Anambra is the Light Of the nation... named that way because...I really don't know why really.

It has a population of over 4 million people and 95% of the people here communicate with Igbo. Which is annoying if you are an outsider who just wants to get by.

In this post I will be telling you about all the annoying things that have happened to me during my stay here in the remarkably Igbo land.

I'm an intern doctor so most of these stories will be in the hospital settings where I live and work.

The first one that happened was the moment I got here...its not so much funny as it was observatory.

When I got here the lady at a cyber cafè was speaking Igbo for the most basic tasks...I thought it would stop there.

Then I found out she did this for things like delete and photocopy she preferred saying it in Igbo.

Note, its not like she didn't understand English she just preferred Igbo and would not speak English even if she understood me perfectly well.

My friend came to the cyber cafè. She's Igbo (from Imo state) and suggested that I say "Anam asi igbo" (meaning I don't speak Igbo) whenever anyone spoke Igbo.

The next time it was when I first spoke with another doctor who was looking for me to give me a consult letter.

He just started the call and was ranting in Igbo. I was hoping he'd get tired and just switch back to English...but he didn't.

That was when I had to use my super power.

Anam asi Igbo!

He then said, "ehn!!"

It was then I realised I wasn't saying it right.

Then I said I don't speak Igbo.

The next happened on the same day after work hours (cause I was on call duty on my first day: lucky me)

A man had gotten shot on the abdomen and needed to be seen by the general surgery team on call.

He was on the gorney to be wheeled out for surgery and so was some other guy with a big injury on his eye.

For all I thought he might have been dead. So, I didn't have much to think about the guy except feeling sorry for him and his family.

So everyone empties the room and I'm left monitoring the guy with the gunshot injury on his abdomen when all of a sudden the guy with the injured eye gets up WWE's Undertaker style and says,

"Yem biko mmeri"

That's give me water.

In my mind I'm like "Jesus Jesus Jesus zombie apocalypse"

But I'm calm like nothing happened.

So I say "hmmn" because I didn't hear what he said over all that fear I was experiencing.

He says "so you dey Igbo land and you don't know mmeri?"

Expressing his amusement over the fact that I don't know "water" in Igbo.

Then he started to laugh at me.

In my mind I'm like...you have an injury on your eye...surely your life can't be that better than mine cause I don't know igbo.

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As it turns out I think I've used "hmmmn" more times that "Anam asi igbo".

Its all good.

Hope you enjoyed reading this!!!

PEACE