Life itself is a journey and as such one can find himself in any part of the world at any time. Moving away from home is somehing that I have been accustomed to right from childhood owing to the fact that I didn't grow up with my immediate family. Thus, I was always on the move from East to west and North of Nigeria.
I should say that I have been a touring man, hehe. It has had its positive and negative effect on me and in which case, I am grateful to God for the opportunities. In this post, I shall discuss succinctly my experience of the farthest journey I have made away from home.
Prior to now, I would have said my farthest journey from home would be to the Northern part of Nigeria from the Eastern part where I come from in Kaduna stat. But moving out of the country has given me a new life experience which I will never forget. My farthest moving away is from Nigeria to Italy, my first journey with the air transport.
It was an amazing experience on the way and I shall calmly tell you all. Firat of all my journey to Italy is to further my education to obtain my second degree and when I was given the opportunity, I was very glad to accept it. We were four candidates awarded this opportunity and so we travelled the same day on the same plane.
The flight took place on the 12th of July last year, 2023. It was scheduled to leave at 1.30pm to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia and we left the house at 9.30am to the Muritala Mohammed Airport in Lagos. We got there early enough and passed through all the rigorous process of check-in and finally we left Nigeria and I was thinking I was dreaming untill I found myself at the first stop in Addis Ababa where we waited for like two hours before the next flight to Italy.
Finally we left Ethiopia and arrived in Italy early morning of 13th of July 2023 and we had a man already waiting to pick us up to our residence. It was summer and so the weather was more or less the same as in Nigeria and so we didn't have any difficulty as such.
Coming to Italy has opened my eyes to many realities. I have come to understand life differently. I now understand why it is said that Christian is lagging behind around Europe now. The life here is much beautiful such that people don't see the need for God or any god.
My first experience was the food. To be Frank, Italians have very good foods. In fact it is in the record that they have the best food varieties in the world. However, I found it difficult to eat so many of their foods but which now are wonderful for me.
The first scandal was when we were presented a very cold rice to eat at lunch on the day we arrived. I couldn't eat it. Their culture is that such type of rice is to be eaten cold since it was summer and the weather is so hot. I felt very devastated because I was very hungry but what was before me didn't seem eatable, hehe but they were eating everything very comfortably.
Meeting with people was difficult because the majority don't understand English but only Italian language and so we had to enroll for Italian lessons to learn the language. I am glad that now, I can understand when someone speak and make some simple statements in a conversation.
Do I have a nostalgic feeling? Certainly dear friends. Sometimes, the treatment you receive from the people you meet will just make you want to return home where life is much simpler. I would say that the life here is too formal such that you cannot joke anyhow. Someone can just get angry becuase of something you said which you didn't mean any harm. It is a different world here but then I am learning.
Am I happy being here still? For sure I am glad to remain here for the time I shall study. Despite the odds, there are really beautiful souls that you will meet and get inspired. There are families I have been invited to and had good meals and good dialogue. I have made a few of good friends. It is nice all the way.
So this is my analysis of the farthest journey I have made from home in response to the world mapping challenge for the month of July. I am glad to make this entry with others and I hope you find this interesting. Thanks for your time and support.