When In Dubai 2 And so the adventures continue… Day 4 Today was so moist. Literally and figuratively. Earlier in the day, I was at a travel agency and the manager, a lady came to talk to us. I promise you, never in my life has anyone ever impressed me SO much under the span of 15 minutes. Never. Her presentation, her eloquence, her confidence plus her sense of style, modest and clean to top it all. Everything. Beautiful. I don’t know her name but I’m writing about her because I don’t want to forget the way she made me feel. She was a financial analyst. After talking to her, as of that moment, I started considering looking more into that field. Yo, I was in awe and I couldn’t stop talking about her. Too inspiring. I wish you could come into my brain/heart and see/feel what I did. Then, the fun part, we went to Atlantis. It was lovely. I didn’t get to do as many rides (my fault) because I got addicted to a particular one and entered it like 100 times plus the lines were crazy long. Oh well, there’s always next time. Oh and the shark tunnel was scary cool! Imagine being in a tank where a chunk of glass separates you from being one with the water world. Crazy, isn’t it? Day 5 Today was the bittersweet day. The plan was to climb Burj Khalifa (tallest building in the world) but everything was booked that day and the next. Sadly, we were to leave 2 days after. Talk about pissing me off. I was ready, I had already planned the spots for photos/videos, in fact I was already editing the video of the climb in my head I wish I could say I’m kidding but I’m really not. It’s not everyday you get to climb the tallest building in the world. So, so close but there’s always next time! On the other hand, we were in the Dubai mall (world’s largest mall AKA my 2nd home) and that was another spectacle in itself. Nawa, they just keep setting record after record. No slacking. Seriously, there are crazy intelligent people in this world. Day 6 This was the chilly, willy relaxing day. I slept like mad because truth be told, I haven’t sleeping that much, hehe. Plus I’m leaving the super duper early tomorrow so right now (not now now), I’m sitting in bed writing this article, listening to music then Zzzzzz… Day 7 Up in the early am. Jet, set, 9ja! Bye for now, Dubai! Till we meet again. Time to get back to the real world aka school 🙂 Shout out to my family for always helping out with my photos! *hugs&kisses* Always, Miss LAJA
When In Dubai A well spent week in Dubai, so bitter-sweet! As promised the photos of my adventures in Dubai! It was a blast so I’ll break down my highlights for each day one at a time. Pre-arrival It was so hectic! We arrived at our boarding gate 5 minutes before our flight was to leave. All of us were running like CRAZY and to make matters worse better, Davido was also on our flight. I was so stressed out I almost didn’t notice him and there was (of course) a crowd of people wanting to take photos. Funny enough, it wasn’t the passengers causing the drama, it was the staff at the boarding gate telling people to wait so they could take pictures with him BEFORE they checked our boarding passes… 5 minutes before our flight was to leave. Haha, only in Nigeria. Sadly I didn’t get a photo with him if not I would have definitely done a sighting post but just wanted to share this little bit. It was either him or Dubai. Oh and he was a lot more attractive in person just throwing that in there. Though I love his music, I wasn’t really moved by his looks when I saw him in photos. I don’t know if it was the stress of almost missing my flight or the lighting that clouded my vision but I was very much impressed. Haha! Oh and I finally watched The Fault In Our Stars. I already knew it was quite a sad movie, so I basically cried from beginning to end. My sisters thought something was wrong with me. The happy parts, I cried. The sad parts, I cried. I like to think of it as rationing/sharing my tears. I cried so much my ears got blocked and I had a headache. I also had a cold and that heightened the pressure in my ears so much I thought my eardrums were going to explode. It was horrible but very worth it. Great movie. Day 1 Day 2 Plans changed but we eventually went to the Desert Safari and I’m so glad we did! It was so much fun. Quite a