Busy June and getting hypnotherapy to counter aerophobic

It's been a busy June for me. It may not get less busier as July approaches but I am not complaining. I have backlog of articles and assignments to do yet and I carry around with me my 'schedule list' and 'to do list'. Since the 1st of June, I have been moving from one programme to another and it got to the heightened level, when I had to go to Minna for a 3 days programme. After Minna on the 16th of June, I left that night for another programme in Turkey. I got back from an intense and educative Sexuality and Gender Rights Institute in Istanbul on the 27th of June only to leave straight for Nairobi on the 28th of June!

I am sitting somewhere at Kilimani, Nairobi with a promise to write this blog no matter how tired I am. My purpose of being here is to get a scholarship for my masters in Conflict, Security and Development. The interview phase is not an easy one and I had to be physically present! The outcome of the interview is yet to be known but I am sure I am on my way back to King's College, London for my masters! I had three unconditional admissions from three prestigious schools this year, namely; University of Sussex Brighton, University for Peace Costa Rica and King's College London! The scholarship is important because I cannot afford the school fees.

I can say that it's been a busy and productive June for me. StandTall Consulting website is almost ready, our business certificate for the services we will be offering in sexuality, gender, women's rights and security is almost ready as well. I am looking forward to working with an amazing partner Sokari Ekine! All is set but I need to get rid of the clot in my head, the toxin that has refused to stop its secretion and the danger it posed to my health. What is this about? It means I am hyper-aerophobic ( if I can coin that word without any labyrinth of ambiguity).

I have been flying for a while yes but there is no denying that my aerophobia is getting worse, it is interfering with my daily life. It is almost difficult at times to focus on anything else but a flight I will take say in 2 weeks time. It is that bad. And I should not get started on things that come to mind in relation to flying. This state can be so pathetic and mind-trapping. Well, I am on the way to get hypnotherapy (hypnosis). I have got to do it and do it pretty soon. The fear is finding a place that offer such service in Nigeria and I am not sure I want to wait till I get to London before getting help! I won't even try to take sleeping pills or muscle relaxant again as I just end up with nightmares or planemares. Yes, I will continue to talk to God in my own way and stop taking wine on plane before I get addicted. And the fact that my husband was flying with me this tIme did not ease my mind... I must get help!

Okay 'nuff said, I will get help as July approaches for my 33rd birthday and 4th wedding anniversary...

Kudi by Hafsat Abiola Costello

Kudi you won’t be growing old and grey

And we’ll talk about you to everyone that comes our way
Some people say ‘oh my mum, she was ever so nice’
We’ll say ‘our mum, she paid our people’s price’

In her time, there was a market full of goods
Surprise of surprises, they sold our people there too
In chains and beaten on the ground they would seat
As others bartered and treated them like meat

Our mum, she came by with a smile, she couldn’t hurt a fly
She saw our people were tired, the sun was high
She demanded, ‘you have to set our people free’
And the seller said, ‘ah, what do you have for me?’

‘My name is Kudi, I am money, all of me
Set our people free, pay for them with me’
With her went her husband who was money to the third degree,
So many joined till the bill was paid for eternity

Tis a pity mum, you won’t be growing old and grey
But we’ll talk about you to everyone that comes our way
Some people say, ‘oh my mum, she was ever so nice’
But we’ll say, ‘our mum, she paid our people’s price.’

Note: the poem plays with the word 'kudi,' which in Hausa means 'money' and MKO's nickname, which was Money Kudi Owo (money in Yoruba).
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