... together ...

So, with the dearth of stuff to do in Lagos (actually, there's lots to do, but with plenty of restrictions), there is a lot of participation in school activities ... and in-community activities ... and more school activities ...

... like, soccer ...

... So, with my current job that gets me out of work by 4 every day, I get to participate in a lot of my kids' activities and stay involved. Yay!

Community in Need: A request

I am reaching out to you'all to see if you have clothes, toys, household items that you would like to donate - we will make sure that 100% of what is donated reaches the island's inhabitants and post regular feedback/pictures on our blog. We also need medicines, lots of it - malaria meds, antibiotics, pain meds (ibuprofen), and oral rehydration solution packets (in powder form).

After our first successful trip, we plan to "adopt" this island and help them out in the coming months and years.

So, if you do have 'clothes/soon-to-expire medicines/household stuff' that you wish to donate, please box them up and send them to:

Kris Arvind
8300 Lagos Place
Dulles, VA 20189

Just remember, you can NOT send liquids, aerosols, or batteries through the pouch; 

everything else in a standard-sized box (~20-30 lbs) is OK.

Thanks so much!

Kris, Prasanna, Om, & Hansin.

The few, the proud, the brave! - one of our marines with an island child.

A Community in Need

Wow, what a great day; after our usual half-day at the consulate on this Friday, and instead of heading off for drinks at the GQ, we headed out instead to this island barely 10 minutes away from Lagos. An island of (est.) 50,000 inhabitants - whose needs are numerous.

For instance, we learned from our RMO (who coordinated this whole trip) that they hadn't had any medical care/attention for the past 18 months; their only school is a building with 2 rooms and no supplies. So, off we went with our medical supplies and good cheer and spent 4 hours doing basic, primary care for the women, children, and men of Tamaro island.

I see a huge opportunity for our entire consulate community to get involved, provide very specific care & services to this community, and produce measurable results that benefit these island folk.

Stay tuned, since I will probably reach out to the greater (Foreign Service) community & beyond (to our friends worldwide) to see how we can all contribute and make a difference!

O da abọ!

An African Wedding

Loud music, dancing, "showering" the bride/groom with money ... African style.

Back in Time - summer in DC!

I am glad we took the time to visit many of the Capital's sights ...

Into Africa

Well, after all the excitement of A-100 (which is the entry training for the U.S. Foreign Service) and finding out we were headed to Lagos, and our brief, but exciting, trip to New York, it's been quite a hectic couple of months. We are finally settling down quite comfortably in our new home in Lagos. Life is busy, but this new job does give me/us some time in the evenings, and hopefully, we can update this blog with tales of our adventures in Africa. Thanks to all of you for your wishes; please do think of visiting West Africa (& Lagos) even if it is on your way to more exotic locales!