Some of you may not know that I attended both Nigerian and British secondary schools. Well now you do haha. I started secondary school at the age of 10 (skipped year 6 in primary school) in Nigeria in a boarding school called Christ the Redeemer’s College (CRC). Why was I sent to boarding school you may ask? Well it wasn’t because I was badly behaved as tends to be the normal reason why British bred Nigerian children get sent to Nigerian boarding schools, I was actually sent because my parents wanted me to get a chance to imbibe my own culture, in its natural habitat. So that’s how I found myself in Nigeria.
As you can imagine, the culture shock was immense. I was constantly at loss and couldn’t get my head around many parts of the school’s culture like accepting beating for something I didn’t do, corporal punishment, open plan conveniences – it was very, very strange for me. Eventually, as expected, I adapted.
3 years later, I moved back to London and continued secondary school – once again I was shocked by everything around me, as I had been desensitized to the culture and so seeing a student say “SHUT UP MISS!!” Would have me gasping in ghastly shock or when people storm out of lessons when they feel like – all things that could never ever happen in my former school in Nigeria.
In total I’ve been to eleven schools in my life. Two nurseries, two primary schools, two secondary schools, two colleges and three universities (I know, it spoilt the whole two thing I had going on haha) and each time I’ve had to adapt, make new friends and generally make the most of it – which is my advice to you lovely folk today – no matter where you find yourself and in whatever circumstance, make the most of it and look for the brighter side in every situation; it worked for me so I hope it’ll work for you.
Till next week,
xo
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