If we were meant to stay in a place, we’d have roots, not feet- Rachel Wolchin I knew I would live outside my hometown from a very young age. My first weekend with my friends in Lagos, I knew I had to move there after school; and I did. I salute ...

Goodbye, 2023… It sure is easier saying goodbye to events that had a negative tune to them sparking an even more excited hello to the next chapters. However, the opposite played out for me between 2023 and 2024. Catch up on my thoughts on 2023 Being in the early days of a new ...

I have never questioned my sanity and choices as much as I did in 2022, I went from feeling like the most high to scrapping off the dust from the earth the following week. Every area of my life has been challenged at one point and while I am walking ...

Five Girls, One Door There’s a girl that lives inside me.  Maybe she’s more than one, maybe she’s five but all I know is she represents my moods. And for when I’m mad, she goes into this little door and locks herself in. She’s not sure when she would be able to ...

I had a conversation with my partner about this yesterday but I think it’s only right to tell you guys about it too. This is a situation I have had to deal with even before I knew I was a girl/woman and as I get older, it makes me even ...

What seemed like a beautiful weekend with my girls had me conflicted on whether I really should’ve gone out to have fun or stayed my ass home.

Editor’s Pick: Traveling To Ghana In A Pandemic: All You Should Know- https://goldgerry.com/2021/02/22/travelling-to-ghana-in-a-pandemic-all-you-should-know/

I noticed I had lost my sense of smell when I arrived in Lagos and was going through the gift package sent over by my partner. It had a scented candle and perfume oil in it…which I was unable to perceive.

I raced over to my wardrobe to use the perfume and scents that I’m used to and that’s when it hit me, I had gotten COVID-19 at a friend’s introduction. My first thought was to call my friends and let them know, so they could check for symptoms seeing as we had been together all weekend.

Watch me take my fourth COVID-19 test in Lagos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3r1s0oJr3k

Immediately I dropped the call, panic kicked in. I thought, ‘oh my god, I’m going to die’. You know you never realise the depth of your fear till you start thinking about it, and this was the case for me.

The previous weeks, I was taking medication for malaria and here goes my ass dealing with COVID just when I was recovering. During the three weeks, I stayed at home isolating, I dealt with, dry cough, night sweats and terrible fatigue. I also have to point out that I am/was asymptomatic and these are the methods that helped me recover, yours might be different.

Some common COVID-19 symptoms include:

1. Loss of smell
2. Loss of taste
3. Fatigue
4. Dry cough
5. Aches and pains

There was no strength or zeal in me to do anything and I kept sleeping for hours and hours. I remember it got worse during the week we experienced harmattan in Lagos. This makes me believe the speculation that COVID-19 isn’t as predominant in Africa as expected because of how hot our weather is.

In order for me to recover and do so quickly, I had to change and add some things to my diet to boost my immune system. So here are the foods/vitamins I ate and drank that helped me regain my smell.

Food/Fruits You Should Take To Fight COVID-19

1. Zinc
2. Vitamin C
3. Pineapples
4. Oranges
5. Garlic
6. Ginger
7. Lemon
8. Cucumber

The Hot Drink You Should Take To Fight COVID-19

-Dice some garlic, ginger and cucumber.
-Put them in a pot
-Pour enough water to fill a teacup and leave to boil

I’d advise you take this while it’s still hot and eat up all of the ingredients. It also helps if you breathe in the hot water, especially if you have a cough or loss of smell as one of your symptoms.

PS: This drink should be taken at least three times every day.

Surviving COVID-19: Self-isolation, losing my smell, fatigue and personal diet.

Aside from dealing with the fatigue and being unproductive, I lost my appetite. I could go a whole day without eating anything, but I had to try, so you should as well. I struggled with breathing especially at night, as I felt my chest tightening and had lots of sweat.

I also noticed that each time I took the hot drink, my chest and nose would clear up and I had to keep a tissue beside me for clean up.

For information on COVID-19 status in Nigeria, visit the NCDC website here: http://covid19.ncdc.gov.ng/

FAQs

How long did it take before you regained your smell?

I started perceiving things on day 3, but I had to put the items really close to my nose and inhale hard. By the end of the week, I had gotten my full sense of smell back, so give it 7 days.

Are you scared of contracting the virus again?

