Things to Bring

A comprehensive guide of things to bring to a VSO placement in Nigeria……

1) Earplugs
2) A sharp knife (it’s easier to slice a tomato with the sharp edge of a ruler than use a local knife)
3) An electrical multi-socket (purchases made here usually lead to sparks and singed plastic)
4) Spare earplugs (you’ll get through them fast)
5) Tea towels (while you can get almost anything imaginable in some markets [see previous blog on shopping….] the tea-towel remains elusive. Requests for such items at local markets result in all sorts of profferings from the tender – a flannel, a sponge, a bed sheet, just never the right ‘I Love Scarborough’ type of tea-towel)
6) Mobile phone
7) Extra spare earplugs (in case you live next to church / mosque / both)
8) A flash disk
9) Patience (at least 70% of your baggage allowance must be made up of application form attributes such as patience, flexibility and endurance. A lot of people discover they packed insufficient amounts to cope with Nigerian demand, or, at critical moments, can’t remember which pocket they stored them in).
10) A headtorch
11) Ready-prepared answers to the following questions / comments: Are you married? What job can I get in your country? Can you get me a visa? Give me your number. Can you marry a Nigerian? I want us to know each other very well. I will follow you to your country. What did you bring for me?
12) A laptop with anti-virus/spy/missile software
13) Marmite.
14) Earplugs