Baba update

Dear Norwegians ❤️🇳🇴

This is not criticism. This is simply a confused Nigerian sharing his observations while trying to survive. 😭

In Nigeria, if a foreigner decides to eat jollof rice with a spoon, fork, chopsticks, or your bare hands while standing on one leg, we will probably just say:

“Ah! You like our food? Welcome! Eat and enjoy!”

But in Norway, I put reker and mayonnaise on bread and suddenly I discover there is apparently a national constitution for shrimp sandwiches. 😂

I get comments like:

“Ikke sånn.”
“Rekene først.”
“Majones på toppen.”
“Too much mayonnaise.”
“Too little mayonnaise.”

My people, I am trying. 😭

I wasn’t born here. I am still learning. I still can’t slice brunost without creating what looks like a ski slope on the cheese.

And honestly, how am I supposed to learn Norwegian food culture?

Every time I visit Norwegians, I secretly hope today is the day;

When I try fårikål.
Maybe raspeballer.
Perhaps lapskaus.
Possibly torsk.

Instead:

“Would you like pizza?”🫣

I have now lived in Norway long enough to know the difference between øst and ost , but not long enough to know where all the traditional food is hiding.

The funniest part is that Norwegians seem to protect food traditions more than the food itself.

There are more Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants in the city than Norwegian ones.😞

I can’t find the fårikål.

I can’t find the raspeballer.

But somehow there is always someone online ready to tell me I assembled my open sandwich incorrectly. 😊

So please help me.

Invite me over.

If you visit me, I will make you jollof.

Feed me the real stuff.

Teach me the correct shrimp-to-mayonnaise ratio.

Show me how to cut brunost without causing a geological event.😀

Teach me your culture.

I promise I come with good intentions, an empty stomach, and the Nigerian belief that if the food tastes good, you’re already doing it right. ❤️🇳🇬❤️🇳🇴

Has anyone observed this or am I going crazy? 🤔

Serious question.

When people complain about illegal immigrants, should we also talk more about what made them leave their countries in the first place?

As a Nigerian, I have seen multinational companies pollute rivers and farmland, affecting the lives of farmers and fishermen.

I have also seen powerful countries invade or interfere in other countries, leading to war, instability, and displacement.

When people lose their homes, jobs, farms, or safety, what do we expect them to do?

If wars, foreign interventions, environmental damage, and economic hardship push people out of their countries, is it fair to blame only the migrants?

Should more attention be given to the governments, corporations, and conflicts that may have contributed to the problem?

What do you think?

Ukraine, Afghanistan, Palestine, Libya, Iran, Sudan, and others come to mind.

While speaking against illegal immigration, should we not also speak against power countries and multinationals responsible for such displacement?

I hope I don’t get into trouble for asking these questions? 🫣

What’s your favorite food?

The first year I moved to Norway, I worked in a kitchen in Bergen and it rained every single day.

Three months in, I looked out the window at the fjords, beautiful, grey, wet, endless sky and thought to myself:

“I’m going to die here.” 😭

Fast forward 13 years…

I fell in love with the country. I built a family here. I made lifelong friends. I found a good life.

And today, I still find myself looking out at those same beautiful fjords, through my window.

Only now, when I say “I’m going to die here,” it means something completely different. ❤️🇳🇴

Funny how a place can go from feeling like the end of the world to feeling like home.

And now I am tempted to ask: Has a place ever completely changed your heart, like Norway did to mine?