Yes, I am. I mean I was asymptomatic but I feel like contracting it in the first place has left me vulnerable as to how my immune system could deal with it if it happens again.

How were you able to get food items and other necessities during isolation?

My friends! I have the best of friends and they were super helpful. I would send them a list of things I wanted to be restocked and they brought it to my gate, the gateman then left them in front of my apartment. My partner also made sure I had food delivered to me every 2-3 days, I thought that was sweet.

Was it difficult adjusting to being at home all the time?

Not at all, as a matter of fact, I loved it so much that I miss it. It just wasn’t far-fetched from what my life is like most of the time, so it was easy for me.

What does it feel like losing your sense of smell?

It put me in awe of the human ability to breathe without perceiving- I hope this makes sense. This is a great mystery to me.

What lessons did you learn during this time?

COVID-19 is a bitch.

If you read to this point, just know that I am COVID free and still at home.

With all that said, I hope you found this story helpful in some way and please wear your mask!!

Thank you so much for reading.

Love,

Gold.

First of all, I have to say that it is still a shock to me that I survive mostly through writing and creating content, so I think that is something that would hit you as a creative…especially living in Nigeria.

Read More: 25 Things I Want To Do AT 25 https://goldgerry.com/2020/08/17/25-things-i-want-to-do-at-25/

This is true because being a creative in Nigeria is like proving yourself every day in a job pool filled with ‘professional jobs’ such as Accounting, Administrator, Nursing and others we’ve been conditioned to see as ‘real jobs’. The constant reminder that there are little or no jobs in general so you have to create most of your opportunities yourself. My biggest self-created opportune is my blog- this right here and most of my jobs are gotten because of it.

I have learned the essence of Personal Branding.
Personal branding isn’t something any one person knows fully about and each brand is unique to itself. So I continue to learn the uniqueness of my brand and how to present it to other paying brands, readers and even passerbys.

Check out Uche Ugo for personal branding tips https://www.instagram.com/ucheugo/

Publishing a service list in 2020 was a move I thought necessary, not only for self-clarity but it helped me realise what my strengths are.

In 2020, I wrote a few academic pieces, and although it was a learning moment where I had to read a lot on the topics, it made me realise that I needed not to do that anymore because I did not enjoy it. If there’s one thing about me and how I succeed as a creative, it is by indulging more and if not only in projects that make me happy.

If I cannot think of a project and feel sparks or butterflies in my stomach, then I wouldn’t put in my best. I put out the best work when I enjoy myself.

Out of these, the biggest lesson for me was accepting that not all jobs are for me.

This realization came at the end of 2020, at a time when some of the people/brands I talked with didn’t proceed to close. So the conversations would always start off nicely with acknowledgement of how good a writer I am and how much I am needed to lead a team…and usually, this excites me- I mean, why wouldn’t it?.

However, it comes to a sting when we get to payment.

“So what’s the offer” I would ask, and I notice how the tone in their voice would change. I have had someone say to me that she thought the pricelist I sent to her via email was an error, in fact, she referred to it as a typo.

Editor’s Pick, 6 Signs You Need To Quit Your Job: https://goldgerry.com/2020/08/27/6-signs-you-need-to-quit-your-job/

Not closing these deals made me feel like I was doing something wrong. Maybe I am overpriced, maybe I’m just doing too much and need to accept their offer. But no, I am not.

As a creative, I have come to accept that just because someone appreciates my art doesn’t mean he/she can afford to pay for it and that is okay.

And I believe this is a struggle for most creatives in Nigeria- Getting offered payments below your pricelist, under the shade of ‘exposure’.
Now, this is where you have to realise that you alone decide what is exposure for you. Do not let a prospective client sell that to you as an advantage of working with/for them. That power only belongs to you, so own it.

Now, owning it is one thing, but actually living it is another. Because the moment you accept this, you begin to see the charade of opportunities in jobs, especially those in the Nigerian market. Which would mean that you would rarely get good-paying jobs.

For me, I have accepted that most of my clients aren’t in Nigeria so I do not even target them. As a matter of fact, I have stopped applying for jobs, well except it hits the financial mark I want and is fully remote.

If you choose to be a creative in Nigeria on a full time basis, then moving to Lagos should be in the cards for you as most of the jobs are in this city.

