Sights: Cape Town, South Africa

So, in this post, I talked about my first trip to South Africa in June 2016, when I visited Johannesburg and Cape Town. I only wrote about the first part of my trip in Jo'Burg and promised to follow up with a Cape Town post, but that ended up not happening. Plus the first time I went, it was for work and I really didn't see much outside of my hotel and the conference venue.

I'm working out of South Africa for the month of February, so last weekend I decided to do a proper, if short, Cape Town trip from Friday to Sunday and it was glorious.

Sights: Juba, South Sudan

I mentioned in my previous post, that I was blogging from South Sudan. Yup...I'm back in Malabo now, but even typing it is a little unreal. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined going to South Sudan of all places. But it happened, and it was definitely an experience.

Sights: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

I'm as surprised as you are that I'm blogging right now, because 30 minutes ago TWP hadn't crossed my mind in months. Right now I'm in bed, at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Juba, South Sudan. I'd opened up my laptop to make some notes for a meeting I have on Monday...and before I knew it I was typing www.thirdworldprofashional.com.

Sights: Johannesburg, South Africa

As I mentioned in my previous post, I spent last week in the South African cities of Johannesburg and Cape Town. Even though I was there for work and saw more of my hotel than the actual surroundings, it was still pretty memorable.

Catch-Up 11/06/16

I'm currently typing this somewhere above the Atlantic Ocean, between Europe and North America. 

My friend Mia of Miafarradaily has long since advocated trans-atlantic flights as the perfect period for introspection, writing and drinking lots of wine. My usual over 6 hour flight practice is eat, watch something, read, sleep....rinse and repeat. But today is a work day back home in Malabo and in between assuring clients I am not going to abandon them because I'm going on vacation and furiously responding to work e-mails that materialized overnight, I decided to blog as well.

Over the past week I have been in Johannesburg, Cape Town, Addis Ababa, Malabo, Frankfurt & Lagos (transit), and I am now headed to Los Angeles. That should give you an idea of why I'm currently wild-eyed, unable to sleep, watch another movie, or even read. I am so sleep deprived and running on pure adrenaline that I have turned into one of those crazy people who never switch off. I left Malabo yesterday at 8pm to arrive LA around 9pm today WAT, people at work must be wondering if I'm mad sending in-flight emails at 2pm instead of getting the rest I truly deserve.

I am well aware I haven't blogged in a month or so, as my regular Profashionals have come to understand, I take breaks from TWP periodically when certain aspects of my life become manic. As I work towards achieving a balance, slowly I come back to my little piece of internet real estate.

For the first month after I moved to EG, things were a bit slow, it was election period there and because I work primarily for the government not a lot was going on, so I kind of gradually eased into life there. Then at the beginning of May everything kind of exploded, work became CRAZY. I've been so used to in-house Counsel life and having just one un-demanding multinational client, that I'd completely forgotten what it was like to work for a law firm and have multiple clients expect you to ask "how high" when they tell you to jump. I literally wake up in the middle of the night to check if I have any emails because I am such a stickler for responding at the earliest possible convenience", which according to my boss means IMMEDIATELY!

The funny thing is, despite the ridiculously high stress levels, the lack of sleep, the staring at a screen constantly figuring out a way to solve someone's problems...I am happy.

I've never been one to shirk hard work but my current levels of discipline astound me. I can be terribly lazy and always ready to do tomorrow what I can do today, but working here has revealed something about me to myself that I certainly did not know. I've honestly become a workaholic and I was never one before. I took the pursuit of pleasure very seriously and sometimes I could get so involved in inconsequential nonsense DURING work hours that I'd neglect work, knowing I could catch up later, but not deeming it important enough to attend to just then.

But now I go DAYS without checking my social media because I have so much work to do I actually forget its there. I've never been the "checking up on friends" MVP but I have now deteriorated so badly that if I didn't have some of them in groups constantly talking amongst themselves I'd scarcely remember they existed. My poor mum has given up on trying to stay in touch with me and I recently forgot a very close friends birthday, which NEVER happens!

