When I used to love you; The Break Up with Sugar

In this episode, I share about health journey and my love for sugar- cookies to be exact and what I am doing to cut the habit.

Growing up, we used sugar cubes for tea, and to my Naija (Nigerian) listeners, that included soaking garri too. The only time we used granulated / powdered sugar was when we were baking. For some reason, ants which we called sugar ants always found the sugar; even if my grandma locked it up in her cupboard. She did this to keep her many grand kids away from her sugar but the ants always found a way. This is the same way I am towards sugar; to be specific sweet stuff.

To read more about Kizito cookies click the link and for more about the special lady who makes them, click this link

My hubby got this spice mix and he marinated chicken overnight before he barbecued it. I tell you, it was sooooo gooooood! It was better than the cookies that I had been craving. If you love, heat, spice and flavor, check it out.

The complete episode is linked below.

Enjoy.

Ezanya

Four Apps to help with International Calls

In my last episode, I talked about the time when I spent $900 on a phone bill. I mentioned how Akira, a student then from Japan introduced my brother and I to International calling cards. Some of the phonecards I have used were African Dream, Hello Africa to name a few. These cards were purchased at the International Grocery Store, scratched off and then saved into our phones.

I have had instances where I was “flashed”- a situation where someone calls you for a few seconds and then hangs up. The times I ignore it, I would be called again with the caller saying please call me back, I do not have a lot of minutes to talk of the phone. If and when I call back, I have had to rely on calling cards and today, we have apps on our phones that enable us to purchase and call internationally from the app. Here are some of the apps I have used:

Ringo, Boss Revolution, Rebtel, Viber,

Rebtel

I used Rebtel for a long time but something happened that made me stop using it. I have to rethink why I moved away from Rebtel and then I will update this post.

Viber

I can purchase plans to call on this app, and I can pay via Google Play with PayPal. The rates are high for Nigeria. It uses Wi-Fi/ Data to call which can be a hassle sometimes.

Ringo

I love Ringo because it has the options for you to call with Wi-Fi/ Data or just use your phone minutes to dial. The rates for calling Nigeria were quite high so I have not used it for a bit.

Boss Revolution

This is my favorite. It has the lowest rates to call Nigeria and I love this because they have deals going on always- you get bonuses for purchasing and I believe first time users get a benefit too. For instance, I got an alert that if I purchase on mother’s day, I can get a percentage added to my purchase. I like that. The app also has options for one to send money overseas or top-up on a persons phone minutes etc.

One thing I do not like about Boss Revolution is that it uses Wi-Fi/Data. This can prove expensive if at a place that one has no wi-fi capacity.

Is there a calling card you often use and is there an app that helps you call overseas?

Coming (back) to America

Happy Memorial Day to you.

Memorial Day is celebrated in the United States on the last day of May. It honors men and women who have died while serving in the military. The link takes you to a website you can get more information about what Memorial Day is about.

Memorial Day or the weekend is special to me because this is the weekend, my brother and I came back to the United States over a decade ago.

In this episode, I share a bit about how God provided for my brother and I to come back, how we started classes and a bit about where we are today. I also share how I was so homesick, I would call directly to Nigeria with my dorm room phone. I remember paying $900 for a phone bill. My brother and I had money to cover for that expense but we told ourselves, we did not want to keep spending money like that. We worked in the cafeteria and did odd jobs. A Japanese student-Akira- introduced us to phone cards and saved our wallets from such expenses. Our phone bill went from $900 to $400 to $50 dollars. Today if I call, I use Boss Revolution app on my phone and it saves me lots of money.

I recall going to sit with the C.E.S.L (Center for English as a Second Language) coordinator because she was the only person I knew then and she was kind to introduce me to other Nigerian students, and later we met other International students. We did not have to be in the C.E.S.L program and so we had to register for classes.

Our paperwork from the Nigerian colleges we attended did not arrive on time so we registered for classes and started from scratch. It was rough! I flunked chemistry because I mixed up the chemical names. I told the professor, I needed to pass the class and he made me sit in front of the class. I aced the class and did not have to mix up Sulpuric Acid with Tetraoxosulphate 6….

To summarize, God has been faithful to us. He brought us when we had no idea how we were going to come back, He provided, protected and cared for us and today, I remember His faithfulness.

This is my Memorial Day weekend memory! To all my listeners who lost family, friends or loved ones- my heart goes out to you. Thank you for their service and a Happy Memorial Day to you.