Being a creative also means deciding for yourself what kind of work environment you need, I have decided on mine and the class of people that are able to afford my work…and I assure you that I am at peace.

There are creatives in Nigeria who do it as a hobby, others do it on the weekends and then there are others like me who depend on it. Because if I no write, I no go chop.

EARNING 6-FIGURES AS A CONTENT CREATOR

The first time I got offered a six figure job as a content creator- by a Nigerian company, had my mouth on the floor. So believe me when I tell you there is a market for your work and you just have to find it.

What You Have To Do

-Learn How to Pitch:
Pitch yourself, pitch a product/service, pitch an article.
Pitching is just like selling and I remember a rhyme I learnt in University- “Sell yourself, sell yourself, cause nobody will sell yourself for you”.
I am still learning how to but I’ve cracked a method that works best for Writers like myself, so search online and read.

Writers and Journalists, do follow Writers Of Color on Twitter for Freelance opportunities: https://twitter.com/WritersofColor

-Have A Portfolio
If you are going to sell yourself as a Creative, then you need to have a trail of work that shows just what you are about. before I started writing full-time, I had no clients, so no portfolio. All I did was research relevant topics, wrote at least 600 words per topic and put them all in a folder. There you have it- a portfolio. My blog also helps with visibility.

You could also build a portfolio using Canva, check this out: https://www.canva.com/learn/portfolio/

-Target Paying Brands

This is something I want to do more this year- target brands I would love to work with and just shoot my shot. Personally, I think about the biggest dream I want to be achieved and I just do it. What is the worst that could happen? No? That’s easy because you already have it even before shooting.

-Learn How To Negotiate

This is a skill I am glad I have. Knowing your pricelist is good but you also need to know how to negotiate beyond and even below it.

-Be Confident

I’ve learned that people are not only buying into what you can give to them but they’re buying into you as well. I am a brand and so I choose to carry myself as a confident one because people can sense it.

Even if you’re the worst at what you do, sell yourself confidently.
Be bold and speak up.

Read More, 5 Ways To Build Your Self-Confidence: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-boost-your-self-confidence-4163098

What Is The Goal?

I watched Dolemite Is My Name two nights ago and he said something that stayed with me “I want the world to know I exist” and really that is all I crave/work for.

Gold Gerry, I as a brand and a person have a lot to give and I want to do that through storytelling, films, and content creation.

So what is your goal for the month, the year and what steps are you taking to achieve them.

This year, I would love to host a few creative events where we could all come together to network, talk about opportunities/work and figure out ways we can move up the ladder.
I hope to see you at one of these hangouts.

People only take chances on people that invest in themselves. Put out your work like you’re getting paid for it. It should always be quality over quantity. Know your mission and work within it.

Happy New Year my loves and I wish you a very prosperous year.

To wrap up my visit at Port-Harcourt, my sisters and I took a well-meaning trip to the most talked about.

Read more: https://goldgerry.com/2020/09/26/all-you-need-to-know-about-ikogosi-warm-springs-resort/

Personally, I have looked forward to visiting Pleasure Park because of how well decorated it looks and it appears to be a lot of fun from outside. So it was only right I did this as my last activity.

Port-Harcourt Pleasure Park- All You Need To Know

Location

Pleasure Park is in between Airforce base and Bori camp junction, and because of its size, it is quite hard to miss.

Opening Hours

Pleasure Park is open every day of the week, from 9:00am-7:00pm(at least that’s what it says on their website), the park was, however, still open by 7:00pm when I visited.

Entry Fee

Walk-in fee for adults is N500, and for kids, N350.

Parking Fee

If you would be using a ride to get there, then this shouldn’t bother you as you could easily get off in front of the gate.

For those driving, there is a huge parking space for everyone with a parking fee of N300…I think this is a fair price, considering they do not charge per hour.

Food & Drinks

Personal food and drinks are not allowed into the premises, however, I read on their website that it has an exemption of school kids on excursion.

I did not buy any food here, but I got Chapman and bottled water.
Chapman- N500
Water- N200

There is also a restaurant at the entrance and a mall with shops, in case you get hungry.

Games

Now, unto the main event!

