So over the next few weeks I may update the blog a little and allow more things to weave their way in. I love food and fabrics and family and friends and fitness...oh and Franklin (go me with all the 'f's') so both the title and the layout may begin to evolve along with my posts when they occur. I want to enjoy this blog for longer than a few weeks and for it to be an easy and enjoyable thing to write rather than a struggle. Also there are a few people out there who I am sure would love to hear and see a little more of the things going on inside the lives of the Egobi Clan, rather than just those going on inside the ring.
On that note though, I am happy to report that my training is going really well. My calorie intake on the other hand quite possibly needs an overhaul (third glass of wine trickles down the throat...woops) but to be honest I don't care! I've managed to lose about a kilo (maybe) BUT my general fitness is coming along in leaps and bounds. Im skipping for longer periods and not tripping over the rope all the time, my joints and muscles don't ache as much and my flexibility and general stamina are returning. I'm still training with a few friends from my mothers group and they are reporting the same benefits and continue to be a great motivation!
So here is a little update on the rest of things this end at the moment, and for anyone reading this who feels lost and confused by any of this information please feel free to ask. Last night we had to take Franklins brother to the airport to return to Nigeria. It was a fairly sad moment as we had tried really hard to find a way to allow him to stay here in Australia permanently but alas it didn't happen.
From Left: Amina, Humphrey, Rehana and Franklin on The Giants Chair at Sky High in the Dandenong Ranges, Melbourne.
I heard a story the other day about people who will pay in excess of $40,000+ to stay here in Australia and although immigration policies are a contentious issue around the world I felt a horrendous sense of defeat to hear that. It was a sense of defeat on so many levels, both personally and as a global citizen. After visiting Nigeria twice now I have a very real knowledge of the life that he is returning to and how much it hurts him to return. The older I get (and I know I am still younger and more ignorant than many) the harder it gets to face the powerlessness I feel when I have to bash my head against bureaucratic brick walls (especially those of the Australian Immigration Department) over and over again. I understand the reasons why countries protect their borders and ironically Franklin is the first to stand up and argue that the Australian way of life needs to be protected at all costs. But is that because we've made any better decisions or are luckier than any other nation, or because the only way from here is down because the globe is spiraling out of control at such a rate that nations which are viewed as bastions of sanctuary in a world filled with chaos, corruption, pollution and disaster are becoming extinct faster than the Bengal Tiger? I would love to hear any thoughts on this issue, as being married to someone from another country, it is something that crosses my mind often and something that I face every time a letter from the immigration department arrives demanding that we pay this and fill out that.
Well that's my two cents for today, I'm signing off now. I hope that you have a good day or night and thanks for reading.
Jess
