New Beginnings

I would tell you all about the pretty decent Christmas I had, but that’s so 2011. So, I’ll simply state that I started this year with a bit of a bang.

This year for me was a year for new beginnings as well as for firsts; starting with January 1^st, 2012 which was my very first New Year celebration with Ayo :D. It was an especially amazing moment for me to just spend this time with this gorgeous child that I brought forth and marvel at God’s goodness to me. I’ve never been more proud of anyone or anything in my entire life.

Those who know me know 2011 was a pretty trying year for me, what with being pregnant and hiding it and giving birth and not going back to school and all, so I can easily say that was the biggest change for me this year. I cannot accurately describe to you how ecstatic I was when I mother informed me I would be going back to school with simply words. I should record myself reenacting that exact moment and upload the video. It may not be exactly the same, but you should get some sort of idea.  It didn’t matter where I was going to school.  All I knew was that I was getting a second chance, and I was beyond grateful both to God and my mum.

And yes, God. That’s another thing this year. I’m almost ashamed to say I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to have God looking out for you. I’m thankful for those who helped bring me back from the edge I was dangling precariously from.  Prayer is THE greatest, most amazing life-changing option God has blessed us with. You can argue with me if you want, it won’t make it any less true. I know how many times I got so close to just switching off and pulling the plug, but prayer, mine and those people said on my behalf, pushed me through.

The most trying period was when I had to go stay with my dad and one of his wives in Badagry while waiting for school to start. Details of my time there would make for an interesting blog series, but I find it’s best to lock all my memories away until they are absolutely necessary. It was a real trying experience adapting to this new environment, living with these people I didn’t know anything about and had never met before but were somehow family. It wasn’t really horrible per say, my dad’s wife was really nice for the most part and my dad was never really home which took care of all the awkwardness I would have had to deal with otherwise.

What was the most super amazing thing to happen this year? I STARTED WORK!!! Yeah, I know! Seriously. I was all down and depressed and in need of some sort of distraction to take my mind away from all the anger. And then one day, someone asks if I’d like to fill in for him tweeting for TNC. It’s almost been a whole entire year now, and working for (with?) thetoolsman is the best thing ever! I can never thank him enough for all the opportunities he’s made available for me, and the advice, and encouragement and every other thing he’s done that would be too much and too personal to mention here, but I will most definitely keep trying. So, thank you, Tula! You are awesome! 

How can I talk about this year being a year of firsts without talking about Ghana? Would that make any sense? No, it wouldn’t. Moving t Ghana for school came with all you would expect relocation to. I wish I could say it was my first time living out of a hotel, but it really wasn’t. It was however, the first time I absolutely abhorred it. Ghana is SO very different from all that I’d heard it was, I’ve honestly tried my hardest to settle in and acclimatize, but there seems to always be another irritating surprise waiting for me around the corner. I even tried making friends with some people in class, against my better judgment, and even that didn’t alleviate the annoyance festering within. If anything at all, it made it worse. But I am grateful, nonetheless. Hopefully, I will find the time (and proper company) to explore this city and find all the glorious things I’ve been told it has to offer. They have to be here somewhere, right?

That’s the wonderful thing about new experiences; they mold you one way or the other and somehow manage to make you better. Sure, it might hurt. It might almost kill to try. But you’ll always be the better for it (that I can assure you of). I would point out a very relevant example, but that would be too personal. Then why mention it? Because it’s my blog and I can type what I want to. Bite me.

That’s it for today. Come back again tomorrow for another piece as I wrap-up 2012.