"Steemit Engagement Challenge S11/W2 - What you did on your last trip (your travel destination)?"

Travel means changing location or a movement that occurs from one place to another but usually if it is a long distance.

I love travelling a lot. Right from my tender age when I lived with my aunt, we do travel every December. We alternate it. We go to my maternal home this year and next year will be in my aunt's husband's home town. It was a wonderful moment.

Then during my secondary school days when I was staying with my brother in the capital city of Abia State, I traveled each time school is on break. I didn't miss any holiday period. To me, that is just a way to spend holidays. I enjoyed those travels.

Even after marriage, I haven't stopped traveling during December break. Only on few occasions have I missed. But I just traveled this last December.

I am keenly interested in this contest because travel is my hubby. Let me then give attention to the contest tips. I invite @graceleon @mesola and @drhira to join me in this journey. The contest is here

What was your last travel destination?

My last travel destination was my hometown and not my husband's hometown. It is called Ndi Ebe Abam. It is in Arochukwu Local Government Area in Abia State. It is a small community but made up of people with good heart. We dwell together and we look after each other.

It is very easy to know when anyone is in trouble due to that type of habitation. Whatever anyone does in that community becomes public notice easily because we are interested in our neighbors' welfare.

I was meant to understand that it was just one family that started and developed that community and as such, we are all related in one way or the order.

That was where I traveled this last December, 2022. It was very memorable to me as you will soon find out.

Who did you travel with?

I traveled with my kids alone. My husband didn't join us because to him, he will only visit and go back that same day. He believes that an in-law is not supposed to sleep over in their in-laws house unless there is a situation that warrants that. Even when my mother and one of my brothers passed away, he came on the burial day and went back same day. In fact, he hasn't slept over in my village ever since we married.

Apart from my kids that I traveled with, I had the company of my 2 brothers, one from USA and the other from Lagos State. They all came with their kids. And my two sisters that didn't travel allowed their kids to come home then, along with other relatives who came back home. We had a full house like never before especially because of those that came back from the USA. That was the first time their kids had reached my hometown and their hometown ever since they were born. It was indeed an experience that I will like to repeat.

What fun activities did you engage in?

• We engaged in a lot of fun activities. One of it was early morning workout. As one who loves to exercise, I told myself that I will continue it in the village. And one of the mornings when I woke up to do my thing, everyone decided to join me. And guess what? I became their coach

_{these are screenshots from the video we recorded of the workout. It was done with my device}

On several occasions, I had the company of my older brother and one of my uncle's.

	this is my uncle that I worked out with
	this is my brother on our way back when we decided to say 'hi' to one of my uncles

• Another fun activity was hosting the Local congratulation of my Christian Brothers and Sisters. My brother that came back from USA decided that they come to our house after our Christian meeting. As they came around, everywhere was filled up. That was a wholesome gathering. Quiz was done where some questions were thrown to the audience along with other fun activities including singing of songs. That day is unforgettable

	this was the selfie I took with my brothers and sisters over there.

• I also had the opportunity to visit our palm plantation with my 2 brothers, my uncle and the bike men that carried us to the location since vehicle can not ply that road due to the condition of the road.

We went to see the growth of the palms that were planted about 6 months ago. We went round and round the whole farm and we saw the growth. It was fun to me. We went very early and it was harmattan season, cold all over but I enjoyed it

	the palm is still growing as you can see
	a selfie with those I had gone wit
	a selfie besides the river close to the palm plantation

A year before that December, we visited that proposed land and it was very bushy. Now, the bushes had been cleared and the farm is doing great. I can't wait to visit it again. I love exploration and expedition.

There were other fun things that we did there including swimming in the river, fetching water from the river when we ran out of water, witnessing the big and tall masquerade, attending hometown weddings, eating and drinking together and other things but let me stop here.

Did you mix with the local culture? If yes, please explain your experience.

• I answer with a resounding 'YES'. I mixed with a lot of cultures not just one. It was our big year (Ava Ukwu meaning big year) as we call it when we carry out our most important cultures. It was a year when traditional retirement was done by the foundation Age Grade and among those that retired were the village head, my uncle, my step mother, my step sister and other close relatives.