I even had to take a hiatus from Daks In The City because I just couldn't.

I'm not saying its a good thing, but I've never considered myself as one of those people who would prioritize work over personal relationships and its started to happen and its just SO WEIRD.

Now I just realized I've spent the past 7 paragraphs talking about work....FML.

Ok so besides work, what else has been happening?

Life in Malabo keeps going on at its unhurried pace. I've gathered a little tribe around me, and besides flashes of FOMO when I watch Lagos weekend snaps, I'm coping quite well.

I think my favourite thing about being out of Nigeria is that I haven't heard anything regarding marriage in over two months. In Nigeria, the pressure is ever present, all the "when are you calling us o", to "I can't wait to wear your aso-ebi", to "your womb don dey tey o" (lol, true story, someone said that to a friend of mine.)

Not a peep here.

Though I love my Lagos with a deep abiding passion, I will take peace of mind over the constant haranguing I get while I'm there, and stay away for as long as possible.

Like I mentioned earlier, I went to South Africa and left my heart there.The country is SO BEAUTIFUL, the people are SO LOVELY, everything is SO AFFORDABLE, the food is DIVINE, the wines are FANTASTIC. Honestly I am so washed by SA at this point. 

I've always had the slight Nigerian bias against SA, don't know why, I guess its a competition thing. Maybe I'm romanticizing it a bit, because I was only there for a week, for work, but visiting has completely changed my perspective and I'm fully prepared to pack up my 7 suitcases the day my boss says "go"!

Will blog more about it next week so you can see it through my eyes.

I also had to spend a night in Addis Ababa because Ethiopian Airlines don't care about no-one but themselves, and the contrast (for me), between the two cities was stark. I wanted to linger in South Africa but I couldn't wait to get out of Addis Ababa. I don't mean to offend anyone but the parts of the city I saw were so run-down, I couldn't believe it.

I only spent a day and a night there so I am aware I can't really make an informed assessment but I don't know how to explain it, it was just depressing. Right from the airport, all our spirits (my Team and I) sank, everywhere was just so dingy. Old Abyssinia has always been a romantic place for me, I've wanted to visit Ethiopia for ages. The history, the people, their stories, their leaders....its all been very fascinating for me, but seeing it in real life...not so much. Definitely not looking forward to going back.

Just basically checking in to say I'm alive, I'm well, I'm thriving and for the whole of next week while I'm in LA I will be kissing my ejima niece and nephew, eating loads, sleeping even more, catching up on my shows and hopefully....blogging.

Love and Light xx

p.s. Massive congrats to my egbon Noble and his gorgeous wife Chioma. Wish you guys a lifetime of friendship, happiness, children and prosperity.

DIY Denim

Repost From Daks In The City: Sights - Sipopo Island

Work Style

ASOS Dress

I've gotten a few requests asking to do a post on what I wear to work, I don't have time to take proper photos but I do have time for selfies :)

Re-post from Daks In The City - My Favourite Things About Malabo

Re-post from Daks In The City: Daks In A New City, Malabo

So two weeks ago when I wrote THIS POST reminescing about all things Lagos you probably won't have guessed it was a last hurrah of some sorts.

A week after that I moved to Malabo in Equatorial Guinea.

Not Guinea Bissau, not Papua New Guinea (I've gotten a lot of these recently), but Equatorial Guinea in Central Africa, which sits pretty, right on the Equator, hence the name.

view from my office...the Basile Mountain. You can see the mountain from almost every location in Malabo. Unlike the scam that is the Eiffel Tower that Hollywood has deceived us into thinking you can see from every balcony in Paris.

New Beginnings..again

Pop Caven Kingdom 'Lagos' Tee

Topshop ripped 'Jamie' jeans

Adidas Superstars

Caped Crusader

The Grove

M.I.A.

If you're following me on Snapchat or Instagram (@LoveTWP on both), I think it would have been pretty obvious this was my first time in Miami.

I posted A LOT. This was definitely one of my most fun vacations. 

Catch Up - 30/04/15

Is it really a proper catch-up sesh if what I'm posting about is almost a month old?