drive but so worth it. There was a “bumpy ride” through the desert to the tents (I posted a video on my Instagram @miss_laja), the panoramic views were breathtaking/instaworthy, we rode camels, held falcons, got some henna tattoos, had dinner, I could go on and on but it was fulfilling. It got quite cold into the evening and we weren’t exactly dressed for the weather so we had to cut it short! Day 3 Today was the Dubai bus tour, we got to visit and see a bunch of places from the Dubai museum (the oldest building in Dubai!) to Jumeirah beach. In fact, my sister and I almost got left behind because we were busy taking photos, haha. The Gold and Spice Souks just brought the thirst to a whole new level. Yummy, yummy, gold/diamond pieces had my eyes like O_O We got a breakdown on the history of the Palm Islands (world’s largest man-made island/one of the Wonders of the World). After the tour, I was mind blown. As in, the Arabs know how to enjoy themselves! No wonder Nigerians love them. I couldn’t count how many times they asked my family and I if we were Nigerian, haha. There are sooo many new projects coming up there and it’s amazing seeing how much they’ve accomplished in less than 2 centuries. Dayuummm! To be continued… Always, Miss LAJA
Hi-Low Welcome, welcome back. You made it. I have a really good feeling about 2015 and it makes me nervous thinking about it but 2014 was a year of discovery and really deciding what direction I wanted Miss LAJA to go in. Yes, she’s still evolving but I believe that now, there’s a lot more focus. This 2015 I really want to push myself, step A LOT more out of my comfort zone, say yes more and take more risks. I don’t know what the future holds but whatever happens I want blogging to always remain enjoyable. That’s one of the reasons I started in the first place; I got to use a different part of my brain, like an outlet. My own space to create what I want, whenever and however I want and share it with you. Again, thank you for the support in 2014 🙂 I’m not the biggest fan of “New Year Resolutions” but I do believe in setting goals and working towards them whether you’re going into a new year or not. This isn’t to say you shouldn’t have things you’d like to start/drop this 2015 but the whole “New Year, new me” confuses me a lot. Where did the “old” you go? How about “New year, improved me”? After all, you do get a new chapter not a completely new book. Anywhoo, I really want to take my eyebrow grooming a lot more seriously. For real. I am blessed with lovely, full brows so I don’t need to fill/draw them in (thank God) but I do tend to neglect them a little to often, haha. This year, I will TRY my best to have “on-fleek” brows as often as possible. Just clean them up a bit and maintain them, you know, haha. It might seem funny but that’s one of my personal goals. What are some of your goals for 2015? It doesn’t matter how silly you think it sounds. As long as it’s important to you, do share! If you follow me on my Instagram (@miss_laja), you’ll know I started 2015 in Dubai! This is my first time spending the New Year outside Nigeria and it feels exhilarating. I’ve been loving Dubai so far and don’t worry, expect a couple of posts and a whole lot of pictures on Miss LAJA but till then, you can join me on my adventures on Instagram/Facebook. As for the outfit, I wore it on the 1st (duh) and it’s just giving me life. I’ve had this skirt for the longest but it had me confused and I didn’t want to wear it anyhow. I’m glad I waited and I’m loving the contrasting high-low top/high-low skirt combo. Woop woop! What did you wear on the 1st? This is a new chapter for Miss LAJA (she’ll be turning two soon! Eeek! :O) and I’m more than excited to see where life/God takes us. When I say us, I mean you, me and Miss LAJA (who is still technically me) cause this is one crazy, fun roller coaster of a journey I want you to be a part of. Woop woop! I pray the start of this year meets you well. No matter where you are in your life, count yourself blessed. You made it. Welcome to 2015 Always, Miss LAJA
