African Highlights

Here are some photo highlights from my trip to Nigeria and Ghana:

In Nigeria, my organization works to train religious leaders of all faiths how to speak to their communities about malaria prevention.  We partner with the Nigerian government, who is currently distributing millions of bednets, at least one per family, nationwide. When receiving a net, one is supposed to air it out in the shade, as they are treated with insecticide.  In the apartment building right next to our office, this family aired their net in direct, 90 degree sunlight.  Irony at its finest.

Two colleagues took me to a park with live music and food for dinner one night. I ate traditional Nigerian Pepper Soup with fish. The name is accurate; it's incredibly spicy! But as we know, I have burnt off all my tastebuds and thought it was delicious. Also, you will notice there is a can of Smirnoff Ice next to me. I was informed that, in Nigeria, classy women do not drink beer. Therefore, when in Rome...because I obviously radiate class.

 

I had my 24th birthday in Nigeria. The office bought me a cake that read "HBD LEAH." Apparently, the research assistants tried to find out how to spell my name but every time they went to ask someone I was in the room. It was very sweet. They also each signed a card. The best message read "May you live to be so old your teeth fall off." After work, two of my coworkers and I went to see a movie and then to eat street food for dinner. Yum. Definitely a birthday I will always remember!

In Nigeria, we traveled outside of the capital and went to Kaduna, a northern state recently ravaged by post-election violence. One of my colleagues lives there, and we spent a lot of time at his home. One evening while we were there watching a movie, his neighbor came in with her daughter, Aisha. Aisha's mother saw me, dropped her daughter on my lap, and walked away. Aisha and I hung out for about twenty minutes before she cried out for her mom. What a beautiful baby!

After working in Nigeria for 10 days, I went to visit my friend in Ghana. This is a church in her neighborhood. The capital of Ghana, Accra, was much more exciting than the capital of Nigeria, Abuja. The best things we did in Ghana were going to reggae parties on the beach and a local soccer game.

Making friends in Ghana's craft market.

More photos can be found here.

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