On a recent post I was asked for advice by a family who is considering moving here. They essentially asked what the pros and cons are of life here. I was a reluctant to post based on a recent negative comment I got on the blog, but what I post is just my opinion based on my limited experiences over the past two years. Prior to coming to Nigeria I had traveled to few other countries so I can only compare my experiences here to what my life has been like growing up in the US.
As you know from my blog I do not have any children but I do know many folks who live here and do. There is a good
American International School that goes through grade 11 and a
British Junior School and
High School. The kids take part in many sporting activities; just like at home... soccer (no American football), baseball/softball, etc. The kids (and parents) have the opportunity to interact with kids (and parents) from around the world, an opportunity anyone would benefit from.
The positives of life in Lagos - Nigerians are very family oriented and most people are very friendly. You get to learn about a new culture and travel to places you might not travel if you did not live here. A safari is a MUST do and I highly recommend that the families get out to see Nigeria, it is an amazing country. Go to the
Nigerian Field Society website and check out the trips and talks section. They do run kid-friendly trips. The weather here is good, it does not get too hot though it can be humid (not as hot and humid as summer in Houston) nor does it get too cold (coldest in Lagos is this time of year and the temperature drops to about 65 degrees Fahrenheit).
The negatives of life in Lagos - Based on my experience or discussions with expats, many things that should be easy to take care of seem to take lots of effort and follow through. Some people (maintenance, for example) won't respond to you until you ask over and over again. I must say that I have had similar problems in the US with cable TV or telephone companies. The infrastructure needs work but with so many people living in Lagos I can see how it can be very difficult to manage. Most apartment complexes that I have been in (not many) have constant or intermittent plumbing problems and dehumidifiers run 24/7. To have power all the time (which many Nigerians do not have), generators are needed therefore there is always the hum of generators running… and horn honking. The traffic and the driving style here is challenging and to me there seems to be no order to it. I do not drive much as I am not aggressive enough and we have a driver to take us to work and back (most expats do for security reasons). The only other issue is access to the goods you are used to though you can get most things here, at a cost. I ran out of cereal so I need to shop for a $10 box of cereal today!
I struggled with posting this as I really have nothing to complain about. Unfortunately many expats who come here focus too much on the negatives and not enough on the positives. I think I tend to focus on the positives!
I hope this helps!
Ingo and Joanne
Picture of me in front of the same fabric stall.
I was on a mission to get some fabric to go with a fuschia blouse I had recently purchased online. The options were endless but I was looking for something versatile, something I could wear with more than just the fuschia blouse. Below is a picture of my Ghanian fabric which I purchased 6 yards of for 1800 naira ($13 based on 140N/$1). I willl post a picture of me in the shirt and skirt when it is complete!
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