Jill Rees: Welcome Press

But which way is this reversal? Protection or bad luck? Well my Buddhist practise has been very strong and I’ve been able to turn poison into medicine this week, the week of our first Soka Educators International Forum. How strange it has been to be staying with Stephanie, who started the SEIN forums as a response to Sensei’s declaration of the first ten years of this century being dedicated to a new educators model and the Earth Charter, reading the blog and then turning to discuss things with her in person!

Finally, as they weren’t taking the steps I judged had to be done in order to establish this as a British Curriculum School, I resigned, thinking they would turn down my resignation and agree to my proposal. Instead, they accepted my resignation.

A Nigerian person is now in charge. The teachers phoned me in tears, thanking me for their jobs and for all I had done for them, which was basically giving them confidence by introducing them to the value creating method and to trust their and the childrens’ capacity.

I got a bit fed up with everyone giving me Buddhist guidance to be proactive, as I had already arranged a meeting with the editor of the newspaper Leadership, who wanted an article from me as an expat. I gave them ‘Martin Guerre’ and they commissioned me for a column every Sunday. While at the school I felt unable to do this, as a headteacher is a public role and I felt there would be conflict. However this was just what I have been chanting for, to publish my articles.

Stephanie and I then decided to collaborate on a methodology triumvate for the establishment of the Earth Charter principles here in Nigeria Delta region, where they are trying to found child centred education. We are starting that now. She has already produced an Earth Charter Handbook, and is working on a Dialog skills book, so my part will be the education one. Strangely this has all come up on the SEIN blog this week too, including a very pertinent entry from a member in the SW who took a leading role in our Earth Charter exhibition.

Princess Omo then called with an appointment to meet her Senator friend who is on the committee of an NGO to establish child centred schools in the Delta Region, I’ll see him tomorrow. At any rate my plan is to return to write my thingy and apply for jobs here in January. It is much better to apply out of the country as you then get the benefits of being an expat, which should include housing, health insurance, air tickets etc. This is a hellish place, a muddy swamp, but apparently I understand Nigeria better than any other white person, according to the US Embassy. I’m just starting to find my way around too, and Africa is like malaria, it stays in your system.

Today we had the Buddhist meeting, and I had done my swashbuckling trust in the Gohonzon thing and promised to give a fantastic experience of victory this week. In yet another strange coincidence, Bob was on that very flight to Amsterdam, on his way to Washington to receive an award for economic development. Because I had promised the experience, and also was due to give the study lecture for the November exam, I felt bad about going. I changed my flight at the Sheraton.

The young man on the computer of KLM muttered and fumbled for an hour then declared that he’d accidentally voided my ticket. I nearly collapsed, but managed to smile confidently so he gathered himself and called for help. After another forty minutes of chaos, during which Stephanie called in - they had been at a UNESCO conference at the hotel on ……child centred education in the Delta region, see how it’s all coming together? - they managed to book my flight for later this week.

It is because I had the courage to stay on this week for the sake of the Lotus Sutra that I have been able to receive the benefits of the Senator and UNESCO, arranging my column with the newspaper, and working with Stephanie this week. Also I’m trying to get a bit of a tan. You avoid the sun here as much as you can, and there is no possibility of having a finer complexion than the locals to motivate you, so you stay the colour you arrive here with. I’ve also got Stephanie into swimming, which is good.

The Buddhist meeting was fine, with another guest and some members absent due to receiving benefits and awards and having to go collect them. I managed to do the study and incorporate my experience, and support local members. Then we had a meeting on developing the district, for which my experiences in Somerset were invaluable, as they are where we were three years ago I would say. After, we went to Southern Chicken where we had horrible food and coca cola. Finally, after more conversation on the Earth Charter, we went off with Jane next door in the diplomatic car to Salamanders cafe, which is showing art films now every Sunday. The film was a seventies film from Senegal, which I loved of course and enjoyed French Africa, oh civilisation, just hanging with Amboise made me realise how different the former French colonies are.

So the questions I would ask anyone who reads this post and would like to reply are, why is Nigeria so very horrible and corrupt? Is it the fault of the British rule? And why in the Delta region, where they are swimming in oil, are they among the poorest, least well-educated people in the world? That is the area where there are the kidnappings.

Finally, Kelly’s assessment, ‘Believe me, Jill, it’s only about money. Every decision in Nigeria is financial.’

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Hi, brr you’re making me cold.

My meeting at the school went very well yesterday because they accepted my resignation. They have employed a local Nigerian instead, which confirms my assessment that there was no will to seriously start a British school, so I’m glad to be out of it. I’m still waiting to be paid, but I have the laptop and school phones so they should turn up at some point to do a swop.

Meanwhile my friends Bob and Stephanie have invited me to stay in their enormous appartment in the US Embassy compound, so I am very safe, and when the school come to pay me they will be escorted up here by the guards!!!!!

We are having fun, Stephanie is writing a book on humanitarian dialogue for the Israelis to use with Palestine among other things, and we are working on an educational project. they are fellow buddhists, and we are setting up the SGI Nigeria study programme, which we’re planning to introduce at the SGI Nigeria AGM in the middle of November in Lagos. So I would like to stay November to see that through. Yesterday we had our study group on the Life of Nichiren Daishonin and I had to try to remember all the dates and place names. I remembered two. I wish everyone well in the UK who is currently working hard on the Study 1 Programme, and let’s give a thought to each others’ groups as we do so, so that we are all in unity.

Studying for this exam a few years ago with members in the UK is one of my most treasured memories, it was so hard remembering Japanese names and laughing together at our pronounciations and inability to memorise dates! Now I’m here it has become one of my most profound strengths, being able to see how Nichiren lived his life, faced difficulties and obstacles and never hesitated or showed any fear. I am battling and doing lots of daimoku to have this lifestate and have victory so that the members here can clearly see the power of the Gohonzon. also would be a good thing to practise strict Soka Gakkai International Nichiren Buddhism, rather than Garki district Abuja Buddhism which is slightly different (and doesn’t bring you to enlightenment).

We have been talking about the real purpose of this practise, which does bring us benefits but really is so we can develop our eternal life force, become enlightened, however you prefer to say it. The benefits come as protection from the universe as a result of our becoming totally in rhythm with the universe, or life itself, through chanting Nam Myoho Renge Kyo to the Gohonzon. Nevertheless, you still must have victory and that means action.

So when they agreed graciously to my resignation, I dried my tears - because it was still traumatic and painful even though it was my decision - and phoned a guy who ran the Leadership newspaper and had asked me to write an article about what it’s like to be a foreigner in Abuja.

We met yesterday morning and he commissioned me to write a column every Sunday for the newspaper which is highly respected here. I can write what I like. I’ve sent some articles to UK papers as well, and if I can make a bit of money that will be good. Otherwise I haven’t decided on my next move, will look at the jobs in January now I’ve got a breathing space.

I’m just off to swim in the pool and do a bit of reading. Best wishes to everyone and really I am interested in your news so please send me an email or post a blog.

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