Socialising in the UK has a different flavour to it. There is something spontaneous, easy and unencumbered about gatherings and outings amongst friends in Nigeria, at least, from my experience. In the UK though, there is a feverishness and almost competitive tone to having what is seen as a packed and varied social life.
Contemplating social life
It is very common, and at first bizarre, to be consistently asked; ‘what are your plans for the weekend’. I have lived in the UK for 16 years and I still find that question odd. Growing up in Lagos, I don’t remember being peppered with that question every Friday. Part of it connects to the spontaneity of visits I have written about before which often eliminates the need for planning. You just saunter to your friends house casually without making a whole deal out of it. Lounging with friends on a breezy verandah, drinking a cold bottle of coke and crunching on cabin biscuits (if you know, you know) was a legitimate way to spend a weekend as was just chilling at home with family interposing chores intermittently.
In the UK, you are expected to plan your weekend in advance and these activities are usually expected to be out of the home setting. ‘Home’ during the weekend is almost anathema to the British soul.
People love listing their cool weekend plans almost as a brag. Therefore, when you are surrounded by people going partying, bowling, going to an exhibition or on a weekend getaway; responding to that question with ‘nothing’ is usually welcomed with a pause and a raised eyebrow.
The good thing, though, is that there is often lots to do in the UK especially in the bigger cities like London, Manchester and Birmingham. Even the smaller towns and villages usually have activities in the town hall, running groups, quilting circles or gaming crews.
Anticipating the question on weekend plans might as well be a prod to explore your new home country when time allows. Most towns and cities have websites listing all sorts of social groups you can join. Eventbrite is another website where local events can be found.
Building a community will be important to not feeling or being isolated in the UK!
Brits love Christmas celebrations and it has little to do with the reason for the season but a lot to do with the fanfare created around it. Christmas, in its essence, is a celebration of the birth of the saviour of the world. It’s also a time to celebrate the ending of another year and people go all out.
Christmas in Edinburgh
Christmas in the UK is steeped in glitz, baubles, presents, shopping and parties. By October, sometimes as early as September, stores start stocking numerous Christmas decorations and cards. By November, decorations start going up on streets, homes and public spaces. Lights, a lot of them, are central to Christmas decorations which means street lamps are often bedecked in them. Oxford Street in London often has brilliant light displays hanging across the length of the Street. Covent Garden hosts a huge Christmas Tree.
Everywhere you go, you’ll hear Christmas music playing with Michael Buble and Mariah Carey rendering country-wide favourites. Cheer is all around and the gloom that descends on many as the cold months begin is lifted.
Office Christmas parties are common as are Secret Santas. Depending on where you are migrating from, secret santas may be foreign. It’s basically a gift giving exercise where you are randomly assigned a person whom you buy a gift for. It’s usually anonymous, meaning you aren’t told who gifted you. It’s a great way for everyone in a group to receive a present without each person having to buy a present for everyone in a group. So it’s cost effective.
Enjoying your first UK Christmas
There are a number of activities happening at Christmas in most UK cities to keep you out and about despite the chilly conditions, a few are listed below. Also, some merry tips have been thrown in too!
1-Bonfire Night
Bonfire night, also known as Guy Fawkes night, is basically a time to gather outdoors in a large field and watch a large mound of flammable substances, such as hay and wood, burn. It holds every year on the 5th of November and commemorates a failed gunpowder plot in 1605. I am less concerned about the history here and more about the social gathering it now is. People congregate around the blazing warmth of the fire, sipping warm drinks that are usually served, chatting the cold night away.
2-Hot Chocolate and Movies
This is such a cosy tradition for many. Stocking up on different festive hot chocolates, such as orange flavoured ones, and making over-indulgent mugs of the steaming brew topped with a swirl of whipped cream and a sprinkle of marshmallows. You can stop at just the steamy mug of hot chocolate but Christmas is a good time to go a little OTT with your hot chocolate concoctions. Brits also love their mugs and at Christmas time, all sorts of mug designs begin to spring up in the stores, from minimalist ones to flamboyant Santa head mugs.
