ehn seun, thats true, but what about we non-westerners that also pay taxes and have to feed ourselves too? you dont see us moping around looking depressed and stuff. what would you say about that?
being the nigerian that i am, i try to make the best of every situation i'm in, even when im deadbeat broke and have a thousand problems on my mind, i still make out time to acknowlegde the people around me. being cold won't solve any problems. westerners need to like seriously lighten up

Seun:

It's not the American's fault. They are too busy thinking about how they will pay their taxes and eat.

soulpatrol:

ehn seun, thats true, but what about we non-westerners that also pay taxes and have to feed ourselves too? you don't see us moping around looking depressed and stuff. what would you say about that?
being the nigerian that i am, i try to make the best of every situation i'm in, even when im deadbeat broke and have a thousand problems on my mind, i still make out time to acknowlegde the people around me. being cold won't solve any problems. westerners need to like seriously lighten up

Well, as Nigerians, we are used to "suffering and smiling"

Ok, I guess it's ridiculous to blame a country's culture on taxes.

Seun:

It's not the American's fault. They are too busy thinking about how they will pay their taxes and eat.

eat is the last thing an American has to worry about. As for taxes, it gets taken out of ur pay check directly so u dont even notice u are paying it.
What of the Nigerian who has to worry about school, health services, no jobs, NEPA, bad roads, VAT, no gas, religious riots e.t.c.? At least we still manage to put a smile on our faces.

abi o. if there's anyone that should be stressed out, its us. even when they treat us like second-class citizens, we dont carry the burden on our shoulders. i guess we're just resilient, happy-go-lucky people they should borrow a leaf from us and the rest of the world.

I think Nigerians are maybe the most sociable people in the world. More research needed!!

With our culture of endless owanbe parties at the weekends, every small excuse to hold a party- naming ceremonies, birthdays, weddings, burials etc, of course we will be sociable. And in some places, it is sacrilege not to invite the neighbours.

@ seun

u mean pay their BILLS? it is all about bills bills bills, food is not the problem

Even during salah u are sure of some ram meat from the neighbour u have never even met.

davidylan:

Even during salah u are sure of some ram meat from the neighbour u have never even met.

That's right. Not to even mention Christmas and New Year seasons.

Come to think of it, Nigeria seems to have more holidays than most countries. We celebrate most public occasions like labour day, election day, and other random holidays the government thinks up. lol

i know, right? on christmas day here, if you like wait from morning to nite for the neighbours to bring you something, na lie, nothing o! unless they've known you for a long time. wow, i never really appreciated our culture till now sha. during sallah/christmas, its cstomary to share the meat among the neighbours, no matter how bad/crazy they are. and the good ones even give you a little somtin somtin (sallah/christmas money) just in the holiday spirit.

Here during christmas and thanksgiving everyone runs off to be with "family".

Sometimes i feel a certain and unexplainable revulsion when i see people fretting over christmas gifts to buy for family, friends and colleagues. The same people we treat as if they don't exist for the remaining 364 days of the yr!! 

Many Nigerians doo not exchange gifts perhaps no thanks to the financial conditions but these are times when i begin to realise that a friendly word, a friendly smile, a heart that truly cares is worth 1000 times the silly box of chocolates u give me during christmas!
My best friends and i probably never exchanged any christmas gifts in the 5 yrs we knew each other; we didnt need to, our presence was all the gift we needed.

davidylan:


Many Nigerians doo not exchange gifts perhaps no thanks to the financial conditions but these are times when i begin to realise that a friendly word, a friendly smile, a heart that truly cares is worth 1000 times the silly box of chocolates u give me during christmas!
My best friends and i probably never exchanged any christmas gifts in the 5 years we knew each other; we didnt need to, our presence was all the gift we needed.

Try not to do that with Nigerians in Nigeria. You may not come out of the "debacle" with any credibility left.

true. food and tax is not the problem. prices don't go up anyhow and tax, you don't even know they take it from your pay. also people don't worry about tax because most will get refund back the coming year. 

i just think it's the way they are brought up. be an INDIVIDUAL. you are on your OWN. the BILLS too is something else. it's unending and perhaps that's what's on their mind 

many of them have something (nothing) on their mind.

i read of a guy who was greeted and his response was ''who told you my morning was good'' lol



it's sad that some Africans come here and act the same.

omoge:

i read of a guy who was greeted and his response was ''who told you my morning was good'' lol



it's sad that some Africans come here and act the same.

yeah, the attititude definitely rubs off on us after a while.

it's sad that some Africans come here and act the same.

wel if you keep greeting people everyday without gettin a response you have to be do the same.
just dont take it personal.

when you start chatting with your neighbour thats when they'll ask you for all sort of favours, like looking after their dog while they go for a break in spain

Tell me about it. When I had just arrived from Nigeria and was at my aunt's in the East coast, I greeted a lady I saw in the elevator, but she ignored me. It was so dreary, encountering the stone cold faces that I was relieved to be moving to California. Without a doubt, Californians are more outgoing than their counterparts in the east coast. At my former complex, one of my neighbors, used to extend an invitation to my roommate for a drink or so. Even in Sunnyvale, there was a lady, who, introduced herself and told me where she lived, and then inquired if I was . . . brother. It was a breath of fresh air, to have friendly neighbors, without 'pokenosing' into your biz. I like California, and I'd like to think that the sunshine plays a factor in determining one's mood.

For the most part, I would pick California over the East Coast. The sour attitude that people have, is another factor with the high depression rate in this country.

PS: For those who live in the East coast, what was your experience like when you landed in Nigeria, and took a walk on the streets? I tell you, it was refreshing to be in the midst of lively pedestrians. I still concur, Nigerians are one of the happiest people in the world!

u dont really know ur neig, in the united states until the popo comes or they comit suicide or somein, everybody is just on their own, word!

We do like our privacy. Sure, we know our neighbours, and from time to time, have the odd barbeque in the summer, but we don't live in each other's pockets.

There's being 'neighbourly', and there's being nosey - when you visit unannounced, and outstay your welcome. I remember when I lived in London, next door to a Nigerian family. They were noisy, walked into my house unannounced, went to my fridge etc without asking! Their guests would also turn up even as late as 22:00 hrs, and yak loudly till the early hours, even overpowering the TV! That's being a nuisance, not neighbourly.

I'm all for the 'keeping to yourself routine', to an extent.