hi everyone, I recently received an invite from my boss to join a group vacation in Aruba in June, 2024.

I looked through a couple online forums and didn't find a lot of useful information from other Nigerians who have made this trip. So, I will be detailing each process of my trip preparation, from my Visa application to my arrival in Aruba, in the hopes that it helps somebody else.

A couple of things to note:
1. I am a Nigerian living in Nigeria.
2. I work remotely for a company located in the U.S.
3. I'm in upper management (which means my trips are company-sponsored).
4. I currently have a U.S. visa from an earlier trip this year.
5. I am a woman.

What I've found out so far:
1. What I am applying for is a short-stay Caribbean visa.
2. There is no Aruba Embassy in Nigeria (Aruba has no diplomatic missions in Abuja, Nigeria at the moment).
3. I am required to apply in person at an embassy or consulate of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for this visa.
4. The closest place to make this application is at the Netherlands embassy in Cotonou, Benin
5. I will have to

Documents to be provided for my application:
1. Purpose of event: Trip flyer + schedule
2. Letter of invitation from the company.
3. Letter of sponsorship from the company
4. Employment Verification Letter
5. International passport (with US visa page)
6. COVID vaccination card
7. Yellow fever vaccination card
***(I'll include any additional that I cannot think of right now)


Next steps:
1. Confirm how to make a to-and-fro trip to Cotonou for my application
2. Travel for application

I'll be back with feedback.

how to get to Netherlands embassy in Cotonou from Lagos?

kombats:


Dude chill a little bit, there are still a few trusted individuals on nairaland that you can send money to and get your required product without complications, go to that offerup,ebay,amazon,Craigslist,e.t.c page and see the number of people paying for TLC and AIN goods before getting it and the sellers always post screenshots to comfirm the payment. Not everyone is a fool for paying for goods on a faceless forum before receiving them, but i will advice the buyer to make research on the seller's profile on the forum.

You are right, and legit sellers would be harmed by the reputation of dubious ones. The scamming epidemic is getting out of hand. Every man for himself at this rate. I literally limit how much I have to rely on individuals in money matters.

AngelUriel:



Nah. Not talking about that phase. Everyone is usually asked to verify their phone numbers during sign up, I did that successfully. Months after I had been on the platform, I was asked to verify my account with an international passport or driver's license bearing all the details I imputed when signing up. Details as my name, picture and location. That's the verification I'm talking about here.

Yes, I registered in August and was asked to do this within a few days. I uploaded a clear photo of my international passport and I was verified within a few hours. What went wrong with yours?

Hello sweets,
It's been a very long time. Sorry, I've been working on a few things. I'm pleased to announce that my website is ready:

colouredcoilycontent.

This site would cover 4 major areas:
*Natural Hair Care
*Natural Remedies to Skin Care
*Body Fitness
*Psychosocial Well being

I started it about 2 days ago.

There is currently a new post about learning the basics of natural hair care. It is a very simplified detailed post with instructive diagrams.

Feel free to ask as many questions as you want in the comment section and I'll be sure to get back to you.
I wish everyone a very lovely week. Warm regards.

Hello there,

Do you still sell waist trainers? What sizes do you currently have? How much do they cost? And, do you still offer free delivery services?
Thank you.

Hello there,
I've read through your post and responses you've been given. Please, go to a certified dermatologist before you go ahead with further treatments on your skin. From what you described, your skin has been extremely abused and stripped off most (if not all) of its protective layers. What you are left with now is a thinner and more fragile version which should be treated delicately and protected from more harm because it is much more vulnerable to things (treatments, soap, natural elements, etc) that a regular skin is able to withstand.
First of all, stay out of sunlight as much as you can. The melanin layer of your skin which should protect you from sunlight has been damaged. This accounts for the reddening you noticed. That was skin burn and your skin's way of protesting against a condition that is affecting it.
Until you see a specialized skin doctor (see your regular doctor, he/she would refer you appropriately), use only mild products, prefarably products designed for a baby's tender skin. I can't repeat it enough that you should be gentle with your skin because it is recovering from great damage. You need to be patient and careful. It takes longer to heal than it does to hurt. Please, stop taking skin care advise from everybody. You are the one that will suffer its repercussions.
See a specialist, who will examine your skin properly and give you the 'informed' care that your skin deserves.
Best wishes

iamrealdeji:
These girls are under bridge oloshos,no classy girl would do this and no classy musician would allow this on stage,Gyptian did worse though,i can't imagine the likes of Justin Bieber,Enrique allowing this *spits*,the girl that's trying to give the head is ugly sef,so black with mouth that sticks out from her face like a fish