Cool Santa mug
Once your hot chocolate is enfolded in its characterful mug, you want to wear some equally OTT cosy socks, and watch a lovely Christmas movie. My favourites are; Klaus, Jingle Jangle, the Home Alone series, Elf, Chronicles of Narnia trilogy and the Polar Express. The Polar Express was also the first movie I ever watched in a cinema, so it holds a special place in my heart! These Christmas movies all make me feel warm and fuzzy inside at this extra special time of the year!
3- Attire
If like me, you migrated from Nigeria, it is possible you are not accustomed to the tradition of wearing Christmas jumpers. It’s a big deal in the UK. Like avant-garde mugs and over the top cosy socks, Christmas jumpers are another frippery that make Christmas in the UK a vibe. The more ridiculous the jumper is, the more social points you’ll score. It doesn’t end there, there are also Christmas hats (not just Santa hats, I’ve seen roast Turkey hats for instance), Christmas earrings are a thing too and so on! Get your Christmas wardrobe sorted and plunge into the festive incredulity!
A minimalist Christmas head gear
4- Markets
By the end of November, Christmas markets start popping up all over the country. Bath, York and Manchester have famous ones. These markets host chalets often with vendors selling cute crafts and gifts; from scented candles to wooden decorations to mulled wine. Wrap up warm and wear comfy shoes so you can comfortably wander round the chalets.
5- Carols
Many churches host carols at Christmas. Especially beautiful are the ones with orchestras and/or abbey choirs. Westminster Abbey in London hosts carols yearly as will most other cathedrals, abbeys and churches across the country.
Reindeer ears at a Carol service
5- Gifts
Giving gifts during Christmas is a huge deal in the UK. From my experience in Nigeria, only children really receive Christmas presents and they are usually not super expensive. In the UK, people spend hundreds and hundreds of pounds gifting each other. It’s rare to go through Christmas here without gifting someone or being gifted. From work Secret Santa events to family get-togethers, buying gifts for people can get expensive. So either start buying early to save money or think of gifting experiences, which I’ve found to be cheaper in some cases. For instance, I no longer buy presents for my nieces and nephews. One year, we went to ComicCon; another year, we went to a jump park instead.
Your first Christmas in the UK will be memorable, make it extra memorable with the above tips.
So you are about to experience your first winter or you already are in the thick of it. How do you keep it together as temperatures drop and wind gales blast?
In Copenhagen, Denmark
Surviving your first winter is usually quite a dramatic and memorable experience. If you’ve grown up in a country where winters aren’t a thing it truly is an adventure orienting yourself to life in chilly conditions. Contrary to what you may think, the UK is relatively cool compared to other European countries – basically, it could be worse. Temperatures in Scandinavian countries such as Norway and Iceland really do plummet way below zero degrees. In the UK , particularly England, sub-zero days are few while sub-zero nights are more common but then you’re likely in bed then, plus it rarely ever gets to sub-zero double digits. This is an encouraging start to the tips to follow, hopefully.
The right attire during the winter months is an essential. If you are a new immigrant, I suspect you already have at least one jacket which took you through autumn. Most likely the jacket was too warm for autumn but as your skin isn’t yet used to the cold, autumn must have felt as cold as Antarctica.
In England, it rains – a lot. The combination of cold, rain and wind really demands that you be methodical about how you dress. You will find yourself giving more thought to what you wear and pack before you step out the door than you likely did back home , in terms of ensuring you survive and don’t die of frostbite. To recap, you need a good warm jacket (preferably with a hood), not much more will be said about that as this is an impractical guide afterwards. What needs to be said though is that you need more than a warm jacket.
