“I have been here for 4months so far; that’s not counting my regular visits to Canada since 2011. My life here in Canada has been good though because I have my nuclear family and friends I have made over the years with me here. Life in Canada can be likened to life in Abuja – it’s better you have a car. Here, transport is just trains and buses or you buy a bicycle. Where you will ordinarily drive for 20mins the bus will take 1hr plus because they have to go through all bus stops. Maybe that’s why I miss Keke NAPEP and bikes. However, I love the trains here. Taking the trains gives me the chance to mix with people of different cultures.
My experience so far with the weather, omo, na die. Once frostbite sets in and your hands begin to freeze, you will cry so bad. The harshest I have experienced was a day I was coming from work and the bus delayed for one hour. I was standing in the blistering cold and then my hands froze. I began to cry. It was at night and there was no one I could call because my battery went out while at work. I had to wait at the bus stop till the bus arrived. By the time I got home, my hands and feet were frozen. I can’t even remember how I walked home sef. So far, – 45 has been the harshest weather I have had to endure.
Another thing that amazes me is the boldness of these oyinbo people, they will enter a store to steal stylishly. They don’t carry what they steal out, they use it right there in the store so as not to be caught or pay. They will open a box of juice, drink it and still leave the empty container on the shelves in the store. They will use pampers for their babies and empty the container in their bags so as not to pay. What a brazen way to steal!
Honestly, I miss the life in Ibadan. I missing riding round town and seeing the brown roofs. I miss the concerts I attend. I miss hanging out at the cinemas and Agodi gardens. In Ibadan, I regularly see the entrepreneurship spirit of peeps pushing Ibadan out for the world to see; now I don’t see all that anymore. The funny dressings by all sorts of people when I go to the mall excite me and I sure miss that fun. The most important one is the food joints. I especially my Skye B Amala and Hexagon rice. I really wish I could bring Ibadan here.”
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