Add OLS-Nigeria Meetup blog post

_posts/2024-12-19-ols-nigeria-meetup.md

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+---
+layout: post
+title: OLS Nigeria 
+authors:
+- npdebs
+- jilaga
+- seunolufemi123
+- tajuddeen1
+image: images/ols-ng-meetup/ols-ng-group.jpg
+photos:
+  name: Jilaga
+  license: CC BY-SA 4.0
+  url: 
+---
+
+# [Title to be decided]
+
+There’s something magical about meeting people you’ve worked with virtually for ages and instantly feeling like family when you finally see each other in real life. That’s exactly how it felt when **the OLS Nigeria Team met up for the first time** this past Tuesday, December 17, 2024, at the vibrant Art Tech District in **Abuja**.
+
+Let’s set the scene: four of us, coming from different parts of the country, converging in one place. [Taj]({% link people.md %}#tajuddeen1), our Program Coordinator for the Catalyst project, flew in from Kano; [Jilaga]({% link people.md %}#jilaga), the creative force behind OLS’s branding, joined us from Lagos; [Debs]({% link people.md %}#npdebs), our Web Developer and Community Manager extraordinaire, made her way from Port Harcourt; and [Seun]({% link people.md %}#seunolufemi123), our Abuja-based Resident Fellow, welcomed us to his city.
+
+By noon, we were all gathered, a mix of excitement and slight nervousness in the air—but that didn’t last long. It only took a few minutes of epic banter to break the ice: Debs and Taj debated whether the Art Tech District was really just a 10-minute walk from the hotel, with Seun chiming in to say he doesn’t trust Google Maps. (Spoiler: there’s a hilarious reason Debs and Taj couldn’t agree on the distance—read on!)
+
+Needless to say, we clicked. Big time.
+
+We kicked off our day with an **escape room challenge**—“a team-building exercise,” we told ourselves. The mission? Solve a murder case within 30 minutes. Did we crack it? Nope. (Turns out we’re better at our jobs than catching imaginary killers.) But we uncovered bigger mysteries – Taj is great at Chemistry, Jilaga’s an undercover detective, and Seun will seize every opportunity to taunt Debs by fumbling with the light switch.
+
+![image alt]({% link images/ols-ng-meetup/ols-ng-group.jpeg %}) 
+
+Next stop: the **Discovery Museum**. It was a walk through Nigerian history, culture, and creativity. We soaked up every moment, from admiring the exhibits to singing along to iconic Nigerian throwback tunes.  A documentary on the effect of the "Boko Haram" insurgency had us reflecting deeply on the resilience of our nation, and feeling grateful for the gift of life. And, of course, we couldn’t resist snapping photos at every turn…
+
+![image alt]({% link images/ols-ng-meetup/ols-ng-collage.jpg %}) 
+
+By lunchtime, the conversation flowed as freely as the food. Fun fact: there’s a short list of things Nigerians love more than good food. We shared bites of our meals, in the same way we dove into each other’s worlds. We shared laughs, swapped stories, and found common ground in our unique journeys within OLS.
+
+
+We got to learn about Jilaga’s background in Architecture–mind blown! She also gave us the inside scoop on the intricate process of design and branding. 
+
+Taj, on the other hand, spoke about his academic pursuit, which has taken him across continents, and his growing passion for Project Management and AI.
+
+Meanwhile, Seun talked about his Bioinformatics background, his activity within the OLS and his Community’s participation in The Catalyst project. And Debs? It was a time to reflect on growth and new possibilities.
+
+To wrap up the day on a sweet note, we made our way to a cozy spot for gelato.  It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day—because what’s better than bonding over shared love for dessert?
+
+![image alt]({% link images/ols-ng-meetup/ols-ng-gelato.jpg %}) 
+
+This meet-up wasn’t just a chance to put faces to names; it was a celebration of camaraderie. We may have started the day as colleagues, but by the end of it, we were more like a family. 
+
+So, here’s to more in-person meetups! 🥂
+
+![image alt]({% link images/ols-ng-meetup/ols-ng-cheers.jpg %}) 
+
+**P.S.** Remember that epic Debs-Taj banter? Here’s the scoop: the city has two Chelsea Hotels, and the whole time, we thought we were staying at the same one. Debs only realised the mix-up when the cab dropped her and Taj off, and Taj headed up to his room—while Debs discovered she was at the wrong place. Luckily, Jilaga swooped in to save the day and took Debs to the right hotel. Classic misadventure, right?
+