Oyibo - 0 Sarah - 6

Nothing seemed to be different yesterday when I departed on my walk. Aside from a quick detour to a friends house, I took my same route at about the same time. As I headed up Road 26 on my side-jaunt, I ran into a gentleman, Emanwe, who on our first encounter shouted "hello, oyibo" from across the street. When we approached each other, I kept waiting for "oyibo" to fly my way. To my surprise, we immediately started chatting about his clients in the neighborhood (he was picking up money for an upholstery job and had been waiting since 2 pm) and his shop just down the road. When we finally departed, I waited for a "bye, oyibo" that never came. Sarah - 1

I continued along and right where Road 2 turns to Road 3, there is a shanty up again a concrete wall. "Sarah!" someone yelled from the shanty. It was the Igbo woman from east of the Niger River and one of her male companions I had met the other night. The woman runs her business from the shanty selling food to the construction workers during their breaks. I had seen her there before, but hadn't recognized her as the same woman from the other night until now. The three of us chatted for a bit...the man spoke of his desire to visit Los Angeles and asked how close that was to my home. I said good bye, and continued on my walk. Sarah - 2, 3

It was starting to get dark by this point so I pick up my pace. There are rows of shanties next to a large building that is not much more than a foundation at this point. Again, "Sarah" is shouted my direction. I returned the hello to my friend who has just finished work, waved quickly, and watched him enter one of the shanties through a cloth curtain. Sarah - 4

Toward the end of my walk, I passed by the guard from my oyibo walk who had repeated "Sarah" to commit to memory. This time, "Hello, Sarah" was called from behind the gates of the house he guards. Sarah - 5

Almost home by this point, and hoping my oyibo luck had not run out, I hear my name called out again! It was Peter who guards the main gate of our neighborhood and whom I passed on the way to church on Sunday. He asked how my weekend was, how I liked Nigeria, and if I enjoyed my church service. Sarah - 6

I make it safely home with no "oyibo" thrown my direction. I never thought my simple introductions would actually amount to anything...but then again, maybe it was because I left my Channel knock-off sun glasses at home opting for a less oyibo-ish pair.=)