You need a scarf; of the right length. I find scarves that are too long more of an unwieldy burden than they are worth. Also, personally, when a scarf is too bulky and begins to feel like a blanket, one begins to slide into the territory of discomfort in my opinion. For one, temperatures fluctuate as you change locations during the day. For instance, you step out from the cold into the underground station in London where it is likely warmer if it is an indoor station. You are now saddled with having to lug what is essentially a blanket around because it has become too warm for you to leave it wound around your neck. A smaller scarf will easily fit into your bag and still keep you warm when it is around your neck. That is a perfect scarf in my opinion.
Edinburgh, Scotland. Wearing a blanket scarf
Next, you need gloves. My biggest wardrobe regrets in the winter often involve gloves. Either one of the pair gets lost (or both) or I forget to bring them along with me or I buy a pair that is not warm enough. Cold hands are terribly inconvenient and painful as once your fingers get numb, your hands become useless. Even trying to find your bus pass becomes a task as your fingers just won’t work leading to bus drivers becoming utterly irritated by your ineptitude. In short, get a warm pair of gloves and keep them safe.
Things begin to get really complex when it comes to hats. Wearing a hat really makes a difference in maintaining warmth but I personally feel one can do without it except you are bald, have really short hair or have not very voluminous hair which means the cold can access your scalp easier. I have puffy Afro hair which means I often do not find a hat big enough to squeeze my head and hair into and if I do, it ruins my hair style for the day. Voluminous Afro hair also serves as a hat itself, keeping me warm as even I hardly ever see my own scalp thus the cold has little chance of getting to it. Assess your hair condition (volume) and if it’s not suitable to provide cold protection, get a hat.
Earmuffs are another possibility. Again, I think England is hardly ever cold enough to warrant one. As you may be noticing, I do have a relatively good tolerance for cold. I have seen people wear everything I have mentioned so far all in one go. I would burn up in the cold if I ever did that. Additionally, a good, snug hat that you can pull over your ears could negate the need for earmuffs (which really become an extra winter burden to drag around and fiddle with).
Me in a hat. And my Afro served as free earmuffs
Snow! If you’re lucky, you’ll get some snow. This is really something if you’ve never experienced snow before. It all begins to feel less like luck and more like a curse though when the snow begins to melt. When snow is fresh and settles, however, it’s truly beautiful. I’ll never forget my first snowy experience; my nose was squashed against the window of my room as I watched the snow flakes tumble to the ground. Once the snow had stopped, I layered up and ran outside to make a snow angel. It was epic!
Walking in snow when it’s fresh is manageable and beautiful. Once the snow begins to melt and sheaths of ice begin to appear on the tarmac, you need to be very very careful when you walk and drive as you could easily slide into oblivion. Good, waterproof shoes with a firm grip are essential for snowy days, get one! Another thing, you know those metal slabs often covering a hole in the pavement? They are extra dangerous when it’s cold and icy as they become mini-ice rinks. Avoid walking over them at all costs. Avoid walking over anything shiny when it’s cold.
After all has been said and done, if the worst happens and you do fall, which has happened to me at least once, hopefully it’s not a dangerous fall and you are able to get up and move on. Don’t worry too much about it, falling in icy conditions is nothing to be embarrassed about. Reduce your likelihood of falling with good shoes and calculated.
As the days become shorter and the nights longer it can be very tempting to lock yourself indoors where it’s warm. I would advice to try get out as much as you can. Make friends, build or become part of a community, go to a Christmas market or a museum, go to a bon fire night. As they say, there is no bad weather, just bad clothing. So long as you dress appropriately at all times and keep warm drinks close, you can enjoy life outside in the winter.