Don't know, don't care :)

Over the Easter break I decided to do a little visiting, started out in New York for a few days.

NEW YORK

Catch-Up 22/03/15

I have been very busy hunny *in Nene Leakes voice*, have hardly had a minute to myself.

This past week I......

Shot a Spice TV episode of their hit show 'Digital Diaries' recently. Digital Diaries is a show where the Spice TV cameras come into the life of a blogger/fashion personality, film the person in their workspace, going about blogging related activities and an interview.

Contrary to my somewhat extroverted personality on here, I am very shy and super awkward and I literally had anxiety the whole week leading up to when I had to shoot my episode. Luckily the crew and the interviewer; Pepper Okwesa were really great at making me comfortable talking to a camera. I honestly don't know how celebrities do it, I was a strung out mess by the time I was done, had to go to Sweet Kiwi to get a fro-yo to calm myself down.

Digital Diaries airs every Monday at 8pm WAT/9pm CAT on Spice TV Channel 192. Will give you guys a heads up when I know when my episode is airing, so follow me on Twitter and Instagram.

Attended an Inglot Nigeria event for the launch of their new AMC Cream Foundation which is specially formulated for the Nigerian woman.

It is beyond awesome how many international brands are launching in Nigeria, I'd never have believed it was possible before. I'm really glad the global market is beginning to recognize how much Nigerians contribute to the retail space and are bringing the goods to us rather than waiting for us to come to the US or UK.

It took place at the Inglot Store, at the Palms Mall Lekki and as I was still filming for Digital Diaries, the Spice TV crew went with me to the event and filmed me "attending". Chiiile I walked in there like I was filming The Real Housewives of Atlanta *can't tell me nuthin*

Took a super short trip

Attended a polo tournament which honestly isn't that significant but I was feeling myself and since I didn't take enough pictures to turn it into an actual blogpost it made it into my Catch-Up instead

Put this ridiculously sexist message on blast.

This message board is on view at the Domestic Airport in Lagos. Now I've passed by it hundreds of times and its always irked me but last week I actually stood still and read it properly and by the time I was done I was FUMING.

Just negodu...... "the MAN who flies it". 

They really put "man" in capital letters you know. 

Now someone suggested on my Instagram page (@LoveTWP) that they probably meant "man" in the context of a collective term for "human". I call BS because they were clearly astute enough to use "PEOPLE" when describing the ground staff so they definitely meant pilot as a male person.

Whoever works in Communications for MMA2 and Bi-Courtney really needs to examine their life choices because I'm sure they are men who have daughters and women working there as well and this discriminatory message was reviewed, edited, approved, blown up to 20 feet letters and placed in a conspicuous part of a very busy airport where thousands of people pass by everyday. People who will read and absorb its sexist message unconsciously.

Do better Nigeria, do better.

Sat in my super mum's office while she conducted an interview and tried to look busy

Attended the launch of Elizabeth Arden in Nigeria, another boon to the supernova that is becoming the Nigerian beauty market. Hoestly between the indigenous beauty brands and international ones I no longer have to buy my makeup in bulk like I do normally. 

Now waiting on Estee Lauder to launch because their pressed powder and foundation are amazing.

With my blogger buddies Yewande of She Loves The Finer Things, Stella of Stella's Addiction and Ezinne of Beauty In Lagos.


Love and light xx

Catch-Up

I feel like the past couple of months or so have just been a whirlwind.

First off, two of my closest friends got married and none of them had the decency to do it in Lagos, so from Anambra to London to Benin to Port-Harcourt, I've legged it all over the world to watch these girls become women.

Then it was #DaksDay again *cue clashing cymbals*, the absolute bestest day in the history of the world ever,  rolled by again and as yours truly is an unrepentant Lost Girl and will personally never grow up, I made a big deal over it (again) and made sure my friends were as involved as ever (again).

