On Friday we all traveled into Umuahia to the big market place to shop for some house-hold and food items. It was a great experience for John and Leonie and a good refresher for the rest of us. The traffic was busy and “dangerous” as usual, with KKs (three-wheel buggy things), vehicles and pedestrians running and dodging everywhere. The concept of being kind, sharing the road, not hitting people, allowing someone in front of you, does NOT exist at all. We finally made it to the market it place and came down out of the van to enter it. People right away start yelling and hollering for us to come buy from them. The words “onyocha” follow all of us through the entire market and trip, being yelled and whispered by children and adults alike. It means white man or white person. Many of the adults and children run up and reach out to shake our hands or grab our arms (just so they can touch us). It was fun to see john and Leonie smiling and experiencing this. It is quite interesting to always be talked AT in another language, not be sure if someone is saying something good or bad, and then try to respond, haha. Mostly if you just smile and life, and give chance for people to say hi or shake you, they are very happy.
So we bought food some staple food for the next week or two, and some fresh foods for the next couple days. John and Leonie also experienced some bartering for material, they laugh and enjoy it…while I on the other hand get annoyed and become Nigerian by raising my voice and walking away…until they chase me back. Oh joy… not haha.
