In Abuja... Girl talk with dinner

LEFT PHOTO: Yacine, Maria, Denise (back), Victoria, Hilary (back), Thalie, and Emanuela
RIGHT PHOTO:   Front - Araceli, Maria, Victoria and Emanuela. Back - Denise, Hilary and Yacine

For many diplomats, life is about a series of comings and goings. It can be fun, but it can be tough as well. Fun because you get the chance to visit or reside in different countries, know different cultures, meet different types of people... and tough because you make new friends only to part ways with them again in a matter of time. And just when you have settled down to enjoy the new environment (as the case may be), someone in the Home Office is telling you to pack your things and move to another post – and that’s how the cycle goes. For those who have chosen this path, I guess they are very much aware of the system and they get used to it in time. They get used to the welcome and farewell parties, the packing and dealing with moving companies, and saying hello as often as you say goodbye.

Last Saturday, 16 March 2013, Victoria Tunba, who is with the American Embassy, said goodbye to her colleagues in the diplomatic world here in Abuja. Her tour of duty in Nigeria is over and she is going back to the United States for good. A farewell dinner in her honour was hosted by Yacine Ba, Ambassador’s P.A. at the Canadian High Commission. I was one of the invited guests... along with Yacine’s and Victoria’s colleagues from a few embassies in Abuja.

Yacine is a most gracious and vivacious hostess, entertaining us with a multiple-course dinner that we enjoyed along with the conversations. I liked that the night had a very informal feeling – all very light, and friendly, and cozy. And Yacine has a lovely home, filled with art works – paintings and carvings – a couple of family photographs, a potted plant just at the right place, a veranda with a magnificent view... and it’s perfect.

And despite the heavy rain that night, I was glad I was able to go because I met all these lovely, lovely ladies and I enjoyed listening to them. Had the chance to talk with Victoria and ask her a couple of questions, like what did she enjoy most while she was in Abuja and she said, “As you may know, there isn’t much to do around here. But I do enjoy giving myself a chance to read and to discuss what I’ve read with the ladies from the American community. I’ve never joined a book club before coming to Abuja. And because I love traveling, the other thing I enjoyed while here was traveling outside of Abuja . . . though I’ve only been to places like the pottery in Bwari, Gurara Falls, and Kaduna which was the farthest place I’ve been to – as a day trip in Nigeria; trip that was taken in January of this year.”

As I post this, she has but a few hours left before she boards a plane back to California.. Her parting message to expats who are coming to Nigeria for the first is simple and practical and that is: “Make effort to meet people outside your community.”

I couldn’t agree more.

So goodbye, Victoria. We at  INSIDE TRACK ABUJA wish you all the best!