O-t-o-n-d--o! How sweet it now sounds in my mouth

Perhaps, the first thing you have to learn is to get used to being called "Otondo". It is not an abusive word like so many people think...someone once told me that it is the yoruba name for white fowl. If so be the case, you can guess it applies to you since you'd be on white for the next three weeks. So, just give an angelic smile when someone calls you by that name and don't take offense.


Ehen, so I was an otondo earlier this year, and yes, I have acquired enough experience to put me in the place of senior corper...lol.

You're probably packing your bags by now, ready to leave for the Batch B orientation camp tomorrow. The first thing you should note is that you don't need excessive luggage...cut down on mufti cloths and jewellery, shoes and bags a whole lot because you will not even be allowed to wear them. Instead, buy more of your white vests, shorts, socks and snickers. It won't be a bad idea to have as many as possible for each day of the week, depending of course on your pocket. But buy at least two each to augment those you'd be given in camp. Chances are that you'd never have a perfect fit from those, so prepare for that.

Some things just are unneccessary, for instace, a bucket. You can always get that at the Maami market. Travel light as much as possible...if you think your provisions will make your bag heavy, you can also decide to cut down on those and buy the rest of what you need at the Maami market...it would be a little more expensive of course, but you'd be saving yourself a lot of stress.

A mosquito net is very important.

Likewise a phone with a good battery life. You'd be charging your phone with N5O at Maami (there are usually no sockets in the rooms) and apart from the cost of having to charge so often, you'd also be unreachable since your phone will be switched off while it' charging.

Taking along your Iphone, Ipad, Tablet etc. is what I call Irisk!

How much is exactly right to take to camp? Calculate your transport fare to and fro (make room for a rise in the fare)...calculate how much it will cost you to feed yourself (forget about the kitchen food now, chances are that you won't like it) morning, afternoon and night. Calculate the amounts for charging your phone and buying recharge cards. You'd most likely be amending your khakhi; it costs N600 to do that. You'd also be snapping a lot of pictures.The amount you arrive at will give you a fair idea of how much to take along. Remember, most orientation camps don't have ATM machines, so you may not be able to withdraw cash. Also, you may not be coming home immediately after camp.

If you have a good camera, take it along. It will save you the cost of snapping pictures and will ensure that your moments on camp are well captured.

Camp is stressful, so stressful you'd begin to wonder why everyone says it is fun...I guess you'd just have to make it fun for yourself by making friends, being yourself, participating in the activities, obeying the rules and not hating the soldiers.Simply count it all joy when you have to do things according to camp time-table against your better judgement.

Ensure that your orientation about unity, religious tolerance, ethnic harmony and other national issues are truly fine-tuned....otherwise you'd just have wasted your time. Why? It's an orientation camp!

http://www.tutubranch.com/2013/06/letter-to-otondo-preparing-for-nysc.html