This is one you need to get to grips with quickly especially if you don’t own a car. Danfo buses are very prevalent in Lagos, Nigeria and are the main source of transportation for millions of people daily. The modus operandi with these particular types of buses in Lagos is really ‘first come first serve’ in the realest form. No queuing, just standing alert waiting for a bus going your direction with a free seat. There are really no bus timetables to work with, buses come when they come. Once the bus arrives you hop on as quickly as you can and with the most agility you can muster. It doesn’t matter if you were the last person to get to the bus stop; and so in an egalitarian sense you should be the last to get on the bus. No, you just need to be fast. The last becomes the first – if fast. Once aboard said Danfo, anything really should be expected. Silence is a rare possibility. What is more likely is boisterous, sporadic conversation. Sometimes that conversationality features in the form of arguments but nonetheless, conversation with strangers is very normal and unsurprising in these jam packed buses. Personal space isn’t a thing. All you need is a seat and just about enough oxygen . One has hardly lived the Lagos life until they’ve experienced the drama of Danfo buses.
My nephew and I minding our business on the London Underground
Danfo buses provide a transient platform for discussion on ethics, morality and incredulity. As Lagos is such a buzz, with a trillion things happening all at once and all around, discussion topics are never scarce. There’s always someone somewhere doing or saying something weird which sparks commentary from Danfo passengers. Alternatively, there could be an argument between the bus conductor and a passenger which warrants other passengers to intervene. Danfo buses are not ideal for quietly reading a book on your daily commute. They are more suited for engaging in fiery conversations or altercations, which means you arrive at work fully awake and energised. Again, these conversations, which everyone is usually welcome to join in, make you a part of something, your voice matters.
A Danfo
Now, transportation in the UK almost has no similarity to voyaging in Lagos beyond the fact that you are conveyed from one place to the other. Everything from the speed, comfort and vibe with which you get to your destination is different.
As a new immigrant one of the first things you should figure out is to identify when you need to queue. British people take this seriously. I was once told off by a granny in my early days in the UK for jumping a queue unknowingly. If you see people huddled around a bus stop or even on the underground platform (though very rare) in something that looks even vaguely like a line, make sure to confirm whether or not it is a queue before hustling to the closest possible spot that gives you quick access to vehicle entry like I usually do. For someone used to using speed and wits to get on public transport back home, having to humbly queue is annoying and underwhelming but it is what it is.
If you live in London and you are on the underground, as a newbie London commuter, you are advised to either take a seat or have a firm grip on something. Do not compare yourself to those people who seem to be able to keep their stamina while free standing and holding on to nothing. They are at the pro level of underground commuter travel. Except you have previous experience travelling on underground trains in some other part of the world , you are a novice. If you do not hold on to something steady, you will be caught off guard when the train suddenly jerks, and jerk it will. If you are lucky you will only stagger dangerously, if you are not so lucky you will barge into someone else or outright fall to the floor. And if you read my previous post on how the English respond to minor mishaps, you will know once you do fall you are very likely to be respectfully ignored except you obviously hurt yourself or someone else. So until you master the craft of free standing on the London underground, seat down or hold something. Be humble.
Alighting a train in Italy. People seem to mind their business on Italian trains too (surprisingly)
There is more to say about tube transportation in London. Eye contact with fellow passengers is considered awkward, so look everywhere but directly into the eyes of your fellow passengers. Secondly, and this is the case for buses too – do not start a random conversation with your fellow commuters. I repeat, do not start a random conversation. At best you’ll get someone who doesn’t think you’re are a nutter (cray cray) give a one word response, nod or awkward smile. It’s just not the thing. Public transportation in the UK is not where to seek out vibrant conversation. Is it absolutely impossible, of course not. Is it as prevalent as is the case back home in Nigeria, absolutely not. The motto is, seat down and mind your business.
There is one thing that may, however, spark the spirits of a Lagos commuter turned London commuter. Running for buses and trains is still a thing especially if you lack patience and don’t want to wait for the next one or according to the time table, if you miss this one you’d be waiting a long time. This is your opportunity to revive the vigour of public transport entry you may have missed. Run! Put your now latent hustling skills to use and run!
