If someone told me before NYSC that I would serve in a remote village, I would have laughed. But NYSC said, “I will shock you.” 😭😂

I was posted to a remote village that had been without electricity for over 15 YEARS. Yes, 15! You heard me right. No light, no network (I remember going to a mountain to call home after days of lack of communication) and basically no “city girl” privileges. 😭

But that wasn’t even the beginning of my wahala, my PPA top the experience.

I got to my PPA and discovered that most of my students couldn’t communicate in English. Some spoke Hausa, and funnily enough, not all of them understood Hausa either! 😂 So imagine me trying to teach, and we were practically using English, Hausa, signs, facial expressions and the language of the Spirit. Infact I almost speak in tongue. 😭

Then one of the worse part, I came during farming season. And apparently, farming was more important than school, village people!!!😩. 😂 My students would disappear from school because they had gone to the farm. Sometimes, we had to literally go from house to house begging parents to send their children to school. Infact they we had to inform religious leader imam and their pastor to persuade parents in mosque and church to allow their children come to school.

As if that wasn’t enough, I was asked to teach from JSS1 all the way to SS3. Then they made me the SS2 class teacher too. At this point, I stopped asking questions. I just accepted that NYSC had chosen me for a special mission. To slave to death 😭😂

And the craziest part?!!!

Drumroll.....

I was the ONLY female corps member posted to that remote village.

Just me. One girl. In the middle of nowhere. Haaaa😭

No electricity for over 15 years, language barriers, farming season, students who sometimes refused to come to school, multiple classes to teach, and responsibilities piling up...

Wahala promax! 😂

But looking back, I wouldn't trade the experience.

NYSC taught me patience, resilience, leadership and, most importantly, that education is not just about standing in front of a classroom.

I remembered trying to courage my students to take their education seriously, guess what?! They told me that is it not the same education that brought me to the village. Make I pause here.

Sometimes, you learn a very big lessons in the craziest of places.

I went there as a corps member.

I left knowing they made an impact in me as much as I made an impact in them. ❤️

NYSC PPA: 10/10 experience. Would I do it again? Abeg, let's not discuss that part.