All in all I've had a pretty stressful few months and extreme lethargy combined with travel fatigue combined with hellish traffic combined with random bouts of frustration and above all the horrific inefficiency of my ISP, Swift (swift indeed *sidest of eyes*), have ensured that blogging stayed pretty much on the back burner. Right now I'm actually using my mobile hotspot to post this because Swift is on the fritz yet again. Please if anybody knows any half decent ISPs in Lagos, for the love of God let me know because I might just place a burning cross in front of the Swift HQ one day just to shake them up a bit.


Daks Day

This delish cake via my Soul Sister Molly. Since the day I met this girl, many many years ago during summer school she has bought me a cake every year on my birthday. No matter what country I'm in or she's in she makes sure I get a cake on my birthday.

I wrote on Instagram that I wear pink on my birthday every year, its no secret that my favorite color is pink but I don't really do pink clothes, just lots of pink accessories and a very pink room. So I'd wear a pink accessory or carry something pink around the whole day. Don't ask why just go with it.

This year, with the chutzpah brought on by old age I finally had the courage to go the whole hog and wear all pink.

This year was definitely more low-key than my usual birthday throw downs but I was surrounded by some of the people I love most, there was food, cake and a pink dress.....best day.




TWP Features

Interview in The Nation Newspaper

As a guest on Style 101 on Spice Tv Africa, Channel 192 on DSTV

On the Fashion Protege reality show on Africa Magic

Weddings

Because Nigerians like to marry and with all the gra gra surrounding the event; bridal showers, hen nights, traditional, registry and white weddings, you'd think I attended like 6 weddings in the past 3 months instead of just 2.

My QC roll dawg Nwabugo got married in London in June and and I gave up 3 of my precious leave days for her as per lovers and shit.

Not sure if I left my brain back at the office but somehow I forgot my camera at home and for this bit I'm relying solely on mobile phone pictures and photos I filched from Sisi Yemmie's blog.

She had a French themed bridal shower.....


.....and wore a Maggie Soterro dress looking like an absolute princess.

I'm all tough on the outside and melty on the inside and without fail I have cried at every single one of my friends weddings, but this one......my goodness. Bugo is a massive romantic and unlike me who is terribly ashamed of my love for the gooey stuff she lets her freak flag fly. So to say she brought it at this wedding is an understatement, the thing be like film.

Every moment brought waterworks, I kid you not. From walking down the aisle with her baby brother to her vows to their first dance......I bawled throughout.

See below for example, as caught out by Sisi Yemmie's unforgiving camera.

and I caught the bouquet.....

The world just won't let me be a grinch in peace.


Next up, my favorite month and the bride's birth month as well, July was all about my Gam Gam aka Iroghama.

This babe carried me from Benin to PH as she transitioned from a Bini girl to an Okrika wife.

You can just tell this post is full of stolen pictures....

My Gamma danced like there weren't a thousand people watching, gave me all I needed and more.

At this point she was possessed by the spirit of Patoranking

So yah...besides tons of NSFW, in fact Not Safe For Life pictures depicting extreme acts of debauchery, this is pretty much what I've been up to recently.

Love and light xx

This post is for MissIgho, Aunty_Nunu16, MissOHS, Tonicarlito and Gimbiya_xx.....the Blog Police.

Back......ugh!

Blogging right now, from my bed in Lagos, the symphony of generators in the background and the reality of work in the morning.

FML.

I don't know which is worse, not taking a vacation or taking a vacation and having to deal with the crash when you get home. The first day back is always the worst. Anyhoo, I've had my two weeks away from routine, traffic, heat and stress and I really can't complain. 

Compared to the lethargy of my first week in California, I was a ball of energy in my second week. That is where a ball of energy translates to sometimes getting out of bed and away from House of Cards to do a quick run to the nearest mall.

*sidebar* Who has finished House of Cards Season 2?? I'm still REELING from what I witnessed. This show is literally on speed, I have never seen so many WTF moments in my entire tv watching history. I need the Underwoods on my team because really no weapon fashioned against them shall prosper, these people are like gods. Frank is just ruthless, without conscience and deliciously evil, Claire is like Miranda Priestly if she decided to go into politics....but meaner. Their relationship is the most dysfunctional yet most loving union I have ever seen. In fact I'm not even sure they love each other, I think they just share the highest level of mutual respect and understanding. Listen...if you haven't seen House of Cards, I beg you, don't dull. Beg, borrow or torrent it because it is pretty much the best thing on tv right now.

