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Showing posts from October, 2018

THE MEANING OF BODY SHAMING: THE UNTOLD STORIES OF BODY SHAMING IN AFRICA

"She’s too tiny!” said the mother of six to my mom “do you think she has HIV?” my mom didn’t react to it. She ignored it but as a girl in my teens being referred to as one with this fatal illness just because I was skinny and allowing my genes to determine my weight and height, I felt not just terribly sad but also self-conscious. I made it a deal to avoid situations where food, body weight and heights were discussed. Sometime ago, a friend from my childhood posted on her timeline on Facebook, complaining about how someone said she was too fat and that she was not going to find a man for herself with that kind of body fat. It is a sad reality we all face and a negative menace that has been ingrained in our cultures especially in my country Nigeria. It is not unusual to be called Orobo and fatty bombom (if you are a bit chubby) and Lekpa (if you are slim). It has been a part of our everyday lives and people say those rash words without considering the other person’s feelin

ADVICE FOR TEENAGERS: THINGS I WISH I KNEW AS A TEENAGER

As a girl in my teens, I had tons of information and I was very curious about life and how to be a teenager. I sought advice from older people around me and also read books I could lay my hands on. Some of my questions were answered intelligently and they acted as compass that navigated my teenage years with ease. Others were left to be understood as I aged. I have learned with experience, how to be a teenager and I’d love to share them with you in ten bullet points. YOU HAVE ALL THE TIME: As a teenager, I noticed that apart from attending classes and running errands for my mom, I had all the time to myself. I was lucky to have loved books at an early age so I immersed myself in them. I’d advice you do the same as a teenager. Make books your friend, and savor every moment you have with your family because with time, you will not always have your loved ones with you at the same place all the time. LEARN TO BE ASSERTIVE: This is what I was privileged to learn from my str

HOW TO TIE HEAD WRAPS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS

Some people say head wraps are cultural while others say they are just a covering when one does not have time to take care of her hair. Well, those opinions may not be far from the truth BUT if you ask me, I would say that they are just trendy ways that never go out of fashion to adorn your hair and look exquisite. I love how versatile head wrappings are and how beautifully different one can look depending on the style you choose to tie your head wrap or turban .    I will be showing in the pictures below, some of the ways you can beautifully style your African head wraps and turbans to make you look gorgeous. Tell me which style you love the most or would love to try. Wondering how to achieve these looks? I have made a video for you. Just click on the link below to watch.๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿ‘‡๐Ÿ‘‡ As always, your comment is treasure to me.

NURSING STUDY ABROAD FOR FREE: NURSING IN FINLAND AND NIGERIA

I am very passionate about sharing my nursing experience with others. Having studied and practiced as a nurse in two continents, different cultural settings and nursed people in all levels of social class, age, and gender, I think a have a little wealth of knowledge to share with you. My main aim of writing of this blog is to provide some insights about the approach and mode of nursing in Finland and Nigeria. Nursing in both countries are a lot similar in that they have and follow the core values of nursing in practice. The nursing values like human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism and social justice are held high. Nevertheless, the University of applied science Jyvรคskylรค, in Finland and the Rivers state school of nursing, Nigeria have some differences in terms of how culture has influenced nursing, the expression of autonomy, the institutions where nursing can be studied, the use of technology and criteria for graduation. For a nursing student to be ready for g

YOUR SON IS LITTLE FOR HIS AGE! MY SPEECH: BLESSING OR CURSE?

With excitement and pride, I replied her question “he is six months old!” I suppose others waiting for the lift overheard our discussion. I could not believe the next sentence I heard from a fellow mother. In a boastful way, she said “oh! he’s so little for his age, when my daughter was his age, she was bigger and fatter” As I would intentionally reply in situations like this, I had my proactive stance at my fingertips and I quickly replied “You know, all children are unique and have their developmental milestones”  Just the day before this incident, my son and I had gone for the usual check-up every child attends and we were told that this growth is optimal. I got home feeling rather amazed and pitiful for the young mother. Sometimes, we reckon we are fully mature to dish out instructions on how others  especially our kids  should behave. With the ten months of having the privilege to be a mom, I have grown and learned much more from my son than I have taught him. That si