SquaB!

How did it get to be Saturday so soon again?!  I guess that's a good thing, week going by so fast... All the days seem to muddle together here, I sometimes forget what day it actually is.  Quick recount of what happened since my last blog post:
Monday, Jess and I had an official meeting with the US Ambassador of Nigeria.  Nothing much more than a formality, say hi, note that we are here and we are doing public health-y work.  Work has been sort of on-and-off busy, getting oriented but also trying to dive into some projects that Dr. D and SB suggested I participate in.  Hopefully I will be able to be a POC for one of the national quality indicator projects on HIV (lookie here, I'm starting to speak like CDC personnel!).  Others will hopefully come as time progresses, so no need to rush :)
Tuesday was semi-uneventful... I had my mentor meeting with Dr. D and SB, to go over goals for the fellowship this year, but I think it will remain slightly nebulous at this point, as I'm still getting used to how the office is run.  Everything seems to revolve around the budget though, which makes sense... and yet at the same time, I feel as though there is not enough push to get all the budgetary minutiae out of the way so actual science can get done.
Wednesday was my first day at the gym-- Jess and I signed up for a gym membership at the Hilton, just as an activity to maintain mental sanity.  Since I don't enjoy sweating it is nice to work out in an air conditioned room, and the cardio and weight equipment is quite nice as well.  Also gives us access to the large pool at the Hilton, so perhaps I will come home with a swanky tan. :D  Or skin cancer, whichever comes first.  After my work out, I met up with an acquaintance who sat next to me on the plane ride over from Amsterdam to Abuja, and he introduced me to his colleague who works for a Chinese construction company, I think.  They took me to a "Nigerian Chinese" restaurant, called MarcoPolo.  It was definitely fancypants, but NOT Chinese in any way, shape or form.  Everything was super spicy, and super greasy... ok, that might not say much about Chinese food, but it definitely was not Chinese food you would find in the States.  Springs rolls filled with mayonnaise... PURE mayo!  Who eats fried mayo?!  I did get to try a "Nigerian Shirley Temple", which they call a Chapman.  It's like Sprite with bitters and some other fruity concoction... pretty tasty and helped tone down the spicy dishes that night.  It was quite nice for them to take me out though, and hopefully will get a chance to hang out with him again.
Thursday was like Tuesday, uneventful... to the point I can't really remember what happened, so moving on...no wait, just kidding.  Well, it's not like it hasn't happened before, but we had some electricity wiring issues in the kitchen and had to cook in the dark... again.
Friday!  Thank goodness for half-days on Fridays.  We only work until 1ish on Fridays because of prayer time for the large Muslim population here, so the roads totally shut down and turn into a parking lot for about 2 hours as people just park their cars in the street before heading into the mosque to pray.  I was able to squeeze in a grocery run before heading home and taking a nap.  Friday dinner was nothing short of AMAZING.  Jess's yoga classmate is a girl from Beijing who works for the Chinese Commerce Office or something, and she had an in with a pseudo-restaurant; it had an impressive dining facility, but isn't open to the public... you definitely need to KNOW someone one to have lunch or dinner there.  But OMG.  Homemade potstickers, spare ribs, chow mien, fresh Chinese veggies that they grow themselves, SQUAB!!  I cannot believe they served squab.  I don't think I've been as satisfied with food since I left home... they do hot pot too!  Oh, just so... heavenly.  Afterward, headed on over to the first Marine House party since the UN bombing in August.  They had to shut it down due to security reasons, so yesterday was the first one since lifting security measures, although there still was a midnight curfew, so party shut down at 12.  Was sort of awkward drinking with our boss, in a frat party-esque setting, but we managed. :P  Expats here definitely like to drink and smoke, so it was quite a haze of alcohol and cigarettes outside on the patio.  The Marine House party isn't the best arena to get to know people because of the loud music, but it was fun to people watch.  Got a taste of the old white man + young Nigerian girl thing that goes on here... you could not pay me enough to be with someone that old and groddy, haha.  Did manage to get the Marines to drive us home after the party... no one wants us to take local taxis once it gets dark...
Saturday morning run to Wuse market... super tired this morning though, so didn't have the energy to haggle with the vendors.  Managed to get a Costco-sized thing of toilet paper though, as well as additional fabric for makeshift curtains in our bathrooms.  People could totally see into the windows while we did our.. bathroom business, so it was slightly more necessary than other things, haha.  Going to try and tackle the kitchen and organize our dishes and other kitchenwares... had to bugbomb the place for roaches and never got to putting anything in the drawers.  Now with a 3rd roommate and more food donated from the previous fellows and our Taiwanese Trade Mission friends, need to figure out a system of organizing. 
Perhaps a swim at the Hilton tomorrow, or going out to a club tonight?  Meh.  More like doing the laundry in the corner of my room.  Or mopping the floors... hooray chore-filled Saturday!