Leaving for School

    Finally the day to start my "life altering" journey had come but I was not feeling like I thought I would. It was a bitter-sweet feeling knowing that I was leaving all I knew behind for this new world with endless possibilities that could go wrong. I kept putting off doing things that in some way confirmed that my days at home was numbered. I couldn't bring myself to call friends to say "goodbye" or even pack my bags.

The morning I was to leave was one I won't forget. After dressing up I was told a "special ogbono soup" was made for me. Ha. I couldn't resist taking few balls of garri after all I probably won't readily see it in America, which was true because it took about seven months before I saw garri and soup. As usual, my sister didn't disappoint, the food was delicious but my stomach was filled with excitement and the tension from being anxious of what lies ahead.

In the middle of all these mixed feelings, I felt something profound when I took a long hard look both of my sisters and my mum, silently praying that when next I see them they'll be whole and hearty like I'm leaving them.

My sisters got me a beautiful pearl jewelries set and wrote a poem that had me catching feelings even though I already teased them that I won't miss them or cry as I leave. Soon I began my final compound-wide goodbyes to my neighbors. As I went door to door to greet them, the praises and prayers they gave made me feel like a million box. Before then, it was still surreal and took me acting out a notable scene from "Osuofia in London" to live in the moment and be cheerful.

Good times.

Whenever I look back to that day the picture in my head captures when I turned and saw my mum alight a taxi she took to follow me after she had already bade me goodbye back at home. I was already missing her few blocks from home, so, seeing her was like a prayer answered just in time to make me feel better.

Next stop: Port Harcourt Airport, Omagwa.

My journey to Living in America was set in motion.