First Day in Abuja

Thursday was my first full day in Nigeria.  One of the sisters took Kaitlin and I out to see the city of Abuja, which is about twenty minutes from where the sisters actually live. We went to an outdoor market that appeared to sell mostly cell phone and cell phone accessories.  We purchased cell phones, so that we can make local calls.  We also went to exchange our American dollars into the Nigerian naira. Oddly enough not all bills are worth the same amount. Larger bills like 100 and 50 are worth more in naira than 10 or 20 dollar bills.  After we exchanged our money and got cell phones, we went to see a little more of the city.  The sister took us to a store that reminded me of a Costco or Sam’s.  The store had just about everything you could possibly need including Soda! As most of you know I love soft drinks and was very happy when the sister bought some for the convent. I drank one today with my lunch and though it wasn’t quite the same as what you get at home, it was still delicious.  The sisters do not do much shopping at this store, as most food is bought at outdoor markets.

After our outing we returned to the convent for lunch and to rest. It is very hot here, so after a few hours out in the sun a rest is needed.  The heat is like August in Alabama minus the air conditioning.  I’m sure my body will adjust, but I guess for now I will have to learn to live with the heat rash I am beginning to develop.  The rainy season will be here soon and they say that will help.