Hope it all goes good in Nigeria, we are mostly friendly people but you will meet all sorts, have fun. From a kind Nigerian — Anonymous
Thank you! What a sweet message :) I am very excited - less than 24 hours now!
Nigeria preparations
So, I won’t have internet at all in Nigeria….Which is exciting and scary at the same time. I will however be documenting my journey in various forms (personal diary, letters) including blog entries that will either get uploaded if for some reason I come across internet or else in parts upon my arrival back to London.
I leave Sunday. ACK!
Panic mode is definitely ON. I am having some major last minute crises which are not helpful. Here are some slightly edited excerpts from an e-mail I recently wrote about my journey to apply for my visa:
Today was a crazy day for me. I got up early to get to the Nigerian embassy to sort out my visa. As I was heading out, I realized I had soo much to do and so I called work to try to get a cover so I wouldn’t have to spend those few hours traveling to and from work. However, we’re low on employees so my boss told me no :( So I had to drag this wheely suitcase-bag with all my equipment for the school club in it all over central London. And it was pouring rain. and really windy.
I had to run to catch the bus, which I luckily did, despite feeling like I had popped a lung in the process of sprinting to the bus whilst rolling a suitcase…
Once in central, I had to navigate my way to the big post office to pay a visa processing fee (£70 on top of the already £70 visa - ugh!). It was soaking wet & I was very frazzled once I arrived. I also took my visa photos there — they have a photobooth you go in - so first world! This was probably the worst photo of me taken in existence. ever. Imagine a wind-strewn-no-makeup-ihatetherain kind of look. And you can’t smile. So i just look like a murderer.
After that mess, I had to navigate to the embassy. By this point, it’s pouring down rain. HARD. I start walking and my umbrella breaks (goes inside out). While trying to fix it, it flies out of my hands and tumbles away down the street. After getting it, I gave up and walked without an umbrella. In the rain.. with a wheely suitcase.
Finally made it to the embassy and couldn’t figure out what door to get in - asked a guy who just scoffed at me and said I wouldn’t get inside with my bag I had…..
Finally find the door & doorman says the same thing & turns me away. Now I am standing outside the door of the embassy in the pouring rain, holding my visa papers, soaking wet, and I have no idea what to do. This lady suggests a hotel lobby. I go to the nearest hotel which looks sooooo nice & I look like a hobo… they said no. I then got very teary. I left short of breath and basically crying! So now, I am walking aimlessly around soaking wet, with a wheely bag and wet visa papers and teary eyes.
Walk up to the train station a few blocks away & ask there - they apparently have a “left luggage” shop there to leave bags for the day - hooray! I couldn’t really be happy though after this mess! and it was £10! I also bought a plastic folder for my wet visa documents at the train station shops….
Back to the embassy, down the stairs to a tiny room that I’m the only white person inside. Better get used to that! It was Africa in London! Loads of people waiting ; they say the average wait time is 2 hours. There’s no cell phone service & I didn’t bring a book. Somehow I managed and over an hour later, I was helped. The guy was rude but it got done and I paid extra to have it expedited to be ready tomorrow.
Of course when I went to pick it up the next day there were only two people inside and the whole process took under 3 minutes. Thankful for that!
Tomorrow I will post an ongoing issue I’ve been dealing with that has to do with International Mail… the adventure isn’t over, so I don’t want to jinx myself with telling the story. For now, you can enjoy the hilarious visuals of Megan in London soaking wet trying to get her visa!
LESS THAN TWO DAYS UNTIL I LEAVE - SO EXCITED!
How did Dr. Jane Goodall come up with the name for the Institute’s youth program, “Roots & Shoots”?
I love this :)
I am officially going to Gashaka Gumti National Park in Nigeria in March to research the baboons for my Master’s dissertation! :) This will be the most challenging thing I have ever done - I am very scared but very excited! I can’t wait to be back out in the field and back out in Africa.
I love science, and it pains me to think that so many are terrified of the subject or feel that choosing science means you cannot also choose compassion, or the arts, or be awed by nature. Science is not meant to cure us of mystery, but to reinvent and reinvigorate it.
“Chimpanzee official trailer” (DisneyNature)
I think that it is great that the Disney company contributes to the environment/conservation issues. A lot of the time small non-profit organizations are doing their best to make a difference (and any little difference matters!), but funding holds them back. With a huge name to back them up, and the resources to follow through, Disney has shown it is serious about environmental education and nature conservation.
Some new subsets of the Disney company that have come about recently include:
DisneyNature : independent film label that releases nature documentaries (like Chimpanzee & African Cats)
Disney Friends for Change: Project Green: multi-platform environmental initiative that invites young people to join together to help the planet
Disney Planet Challenge: project-based learning competition designed for classrooms, enabling teachers to engage and empower their students in environmental stewardship
Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund: assists in the funding of local and global nonprofit organizations to positively impact wildlife, ecosystems, and communities that are all linked together.
They also have their own research center at Animal Kingdom, online initiatives to educate people about what they can do to help, in addition to an eco-friendly shopping bag program, and more. (Read more)
While surely they do make a profit off of these ‘businesses’ they have created, the bottom line is they are still contributing, making an impact, spreading awareness, which in turn causes more contributions and impacts. Can’t complain there!
I just thought I would write about this because until recently I was even unaware of all of the programs that Disney has running for this right now, and I was happy to see them! I would be more than happy to work for one of their companies one day.