I was very small when my father retired, same thing was the case when my mother retired. I haven't had the opportunity to witness this retirement till that December. I witnessed the occasion from beginning till the end. I now understand what is done unlike before when I was only told as a story what is done.

It was a very grand occasion. What happens is that, all who are retiring will have to build a small hut in front of their house where he or she will seat down as if he or she is wedding, beautifully dressed in their uniform. They will also keep canopies for their invitees. Then they will prepare their individual foods which included soup. Yam porridge and rice in great quantities and with enough ingredients. It must be very tasty because that is the requirement. It must be presentable or else you will not be allowed to retire. And it is a shame not to retire with your age group. So everyone will rally round to prepare the most delicious meal.

There is this special soup that is unique that is meant for the occasion. You spend a lot of money to prepare it. Whatever fish or meat you are using, you must cut them into very big sizes. Infact, the fishes are not to be broken. You must put it in whole.

Very early morning on the day of the retirement, everyone will carry their foods, their umbrella, seat and table to the designated river side, in fact, it is just one river that is designated for it and that is the one that is at the entrance of the community. There, they will all seat with their foods set before them.

Then, the immediate age group who retired before them will move round their tables and dish out the choosiest portion of all the foods for themselves because the same thing was done to them. You dare not object else, you won't retire. After then, every other invitees can then go for the foods. Anyone can go to any stand and request for foods and no one will object giving out the foods. People from neighboring villages do come around for that. People drag foods and there are dances and happiness everywhere because that is the main thing that has just been done.

Next, the celebrants will match in procession to the village square where the elders of the land will give them their blessings, they will then proceed to their final destination which is close to my father's house (elu ogo), their, they will all seat down again for those who will retire next after them to come and take blessings from them. After, they will go back to the huts they had built in front of their houses for entertainment. They will seat there and people will come around to give them gifts. That is the final part of the celebration.

	my selfie with my uncle who is also retiring
	my selfie with our current community head who is also retiring
	a typical hut for those retiring, they seat inside to receive gifts
	those retiring will seat by the riverside in front of their foods waiting for their foods to be dished
	a typical soup prepared by those retiring

• Another local culture was the big and tall masquerade. This is done once in two years. It is one of the best all around the province. People from other villages do come around to witness it. Pictures are not allowed to be taken according to the custom. To be allowed to join the dances, you must tie a particular type of wrapper around your waist

How was the food?

Well, we have a lot of delicious dishes like azuma, otor, ofo oko and so on. But it is sad that my mother is no more who could have prepared these dishes for us and my eldest sister didn't travel home to prepare some for us. Thankfully, my brother's mother inlaw brought some for us.

Majority of the foods we ate their were familiar foods since I was the one that prepared them and we had bought them from the city before traveling. Nothing new about the foods we ate. I was simply the chef but everyone enjoyed all the foods that were prepared by me. We were more than 30 in that house and we all ate from the same pot. We regularly had visitors and they too joined in eating whatever food that was available.

	food is served and everyone with their portion on the dining table

Did you do any shopping?

Yes! Several occasions, we ran out of food stuffs, we drove to the capital city, Umuahia to buy the stuffs. But if it were something we could get locally from the community, we just go and buy them like some veggies and fruits, palm wine, fishes , sometimes akara and garri.

The lessons you learned while traveling in that area.

Yes, traveling is fun. I learned how to cook for a lot of people though it wasn't completely new to me though a long time, this is the newest. What I mean is that you are just confined in the kitchen when visitors come.

I also learned in details what traditional retirement is all about.

Unity and togetherness was the order of the day.

It is good to travel to your place of origin to know more about your culture.

Conclusion

Traveling that December was great fun for me. I truly enjoyed it to the full for the first time after my mom passed away. I slowed down in travelling to my own village as a result her demise. Thankfully, I have learned to cope.

Thank you all for reading about my travel destination. Good luck to everyone taking part.

All images are mine