Last
week, I went AWOL on these streets.
The
short story is that it was a crazy, busy week.
The
long story is that last week, I was a brand ambassador for a campaign to end
bullying in schools.
I
participated in the campaign for four straight days, and it was as exhilarating
as it was demanding. Hence: AWOL.
My
part in the campaign entailed interacting with and inviting individuals to lend
their voice to the campaign. On behalf of each person who added their voice, a
donation would be made to a foundation focused on ending bullying in schools.
(Why am I sharing? Keep reading)
See...
I had never really been subjected to school bullying as a child. Well... other
than the "seniority" complex expressed in Nigerian boarding secondary
schools by senior students, which juniors like me found innovative ways of
getting around them.
(But
that is gist for another day)
So
prior to this, my only understanding of bullying in North American schools was
through movies such as Mean Girls and One Tree Hill.
The
reality of the effect bullying had on people became apparent to me from this
exercise. A lot of the people who signed up shared their stories of how they
had been subjected to bullying when they were younger.
This
became personal for me.
By
the time my work in the campaign was done, bullying in schools stopped being
a pseudo-abstract thing for me. I learnt first-hand the need to decisively put
an end to this menace, especially with the “facelessness” of social media and
its abuse vide online bullying.
Asides
this immediate lesson I learnt from the campaign, my inner eyes were also
opened to something I'd been oblivious of.
This
campaign entailed interacting with total strangers, explaining this was purely
humanitarian cause and not a bid to sell some products, and getting people to
add their voice to the campaign. It entailed a lot of walking, and talking and
standing for 6-12 hours.
When
I started, it was all fun and games for me. Until the second hour in, and my
legs began to quake. Even though there were scheduled breaks... it was more physically
demanding than activities I had been used to in the past.
Then
there was the part of having to repeat the same message over and over, with
equal (and undiluted) enthusiasm.
And
the varied reactions to the gospel against bullying. From people happily
welcoming your message and signing up, to flicking you off with one look.
Like
a housefly.
Prior
to this experience, I'd always pride myself on being able to work long hours,
late into the morning.
But
at least, I'd be sitting down, working at my pace, and I did not have to talk
to absolute strangers every 30 seconds or so.
Right???
Maaaahhhn... this was something different, and hard. This made me to realise the
stuff that retail attendants, sales persons and even flight attendants go
through.
Maybe
due to my short-sight (or just the fear of turning into a tortoise when spoken
to by strangers, as a child growing on the streets of Lagos), I'd become
accustomed to basically ignoring people at a public place, even when trying to
get my attention for a product, service or a cause.
I
am was that person who would flick the person talking like a housefly
and walk right past. And on maybe one occasion or the other, I have in the past
been a tad bit impatient with attendants, who I deemed ‘wasted’ my time more
than necessary.
But
there was that day during the campaign when my body was screaming "I'm tired!!", yet, my mouth
had to keep preaching the message to end bullying all the while smiling.
And
it hit me how some of these attendants must be dropping dead-tired, yet, obliged
to keep providing services, while dealing with impatient strangers.
I
apologise in arrears for the times I have been the impatient stranger. (*insert crying face*)
Truth
is, the most of us go through life feeling that our circumstances is the most
difficult. But walk a mile in another's shoes, and you'd understand you just
may be living their dream life.
I
am happy for the exposure I gained during this very short campaign, and the
privilege to have viewed life from totally different pairs of lenses.
While
I am still not likely to be stopping for random strangers at Oshodi bridge (I
don't want to turn into a snail), I will empathise more and exhibit a little
more patience with others who have to interact with and provide services to
strangers daily, all the while standing or walking the whole (or most of) the
time.
I
have rocked those shoes, albeit for the shortest time. And I have nothing but
RESPECT for the ones who wear them.
Paz,
Meg.
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