I really hope it isn't deliberate but you sounded racist in that statement. That amount of black hate or any type of hatred for that matter is not healthy. You can express your displeasure with less savagery and some civility.
About Enrique: he's a favorite of mine and he's capable of doing worse You should see a few videos of his on-stage performances of "Hero".

babysmart:


brilliant idea
baking soda sounds really good. I hope baking powder
nd baking soda are d same thing sha

Lol. No, they aren't I nearly bought baking powder by mistake too.

Baking soda literally contains only baking soda. Baking powder has baking soda as one of its ingredients among others.

babysmart:
@ starx

speaking of lime nd exfoliation, can one substitute d sugar nd oil/honey home made facial scrub for lime alone? And does lime av side effects?

BTW...u are doin a great job here. Really appreciate

You're too kind. Thank you, dear

Whoa...please, do not use lime juice alone. Its juice is too acidic for the delicate skin of the face. The resulting effect is soreness and tender skin. Consider diluting it with water and letting it stay on only for a very short while. Also, lime juice works as a CLEANSER not a scrub. Anything used as a scrub usually contains small granules that literally scrub the skin.

A quicker and less complicated option I discovered for homemade facial scrub is BAKING SODA Lol. I know it may sound pretty unusual. But it is edible and made from natural salts and safe for the skin...which, to me, is a pass. I've been using this easier alternative for a month now. The baking soda I got came in a bottle and was sold at #150 which is ridiculously cheap compared to commercial facial scrubs.

How to;
Start with a cleansed face.
Pour a little amount of baking soda on your palm and wet it with some water.
Apply on your face. You may choose to scrub your face using your fingertips or a clean makeup pad.
Once your face is evenly scrubbed, rinse.
Apply a moisturizer.
....and you're done.

It's faster and simpler than my previous alternative and it's easy on your pocket too

Note:
One notable advantage of lime juice is that because of its high acidic content, it works great in drying out pimples. Apply a little bit of lime juice using a cotton bud (for easy application) or cotton wool only on the pimples at morning and before bed. You'll be surprised and impressed by how quickly they'll be gone

ellawify:
Hello dear tanx for d wonderful work u av been doing here, i av really learnt a lot. My problem is my dark inner tighs, its darker dan d rest of my laps. I really need to do something about it cos it is getting me worried. Any suggestion to help me pls cos i really need to get rid of dis...

Thank you, dear. I'm glad to hear it.

Sorry about the dark inner thighs but it can be remedied. Like I mentioned earlier, lime/lemon juice and honey are great natural lighteners. Making a thin mixture of honey,lime juice and coconut oil (lime is more accessible than lemon here and they serve similar functions) will gradually lighten the dark parts if applied consistently.

Lime juice is a natural lightener and exfoliates (removes the dead, darker skin cells)
Honey is a great moisturizer and also promotes brighter skin
Coconut oil heals hyperpigmentation, has antibacterial properties and promotes moisture retention

What to do;
Squeeze the juice of half a lime, add 2 to 3 drops of honey and a few drops of coconut oil.
Apply to the areas you wish to lighten. Let it stay on for up to 30 minutes before you wash it off. It may be ideal to do this before bath in the morning.....or whenever is convenient for you.
Do this at least once every day. You should notice significant difference in a week.

Note:
When the thighs rub together, it causes the inner thighs to get darker. The lack of "breathing space" and constant friction chafe the skin and cause hyperpigmentation. If you carry considerable weight in your thighs, consider losing some of it to prevent the occurrence of darkening again.
Wear cotton underwear and clothing that allow your thighs access to air as much as possible.

