Over the Veteran's Day weekend my family got together to celebrate my sister and brother-in-law's second wedding anniversary (+ 10 years together). We made the trip down to Baltimore, the event was in Bethesda, amid tantrums and bathroom breaks. CC got to met her Great Aunt Clara for the first time, so it was well worth the travel drama. I was super excited to finally fit a dress I purchased three years ago from Forever 21. I'm now down to 140 pounds. I gave myself nine months to loose the baby weight and through discipline I did it in six months. Nursing helped tremendously. Because I am nursing and don't want to continue to take a multi-vitamin daily (my life is already chaotic don't need to add a pill in the mix), I eat very wholesome, organic foods. I fall off the wagon one a week and have to have a slice of pizza or some baked ciabatta bread dipped in olive oil.
Always ready to take a pictures, SJ and I took several selfies in the bathroom mirror.
" African Time" or Selective Punctuality?
African time (or Africa time) is the perceived cultural tendency, in most parts of Africa, toward a more relaxed attitude to time . This is sometimes used in a pejorative sense, about tardiness in appointments, meetings and events.[1] This also includes the more leisurely, relaxed, and less rigorously-scheduled lifestyle found in African countries, especially as opposed to the more clock-bound pace of daily life in Western countries.[2] As such it is similar to time orientations in some other non-Western culture regions. {Source: Wikipedia}
It is well known (among Nigerians/Africans) that the invitation card of a typical Nigerian event (be it wedding, conference, meeting, fund raising or party) normally starts very late. It is common to witness a Saturday event, scheduled for "9:00 p.m. prompt," starting with the calling of Drs., Sirs, Chiefs, Alhajis, etc., to the "High Table," around 12:30 a.m., the next day, Sunday, especially among Nigerians in Houston. Consequently, a meeting that will take two hours ends up taking half a day or more. We are now familiar with the first opening remarks by the MC/Moderator, which goes like this: "Good evening or Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. We are running a little bit late; please bear with us". {Source here}
My sister married into an African family and it was been a bit of a culture shock for her (and the rest of our family for that matter). Primarily the manner in which her African family regard time. During the planning of her party we were vexed with her MIL's insistence of taking care of the catering. We felt it would be disorganized and completely not an effective management of time. Indeed it was. The party began at 7pm. Family members were bringing in food up until 8:45pm, this resulted in the buffet table not being completely set for dinner until 9:00 pm. Being the planner I am I took offensive to the lack of regard to hungry bellies and the non-Africans in attendance (i.e., people not used to waiting three hours to eat dinner). To make a long story show I complained and "offended" people, however soon after my diatribe the food was ready.