*and for all you sophistiratchets out there, BBWLA is fire this season! The producers brought that heat! No dulling Govans, just loads of messy chicks with issues. Love it!*

A few days before I left, my brother aka Husband to the Husbandless, took his wife and I to see Cirque du Soleil; Totem....and it was SICK.

I mean I've seen trailers but nothing can compare to the real thing, sadly we weren't allowed to take pictures inside or I'd have thrilled you with some illegally downloaded acrobatics. I recently saw the movie 'Now You See Me' and I'm currently obsessed with magic shows or illusionists or just performance art in general. Cirque du Soleil literally thrilled my soul, you definitely have to see it before you die. Amazing stunts.

That weekend my friend Achenyo came to visit from New Hampshire.

We decided to play tourist and go down to Hollywood Boulevard which was as delightfully kooky as usual. I mean, check out this guy,

I indulged in a bit of street dancing,

Went by Shirley Temples prints at Grauman's Chinese Theatre,

met Robbie Laughlin from E!

he is so perf by the way, hair laid like Funky Dineva, face beat for the gods.....I live!


and ended my Hollywood excursion by going to the top of Mulholland Drive to get the best view of Los Angeles.






Good times :)

Topshop faux leather jacket; Peter Pilotto for Target top; Levi Jeans; Calvin Klein purse; Salvatore Ferragamo belt and Ralph Lauren sandals.

The next day, one of the greatest things to ever happen to me occurred.

I went to a theme park and it was EMPTY.

Not empty like some apocalyptic, end of the world type creepy scenario, but it was sufficiently scanty. I've only ever gone to theme parks in the summer and honestly the crowds are oppressive. When I tell you this day I went on every single ride twice I am not telling a lie. Every heart stopping, puke inducing, head pounding, hair whipping ride was thoroughly enjoyed by me. There were zero lines and the minute my ride landed and I hit the floor, I'd just double back to the front again.

*sigh*

Greatest. Day. Ever!

I love you Knott's Berry Farm!

 Things Nigerians Love (TNL) Jumpsuit. Get it HERE. I got it in black and blue above, yup...obsessed.

Now Sod's Law should dictate that my day could possibly not get any better right?

I mean its only fair.

Wrong.

Same day, later that night.....Achenyo and I went to a Lakers game.

Los Angeles Lakers v. Boston Celtics to be exact.

Now I'm personally not a sports person, I muster some enthusiasm for football but that's about it and the only thing I know about basketball are the players wives. But my brother got us tickets and before I knew it, I was walking into Staples Center all cazh like.

Obviously the minute I sat down I trained the my camera lens on the floor seats to see if a Basketball Wife might have made my day and dropped by.

I gt Floyd Mayweather instead and since I care even less about boxing than I do about basketball, I wasn't even the least bit flustered.

Funny thing though is apparently he brought two ladies with him, neither of whom were his fiancee and said fiancee resorted to shading them on twitter. The entire debacle was covered by Necole Bitchie and I was so blown to be right in the middle of a ratchet news story.

Now you remember I said I know bupkes about basketball so you can imagine my shock when I saw Kris Humphries aka Kris Kardashian roll up for the Celtics.

I legit nearly fell out of my seat.

Poor guy, LA is definitely not his town. Every time he touched the ball the crowd booed. I was like yo, this entire city is batting for Kim. It was hilarious and sad in equal doses.


The Lakers won, the crowd cheered and like a good follow follow I cheered along.

The next morning I was at LAX and stretched out comatose in my seat before you could say Vacation Over. I had an awesome, awesome restful holiday and a surprise awaited me in the form of airplane food. I got ribs, chicken, jollof rice and plantain.

Can you beat that? Someone at Delta definitely reads TWP and saw my previous rant. The jollof rice tasted like microwaved death but its progress no?

Yam chips, Dundun Supreme and Maltina next.....

Love and light xx