Hope this was helpful, dear? Keep me posted on your progress

ellawify:
Hello dear tanx for d wonderful work u av been doing here, i av really learnt a lot. My problem is my dark inner tighs, its darker dan d rest of my laps. I really need to do something about it cos it is getting me worried. Any suggestion to help me pls cos i really need to get rid of dis...

Thank you, dear. I'm glad to hear it.

Sorry about the dark inner thighs but it can be remedied. Like I mentioned earlier, lime/lemon juice and honey are great natural lighteners. Making a thin mixture of honey,lime juice and coconut oil (lime is more accessible than lemon here and they serve similar functions) will gradually lighten the dark parts if applied consistently.

Lime juice is a natural lightener and exfoliates (removes the dead, darker skin cells)
Honey is a great moisturizer and also promotes brighter skin
Coconut oil heals hyperpigmentation, has antibacterial properties and promotes moisture retention

What to do;
Squeeze the juice of half a lime, add 2 to 3 drops of honey and a few drops of coconut oil.
Apply to the areas you wish to lighten. Let it stay on for up to 30 minutes before you wash it off. It may be ideal to do this before bath in the morning.....or whenever is convenient for you.
Do this at least once every day. You should notice significant difference in a week.

Note:
When the thighs rub together, it causes the inner thighs to get darker. The lack of "breathing space" and constant friction chafe the skin and cause hyperpigmentation. If you carry considerable weight in your thighs, consider losing some of it to prevent the occurrence of darkening again.
Wear cotton underwear and clothing that allow your thighs access to air as much as possible.

Hope this was helpful, dear? Keep me posted on your progress

Nneka123:
well i use it all the time, it became my body lotion, even though i don't like the smell, but you know the sun in Nigeria is really bad, so i guess it was also a major problem that led to my skin tone being darkened... and yeah! i love it on my hair, it's nice.

Hello dear,

Yes, this would account for darkening. If you take baths before bed at night, you could still enjoy its amazing benefits on your skin overnight by using it as a night cream. Using Shea butter in the sun increases melanin deposits in the skin, which is basically what constitutes our darkness (or lack of it). Continue to use a light moisturizer and your skin would return to its original pigmentation. Hope you exfoliate regularly too.

I love love Shea butter for hair. My hair is natural and Shea butter is my "holy grail" for my hair and skin In fact, it is this discovery and my falling in love with it that inspired the creation of this thread.

Great to read from you. How is your skin pigmentation now?

DopeGod:
Hey starx...I cnt thank you enuf..even tho am not dat thanking type...ur remedy went a long way for me...now I can proudly say am a fine boiz without dose pimples...ur oat,honey and ori stuff worked perfectly for me...

I am glad to hear it

Nneka123:
hmm! This thread seems interesting. Following! but I have been using the shea butter on my skin, and i notice a little bit of darkening than usual, it left my skin feeling soft and smooth, i had to stop using it when it darkened my skin tone. Then i used it on my hair tho, it helps it to grow

Thank you for your kind words
Sorry to hear about it. Did you use it on your skin in the sunlight? Great to hear you're incorporating Shea butter in hair care.

kataleya:
tanx so much for your help. I'm even sharing your regimen with friends that suffer from acne and there's been improvement. I use my body cream Extract for my face but am not comfortable with it. I think I need a day time moisturizer. I started mixing it with coconut oil though and still waiting for results

Hello dear,

I've wanted to get back to you before now but I've had some difficulty with access. I was recently robbed on a trip. It was really crazy but I'm fine now

There are two natural skin brightening products I know of and use. These are lime/lemon and honey. For brighter skin, incorporating one or both products in your facial scrubs or masks will promote glowing skin. Please, use lime/lemon juice with care for delicate skin. You may wish to dilute it with water if you want to use it by itself. Applying a drop or two of honey on damp face works as a great night moisturizer and you get even glowing skin in the bargain. I often alternate between using honey or pure Shea butter at night. Lime/lemon juice also works as a great facial cleanser. Using a few drops in my honey and oats mix before bed not only brightens the skin but also assists in drying out pimples and clearing acne scars.

