A graduate at last

After 8 tough years of persistence, I finally have my first degree.

It has been a long rough road of ups and downs. I stumbled on rocks, fell on hard nails, got up, passed through difficult administrative bodies, but arrived at my targeted destination.

It all started 8 years ago back in Nigeria. In 2001-2002 academic season (started in 2002), I got my admission to study French Language in the department of Modern Languages, under Arts Faculty, University of Lagos. After series of lecturers' strikes (2003: 3 months, 2004: 7 months, and 2005: 5 months) demanding for salary increase from the federal government, I decided to go overseas to follow up my studies.

As a year 3 student in French Language, I opted for France. I applied for a French visa and found myself in France.

Arriving in France, I was told that my french was not sufficient to pursue a higher degree programme in french; that I needed to take a 1 year intensive french classes. I equally needed to go through a national French Language examination in order to test my level of comprehension of the language, written level, as well as the level of my oral french.

I passed through the stage of intensive language year and exams, got into the university to read law (in french language), but failed my 1st year (ofcourse. Why not?).

My first day in the amphitheater was 'Introduction to French law'. The overseeing lecturer made a joke in french. I did not know he said something untill I heard everyone laughing. Another anecdote was when we had a suprise test (general principles of french constitutional law). I did not understand that the lecturer was setting a test untill I turned around and saw people bringing out sheets of paper. Before I new it, she was already dictating.

The year went by and I saw myself coming back to do all over what I did the previous year. But this time around, I understood better. I ended the year with better grades (10/20 overall grade), and even had 16/20 in the constitutional law course, whereas I had 1/20 the previous year.

After my 2nd year in the law faculty of the 'Université de Droit et de la Santé Lille 2', I decided to follow up studies in the language I was born with, English ofcourse.

I went to (IAE) Institute d'Administration des Entreprises and read business administration. The programme allowed for 2 internships in an academic year. Such training periods are highly valued in companies. It enables one get direct company insight, add practical knowledge to ones' already acquired theoretical knowledge, offers career opportunities, as well as an individual follow up of students. All these are rare (if not lacking) in the universities.

I need to spare you dear readers of the ordeal I went through in the hands of some of my french lecturers who are not open minded with foreign students even in this 21st century. There attitude toward grading a foreign student who's 1st language is not french is a bit appalling. Every error in french was not tolerated, whereas, in the English language course I took, lecturers were always strict with me, claiming that English is my 1st language.

It was very saddening to know that I was not treated equally with my other classmates when it was a matter of English, but was told (in the courses taught in French) that when I become a lawyer, I will practice in french courts, and will defend my clients in French. For this reason, there should not be room for errors. I was even refused French/English dictionary in the exam.

Following these ordeals, I changed my orientation and went to a graduate management school, where I am now proud to write to you that I am finally a graduate.

I am very happy all the same that I went through such difficult time in the university. It added to my experience in life, developed my knowledge of the French legal system, increased my written and oral french (necessary to stand in front of a jury and defend clients!!!), gave me the courage to fight harder in order to have better gardes in my new school, and with my recent success, comforted my motto of never say die.

At the moment, I am proudly pursuing my post graduate degree programme in Paris. However, the level at which students are left behinde without assistance in the french university system should be put into consideration.

BP US oil spill: what about the people leaving in the Niger delta of Nigeria?

I do not intend to compare the tragic situation of oil spill in the US that is polluting and causing huge loss of livelyhood for people leaving in the affected areas, with that of oil spills elsewhere.

I only would love to highlight the fact on the rate at which BP is responding to the pressure mounted upon them by the USA government. See how much BP is trying to make amends, to these damages.

Everyone is concerned; world press is reporting daily on this issue. The question is, who is giving an ear to the cry of the people living in the Niger Delta area of Nigeria?

Oil companies in Nigeria do just as they wish with their numerous yearly oil spills, and leave people living in these areas virtually hopeless.

The web link below provide a glimps of what people in the Niger Delta of Nigeria are subjected to.

How long will this last? Have Nigerians not beared enough? Why is it that no one seem worried when these oil spills pollute our farm lands, our rivers, and render people in the underdeveloped countries hopeless and useless?

US, while you are making BP pay for their act, remember to fight for us too because, the world entirely only hears and respect when you talk.

http://petrole.blog.lemonde.fr/2010/06/05/nigeria-un-exxon-valdez-par-an-depuis-plus-dun-demi-siecle/

New school, new friends, greater challenges

I finally got into a selective business school in France as expected (even though I still have one tough semester to carry over in the law department of Lille 2), and I am very happy that I am doing well.

IAE Lille BBA classe 09/10

We are in exam period (scheduled to end next week thursday) and then, I'll be leaving for Paris where I'll spend 2 months 1/2 working in the biggest business district of Europe (La Défense), as a trainee in the french petroleum company Total. I hope to do well because I have this passion to work in a multinational company with good ethical considerations for the environment.

I feel blessed because I've got this set of lovely friends in my new school and with everyone around encouraging me, I feel fit to face the new challenges in front of me.

