Stirring up a little Wahala with the Bubas

Today I visited the American Consulate to get more pages in my passport. Lagos is no longer the capital of Nigeria because the government got fed up with all the city's problems. Instead of trying to fix Lagos, they just moved to Abuja....you know the "out of sight out of mind" approach.

I took a book thinking that this could take at least 45 minutes. Four hours later, I'm still sitting in the waiting room. I'm the only oyibo (white person, means "no skin") and well let's face it....after a month of being "the madame", I am not amused.

The first hour was actually entertaining watching the crowds line up for US visas. The parade of colorful attire and head wraps put me in a happy mood...Nigerians can make anything a party. Grannies and and Grampas in matching bubas clutching giant photo albums made me laugh and wish that the marines hadn't confiscated my camera. If I was in charge, I would have let all these bright people in.

I'm still hopeful at this point. This is the American Consulate...surely this process will be organized and American-like. After 3 hours, I finally am handed the form to fill out and told that it will be another hour. After the hour is up I am told the printer is broken and I have to come back. Now I'm really ready to create a little "wahala" (trouble). I tell them to try again. Eventually the pages were printed and no one got hurt.

TIAA (this is American Africa)

Update: I was telling my fellow Madames of my unpleasant experiences at the US Consulate and they all just shook their head. I was then told that no one goes to the Consulate themselves. That is what your driver is for!!!!! He does all the waiting and deals with that for you while you sit on the veranda and eat bon bons. Now they tell me!!!! This is why there needs to be a Madame Manual.