Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

16.9.12

Mama Africa


“I been gone for a minute but now I'm back with the jump off..." *does Lil Kim skank*

I'm bad, I know. So very bad. The thing is, I actually enjoy blogging a lot but once I get outta that routine, it’s so hard to get back again.

Its been a crazy few months man. Too much stuff to recap so you'll just have to bear with me…

I spent the first two weeks of August out of the UK. I went on the annual family 'holiday' to Nigeria and as per usual there was hardly ever a dull moment.

My mum celebrated her birthday out there so she had a little gathering to mark the occasion. There was fried fish, fried meat, fried chicken and fried turkey.

Being the oldest and the only girl out of her children it was my duty to serve her friends some food. The conversation went like this:

“Kemi, go to the back and ask everyone what they would like with their rice”

“Why are you giving them a choice, they will eat whatever we give them”

“Just go and ask”

So off I went, I got there and asked. Apparently I speak really fast or sound proper English or something cos I had to repeat myself three and a half times. When they finally understood what I was saying, everyone made their order then one dude asked if there was roasted lamb, I actually looked at him like this 0_o and was like “nah, we don’t have that so… fish, chicken, turkey or meat?”  #DPMO

When I told my grandma, she said that they were lucky that we didn’t just make puff puff and give them pure water to drink… I LOLd so hard cos I think part of her was being serious.

At this same gathering of my mums, one of her mates brought her mate along. My mums friend obviously didn’t tell her friend that it wasn’t a party party, more like a gisting session cos the first thing homegirl said when she came in and saw me, my siblings and cousins was “ah ah, what is this? I was hoping to find my husband here today!” Now this was said in Yoruba and if you can speak/understand Yoruba, you will know that it sounded too funny and if you’re not Yoruba then…

But yea man, it was a nice trip. Its always a pleasure to see my family and spend some time sleeping under a ceiling fan and eating fresh oranges. The only fly in the ointment is the random ‘casual’ enquiries into the status of my love life… #DropMeOut #CanILiveMyLifePlease

When I was out there, all I kept hearing was Davido‘Dami duro’ and that Azonto song, with that guy. My cousins challenged me to an Azonto-off…they won *hangs head in shame*

One of my older cousins has identical twin daughters…

♥ 

They were cool and that yea but basically, about seven minutes after this picture was taken, one of them kicked me in my throat, it was a madness cos I don’t know which one did it so I had nobody to direct my anger towards…

I’ll allow them though cos they’re sweet and they were arguing with eachother and it made me laugh. 

My Aunty did twist braids for me, so a special shout out to her! Also hol tite the Hausa man who gave me a free necklace and bracelet when I bought two bags off him in the market.

All in all Nigeria was a much needed and well deserved break. Im already looking forward to going back next year…

17.5.12

"If you don't have a BB, you don't have a BB"

Here goes another installment of my fave BBM pics...

Love, love, love kids that look like adults!

Hooo my days!
This is like 92.4% of my friends...

She blossomed well huh...

#RAGE

When I was younger, I wanted to be Lisa when I grew up

We've all been there...right?
*looks around for support*

Nah but 50 Cent isnt ugly you kno...

HA!

If only these were around when I was younger,
I had some life sized doll whose eyes would close when I
lay it down...
Used to scare me still.

This was me in uni, college and secondary school

Hilare cos everyone knows a hot butters thats
turned into a hot spice (I hate that phrase man)

Hahaha!

LOOOOOL
I can really relate to this cos the rage I would feel when
this happened in primary school was a madness

My youngest bro locked up his cupboards in his uni house
When I saw this pic, I cried

Read it out loud, you'll laugh..
I did
Wallevs...

#Confused.com

#SadTimes

Them ones

I can't...


That's all for now but more posts soon come... i'm back in the booth yo!

26.9.11

The Life...

I just noticed that although the title of this blog is called 'Life...And Other Things' I don't actually talk about my Life alot, I more focus on the Other Things. That's because not that much happens in my day to day life that I deem blog-worthy...

But in case you were wondering, here's what's going on in my life at the moment...

On Saturday just gone, me and my mum took my youngest brother to uni. I bought him a desk and built it with my bare hands!

I built this with my BARE HANDS! Grrr!

Anyways, when we were leaving, I shed a couple tears...that's my baby brother maaan...

Oh and...

I'm currently looking for a job, even though i've only been looking for two weeks, im already SO OVER IT!

