Before I begin, I want to give a big shout out to Bobiisha who painstakingly organizes our Posts and ensures all similar posts belong to a single thread and for ‘marching out’ 
posts that are unrelated and for taking time to inform us when these posts are taken out. Thank you.
I want to give a big shout out to SonnyNg for doing the same for us on the Ideas Exchange front…
I am seriously enjoying all these opportunities to learn, thanks for the opportunity.
My post today is going to make you travel without borders, make you go with me on one of the most beautiful journeys I have ever completed. My heart wandered there before my legs.
After I completed College in Nigeria, I began my search for schools to attend for further education. It was at this time I realized that the top ranked schools (universities and colleges) in the world were all in the United States of America! 
No other country stood a chance even when the rankings were not done in the U.S.A!
So, I decided to check up on their educational system and learn more about it, it was then I discovered that the foundation was a Liberal Arts Education. I read more about and it caught not just my attention but also my admiration and I began to feel like; going through College again to experience this “Liberal Arts Education”. I began taking tutorials in Nigeria for my exams in earnest.
The more I prepared for my examinations; SAT, TOEFL and GRE, the more I fell in Love with what I believed I was going to be getting myself into, I could not stop talking about the United States with her outstanding educational system that focused not so much on the development and your understanding of a course but on your development as a Human person and on how this understanding helps you develop yourself and make the world a better place.
My Father; like most other people especially those at the embassy (granting the visas) thought I just wanted an opportunity to leave home and settle in a foreign land but that was far from it! I just wanted an opportunity to better myself and to return home to better my country and ensure that people did not immediately turn up their face in a grimace each time Nigeria was mentioned 
THE TURNING POINT
As many of you may already know, Nigeria is a show-off country, it’s a constant battle between who drove the flashiest cars? had the latest iPhone? who lived in the poshest neighborhoods? who had the most flamboyant of parties? 
So, an opportunity to travel to the United States finally presented itself when one of our very close family friends decided to hold her 60th birthday aboard the Ruby Princess on a 7-day Sea Cruise to the Caribbean Islands.
My father insisted he must be accompanied by his daughter whose heart had wandered and who had wondered what the United States looked like!
He was determined to show me that there was nothing special about the United States and that; it was all but ‘hype’.
While we prepared to get my visa, I kept making him realize that I am not in anyway saying there is something special about the United States (of course there is) or that I needed to travel to the United States to totally be accepted into society, No! All I wanted was a United States education! He refused and decided I must come along much to my chagrin!
The details of my trip are cumbersome nevertheless exhilarating, however, I will leave that but will share with us ten things I learnt or ten cultures I imbibed from my visit to the United States.
TEN THINGS I IMBIBED DURING MY VISIT TO THE UNITED STATES
- Love/Honesty/Responsibility to the Human person: The first thing I noticed during my visit was; the people here actually cared -at the Phone store (Best Buy), there is someone willing enough to explain to a foreigner why you should buy an unlocked phone over a locked phone. At T-mobile, there is someone offering to explain to you what the best plan was for your stay. At the Malls, there was the Shop attendant willing to allow you use their phone if your battery went flat but you could remember the number of the person you were willing to reach. All the restrooms were painstakingly kept clean and everything was working! There were people willing at every corner to offer that extra help; at the Airports, at the malls, at the shops, etc. Many people I met did not say; “God bless you”, “Thank you Jesus” or “Alhamdullilah” but these people exhibited what godliness should be! How about in my country where there was a Church or mosque on every street corner? From this experience, I made up my mind, to show more of my Humanity than my religiosity, people should see my humanity more than my outward displays of religion
- Punctuality/Timeliness: I mean we arrived at the Richmond International Airport for a Domestic flight just 1 minute before the gates closed, it was still 15 minutes to flight time, and the attendant told us, we couldn’t board! We had missed the flight and that was final! How can someone be as punctual as!!! If you are still wondering where the phrase “African time” came from, please search Google and right now too! From this experience, I got to discover that; “keeping to time was a favor you did not just yourself but those around you”. Imagine that there was someone rushing off to meet up for a loved one’s convocation or a surgeon due to perform surgery elsewhere and they employed the “African time mentality”? Things will get ruined!