Remember to use very little lime/lemon juice when trying it on your face for the first time to observe how much of it your skin can tolerate

*mind blown*. This is crazy genius. Artwork is all that. To paint that convincingly is just....mindblowing

kataleya:
it really was helpful, tanx so much. one more thing, I am following your regimen and I my skin is smoother and softer but am also darker how can I lighten up cos I dnt want to stop using sheabutter. Also would you recommend sheabutter as a light moisturizer like you suggested? tanx

Hello dear,
I'm sorry I'm just now getting back to you. The one thing I've noticed from personal use is that when I use shea butter in the sunlight, I get browner. But as a moisturizer before bed (it helps locks moisture in your skin or hair for longer), it doesn't have any effect on my pigmentation or on those of close friends. Do you use your shea butter in the sunlight? I would recommend shea butter, only before bed. During the day, a light moisturizer (lotions and body creams that do not contain harmful ingredients, used lightly of course) would be great for the skin. Heavy butters like shea and cocoa encourage tanning when used with exposure to sunlight.

What do you currently use during the day, dear?

valmunich:

wowww... is it that obvious?

Dann! you must be a big fan too to have noticed

You have no idea how big a fan I am. Wouldn't miss Stewie's catchphrase anywhere. Great to meet you

valmunich:
What the deuce

Hold on...did I just meet a fellow Stewie fan??

iamord:
Hello everyone! Pls can anyone recommend a good dermatologist for me, I was light chocolate but the complexion darkened due to the harsh climate condition et all! I need my flawless skin back!!!

Hello there,

I'm sorry I can't help with referring you to a dermatologist. If you speak with your doctor though, I'm sure he or she will be able to recommend a trusted dermatologist for you. Wish you the best.

bestdeals0:
alright..tnx dear..i sent u a mail...pls reply

I just did

bestdeals0:
wow!...thanks alot for dis dearie..u are a darling..meanwhile, we visited a dermatologist and she recommended dt she shouldnt use anytin containin chemical on her face til futher notice...dat she should always use either a toilet or locally made soap..also she instructed dt we should mix palm kernel oil and unadulterated shea butter and she should apply it on her face anytime she is indoors and by 3days she will c d changes it will perform on her face...tnx for d info dear..any research or idea is still highly welcomed...am grateful!.

Great. Chemicals are bad for the skin. For damaged skin, they would be seriously dangerous. I'm glad to hear you got help from a professional. Wish your sister the best with her recovery. The sunlight might not be great for her damaged skin (because the protective melanin has been tampered with). Would be best to stay out of the sunlight till she gets better. Let me know if you need any more help.

bree01:
Thank you for the update. I have yet to start steaming but I persisted in my use of the shea butter. I reduced the use of the black soap to once a day or every other day. Then I noticed a new challenge. My skin is so dry and feels leathery so quickly so I started to add oils to the shea butter. There is significant improvement. I know the weather compounds issues but there are times that I consider returning to my old lotions.

I think my persistence may have paid off. Much fewer acne breakout(so far) this cycle; knock on wood. I keep poor track of my ovulation date when oga is away.

I plan to try different ratios to mix shea butter and almond oil and find the best formula for my skin. In warm weather, shea butter/coconut oil was perfect. But now, I need to reapply more than once daily

Hello dear,

Yes, I also notice black soap is very drying. It really strips the face of oils, which requires you to replace it (the oil lost) after cleansing your face with it. I'm glad to hear about your own personal tries and mixes. As you try mixes, it encourages understanding the uniqueness of your skin, how it responds to different weather conditions and what nourishes it best... I find any form of learning enjoyable. There's nothing more fulfilling than finding that perfect mix. Sounds like you use your shea butter during the day. The lotions you spoke about, how are their ingredients like? If you didn't notice anything adverse in the past from using them and they don't seem to contain anything dangerous/harmful to your skin, then they should be safe.

bestdeals0:
pls i need ur advice on dis pals!

