First of all, it's not winter yet.
To the Nigerians getting confused already, I meant to say "Harmattan" and we do know that it's getting close seeing that it has stopped raining for sometime now or is it just my area?
The problem I always have with nature in this part of my world is that it happens in excess, making me feel ungrateful unconsciously (I'll try to be more grateful consciously then). But the thing is, the two seasons we do have in my country Nigeria (more accurately, it's three) comes in excess here.
When it's dry season, the sun shines like it's major aim was to make you a barbecue (not a delicious one since there was no seasoning before it happened). The heavy sunlight, the dusty grounds and roads, the no water issues... You find yourself wishing for the rainy days to come already.
Okay, let me explain exactly how I survive in my area when it's dry season.
During dry seasons...
I become as strong as Thor with the hammer to lift big containers to carry water from where they sell them so I don't go back for a while.
I become a water economist, managing water as if it isn't a free gift of nature.
I buy big shades to wear because the dust gives me eye aches a lot.
I develop habits to wear my wigs more or hats to shame the sun of it's barbecue plans in my life.
When it's rainy season, it pours heavily anytime it rains and the cold during the night is almost unexplainable but I'll try to explain in the best way I can.
During rainy seasons...
I would have to wear a thick cloth, a long thick cover-all leggings and a thick cardigan
I end up looking like someone being prepared for a full moon sacrifice.
It doesn't end there, I have to cover up with a big cloth (only the rich kids have duvets here* 🥲)
Even with all these precautions taken, I find myself shaking and refusing to get frozen inside my room.*
Do you know that cold has smell on house items? If you don't know that, it means you're yet to experience the cold I'm trying to explain. My bed stinks cold during rainy seasons here and we rarely get sunny days to spread it out.
Last two years, I was unfortunate to be in this area during their harmattan season (winter) and I couldn't stop whining about how torturing the whole time was for me. The cold at night got extra, the sun during the day was extra, the dust was tripled to attack my eyes.
A better explanation to how my life was here during the last two years harmattan season is this.
During harmattan seasons...
No water since there are no rain, I repeat the life of being a Thor relative and studying water economy.
I had to find the shades I bought during dry seasons for the dusty air and get a thicker cardigan for the cold.
At night, my room acts like I mistakenly bought an air conditioner without spending a dime for it.
I wake up to do exercise so I could get warmth but somehow I wouldn't be able to move from the bed.
It felt like once I move, I'll freeze stone cold and dead... I can't imagine that happening.
We're fast approaching harmattan season again this year and it's two years after the last one I experienced... Human sins have been on the increase through the two years (I still think our sins as humans contribute to the harshness of nature sometimes). And I've been escaping being frozen in my room, it's been a successful fight for me but I'm getting worried about this upcoming harmattan season.
So I'm saying you shouldn't look for me when harmattan comes... I must have been frozen in my room when you find me.
But if God would intervene for me, I'll be done with my project work and defense before that season begin and I'll run to my family in the area I'm very familiar with and isn't out to get me.
Please say me well in your prayers to escape this upcoming death sentence, cold kills too... Not only AIDS 🥲
How is the seasons in your area? Oh I forgot to reveal that I'm in one of Edo state areas... The land of no water.