A must see - very inspiring little girl gives a poem about her fear for animal extinction on Britain’s Got Talent.
Last weekend, I visited the London Natural History Museum’s special exhibit, Wildlife Photographer of the Year. It was incredible! The photography ranged from categories of children under 10, to amateurs to professionals. There were all types of categories of winners, as well. The photos were beautifully displayed and all of them breathtaking. I absolutely love wildlife photography, and I cannot wait to go back and see this exhibit before it goes - good thing it runs until March! Here are a few of my favorite photos from the exhibition. If you’re in London between now and March, definitely check it out. (www.nhm.ac.uk)
Florida Governor: "Anthropology Not Needed Here"
“We don’t need a lot more anthropologists in the state. It’s a great degree if people want to get it, but we don’t need them here. I want to spend our dollars giving people science, technology, engineering, and math degrees. That’s what our kids need to focus all their time and attention on, those types of degrees, so when they get out of school, they can get a job.” - FL Governor, Rick Scott
——-
This is disgusting to me. I would provide more commentary, however I think that if you read the article, the amount of responses of Anthropologists (in Florida and all over the world) responding to this man’s statements say it all.
I’m an anthropologist, and I’ve never thought of my area of study as not contributing to the world. In fact, all I want to do is contribute to the world. I want to study the relationship between the environment, wildlife, and people. With that information, I want to educate others on the importance on living in harmony with what is around us before we destroy it. I want to inspire people to care for the world they live in, and to explore it to the fullest. I want to be a role model for young women who also dream of traveling the world and making a difference.
Since when is that a pointless career choice?
I would not have gotten into this field in so much depth had it not been for the University that educated me and anthropologists who inspired and encouraged me along the way.
Anthropology as a science itself benefits many aspects of the world (apart from what I mentioned as my own personal interests).
Some quotes from anthropologists in the article:
“ As opposed to conservative-friendly disciplines like economics and business management, liberal arts produce more culturally aware and progressive citizens, inclined to challenge ossified social conventions and injustices.” - Adam Weinstein
“The majority of my undergraduate students, particularly in the large lecture courses, will go into one of three main occupational spheres after graduation: health and medicine (doctors, nurses, genetics research, allied health fields, etc.), business and economics, and teaching (from preschool to PhDs). Anthropology is useful to all of these fields.” - Kristina Kilgrove
Spread the word. We cannot cut out important programs like Anthropology from Universities. Just because you don’t understand it, Mr. Scott, doesn’t mean it’s not valuable. Do your homework.
Mozambique - Inhambane/Tofo
This begins the beginning of many posts of Megan & Warren’s epic southern African roadtrip.
We began by driving through Kruger National Park to cross the border in Mozambique and heading all the way east to the coast towards the city of Inhambane and then the beach, Tofo! Many people told us this was a ridiculous thing to accomplish in one day - but we got up early early and did it :)
Early morning rise in Letaba camp in Kruger National Park. Welcome to our home the next few weeks - the back of the truck! mmmm coffeee….
Right after we crossed the border - Limpopo National Park. Hello Mozambique!
RED roads. impossible to drive on. We were beginning to understand why people didn’t think our day trip to the coast was possible…
Made it to Inhambane just after sunset! We were proud. Didn’t realize the “short” distance to Tofo Beach after this would take a lot longer in the dark with potholes and people in the road. We made it though, got set up in the most ridiculous hut made of reeds right in the sand dunes on the beach… and got ready for our first real day!
We were excited to be at the beach but day 1 was rainy and overcast.. but the beaches were all ours!
Hammock-ing at the backpackers
View from our hut.. crazy!
Mr. Big Tomato! Our new friend. This was the first headband he wove for me! Sadly, I lost it later that day in the ocean — but he made me a new one! :)
The local market that we walked through and in every day. Every morning we got some fruit, veg, eggs, and bread from these ladies and made our own yummy breakfast and lunches! Definitely the way to go.
This is from one of the nights we went out with our fellow backpackers to one of the bars on the beach to go dancing with backpackers and locals. SO MUCH FUN. One of my favorite memories. I had such a blast dancing the night away!
Buying a sarong.. tough decision!
It was a warm day finally! We laid out on the beach, and enjoyed the random one or two people who would walk by…
Out to dinner after a long day in the sun! We were recommended this place up high up above the rest that had a nice view (it did!). We, however, were not told how to get there and walked for wayyyy too long not knowing where were going. We finally found this place and had a delicious prawn dinner! By the way, prawns is pretty much all you will get in beach towns of Mozambique. There’s just nothing else. But they do them well.
Hanging out with Mr. Big Tomato again! I got him to make me a bunch of headbands to take back to all of my lovely friends in the US. Sadly, they got stolen with the rest of my belongings… That story is coming up.
Those are all the photos I have from Tofo Beach! We had a great time there for about three days. We made some lovely Irish friends at the backpackers, enjoyed the fun atmosphere of the young beach scene, cooked with food from the market, etc. We stayed in the hut the first night, but then went cheap for night two and slept in the back of Warren’s truck in our man-made trucknest (it was decked out with mattresses, etc). This worked ok for one night. We tried it again the third night and to our dismay, were eaten alive my mosquitos while simultaneously being annoyed by thumping reggae music of the backpackers - so mid-night we switched back to the beachside hut and were much happier. We loved Tofo but were excited to move on & continue our Mozambiquean adventures elsewhere!
