1st May 2013

Dear diary,
Today started on a really beautiful note, I got the result of some tests that I had done back and I am so glad everything is normal, such a beautiful way to start the new month right?
So I had to do a blood sugar test first, apparently they saw too much sugar in my urine and the had to do a blood sugar test to make sure I am not diabetic, thankfully I am not. But i take it as a sign that I have to reduce my sugar intake not only because I am trying to lose weight but because I have to start taking care of myself better, this is the second time I have had to run this test in the last one year, if that is not a wake up call I wonder what is. If the fear of diabetes is not enough, then the fear of that needle that had to sit in my hand for what seemed like five minutes and the amount  of blod the had to take from me is enough to stop my sugar intake.
The second test I had to take was a HIV test, it has been a year and two months since I broke up with my ex, I have handed in my dissertation, so I have been thinking a lot of the next chapter in my life. I have given thoughts to starting a relationship, and I decided that before I started one I had to be sure of my status. Anyway so I went for an HIV test again and Mr needle had to come out again, anyway unlike in Nigeria where you get your result on the same day, this oyibo people and their funny ways, you have to wait a week and if you don't hear from them then you are ok. Worst one week of my life, coupled with the fact that I had to hand in my dissertation that same week, I was a mess basically, thankfully I was already done wit the dissertation. Anyway a week passed and didn't hear from them, good news right, not for me oh, I had to hear it from the doctor's lips that I was ok. So i rang the clinic up early this morning and the doctor gave me the good news herself.
Its my last day in Cambridge, while I am homesick, I am definitely going to miss my friends, Freda, Musho, Randy and Amina. Freda is a Ghanian and she is about to marry her "boo-boo", who is British, so seeing her is gonna be tougher than seeing Amina, Randy and Musho who are Nigerians. So I am torn between staying out my Visa till September and going home, but I have a lot of dreams that I can only pursue at home, so I am heading home.
Spent the rest of the day at the library, the went over to see Freda and Randy with my sister, after which we went home to go pack my stuff. I am leaving Cambridge tomorrow so it is officially my last night here.
Lesson of the day:
Instead of just sitting around worrying and being scared of if you are healthy or not, take the bold step of seeing a Dr, I read about a girl who had already confirmed herself HIV positive without even smelling the gate of a hospital. Don't put yourself through such pain and risk, she began living a promiscuos life because she assumed she already had the killer disease. Take the test and leave the rest to God, i did, at some point during the period that i had to wait, i started asking God for courage to live with whatever the result was. I am glad everything turned out ok, but if the didn't, I knew I had God on my team.

Love always,
Iphie

2nd May 2013

Dear Diary,
Today I left cambridge for good. I would definitely miss that town, I have lived there for the past year and four months.
This last year has seen me grow in all aspects of my life, I ended a relationship within this last year but I earned an LLM and really good friends. It has seen me grow spiritually, it has seen me fall spiritually, it has seen me pick myself up spiritually! It has seen me develop as a person, it has seen me transform from a girl to a woman, it has helped me develop my own personality and has helped me discover things about myself that I never knew were in me.
While there are some memories that I would like to leave in Cambridge, like my horrible house and the even more horrible agents, Best Let Cambridge (never use their service, very unprofessional), Cambridge would forever hold a special place in my heart, after all it is the birth place of http://abjlovingabujaliving.blogspot.co.uk/. I would miss Cambridge, but it is time for me to go home, I am surprised I didn't shed a single tear.
Spending the night at my sister's house in Chelmsford, done packing, Heathrow here I come.
Love always,
Iphie

Life as a blogger

So I started 3 other blogs before my www.abjlovingabujaliving.blogspot.co.uk blog started making a headway. I got thinking recently and asked myself why i had to have three other blogs before i finally started one that seemed like it was heading towards success, I hope it eventually becomes a force to be reckoned with in the blog world.

I finally realised why it did not work out with the other blogs!!!! I was trying to be what i was not. I was moulding myself to what was expected of blogs in Nigeria. I was trying so hard to copy other bloggers, to tow the line of other successful blogs. I was lying to myself. Until i found what i was really passionate about, my various blogs were going to continue to be failures. I don't like being different so I guess i tried to do what everybody was doing.

I finally found my voice, i found what i loved doing, i found what i was passionate about, i found what i loved the most, Nigeria, i found my voice and so i let myself fly. Writing the blog www.abjlovingabujaliving.blogspot.co.uk, for the past six months have been fun, I love to see and hear the pride in the eyes and voices of my family and friends, especially my parents. I wake up every morning with a purpose and with a burning passion, I guess i finally found my calling. I am glad my passion took its time to get to me, who knows what would have happened if it got here before time. This might come out as weird, but my blog changed my life and I am happy I started it.

My name is Iphie Obiechina and I am a blogger.

Goodnight superstar

Dear diary,
Happy Sunday, but I am really sad today sha.
Have you heard, Whitney Huston is dead!!!!! She was just 48, she was found dead in her hotel room a night before the Grammy awards. So sad.. Just as she was taking control of her life.
Rest in peace Whitney, the world would definitely miss your voice, you were one in a million.
Love always,
Almost famous

Mrs Otono

Dear Diary,
Have you seen this, Luclay asked Karen to marry him. Hmmm, who would have thought. But wait oh I thought otono has a girlfriend, the one he didn't allow us to hear word about. I hear its a joke sha, but what an expensive joke sha.
Anyway I wish them luck.
Love always,
Almost famous.

School ish

Dear diary,
Today I have my first presentation before an audience.
This is the first time I would present before anyone. Funny enough I am not even nervous, for some reason I think I should be nervous or even scared but I am not. Maybe its because its a small amount of people I am talking before.
Case of the nerves or not, wish me luck.
Love always,
Almost famous

Onitsha youth turn on Northern traders

Dear diary,
Did you hear about the fighting in Onitsha.
So apparently, they were burying some of the igbo trader that were killed in the north by suspected Boko haram members.
The youths in Onitsha were apparently angered by the fact that the Northern traders in Onitsha didn't respect that and atleast stop business for just that day. So they turned on them and started beating and injuring them. A lot of the Northern traders have taken refuge in an Asaba police station where they are being treated.
Lord help us in Nigeria oh.
Love always,
Almost famous