Greetings!
Traveling has always been one thing I love so much. Let me say, it's my hobby. Traveling is an act of going from one location to the other. Sometimes it can be from a village to another village, a town to another town and from a particular country to the other country. So, it all depends. Also, traveling comes with reasons and forms. Some travel for an occasion, another for business and this is refers to as business trip, some just for fun and so on. So, whenever I heard anything about traveling, I'm always excited.
One of my traveling experience was within my country Nigeria, where for the first time, I travelled from a particular region to another region of the country. This was during my NYSC one year mandatory service. Before the end of my program in the university, I have been anticipating on going to the NYSC, but as God would have it, I finished my studies and was posted to IMO state, a south eastern . Though I have watched alot from the movies, about their culture and way of life, but like the popular saying that say, " seeing is believing." I have always want to see the culture myself. So, I got the opportunity of going to the Eastern part of the country Nigeria via the NYSC, just to explore and know their culture.
On the 10th of October, 2018, I woke up in the morning carried my bag and baggages and went to the Imo transport company park at Osogbo to board a bus going to Imo state orientation camp of the NYSC. Getting to the park, we moved at around 7 in the morning. So when the journey started, we prayed and committed our journey unto God's hand. Hmmm! The journey though stressful was full of fun as we passed through many states that made up the south western and eastern part of the country, with various scenes at sight. What a journey. So, at about past 7 in the evening, we got to the camp. It was a seven hours journey. What a stressful but fun filled day.
After getting to the camp, we registered and was to be in the plarron of the camp. So, the next day, we were to resume at the parade ground as early as possible in the morning. Right there at the parade ground, series of information were disseminated to us about the NYSC . Also, the rules and regulations of the camp was read to us. Now, the orientation began. At the orientation camp, we were able to learn about the people's culture, which encompasses their food, language, dressing and so on. Still on their culture, we were told that at a particular community, they worship snake and that if posted to the place, snake will come around to welcome the new visitor. So, we were been warned to to fear nor kill the snake. Also, we received many lectures on entrepreneurship. Further on camp, there were sporting activities and entertainment competitions. On sundays, we used to go to the NCCF and the Catholic fellowship, this is because there's two on camp. On fridays, the Muslim umar go to the mosque situated at the heartbeat of the camp to worship their maker..
After three months, we left the camp and went to the local government of primary assignment to do our registration, after which we started our one year service proper, thank God I was posted to a local community school where i was able to learn more about their culture and even explore their environments, where in their villages, there are big mansions, I also learnt about speaking their Language and the eating of their local food, cuisine. So, after a year, i left the place for my place. It was a funfilled one year. The people were so lovely and I really enjoyed my stay at the okwelle community secondary school.
So, my own traveling experience really exposed me to another way of life and culture. It helps me to meet new people. And it makes me know that my country Nigeria is one of the biggest country in African with rich cultures. I would love to have another experience.
Thanks for reading.
All images are mine.