LAJAlights of 2014 In a nutshell… 2014 was a really exciting year for myself and my site as things were created and things also kinda fell apart. One of the very first ones was my trip to France where I spent six gorgeous weeks and it was simply amazing. If you know me, you’ll know I love the language and culture… well most of it, haha. I do LOVE traveling but this trip meant a lot to me because I actually won a scholarship. I was so happy because I felt like I helped my parents by taking the weight off their shoulders, like I was giving back to them and it felt good knowing I did it myself. Makes sense? At the beginning of fall (or autumn), I revamped Miss LAJA’s look and I am soo in love with it. Though it’s not exactly where I want it to be, it’s a lot closer than where I’m coming from. For real, when I look back at my old posts, the makeup of my images from quality to my poses (some of which make me cringe hardcore), I’m so amazed by how far I’ve come and how much has changed in the passed year. Literally, a year ago. Seeing these massive improvements, I’m really curious and excited for what 2015 has to offer. I also had my first feature on Intice followed by a more recent (and bigger) one on ThisDay. Hmm, till now I’m still wondering if it’s real. I don’t even know what to type because I’m at a loss of words. It might seem small to some but I am SO happy/humbled seeing Miss LAJA’s flames growing and touching more people. I also added a new section, of selling African prints etc and that’s undergoing a lot of reconstruction so stay tuned! All I can say is cheers to more! This semester, I also decided that medical school wasn’t the place for me and this actually caused me to panic (a lot) because I had always said I would become a doctor (specifically dermatologist) for as long as I can remember. I was a lot more confident because my parents didn’t impose the idea on me so I was so sure it was meant to be. Plus, I have never been the type to always change my mind. I realized a disjoint because my love for Miss LAJA kept growing and I didn’t feel the fire or excitement when I thought of MCATs, health related internships and the likes. I wasn’t as motivated and I realized that as things got tougher, “being good” wasn’t enough if I didn’t have the interest/passion to fall back on. I don’t mind suffering but I’d much rather suffer for something I love and believe in. I feel/felt a lot more at peace, I slept better (believe it or not) and I didn’t have the nagging feeling that I was making the wrong decision. Okay, I did a bit but everything seemed to be pointing me away from medical school and I didn’t see any point trying to fight myself and waste time in the process. So yes, this semester was a rough one for me and for some strange reason, people I’ve spoken to had similar experiences. Maybe there’s something in the air? All in all, I feel like I’m in a much better place. I’m still trying to find other ways to express my love for beauty and skin (yes, skin) that isn’t necessarily dermatology. I won’t say I’ve figured everything out to a tee but the future looks brighter. A lot is still changing but once I declare my major(s) in Spring, I’ll definitely share! Enough, with school but yeah, the year has been something and I also have you guys to thank. I can’t count how many times I’ve opted to work on this site instead of doing homework. Hehe, I like to call it “Positive Procrastination” but seeing more of you guys hop on board this past year has been one of the best things. Like, I’m not alone and talking to myself… Or am I? Haha! Thank you to my family, my friends and you reading this. For pushing me, guiding me and holding me up. You’re the real MVP. Cheers, my loves as Miss LAJA officially welcomes 2015. It’s only the beginning. See you next year… Happy New Year, Miss LAJA
This Season Merry Christmas, everyone! How did you spend yours? I went to church early in the morning and got back to do some serious cooking and and of course, we entertained some visitors. Quite a lot of work and I passed out with exhaustion at the end of the day but all in all, it was fulfilling.I am grateful for this season and the fact that I’m able to celebrate this Christmas with my whole family intact in good health and sound mind. For those of you that don’t know, I celebrated the holidays in my village so I got to see my grand mums and some of my extended relatives! Woop woop!! Hope your Christmas was filled with as much warmth as mine was!
