I do not do Good byes

I do not do Goodbyes! I dont think you heard. I DO NOT DO GOODBYES!!!

I am not able to be emotional like that and so I end up having to fake it (dont judge me jor!) when people demand it of me, plus I am so in tune with those in my life, being absent does not mean we lose touch, so if I am not in touch with you, its cos I choose not to be (open secret!).

Anyway, that is how some people are trying to set me up with going away parties and send -forth and all that stuff and I wish they would just stop! How about we just rock the rest of the time and have a blast instead of all this emotional brouhaha?

Sure, I want some hugs and maybe a night out, (Victoria has it down pat!), but all that talk about what do I want to do and how I will be missed just makes me soppy and feel bad cos I feel absolutely nothing about it. I want to go, I knew from the onset I would leave around this time and I have been counting down to the day when I would leave! Much as I have enjoyed this experience and loved meeting and being with all of the great people I have interacted with, I miss home. Where my babies are, where my half is, where love is. So forgive my inability to scream with excitement at any goodbye shindigs and let me do this my own way.

Of course I could not have survived without a whole plethora of people and while I am not into valedictory speeches, I remember with fondness;

The guy who looked at my passport at Atlanta and discovered that I had the wrong visa class. He did not know how much I wished he would put me on the next plane home, cos then I could say I tried but America rejected me! He looked flabberwhelmed that I had not bothered to look at the visa through my trip from Lagos (had picked up passport on my way to the airport-another story for another day!) & seemed to look into my soul & see my reluctance and decided to be mean, smiling broadly & saying 'Welcome to America!' mschew!

My cab driver from Baton Rouge Airport, elderly guy, determined to give me a great welcome to Baton Rouge & to settle me in at LSU and would not leave me alone till I was absolutely sure that the ICC was where I wanted to bunk down while I searched for an apartment. He even thanked me for the crappy tip I gave him when it was all over (what! I be Ijebu!) Na wa oh! 

Ms M, who settled me in at the ICC, got me to get my paycheck (I got paid before I started work. I'm that good! Deal with it!) and got me to work to meet with my advisor who had to leave on a 2 week holiday. She is such a sweet person, longsufferingly helping out with all my questions and e-issues that first week. Of course when she asked me to speak at a seminar for World Peace Day, I did and it was a good thing it rocked (even if I say so myself!).

Dr N who took charge of me those 2weeks and essentially ended my ignorance! She just kept at it and I would look at her stumped all day, read all night and get to work in the morning to find out I knew nothing! She took my ultrasound skills way beyond where they were before. Where they were before being diagnosing pregnancies and now....dont even try me!

My young Nigerian friend who found me my apartment. That was very kind of you and your phone for that call and my Rebtel intro. He never did show up for that meal he wanted. But its just as well, since I am on a cooking hiatus.

Mayowa, my dear dear aburo, personal person who just adopted me or who I held at gunpoint to adopt me, depending on which day it is and what time of day also. Hardly have I met a nicer, well behaved young man, except maybe Tolu, another fine young man and dear aburo also. Its almost like he was waiting to sort out my every issue and uncomplainingly be dragged where ever I needed to go. And then found me a female version, bliss!

Worship place family who allowed me continue what I do back home, the responsibility of teaching is such that I am very scared to do it and then Big G reminds me how its the easiest way for my lazy behind to learn and grow and so I have a love-hate relationship with it most times. But I still try to do it. It was so similar to back home that I also got the chance to preach with its attendant panic-inducing and Holy spirit overwhelming high! Too many opportunities to serve! The best set of people to do it with!

My first worship stop place, reminded me so much of hubby's church that it seemed my life back home had followed me here. I ran till I could not breathe. Felt like I was in a movie watching me in a movie,very mind-twisting! Sure they were wondering why I had that scandalized look on my face! It had nothing to do with y'all, seriously!

My people at work:

Ms Mary, who printed, faxed, mailed, and scanned everything without questions, and always had stamps for my every letter!

Mark who was determined to make me experience food like never before and who should be blamed for my increased girth! Along with all the other restaurants that fed me, even though I made them do it, at gun point. Yes, my little plastic debit card that I use as a gun! 

Dawn, who is such a Mummy! Clothed me for the cold and always was sensitive to my every mood! And a badass bone scan teacher!

Ashley, the pink lady, always cheerful, awesome Mum! I co-pilot her most days! God bless your new home!

Rouchelle, very savvy babe! A mine of information! With many traditions that everyone enjoys!

These ones were daily there. I will miss them but I will stay in touch.

My girls at home:

Domenica- European and who wanted so badly to hate America but was unhappy when the time to leave arrived. Very easy to live with. She fed me that drug that she liked so much, Dr Mike (Medicine Woman). But I was unable to make the transition to Tv shows, I like to read instead.

Virginia- High powered over-achiever who had been in Ghana and is the reason I started to blog. Always thanking me for stuff when she does much more for me.

Vannessa- okay in a regular kinda way. Also Australian, what more can I say?

All the others are virtual people, but not reduced in impact by their e-ness. Everyone  did so much and were more than decent. They were just simply easy to live with. So it must mean there is something wrong with me that I do not want to just park here and stay but there are 3 sets of eyes that draw me more than the sounds of drums beating in the heart of the earth deep in the African nation of Nigeria. I am unable to resist the pull they have on my heart and even if I could, the glory that is before me in having my words and action match will not let me.

Did I say already that I dont do goodbyes? They can be tedious, over-emotional and tend to make people say all kinds of things about others that they make up when they are sitting at a desk, tired of staring at a computer screen, trying to make sense of Excel files........