Thanksgiving is not a holiday in Nigeria. Though, many churches across the country celebrate Thanksgiving Sundays – special days when people dress up in their best and most colorful outfits and bring exceptional thanksgiving offerings (money) to church. So, what did I do on November 24? Thanks to my globally-minded friends, I was able to commemorate the US holiday in Nigeria.
I spent the day attending the final sessions of the WIN (Women’s International Networking) conference in Abuja. This was the first time the event was being held in Africa, and it brought together women from around the world to discuss the theme of women “Leading the Way.” (I will share more about the conference in my fourth ICWA newsletter).
In the evening, I participated in a three hour “Sparkle Effect Masterclass,” a workshop designed to help women make their voices heard through social media platforms. Two Nigerian women facilitated the workshop: the reigning “African Queen of Livestreaming” on the social media platform called Periscope and a Confidence & Peak Performance Coach. The workshop ended with a dinner, which I considered my Thanksgiving dinner. We feasted on delicious Nigerian delicacies, which included fried rice, jollof rice, salad, roasted fish, fried chicken and plantains (as pictured on the right). No Turkey was hurt.
I am thankful for my health, my family, my ICWA community, and for new friends and community in Nigeria.