That's great that you're off to Nigeria - you'll have such an adventure! It's a pretty crazy country - but crazy in a good way as far as I'm concerned! I stayed in a small place called Ilesa with a population of about 300,000 people so my experience of Nigeria will probably be a lot different from yours. I too was working in a HIV & AIDS clinic which was very interesting, varied work. Sometimes it would be difficult emotionally but the Nigerian people are absolutely wonderful and we always had lots of fun at work too! And if you're working with children and I'm it will be great!
One of the most difficult things to adjust to at first when you arrive is the sheer volume of people everywhere! 150 million people in a country 1 and a half times the size of France - it can be a little overwhelming at the start especially at the food markets but you get used to it! Also because we stayed in a small city there were no other white people, so we were constantly shouted at and called 'oyibo' (which means white person) in the street. you would feel like a bit of a celebrity at the start but the novelty wears off after a while! this didn't really happen when we visited Lagos however, so probably won't be an issue for you! There are good and bad things about Nigeria but my overall experience was absolutely fantastic and I couldn't say enough good things about Nigerian people. They have a great work ethic, a great sense of humour and are extremely generous. People may have had nothing in the countryside where we worked but they'd share half of their nothing with you! It was really incredible and made me think of the treatment a Nigerian person would receive if they came to Ireland. There's no comparison!
The only bad things that you might experience would be seeing small scale incidences of corruption. You might see police men look for small bribes when driving on the highway. It shocked me at first but it's quite common over there. It's not something that you will have to worry about personally but it's just sad to see what the Nigerian's have to put up with on a daily basis, as it's pretty much endemic in their culture.
There's not much to worry about safety wise, certainly not from the Niger Delta / kidnappings etc point of view. Unless you plan on travelling there, which most Nigerians wouldn't recommend! But everywhere else in the south is pretty stable. I wouldn't walk around alone late at night in Lagos but I wouldn't do that in any city.
You might have some preconceptions about Nigeria being a very poor country but there are very nice, luxurious parts to Lagos as well as lots of poor areas.People drive around in huge luxury cars particularly on Victoria Island. It's definitely a country of extremes. Most people live in extreme poverty and you will see lots of floating villages and shanty towns in Lagos but then there are the elites who flash their money around in very extravaggant ways! You can find nightclubs similar to those in Europe on Victoria Island, as well as shopping malls, cinemas etc in case you miss comforts from home! There are also good markets to buy arts and crafts there. The different beaches have parties on at weekends which can be good fun if you're going with people who know their way around. Private transportation is definitely easier to take if possible but we managed to take public buses as well, it just takes a bit more organisation.
There is a guide book on Nigeria called the Bradt guidebook, which is a good source for information. There's not a lot of tourist infrastructure in Nigeria so independent travel can be difficult. I made it down to Calabar by myself and took a flight from Lagos. I also went off to visit a chimpanzee conservation project in a place called Afi (which is where i took all my beautiful photos) this was the highlight of my trip and if you want further information about this you can ask me about it or look it up online - it's called Afi Drill Ranch.
As for practical tips - it's very handy to have a good torch with lots of batteries are there are very regular power cuts in nigeria. the electricty company is called NEPA Nigerian Electrical Power Authority but everyone refers to it as Never Expect Power Again!!! Also, hand sanitizer, mosquito repellent, mosquito net, and malaria tablets are the most important things you'll need. Baby wipes are quite handy too, but most things you can get over there anyway so don't worry too much if you forget anything.
I didn't write any blog while i was over there as i didn't have much internet access. I hope you keep one though as I'd love to hear how you get on.
I had a phenomenal time in Nigeria - it's not the most beautiful country but it's very very colourful and there's never a dull moment! The people are brilliant and safety was never a major concern for me, despite me thinking it would be before I left.
I hope this is a little bit helpful. if you have anymore specific questions please don't hesitate to contact me or if while you're over in Nigeria and need any advice or help get in touch straight away and I'll get back to you as soon as possible.
I hope you have an amazing trip, i've no doubt that you will!
Just be open to a very different country and enjoy the crazy, life changing adventure!
I look forward to hearing about your trip!
keep in touch!
Karen