There are over 15 games at Port-Harcourt Pleasure Park, and the best part is some are FREE. I got to find out that all the games on the playground were open to everyone, most especially kids.

Prices of games ranges from N500-N1000. There is also a boat ride that cost N2,500 for a group of 5.

List Of Games at Pleasure Park:
1. Climbing Tower
2. Pedal Boat
3. Paint Ball
4. Mini-Golf
5. Carousel
6. 5D Cinema
7. 9D Cinema
8. FIFA PS4
9. Virtual Reality
10. Jogging Circuit
11. Water Steps, and others

How To Pay

Entrance fee and games payment could be made online through their website https://phpleasurepark.com/ppk2/ and also at the venue. A receipt is given to you for each game, which is to be tendered at every slot.

How To Utilise Your Money

As with most social activities, Pleasure Park is best enjoyed when you go with a group. Try to spread out your activities so as to get the most experience.

I paid for two games for my immediate sisters and me, and three for my baby sister. The games were:
-Carousel
-Train ride
-9D Cinema

My baby sister ended up playing 5 games in total because of the free playground that includes, swings, bunjee jumping and others.

The train ride was my favourite part of the day as I got to go on a tour of the park and discovered that it is a lot bigger than the space we see from outside. I also found that it has an outdoor restaurant hidden at the back that is beautifully decorated and I can’t wait to go back there to try out their menu.

Here’s a tour video of Port-Harcourt Pleasure Park on my channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su6e2tS915Q please subscribe.

Thank you for reading!

Love,

Gold.

Many decades have come and gone for 2020 and numerous women in our communities still suffer from this prejudice, but what really are the personal struggles of a young career woman like myself?

Personally, I have been working since I was in my mum’s belly but this isn’t the post to brag about how strong I am. I am basically seeking help here so let’s get right into it.

Here are my observations and struggles I have faced as a career woman

1. Friendships Get Hard
   
   Other than the fact that I do not make friends easily, becoming an adult and even more a career woman, I have found it difficult to make friends. Sustaining friendships is another topic.
   
   For my kind of job, I can work from anywhere in the world, and anywhere in this case mostly translates to working from home…aka my bed. So not only am I best friends with my Mac but I do not have time for any other thing.
   
   I also find that with the pace and growth of my career, I definitely need better friends. Better meaning I need people who share the same passion, hobbies and career goals as me. I hate that I am the only one in my circle that is a Writer and a full-time Media Girl. So sharing my struggles with my old friends doesn’t give me as much fulfilment because I feel like they do not get it entirely.
   
   Editor’s Pick: https://goldgerry.com/2020/05/06/realistic-ways-on-how-to-become-financially-stable/
   
2. You Barely Rest
   
   Sleeping is a myth. I saw a tweet the other day condemning the act of not getting enough rest, and although that was a harsh call, I do not see myself getting as much rest as I need. Why? Easy.
   
   This is because 24hrs in the past 8months for me has become a very little amount of hours to fulfil my daily goals. I am either slaving myself writing an article/a story, or reading, running errands, or on a production set.
   
   I at least find the time to watch a movie or two but it’s hardly ever for pleasure now, I just do it to get by while still on my phone…working.
   
3. Bills
   
   Once you start making money, especially in this country, bills must follow. First, you get a new apartment, then you furnish, and if you’ve got siblings like myself, spend on them too. I went on a stroll two days ago and spent N10,000, I was still on my street and that is the most annoying part. I had to go back home.
   
   Having your own house is good and all but nobody talks about the unplanned spoilage you have to fix- from NEPA bill to plumber, electricity, generator, fuel. It’s just bills everywhere.
   
4. Scale Of Preference Becomes Your Everything
   
   I don’t know if it’s just me, and I really hope it isn’t but I feel like ALL hair vendors had a meeting to wreck our accounts this Christmas. Why is everyone selling bone straight? I can’t seem to make five scrolls on Instagram or Twitter without seeing bone straight, why me?
   
   This isn’t the time for this and I recently made a decision to register for an exam over bone straight. It wasn’t a difficult decision to make because of my scale of preference but it was a hard choice.
   
   As a career woman, looking good is great but being a bad bitch in the future is even better.
   
