MY TWO WEEKS STORY...

For those of you who may think I have abandoned my blog…’’laye e, laye e, baby ko jo’’ (meaning: It’s not happening). Yeah! I rebuke you people in Jesus’ name. I can’t abandon the blog oh! How can I? Not now when full time bloggers can afford to buy a 600 million mansion without blinking an eye! There is God oh! I just said I should take some time out ‘’kpere’’ to do some personal things, and this 600 million something happened. Maybe if I was here then, I’ll have made some 100 million too. Na wa. I’m convinced God hasn’t forgotten us sha.

LOL.

How have y’all been jare? Who missed me? Who missed all the juicy articles on Barby’s Diary? I bet you did! I did too. Very much. Can’t believe it’s been two weeks since we last communicated. Time runs so fast oh…

Just as I promised, I’ll use this article to fill you up on what has kept me away for two weeks. But before we get carried away in the gist, please take out time to tell me ‘’CONGRATULATIONS’’. Yes oh, my levels has changed!

Ok, I didn’t get married during the period (relax, you’ll be the first to know when that happens). I successfully passed out from NYSC. For the benefit of those who don’t know what this means, it is a one year compulsory service (there are exemptions though) to your fatherland. If you have gone through this phase before, you’ll know that it isn’t child’s play. From camp life; I wrote about it previously, to compulsory Community Development Service (CDS), to Personal Clearance (PC) signing, to head count, to Place of Primary Assignment (PPA), and to some of the difficult staff you’ll have to encounter during your one year journey, it is a FULL package. The good, the bad, the ugly… One of the best things that can happen to you, or one of the worse. I was posted to the nation’s capital, I lived with my sister, I had a good PPA, so I can safely say I had a good one year.

That not so much of today’s story, so I digress…

I needed my NYSC discharge certificate for a school I applied for, I kinda stubbornly applied even when the requirements clearly indicated that I shouldn’t apply if I didn’t have the Certificate. Talk of a dogged spirit. I still applied. I lost hope at some point because the NYSC certificate wasn’t forthcoming, but along the line, deadline for the application was postponed, and this bought me more time. Finally, exams where fixed and I had to travel to Lagos (certificate wasn’t ready then). I still had NYSC final clearance to joggle in between and work too, so I literally had to be at two places at the same time. Luckily for me, exams were on a weekend, so I travelled down to Lagos. I was hoping they don’t call for the discharge certificate. They didn’t. They wanted something more. They wanted us to come back in five days time for an interview, and citing of our original documents (NYSC Certificate inclusive!). That almost disturbed my mind for the exams. (Don’t even ask how the exams went!). Final clearance was still ongoing in Abuja, I still had to go to work, and then this! So many things to do. Coming back to Lagos within five days wasn’t so easy on me, both financially and otherwise. But it was a must!

So I came back to Abuja, completed my clearance, went to work like nothing happened, and was also planning my trip back to Lagos to meet up my Friday interview. The good thing was that, passing out from NYSC was on Thursday, so I get to travel to Lagos with my discharge certificate from NYSC. BIG PROBLEM SOLVED!!! I BEAT THEM TO IT, I HAD MY CERTIFICATE.

So I booked my flight on hold for Friday morning, I intended to pay before it expires the next day, but office work happened and I just forgot! I went back to the site, and my booking had expired just twenty minutes earlier. That wasn’t all, the price had skyrocketed by 9k extra. I just couldn’t deal!!! I almost cried. 9k was a big deal and almost half my ticket back to Abuja. As I was relating my predicament to my sister, just before my eyes, the price went up again. By an additional 3k! No thanks to these flight regulators oh! 12k would really help with my ticket back to Abuja. so I forfeited my Friday morning booking. I had to pick an earlier flight for Thursday evening and I chose two options; to face the traffic on Thursday evening than miss my interview (I also had a quick exam for something else in Lagos that Friday afternoon. Jack of all trade right?) and the challenge of getting my certificate on time on Thursday, dashing to the airport before 4pm so I can catch my 4:45pm flight. Crazy much abi? You wouldn’t have loved to be in my situation.

Fast forward to Thursday morning. My flight was delayed till 5:55pm by the host carrier. That bought me some more time. I got to camp for the Passing Out Parade (POP) and Certificate distribution, and by 1pm, there was no luck with the certificate. I still hadn’t gotten mine. I was getting tensed. I needed to be out of there soon enough to get my luggage from home and off to the airport. By 1:35pm, with my CERTIFICATE in hand, I rushed off home for a quick shower and off to the airport. I was there in good time, I checked in and settled to admire my newly acquired possession…it was worth all my stress!

I got to Lagos and finally, home before 10pm (Lagos night traffic) and I was up by 5am on Friday morning to meet up the interview. By my calculation, I had to leave there by 12pm tops to meet up the other impromptu test in Lekki which was scheduled for 1:30pm. By 12pm, I had not even been called in to be interviewed. By 12:20pm, I was done with the interview and was heading to Lekki (I was interviewed by the Learned Professor I.O Smith. Yaaaaay!). I was running late for the test already. Traffic and more traffic, and I got to the venue at 2pm. Luckily, logistics and other documentation had started, so I joined in and that covered for my lateness. By the time I was done with the test, it was already 4pm and Lagos traffic was on fleek again! I got home by 8pm.

I was tired. Very tired. And worn out too. But I achieved all of these in one week. The deadlines were crazy. I was drowning to meet them up. I didn't even have time for any POP ''feferity''. So, I'm still open for parties oh!

I called my Boss at my office and told her I needed a week’s break, but she declined *sobs*. Please I'm looking for a job where I can be paid for doing nothing. That's a job right? So I had to rush back to Abuja after spending the weekend at home.

That’s my two weeks story. What’s yours? Fill me in!

Congratulations to our readers who also passed out of NYSC last Thursday, I know a lot of them. They’ve equally been busy too so I understand. A bigger congratulations to all the new wigs called to the Nigerian Bar. Welcome to the league of prestigious men! #ProudlyaLawyer.

Hope you have a lovely week…
Barby.