Errm...

I've been drinking water for like the past five days cos i'm on a detox programme a.k.a there aint no drink in my house...

Oh yea...
I got addicted to eBay for about a week.
Had about 32 items on my Watch List. 
Ordered three things, they arrived this weekend...only one thing is as described, the other two seem to be destined for the charity shop...
or maybe I can try sell them...
on eBay ...

So...

I downloaded a new BBM smiley app and have fallen in love with the below image...


It conveys so much...

Those who have me on BBM will know that I use this at least four times a day, whether it be in convos or on status updates...

Everytime I use it, i'm actually making that face...

I also...

*taps chin*...

Hmmm...

Now do you see why I don't blog about my life!

14.9.11

Mama Africa

Being first generation in my family born abroad, my parents were always a bit afraid of me and my brothers not being completely in touch with our culture.


So how did they counter attack that fear? By dragging us off to Nigeria almost every summer since 1999...


At first we used to go for the whole six weeks holiday but as we've gotten older, that time has decreased to just a couple of weeks. 


When I was younger I used to be upset that I was gone for the 'summer' and missed everyone playing out and going swimming or whatever it was that my friends used to do during the summer holidays.


It was only when I was well into my teens that I appreciated going and spending time with my family. I mean my aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, everyone is over there. 


I love going home, its a completely different world. Although it may not have all the comforts of England and everything isn’t as 'ordered' as it could be, it's such a lively and vibrant country, full of things that will capture and hold all five of your senses. There's never a dull moment!


Although we go quite often, this year was emotional because we went for my Grandpas Celebration of Life party, he died in March. It was a big affair, even a few family friends from London came over and celebrated with us. 


There was a live band which was just amazing, I've heard live band before in London but the Nigerian version is the steak to the English ones burger. 


I didn't know any of the songs but the way I was dancing! I got sprayed (when money is put on your body as you are dancing, it's like saying "Your moves are smooth") about 8800 Naira which is approximately £36 but still, not bad for just enjoying myself.


Everyone else had a good time too…


My Ma and Pa

Vibes

My Pa skankin on down...his hat was sick!

My cousins - their moves were too much, they put me to shame

My Ma and Aunt having some sorta 'You Got Served' type battle

As I mentioned earlier, there’s always something to interest/amuse/confuse you. Below are a few of my most memorable moments from this years trip:

  • One night we were bored so we decided to watch one of my uncles DVD’s. It was a Chinese film, with English subtitles but dubbed in Yoruba - That was a real baffler, I went to bed with a headache
  • Everytime I would shower with fresh (cold) water from the well, I would jump up and down on the spot, speaking aloud words of encouragement to spur myself on and pour that first bit of water on my body - I think I lost a bit of weight from doing that

Seeing this…
A cow
…turn into this


Jolloff rice, fried rice and MEAT!

  • My uncle called a family meeting after my cousin (his nine year old son) had eaten a sweet that he took from an extended family member that all the adults were a bit weary of - That was hilarious and serious at the same time 0_o

And finally

  • At the airport, I heard someone arguing at the check-in desk about something or other, he was really going in with the Pidgin English. I turned around to look at the owner of the angry toned voice…it was an Asian guy 

Thank God for the gift of family and the gift of life, don’t waste it! 


10.6.11

Cry Me a River...Thames

Allow me to introduce my 21 year old brother, Abiodun Balogun...


And his anthology 'Londons Invisble Tears'




It's a collection of poems and short stories based on his experiences of growing up in a traditional West African household slap bang in the middle of South East London...

The anthology features a diverse range of topics which makes it suitable for people of all ages.

Here are my three favourite ones...

When I first read 'Youth' I was like 'what does this guy know about getting old man, he's only 16!' (then I remembered that he isn't 16...i'm not 18.... and it's not 2006 anymore - it's kinda scary how time flies)

'Johnson Ndjoli' touched my heart as it describes my brothers reaction upon hearing that a close childhood friend had passed away due to a senseless attack...

'1st Glance' speaks of the hypocrisy and double standards in Western society... short and sharp, it makes you think

To celebrate the release of 'Londons Invisble Tears', there was a book launch party in Picadilly Circus

If you didn't come, check out what you missed....



If you would like to purchase 'Londons Invisble Tears' then please visit the website http://door9entertainment.co.uk/lit/

I'm so proud of my brother...we takin' over!