- Simplicity: Like I said, we are used to showing off in my country, I was a bit surprised, when I went to the bank and the banker was a sweater and a pair of jeans with hair loosely packed up!!! Have you been to a bank in Nigeria? Did you even see the way I used to dress before my visit to the United States?
I used a full “red carpet makeup” even while going to the market! I had my eye shadow, lipstick, mascara, etc on. From this experience, I realized that by dressing so simply, you are better able to focus on your work, get to work on time, be comfortable at work and finally avoid unnecessary breakout on the face. - Knowledge Seekers: Americans are knowledgeable because they ask questions, politely and in a straightforward manner too.I had this very long braids on and everyone was curious as to how it was done and how long it took! They asked me, and they asked many other questions. It all began with; “Excuse me ma’am, may I ask a question please?” Today, even If I was to meet President Donald Trump, I could walk up to him (if the security permits) to ask a question. How about the information system? Even in the Small African restaurant I had lunch with some friends in New York, there were signs all over the wall informing you that the food may contain certain nuts and if you had allergy to any of them, to not consume the food sold there. They not only sought information but they disseminated information and effectively too.
- Travel: The truth; you can have no knowledge, no real knowledge, if you do not travel, you must travel and get to know the world! By looking at just how many people were on board The Ruby Princess and how many were from North America,there was no gainsaying that; “Americans love to travel!” This was in the middle of February, yet, there were so many people. I stopped travelling the moment I started my business, because I felt I had to save up, but is this really enough reason to keep oneself locked up and not visit the world?
- Adaptation of difficult theories into real life situations: for so long, I never quite understood what the ‘Big Bang Theory’ was all about! Maybe because, my teachers were determined to ensure that I never disbelieved that; “In the beginning the earth was void and the Spirit of God hovered …” but will making me understand this simple theory challenge my belief? In fact, I struggled with Physics throughout High School! Upon visiting the “Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando” and partaking in the Ellen Degeneres Energy Adventure, I cried! I cannot even deny it! How can a country be so thoughtful?! So, all I was expected to do before now, was cram it and believe it, I never had the chance to even understand what it would be like. This was taken care of and properly too on an exciting ride that was less than one hour.
- Happy Place: I got to discover that the ‘United States’ is actually a happy place! There was something for everyone; Accessibility was top notch, I don’t think I found a place that did not have Wheel chair accessible parking or entrance in the 5 states i visited. I loved the concept of “eat all” dining, I can’t remember what it is called, you pay just $10 as an adult and you can eat as much as you want but cannot take anything out! How convenient?!
- Health Care: This was one of my best experiences. From the amazing and knowledgeable Nurse that came to pick me in a wheelchair, to the Doctor who was disturbed from sleep to attend to me, to the method of consultation, to the medicine I was given, to getting very well and fit the next day, to getting another test done the next day to “confirm the doctor’s prescription” was working, to getting discharged! It was a movie.
- Religious Center: I was opportune to attend Mass at The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. My cousin that lived just about 10 minutes away from this massive Basilica did not even know about it! She drove right past it to school everyday! Why? It was noiseless! Please come to Nigeria and see how we make a fuss, you can almost hear and see at every corner; “Christ is coming soon, repent” and how we mount Loud speakers outside our various religious centers, with each one competing on who will drown the other in noise. I got to discover that; God can be worshiped and without noise.
- Tolerance: From this one experience, I got to discover that, the basis of being humane is not by dominating others or ensuring that your voice be heard but by putting yourself in the place of the other. Thinking; “what if that was me?” I mean; aboard the ship which set sale from Fort Lauderdale, there were programs at sea for everyone; Youths Gathering, Children gathering, couples gathering, LGBT gathering, etc. Everything and everyone was catered to and left satisfied.
With a satisfied demeanor, I made up my mind and decided that; “the difference my country needs begins with me!”
Have you visited a place that has resonated with you so well, so much that it changed your life and your outlook on life forever?
Is your heart wandering, if given the opportunity, will your leg explore?
Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
. Cuando lo visite en 2017, solamente a San Francisco, me dejo sorprendido, pero creo que existen muchos lugares excelentes.