Like I did last year as a trainee in Schlumberger, I'll try to keep you posted. I really don't know the city very well (Paris) and that's why I would use this opportunity to become a parisian tourist like visiting the Versailles castle.

BBA group party

Still alive

Je sais que ça fait longtemps que je ne me suis pas approchée de mon blog pour communiquer avec vous; ne vous inquiétez pas trop car j'ai quelques expériences de mon voyage au States à partager avec vous.

On se verra tout de suite après mes examens (fin de cette semaine), qui m'ont beaucoup pris la tête. Mais bon, tout c'est bien passé, et j'espère bientôt intégrer une école de commerce. Je continue à me battre pour un bon niveau d'étude et je le fêterai avec vous mes chers amis de blogspot.

A très bientôt sur ce blog voyageur et aventurier!!!

Lille 3000

La fête de Lille vient de s'achever hier le 14 mars 2009; c'était génial comme d'habitude.

Moi et mes camarades nous sommes sorties profiter de la vie culturelle. Le thème de cette année était au coeur de l'Europe.

La parade était prévue pour 17h30 à la Grande Place mais elle n'a commencé qu'à 20h30. Un petit retard, mais qui valait la patience.

Il n'y a pas eu beaucoup de spectacles cette fois ci mais Lille est toujours à la hauteur. Des feux d'artifices étaient prévus pour la fin de la soirée, avec des musiques (disco), qui devaient durer toute la nuit mais nous sommes rentrées après les 20 munites de spectacle de feux d'artifices.

Bon, j'arrête mon discours et je vous montre mes image qui coupent le souffle.

British-Nigerian uncultured mix

Some readers may question why I am writing this. I equally have mix feelings but since blogging also has to do with personal diaries, it will be interesting to share not only good moments together, but also nasty situations.

I want to go back in time (a flash back). Back in 1998 while working in Lagos, I met a colleugue (although much older than I am), we became friends and both stopped working 2 years later.

She got married but we remained friends and stayed in touch.

At her wedding in 2001, I was supposed to be her maid of honor but she changed her mind overnight after I told her I wasn't going to buy another wedding dinner dress cause I already made one

But at the wedding, I still played the best friend's role like asking my younger sister to bring all her interesting songs. I even played the couple's special song and till today she doesn't know.

A few years later, I left for France with my husband and to follow up studies; my friend equally left for the UK with her husband some years later.

I learnt she was pregnant after 9 years of marriage. I was overwhelmed with joy and so I asked if I could pay her a visit when she puts to bed and she said: "of course Jenny, you are welcome to my house anytime."
I never bothered to go to UK because I love my life here in France with my sweet hubby and our lovely friends. I went and demanded for a visa, bought a ticket for Newcastle after having consulted her.

With a week student holidays, I headed out for the UK. Arriving at NCL airport and to my bewilderment, no one was there to pick me up as promised.

I called her on the phone and she told me that she utterly forgot, and asked me to pick up a taxi.
At 9pm (UK time), I got a taxi heading to the country side (17 miles from the airport). I arrived at the house only to find myself in front of a non existing address. Cold and hungry, I decided to get me something to eat.

She finally came with her husband Ian and took me to their new home.

At about 1/2 an hour, my friend went in labour; I offered to accompany them to the hospital but Ian rudely refused so I stayed back and worried myself to sleep as to my friend's condition.

In the morning while I was taking my bath, an old woman (in her early 60s) came in and announced to me that her brother demands I leave, that he would not want to meet me in his house.

I got dressed and inquired the how about of 'my friend'. The woman told me that my friend had her baby girl at 7.50am and is fine. So I asked her to say congratulations to her and picked up a taxi back to the airport.
I changed my flight (with extra charges), went to the centre of the city, got a room in a hotel (after 3 hours of search on a saturday evening), then got ready to leave, back to France where men know how to threat a woman, where men don't lord over their wives like they don't have a say, and that their opinions don't count.

Am not going to rule out making friends, but I'll try to make cultured, well educated, well travelled, enlightened and well exposed friends, who know what frienship means, who know how to regard people when they make efforts.

I might understand that Ian Blemings and his wife Eugenia Blemings (my so called friend) need space to savour the happy moment, but I think that they are too uncultured and not well travelled, to understand what courtesy and hospitality is all about.

2009 wishes

Happy new year and best wishes to everyone out there.

The year 2008 was a historic year around the globe. There was the famous food crisis experienced virtually by all and sundry, the wonderful historic move made by the United States of America in electing a "transformational figure" as the 44th president, sad terrorist attack that took the lives of many in India, transformational manner of protesting experienced in Thailand which kept tourists worried as to how they could leave the country given the fact that the airports were occupied by protesters, and finally, this terrible unforseen financial crisis that ushered us all into the year 2009.

Despite that the new year predicts tougher times ahead, I urge you all to be hopeful and all this will become history.

I am positive about this year 2009 because we have (I believe), competent leaders who are willing to put all relaible politics in place, to make this year a memorable one for us all.

Wishing you all a wonderful ride!!!!