ktravula – a travelogue!

Help!

Hey blog folks.

How are you doing?

I have missed you. Well, I haven’t technically left, so what exactly could that mean? In any case, I have actually been enjoying my time here at home. And that’s why you haven’t heard too many complaints.

There are no mosquitoes here. (I think that Lagos has patented their presence 🙂 ) Heat is bearable, sometimes. But yesterday while it was about 85 degrees Fahrenheit here in Ibadan, I heard that it was almost 90 in Edwardsville. See? I can’t complain. I still miss it though. Edwardsville, I mean.

Now however, I have just found out that I now have more time on my hands than I originally bargained for. No classes to teach in the morning/afternoon. No Chris to hang out with in the evenings, or Catherine to disturb in the department. No youtube videos to make, and no bicycles to ride. Well, I still have that stack of outstanding translation works to do. But that’s too boring. What else should I do with this time?

All comments welcome! 🙂

And have a nice week.

PS: On June 3, I will be speaking to a group of new departing Fulbright FLTAs at the US Consulate in Lagos. I’ve been invited as a “resource person” by the Consulate. I wonder if what I can tell those nervous grantees about the experience can ever be exhaustive at a three hour lunch meeting. But try I will.

Help! was published on May 24th, 2010, with the tags , , , , under the Soliloquy category. There are currently 1 comment on this article so far.

Food

Alright, I’ve searched the calendars of all major religions of the world and found that no one is supposed to be fasting right now, so here is one of the major food pictures I’ve taken in the last couple of days. Salivate, then go make your own dinner.

Happy Sunday, and don’t forget to remember those who haven’t eaten.

PS: This post was supposed to have pictures of plenty food, including the very soft pounded yam I had a few hours ago. But my internet is really really not cooperating. What can I do?

Food was published on May 23rd, 2010, with the tags , under the Observations category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.

African Roar on Amazon

The new anthology of short stories from Africa titled “African Roar” is now available to buy on Amazon and the Lion Press UK website (for those in the UK).

My short story “Behind the Door” is one of the eleven stories that made the cut of this maiden edition.


African Roar on Amazon was published on May 23rd, 2010, with the tags , , , , under the Art category. There are currently no comments on this article so far.

Eighteen Bottles

dedicated to the University of Ibadan staff club…

_________________________________

I had eighteen bottles of whiskey in my cellar and was told by my wife to empty the contents of each and every bottle down the sink, or else…

I said I would and proceeded with the unpleasant task. I withdrew the cork from the first bottle and poured the contents down the sink with the exception of one glass, which I drank.

I then withdrew thecork from the second bottle and did likewise with it, with the exception of one glass, which I drank.

I then withdrew the cork from the third bottle and poured the whiskey down the sink which I drank.

I pulled the cork from the fourth bottle down the sink and poured the bottle down the glass, which I drank.

I pulled the bottle from the cork of the next and drank one sink out of it, and threw the rest down the glass. I pulled the sink out of the next glass and poured the cork down the bottle. Then I corked the sink with the glass, bottled the drink and drank the pour. When I had everything emptied, I steadied the house with one hand, counted the glasses, corks, bottles, and sinks with the other, which were twenty-nine, and as the houses came by I counted them again, and finally I had all the houses in one bottle, which I drank.

I’m not under the affluence of incohol as some thinkle peep I am. I’m not half as thunk as you might drink.

I fool so feelish I don’t know who is me, and the drunker I stand here, the longer I get.

____________________

Culled.

Photo used by permission.

Eighteen Bottles was published on May 21st, 2010, with the tags , , , , , under the Fun category. There are currently 2 comments on this article so far.

My University

At my alma mater, the University of Ibadan, earlier today…

Unfortunately, my internet is too slow at the moment for me to be able to put up more photos as I’d have wished.

UI, as we fondly call it, was established in 1948 as an outpost of the University of London. It became Nigeria’s first (and as we like to call it – best) university. It has produced Africa’s first Nobel Laureate (Wole Soyinka, author of Death and the King’s Horseman among several works) and many other giants in other areas of life. Chinua Achebe, the author of Things Fall Apart was also an alumnus of the University of Ibadan.

Walking though the campus brought back some good memories of the times we spent there. There are now some visible changes on the campus – a statue in front of Queen Elizabeth Hall, a fountain around Alumni Centre and a few other road construction work all around. The administration has been very busy.

My University was published on May 20th, 2010, with the tags , , , , , under the Academic, Observations category. There are currently 5 comments on this article so far.