If you need specific details, email me at theizorapodcast@gmail.com or message me @theizorapodcast on Instagram

You can listento the episode here

Easter Thoughts

One of the things that I have been surprised about is the notion that Easter celebration in the U.S. is marked with lots of candy, the Easter Bunny and sales. I love a good sale but there is something about the holidays being marked with lots of commercialization instead of celebrating the meaning of the holiday.

My son is at the age where he is beginning to love chocolate which is funny and he is at the age when he will ask what is the Easter Bunny and I wonder how I will explain that the Easter Bunny makes chocolate. I do not think he would eat that chocolate when I explain it that to him.

If the Easter bunny pops chocolate in Easter what does he do during the rest of the year, make flowers or shiny wrappers that are used to wrap the chocolate at Easter? Any way… I digress

The Easter week I recall is going to Church on Palm Sunday and this event is found in Mark 11. It is about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and on the Friday of the same week, we remember the death of Jesus on the cross see Mark 15 and on Easter we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the grave and how he conquered death see Mark 16

That is the Easter story I want to tell my kid. Yes, I believe in Jesus’ dying on the cross to save a sinner like me. Easter to me is about life and living again. That I am known by the creator of man, woman and the earth and this creator knows me, Ezanya.

That I am not perfect and cannot have a relationship with him. To make a relationship possible with God, God sent his Son, Jesus to the cross to make an imperfect me perfect through Jesus.

I can pray and know that God hears me and that His promises of being with me are true. That when I have had nothing to give, He gave everything to make a relationship with Him possible.

This is what I will tell my kid. That God who made the world sent His Son Jesus to die for us. He did not remain in the grave and He resurrected, is alive to day. That is why we celebrate Easter- not bunnies, candy or sales.

If you have a question about my testimony, email me at theizorapodcast@gmail.com and I would love to hear from you. What do you tell your child Easter is about? Click on the link below to listen in your platform of choice

HAPPY EASTER.

HALLELUJAH! He is Risen

Lunchtime Rambles

The day was beautiful outside today and I could not resist sitting outside and reflecting on my weekend and what my family and I did. We went to the beach and we also went to SeaWorld, Orlando Florida.

I did enjoy my time with my family and did not worry about deadlines, school and or homework because I had dropped the class. My toddler loved that we were all spending time together; we walked the beach and when we were in SeaWorld, Orlando we had a blast. We went early to SeaWorld and were able to watch the major shows as the passes we had made it possible to go to all the shows that were open.

So why did I drop my class? Here is why.

Mathematics is not my forte and the class that I had dropped was accounting. Mathematics is important for an MBA class and I am supposed to pass and not fail the class. I had panicked because I knew that I MIGHT have an F in the class which is unacceptable, since I had nothing to turn in for the work that was due.

Here is how my class weekly schedule looks like: we have required reading assigned to us, and we are to use what is happened in the news, the world and the text to answer questions given to us. We have discussions to turn in and also critique the work of two students. On Thursday, some of the work should be submitted, and by the end of the week; the critiques and the bulk of the remaining workload is due.

When I am unprepared and do not plan my time right, I turn in late work, get crabby, cranky and do not sleep. This is what happened to the accounting class and I knew that I would be unable to turn in the work that was required of me.

I called and spoke to a student advisor about my weakness and dread for math related courses and she reminded me that we have tutors available to us. I had forgotten that students could ask for that- it has been almost 11 years since I had graduated from college, the concept of having a tutor completely skipped my mind. Glad I talked to her.

Classes start again next week and this is my plan:

• I have started looking at the work required from me and I am going to make sure I finish my work before the week runs out. No more starting late and staying up late to do the work

• I am going to ask for help. I had mentioned in the podcast to ask for help from Facebook friends, Instagram friends and also hire a tutor if your classes are online and you can afford it.

• Ask for help from my spouse/ partner. There is no shame in asking for help- thinking and assuming our partners can see we need help does not get us anywhere. Speak out, ask for it.

• Take a break, we went to the beach and it helped refresh my mind and got me ready for school. The rest was evident when I went in to work :)

I had mentioned to do something different too if you feel like you are stuck in a rut in the podcast. Yes, sometimes I notice that I read and read the same page over and over and nothing seems to click. Getting up and doing something different has helped me. I started a podcast to help me speak more confidently- it is a process. I grow daily.

Other ways to get out of ruts may be stop reading- go cook, do laundry and or take a walk. It helps.

Hope these things I do to help me helps you.

Peace