Kente Greetings from the villagee! I can’t believe it’s already Christmass! I am spending mine with my family and extended family in my village in Delta State. I haven’t been back in about four years or so and it hasn’t changed all that much. I really enjoy my stay here because it’s cold and there are no mosquitoes! Woop woop! This kente dress goes wayyy back. I’ve had it for a really longtime like dating back to the secondary school days and FINALLY I have filled it in properly *wink wink*. Kente is a Ghanian print by the way so yes, outfit one of two I will be rocking on Christmas dayyy. How/Where will you all be spending Christmas? Happy Christmas Eve! Stay grateful and I’m sending lots of love your way! Always, Miss LAJA
Scarlet Hmm, you guys don’t understand how struggle-some the internet here has been since I arrived. Yupp, I am back home in 9ja and while I’m happy to be back, the wi-fi has been flogging somebody low key. Ugghh. On the very, very bright side I came back to this dress I didn’t pick up the last time I was home and coincidentally, I had a Christmas event at my baby sissy’s school where red was part of the dress code. It all worked out really well and I ended up wearing it. On to my favorite part of this ensemble is definitely the jewelry set. Wahhhhhhhh!!! Wahhh, it’s soooo beautiful. It’s 13 layers of pure beauty and yesss, it’s by Fulfill Jewelry, hehe! It’s good to be back home but this heat has been FRYING me. I’m not complaining that much though. So, a funny story, I went to the market with my mum and I wore a pair of shorts that were apparently too short for Nigerian standards. Ahnahn, I was too hot and they were neither tight nor bum shorts but they were “short”. It was hilarious cause people were shouting “Hehhhhhhhhh” at me in the most Nigerian accent you can ever imagine because of my dressing. You would think it was planned but it wasn’t. It took me a while to figure out that they were referring to me haha. With immediate effect, I zipped up my jacket o! Ain’t nobody got time for that kind of attention especially during the holidays when the market is like a beehive. But it was a funny experience all together, haha! One more AWESOMMEE news, Miss LAJA got featured in the Young Entrepreneurs section of ThisDay Newspaper (Nigeria)! Ughh, I don’t even know what to say but I thought I was dreaming! I don’t know why but I feel awkward reading things about myself so I had my mum read it to me. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow I wasn’t ready. Cheers to many more! I hope you all are prepping well for the holidays! Countdown to Christmas! Always, Miss LAJA
AfroBiker Chic Yup, your very own African, biker babe. I would have said “Okada babe” since that’s the unofficial term for motorcycles in Nigeria but chaie, it’ll just kill the vibe but whichever one resonates with you… To each his own. Hahaha, now I can’t stop laughing at the thought! I love how this outfit mixes different trends; leather, ankara and of course a pop of color! You surely recognize this skirt’s fraternal twin from here, right? The faux-leather jacket adds a lot edge and if it’s not already obvious, I can’t stop wearing red. It has now been officially added to my list of favorite colors along with orange, purple and royal blue. Of course, I had to style my braids to complement the outfit. Woop woop! Last but not least, I have finally found the ultimate ankle boots that I can (and have been) wearing EVERYDAY! Yesss! As I write this post, I’ll be going in for my final exam of the semester in an hour! Then FREEDOM! Wish me success and I hope you all have a great weekend! Always, Miss LAJA
LAJAdin You’re probably wondering what is the meaning of this title. I know, I know but don’t these harem pants remind you of Aladin? Kinda? Not really? I like to think so, hehe! I decided to switch up this iro blouse I wore here and give it a different twist. Again, with the hat and gloves because they just add a touch of bado-sky (badass-ness) to the whole ensemble. I really like it. What do you think? Success to everyone taking exams! It’s almost over and remember that no matter how things turn out, you are NOT your report card! Have a swell week! Always, Miss LAJA
Bold Shoulders This outfit (actually the ankara jacket) has me feeling like Michael Jackson and Lady Gaga combined because of the bold shoulders and the gloves. Accurate, maybe or nah? I love how it goes perfectly with my Fulfill Jewelry earrings and necklace. Woop woop! Plus, I can’t seem to get enough of matte, red lips this winter and just red in general. It’s becoming my go to color. It just adds life to everything… Like fire. Remember when I said it’s alright to go all out with colors for fall and winter? Well, today was one of those days. Always, Miss LAJA