There is a spontaneity and unannounced nature to the social sphere in Nigeria which is anathema to Brits and British residents. I make a distinction between Brits and British residents here on purpose because I believe this hatred for a type of spontaneous socialisation is often quickly imbibed by new immigrants (i.e. British residents), interestingly/suspiciously.
Contemplating in Bath Spa
So what am I talking about? Those who’ve grown up in Nigeria will likely understand the phenomenon where one can casually visit a friend completely unannounced and be welcomed with an open door and open arms, and maybe even a plate of food. There’s a constant, relegated, expectation in every host’s mind that a visitor may arrive at any moment. Of course, these visits are timed when a host is likely to be home such as after work or on the weekend. Also, the visits are usually made by visitors who live reasonably nearby, which means disappointment of perhaps not finding a host at home is not taken too badly. The visitor can easily retrace their steps back home with little harm to energy, fuel or finances. In other words, there is sense in the spontaneity; it’s not harebrained. Another thing that makes these surprise visits fairly common is the ‘outside’ nature of life in Lagos I believe. It’s warm, and verandas, patios etc are common. People can easily see your presence whilst walking down the street and decide to ‘branch’ by for a visit.
Magnolias in Oxford
One thing to confess is that I am, to be honest, depicting my life as a kid in the 2000s. With the over abundance of mobile phones and the magneticism of social media, it is very possible people are now more inclined to insular, non-wandering lives and would rather binge watch some K-drama than gallivant the streets, conducting surprise visits!
That said, in the UK, visiting even a family member unannounced is probably as bad as snatching a wig off someone’s head. You don’t do it. You just don’t. You need to give notice that you will be presenting yourself before launching into someone’s home and life. Spontaneous visits are an insult and will be greeted with a cold reception or an obviously fake welcome. No one arrives unannounced at anyone’s home twice as the first time will forever scar the untrained visitor. A relative based here in the UK once told me of a time he spontaneously visited a friend he’d gone to high school with in Nigeria unannounced. He’d only just moved to the UK and was unaware of these little subtleties. Well, suffice it to say that the friendship dwindled from that day on.
Coronation vibes in Wiltshire
To be fair, I will say I have witnessed unannounced visits, usually by young people, in villages or small towns in the UK. The kinds of places you can let your children wander off with no fear. The norm though is to give notice before casting your shadow on anyone’s door.
I mentioned how it’s interesting that new migrants imbibe this British disgust for unannounced visits so quickly, myself included, as I would be genuinely upset if anyone just popped up at my door for a visit without prior warning. I wonder if this suspiciously quick acceptance of this very British proclivity is because immigrants from uber welcoming cultures probably low-key resented the pressure of unannounced visits. On the other hand, I can’t imagine this is the case in the average Nigerian home, as if there’s one thing a Nigerian will do, it is to tell you the truth, in the most unembellished, direct way possible.
There is quite a lot of information out there on practical information, such as complex visa proceedings and passing the Life in the UK test, when it comes to living in the UK. Though I am a Nigerian immigrant, I will be of zero help when it comes to such practical and obviously necessary information as I moved to the UK as a teenager over 15 years ago and I know things have massively changed since then when it comes to starting life in the UK legally (things have probably also changed hugely on how to start life here illegally but again I am certainly of no help there either!).
So with 15+ years under my belt as someone who has lived, and I daresay thrived, in the UK, I thought it’d be fun, if not useful, to recount some of the things that helped me get to a place where I can call the UK, specifically England, home.
The very English town of Bath Spa
The Brits are just different
Let’s start by stating the obvious. Cultures are different. No matter how much you’d want a Brit to be as easily readable as say a Nigerian, it is unlikely going to happen. British people are less expressive, less dramatic and not as forthcoming as the average Nigerian. This means for the Nigerian fresh off the plane, there will likely be plenty of awkward moments as you try to relate with the generally inscrutable Brits. Some people would even say the British can be two-faced, I personally wouldn’t be so blunt, but one thing is for sure, you will need to grow your ability to discern what a British person really is saying or what they really think of you as they seldom just blurt it out unashamedly as your Nigerian friend would. Just because that colleague of yours says ‘interesting’ a lot in response to all your tales doesn’t actually mean they believe so.
