Day 1 : Guesthouse & Dayo

I need to catch on posts since today is already Day 2 so for Day 1:

Here's guesthouse from the side. The physicians from UofC that set up this experience are Nigerians and run a NGO in Nigeria called Healthy Life for All Foundation that is based out of this guesthouse. On the first floor, there are offices, a dining room/parlor, a kitchen (with lots of cockroaches eek!) and 2 half baths. The second floor has 3 bedrooms and there are 2 full bathrooms and a room with just a toilet. This guesthouse is on site in the University College Hospital in Ibadan complex with security to enter to complex and an almost 24 hour security guard seated outside this guesthouse. I don't think this is an indirect reflection of safety at the guesthouse...

Here's a walking tour when you walk inThe dining room/parlor. Nice area with air conditioning and lots of room.
The infamous kitchen with cockroaches. I first saw one and yelped. Dayo sprayed insecticide. We walked away, I checked again, 2 more cockroaches. More spraying and we opened all the cabinets. 20 minutes later, I check again - 5 COCKROACHES! More spraying. Dayo would tell me each time that they were all dead and gone and every time I would check, there would be more! This was definitely a source of laughter for us. On a practical note, Dayo did fleet the kitchen and someone will be more thoroughly clean the kitchen on Monday. Until then, I only go into the kitchen to get something from the fridge. 10 cockroaches and counting. If you look closely, you might be able to see one in the picture.

My room (after I've lived in it a couple of days - forgot to take a picture when it I walked in). Nigerian beds are hard and the pillow is a bit hard. I have blankets b/c I'm fortunate to have an in room air conditioner!

Another view of the room walking out. I have a little sink. Little bugs like to roam around this sink. A built-in area for clothes.





The bathroom. A toilet. A shower. A sink. Occasional running water.

Events & Observations on Day 1:
* Woke up in a sweat at 6 AM and discovered that the power went out and the AC shut off. Apparently, this is a common occurrence about 2-5x/day. But I'm prepared - I have a flashlight but I'm sweating buckets.
* Running water is an issue. We have a water reservoir and from that water reservoir, water has to be pumped to another reservoir to provide running water in our bathrooms. I thought I had broke the toilet b/c it didn't flush but in actuality - there was no more water in the reservoir!
* Dayo and his wife Bumni brought me around town to get food supplies. We must have gone to at least 5 different places to get a phone card, bread, peanut butter, pasta, tomato sauce (I was so happy to buy my $7 USD Classico pasta sauce!), fruit that I will peel, bottled Eva water by the Coke company, eggs, oil, hangers, 6 plates and bowls made in China for $7 USD. Cheaper prices at different locations. Makes sense to me.
* It's hard to bargain here. I couldn't bargain the price down for plates, bowls and hangers but they were still pretty affordable. One thing I did bargained somewhat successfully was for my USD to Naira conversion rate. Word of advice, bring $100 or $50s as the exchange rate for that denomination is higher than the exchange rate for $20s. You ask why I bargained for my conversion rate? Nigerians don't convert money in banks. We converted in some person's office/home and negotiated our rate. Apparently, there is a certain road where all the money converters have offices/homes.
* I got 6 yards of fabric made in Ghana to be made into 2 Nigerian dresses for a birthday party I'm attending mid-month. Couture too - as I got measured for the dresses and they will be made to fit. $2200 Naira for the fabric and $5000 Naira for the tailoring = 2 dresses for about $46 USD! Bumni, Dayo's wife, negotiated the price of the tailor from $6400 to $5000 Naira - I was pretty impressed. The tailor and his young assistants squealed "Oyibo" when they saw me... more on this later.

Here's a picture of me in front of the house and here's a picture of Dayo. He's helping me make my transition much smoother and comfortable as possible. How old do you think he is?