5. Other People’s Money Do Not Move Me
   
   Honestly, this isn’t even a point because never has this been a case for me. And I guess it should go without saying that “other people” here means men. I have never wanted to be dependent on anybody, not my parents and most especially on a man and getting my own bag has boosted my confidence by a lot.
   
   It doesn’t even matter if I’m broke, what’s mine is mine and what you have cannot make me feel less.
   
6. People Undermine Your Achievements
   
   There is probably no name under the face of the earth that I haven’t been called and that is because I am a woman- a career woman. Oh, you work too much, why don’t you chill a bit. Why are you always so stressed, what you do isn’t that difficult. You sit at home all day and you call that working?
   
   A hundred certifications, milestones or achievements mean nothing to the wrong people and that is okay because all I do is for me.
   
   Read More: https://www.inspiringwomen.co.za/how-to-become-a-successful-career-woman/4/
   
7. Dating Doesn’t Excite You Anymore
   
   Maybe because you become engrossed with work that anything other than it seems wasteful but really, dating, especially dating men is no longer exciting. It’s all just blah to me now.
   
   Meeting someone, that is on the same mental and career level as you isn’t as easy as you would think and for me, I am heavily focused on making dollars because what is love without it?
   
   
   And that’s about it. I am certain I did not highlight all of your experience as a career woman, what more did I leave out? Please leave a comment telling me about your struggles and how you overcome them daily.
   
   Thank you for reading.
   
   Love,
   
   Gold.
   
   

The #EndSARS movement has always been ongoing from week to week with the killings, robberies, extortion and abuse of Nigerian youths. However, this seems to be the biggest movement yet and we need all the voices we can get.

Youths have taken to the streets of Lagos, Benin, Owerri, Enugu, Abuja and other major cities in Nigeria a peaceful protest, and although we are all riled up about this, unfortunately, not everyone can participate in a protest.

Editor’s Pick: https://goldgerry.com/2019/09/03/xenophobia-in-south-africamodified/

So here are different ways you could be active and participate in the movement #EndSARS:

1. Go For A Protest
   
   Join the various matches happening across the country by finding the closest protest spot at your location. Most of the protest information is shared online, so go along with your cardboard paper and let your voice be heard.
   
2. Use Social Media
   
   Join the online protest by lending your voice through your tweets, Instagram and Facebook posts, TikTok videos and every other platform you use.
   
3. Use The Hashtags
   
   When tweeting or posting on social media, please use the designated hashtags for the movement so it could get a lot more visibility locally and internationally.
   
   Some of the hashtags include:
   a) #EndSARS
   b) #EndSARSProtests
   c) #EndPoliceBrutality
   d) #EndSarsNow
   
4. Reshare Protest Posts/Videos
   
   Online awareness starts with a click, so make sure you retweet, comment and like every protest post that you can for your followers. By spreading the word, you are ensuring that the movement stays alive until our demands are met.
   
   Some #EndSARS photos/videos you could reshare:
   a) https://twitter.com/YourAnonCentral/status/1314598142713577474
   b) https://twitter.com/BrianJDennis/status/1314621541527834625
   
5. Message A Senator Today
   
   An app was created by Collins Enebelli to aid the #EndSARS movement. The app contains a list of senators with preset messages, you can click to mail, text or tweet at them directly.
   
   Check it out here: https://endsars.vercel.app
   
6. Donate
   
   Participate in the movement by making monetary donations. Donate to victims/families that have been affected by police brutality at the protest. Give your friend/family who will be going out to one of the #EndSARS protest some snacks or money.
   
   P.S: Donations are being made for Joy Eze, a young woman who was shot in the mouth by a Police officer during a protest. Find details of her injury here: https://twitter.com/I_Am_Ilemona/status/1314471609156198402
   
   We are raising 3 Million Naira for her medical bills and all donations should be made into her account-
   Ndubueze Isioma Joy
   Zenith Bank
   2086864361
   
7. Volunteer
   
   Volunteer to be an emergency contact for a friend or family member who is out for the protest at any of the locations. And lastly, volunteer at a nearby hospital, clinic or ambulance close to a protest so you could help the injured.
   
   #EndSARS is one step forward towards getting a better Nigeria and demanding accountability from our government, so make sure you are a part of it.
   
   Join the movement happening all over the world now by lending your voice at the different protest locations in London, Canada, U.S.A and your local town.