Let’s not get paranoid here, the British speak English so it’s not like you are having to navigate a new language, it’s more cultural than anything else and as time goes on you’ll figure things out. The contrast between British and Nigerian folks is more apparent when dealing with strangers or acquaintances. Whereas you can comfortably and warmly have a full blown, non-alcohol induced, conversation with a Nigerian stranger you meet on the street for the first time back home it is less the norm here.
One scenario that often flabbergasts the non-Brit from an expressive culture is the Brits’ response to a relatively minor mishap or emergency. Case in point, you’re happily walking up the stairs in a London underground station and all of a sudden you trip and fall, almost cascading down the flight of stairs. You expect a yell of panic from at least a couple of fellow commuters and for a small concerned crowd to gather round, helping you up and asking effusively if you’re ok. Well this is unlikely to happen, in fact, it didn’t happen as this event actually involved me a few years ago – I was the one who nearly tumbled down the stairs in a busy station. I was unceremoniously ignored, as people nonchalantly clambered up the stairs around me continuing their journeys completely unbothered. I found this experience hilarious, as at the time I’d lived in the UK for a good few years and was not particularly horrified or shocked by the seeming lack of concern.
It is only until recently I understood what was happening in the average British mind in such a situation. I believe the reason British people ignore minor mishaps is because they do not want to draw added attention to what is already an embarrassing situation. By completely ignoring you, the British are helping you save face. You will find that there are times when you try to help someone who you think needs help and they brush you off embarrassed. You’ve unknowingly broken a sort of social code by reaching out to help someone who can clearly help themselves. Now in scenarios where the mishap is far from minor, the response is very different, still not dramatic, but much more care and concern is shown.
Selfridges, with an English Guard bear
As a new immigrant to the UK, do not expect the daily entertaining melodrama that seems to be the case in bustling cities like Lagos.
Speaking of cities, as a caveat, you will notice cities in the North of England tend to have more of that warmth that is familiar in Naija.
A word of encouragement to the new immigrant – don’t let anyone make you feel weird because you are straightforward, easily excitable and possibly theatrical. The British are used to Nigerians at this stage as they are surrounded by us, so just as we are learning their styles of being, they have and are learning ours. You are not as foreign as you think.
Covent Garden, with a robot
Common sense should tell us (apologies for the directness, I am Nigerian afterall, this apology, though, highlights my Britishness) that the above hosts generalizations and not every Nigerian or Brit fits the above stereotypes but life in the UK will show you that these generalizations are more true than not.
I haven’t been to Nigeria since before the pandemic but had a lovely reason to return this Summer. My lovely Mum turned 70!
So I landed from the month-long trip in Cape Town, South Africa, unpacked and repacked back home in London to fly to the continent again, this time going West, to the most populous African nation.
I now tend to have a mixture of feelings when going to Nigeria as it’s so different to life in England which I have become used to. I often joke with friends that I have to switch off my England brain and switch on my Lagos brain. My Lagos brain is hyper sensitive, quick on its feet, a mean haggler and a smooth talker, it can get away with anything and smell deceit miles away.
I went shopping at The Ladymaker, a Nigerian Fashion House on the Island and got what is now one of my favourite dresses. The kind of dress that people stop you in the London Underground to ask where they can get one. The shop is small but well stocked with a nice variety and I stopped by when they were having a sale. This was great because the clothes are pricey.
Trying on dresses!The dress behind me on the mannequin was the One 🥰The Ladymaker
Next up my brother took me to Orile, a boutique restaurant in Lekki Phase 1. It has beautiful decor, think raffia and grass. I ordered some traditional Ofada rice which was delicious but I couldn’t complete devouring as I forgot I can’t handle hot food. I struggled on for a bit until it felt as though my mouth would burst into epic flames. So I let it go..sadly. The smoothie was great though!