Hello dear,

Yes, it is usually possible to remedy skin problems, majorly because the human skin possesses rejuvenating properties and has the capacity to heal itself provided what is causing damage has been eliminated. You may wish to aid this process though. Because of their capacity to do more harm than good, I usually do not recommend non organic remedies. Natural remedies are great at restoring your skin to peak condition without interfering with its normal workings.

So sorry to hear about what happened to your sister. It hurts in a significant way when I hear about these situations because I went through a similar situation. Yes, your sister will definitely get better. The bleached part means her skin has been stripped of melanin and the burnt part literally means there really were burns. The homemade facial mask (oats and honey) and steaming I recommend have always worked well in restoring the skin to a healthy state. Please, check previous posts to see how to do each of these in details. However, like any natural process, this takes consistency and patience. You will begin to notice a difference in a day or two though.

Please, tell your sister not to be too troubled. Her face will recover and become even more amazing than before. The great thing about skin recovery is that when it's done, your skin looks even more great because it has received nourishment like never before. I understand about about her not wanting to be seen yet (her being indoors and all) but as she gets better, she should start braving it. Friends are more interested in what you are not what you look like at the moment. I'm sure her amazing self has not been affected by this occurrence. It's just that shit happens...sometimes We pick ourselves up and get better.

Here are my recommendations;
Morning: Oats and honey mask. Apply a pea-sized amount of shea butter afterwards. Massage well into the face so it does not stay on top of the skin which may cause some clogging.
Night: Steaming. Oats and honey mask. Same application of shea butter just before bed.
Note:
Buy Ghana shea butter, if you can. Their shea tree seems to contain even more helpful ingredients.
Let your sister include veggies and fruits in her meals and be sure to eat healthy. Healthy skin is from inside out.

Let me know how things go. I will do some more research into natural remedies for very damaged skin and let you know how that goes. Great to hear from you...

bree01:
I have been applying shea butter on my face for about a month. Recently, I used baby oil in my hair and suffered tremendous acne breakout. Most of it is gone. I washed my hair thoroughly and have stayed away from the baby oil.
A few days ago, I noticed that my facial skin is tender. I continued with the shea butter but added cocoa butter to it for some relief. I use black soap too to wash twice daily. Lemon Sugar scrub about once in 3 days when I can't stand the bumpiness.

Is there something I am doing wrong?. I still have breakouts and spots, I am beginning to accept that these will be there at every ovulation period.
All products are raw, unrefined.

Also, I sometimes apply lemon on the spots and breakouts. The tenderness is actually on the smooth areas.

Hello love, just went through your post again and realized I totally missed what you mentioned about ovulation being a factor that may be considered. I'm sorry about that. It made me realize I also notice breakouts and pimples during the premenstrual period. Here is an article from a medical journal about how this comes about. It was quite educative for me, I hope you find it enlightening as well ;

The Link Between Estrogen and Acne

When women have mild to moderate acne that comes and goes in sync with their menstrual cycles, bumps usually break out just after ovulation and clear up just after menstruation. “Menstrual acne” begins when estrogen levels begin to decline, about the midpoint of the menstrual cycle, and is at its worst just before menstruation, when estrogen levels start to go up again.

The way hormones have an influence on acne in women is through activation of oil making glands in the skin known as sebocytes. These cells make the oils that flush dead skin cells and excess bacteria out of a pore. Small amounts of oil in pores actually help keep them clean, as well as making the skin more flexible.

The sebocytes are activated by testosterone. Every woman’s body makes tiny amounts of testosterone, primarily in the ovaries. Androgen-activated receptor sites in a woman’s body respond to testosterone in the same way they would respond in a man’s body, except that most women’s bodies make much less testosterone and have much lower skin oil production and hair formation than most men.

Estrogen levels start to climb at the beginning of the menstrual cycle. The estrogen binds to the cell receptors that would otherwise respond to testosterone. This “turns off” oil production and helps clear up pores.

