishing you all the best in your endeavor Anu.
Hi available, thanks so much for reading and taking time to comment .