Orile ambience The deliciously hot Ofada The cooling smoothie 🥵
A final experience of note was getting my hair done at Bloom Hair Atelier also on the Island. Now I don’t trust people with my hair but had been following the salon on Instagram for a while and was convinced from what I saw that they knew what they were doing when it came to Afro hair. So I set off for what was to become one of my best salon experiences in a while. The stylists are incredibly knowledgeable and polite. They are so considerate that when I had to tilt my head to an awkward angle so they could braid the side of my head, they brought a rolled up towel to wedge between my neck and shoulder to place my head on!
Additionally, the salon is aesthetically beautiful and stocked with contemporary hair equipment such as their soothing steamer which you lay back to experience. I highly recommend visiting this salon.
Braiders at work End result Close up
Going back to Nigeria this time showed me how much I have changed over the years and made me question and settle on where home really is for me.
I got to spend a day at the renowned University of Cape Town here in South Africa and was impressed by a number of things. I believe the last time I was at a University building was when I was completing my Bachelors programme in the North of England.
The Lab I spent most of my day in
The University of Cape Town was a pleasant surprise. To my embarrassment, I’d never even heard of the University. Having spent only a couple of hours there I was wishing I knew this place existed when I was 19 years old and trying to decide where I would go to University.
Firstly, the University of Cape Town is located in the most stunning of settings with the formidable Table Mountain hovering over it.
Secondly, it is a very diverse University setting with over 100 nationalities represented as we were told by the Vice Chancellor, Mamokgethi Phakeng. The diversity is obvious as students of all colours course through the University’s buildings.
Mamokgethi Phakeng
Thirdly, interesting and much needed research is being held at the University. I spent the day within the Civil Engineering Faculty learning about research based on Water. I was at a lab using Urine (yes, you heard correctly) as it’s main base to find solutions to fertilisers and even sustainable building materials.
I now have my Bachelors and also my Masters degree. I do not plan on getting a Doctorate at the moment, but if I did, I would highly consider the University of Cape Town.
The significant bit is I got to the southern most part of the African continent today! I feel like such an explorer. The Cape of Good Hope is right at the tip of the continent and is spectacular to behold. It is characterised by furry, green hills on one side with ostriches and Elands. On the other side, it is bedazzled by the sea with crashing waves to boot. Jutting into the waters are layered rock formations.
In terms of firsts, I saw Ostriches. They are as intimidating as they seem on screens. Tall, nonchalant and feathered to a T!
Though not a first, it is worth commenting on. I witnessed a Baboon, with a baby Baboon on its back, wrestle some sort of cardboard object from a woman’s hands. It had attempted, and failed, to steal the woman’s handbag but succeeded in snatching the cardboard object instead. The theatrics of it all, amidst the dramatic beauty of the Cape of Good Hope, added a magical tone to the unfortunate incident.
This day, 104 years ago, a hero was born. To think I get to reflect on the life of Nelson Mandela while in Cape Town, a few kilometres from where he was imprisoned for believing in the equality of all people regardless of skin colour, is definitely a humbling experience I never foresaw.
South Africa has never been on my list of countries to visit. I did not want to grapple with the reality of being on my continent but in a country where Black people still face prejudices…..on their own soil. This has always baffled me and made me super uncomfortable and as such avoidance felt best.
However, here I am now, due to the responsibilities of work, feeling grateful to be on the same soil that the great Nelson Mandela once trod. To be in the country that birthed him, on the day he was birthed, over a century ago..
The social stratification by skin colour is optically evident in Cape Town. There is much to personally unpack and understand about the past, present and future of this nation. Today, though, I choose to celebrate the legend that was born on this day.
africanwildflower 