Estrogen levels fall after ovulation. There is less estrogen to bind to the cell receptors in oil glands, so they are more likely to be activated by testosterone. They continue to produce excess oil until estrogen levels begin to climb again the next month.

There can be some lag time between increased oil production in the skin and acne breakouts timed to the menstrual cycle. If the skin is properly cleansed, acne may not break out at all. Not all of the pores in women’s skin that respond to testosterone are in the face. There may be about 1/3 as many activated pores on the back as in the face, and it is even possible for acne to break out on the chest in women.

My notes;
* The decreased levels of estrogen and the increased levels of testosterone during the premenstrual period causes increase in oil production which in turn increases the chances of developing breakouts and acne.
* Breakouts (from these fluctuations) may happen on the chest as well, so I know better than to freak out when that happens...
* Once the estrogen levels return to normal, the breakouts and acne triggered also go away..well, till the next month...lol
* "Small amounts of oil in pores actually help keep them clean, as well as making the skin more flexible." I already found this to be true. Good to have original knowledge validated.

ovalrose:

happy new year,starx. I always use it cos I have skin so dry its liable to tear easily bt now even it can't fight this harmattan weather anymore. I don tire

Hello dear,
This harmattan weather really is something, isn't it? A few days ago, I realized I used lotion up to three different times during the day to combat the ashy skin ish that the dry weather causes...lol. It was nearly crazy. I swear, in the past week, I have used more lotion than I usually use in a month.

Really sorry about the dryness issue. We really must protect that beautiful skin from drying. When the first wave of the harmattan hit, I added a bit of coconut oil to my body cream. But, with the intensity of the dryness in the weather increased, I would need to increase the coconut oil in the mix. Coconut oil is light and non-greasy and is made up of small molecules that can be easily absorbed into the skin to make moisture last for longer....as this weather seems determined to suck up all moisture from our skin. I would suggest you add a good quantity of coconut oil to your body cream to combat dryness. I really wouldn't recommend heavy oils such as cocoa butter and shea butter because of their ability to cause darkening in heavy sunlight. For folks who live abroad and experience very light sunlight in the winter, these butters are a great option to fighting dry skin during the cold period. For us in Naija (and others in tropical regions), lighter oils is the way to go. I will share other healthy measures to combat dryness as I discover them.

Hope I was able to provide some help, dear. Let me know how it goes. We will survive this period with our skin in great condition. (Amen)

mysteriouxx:
Happy New year dearie

Wish you the same, love!

kataleya:
really enjoyed your posts starx, I've learnt alot. jst one question, do u rub cream on your face before makeup? u dont cos it cause me to breakout and not using cream leaves my face dry and flaky. what do you advice?

Hello there, great to know these have been helpful

I usually don't use regular makeup. But from watching videos of makeup tutorials, I often notice the cream (that is, the cream you use during the day) works as a moisturizer and comes just before the foundation/concealer. From what you said, it would seem like you have an acne prone skin. A light, non-greasy cream would be great as a moisturizer while not being heavy enough to clog your pores. Also, exfoliate regularly, clean up make-up carefully at the end of everyday and use a light moisturizer before bed. It would reduce the possibility of your pores getting clogged and causing breakouts.

Hope this was helpful, dear

Rute:
Happy new year yall and @ starx will be following yo blog I like that red bow in yo hair nice

We don't have raw shea butter in SA but yo thread has encouraged me to look for more natural and organic creams for skin and hair and yipee I'm 8 months post relaxer now.

Aw, thank you so much, dearie. Wish you a most outstanding year.

Are there African stores where you are? I'm quite saddened you don't have easy access to Shea butter. Please, look out for African shops, they may stock it. Thank you so much for the encouragement. I've been quite lazy but, the blog is one of the things I expect to start this year. Hope to keep hearing from you

About your hair, congrats! You go, girl!

Very amusing posts so far. I'm digging the lively mood. Here's photos of my hair in a day 2 braid-out. It's never been relaxed.
#teamnaturalhair