My mom said to me, “Nakuombea upate Kazi ya Class yako”. I pray that you get a job of your Class.
That’s heavy
My decoding program has been reading 1% for two days now. The 1% data must have been driven by my ex’s family text, ” Unakuja lini Mombasa, Tunakumiss.” As much as our 4 years ago breakup wasn’t caused by her, She was against it from the word go. Her reasons had nothing to do with character, tribe or money but education.
I will leave it there for you to digest and help me get to 100% (If you can).
Talking of education, fresh graduates have it rough to squeeze into the job market with ‘zero’ years of experience, Yet they have 23-24 years of better experience. Being a first born and mom expecting so much from me – silently in prayer – I discovered linkedin. I spammed anyone who accepted my connection request.
One of my victims was a young Australian lady who was a few months old in a Kenyan mining company. I took an uber from allsops to spring Valley coffee simply because I didn’t know where it was. I spent hoping to get paid later that day by another linkedin victim who late victimized me: Unpaid work done.
Instead of being handed over a job, I was given something better (Truth as a graduate, you feel entitled: when rejection knocks, it brings the door down). I cannot remember her name or everything else she said during that breakfast meeting (I can’t even remember what I ordered), however, I remember two things:
- Apart from the three internships I proudly stated to have done before graduation, She insisted that I think about my daily accomplishments. After the long list, One stood out, ” I help serve cabbage so that everyone gets it”. I spotted a the-last-people-don’t-get-cabbage problem. Instead of complaining, I crawled out of my introverted, non-womanly comfort zone and helped serve food. It was my first time to serve another person food (At home? self-service) “To an employer, you come out as an asset, A problem solver”
- She mentioned that her boyfriend was on his way to Kenya to see her after 4 months. Lesson: To make a typical man loose interest, I should pursue. It has been working so far.
The first lesson I learnt made me add by blog link to my CV. The rest is history. Just like that I moved from a desperado to Me within 1 year.
Think about 4-10 year old streets kids who hussle you even after moving from rejection to rejection. Their persistence, aggressiveness and sales skills gotten from their candy selling techniques. Look at fake beggars and how they use their skills to do wrong. Still skills.
Earlier today, after 11 hours of general cleaning, I listened to Abel Mutua’s Young and Stupid episode and I didn’t believe parts of his story. He tried so hard to give the story and seal the identity of the guy, including lying about this former thief’s present occupation. I didn’t’ believe for a moment that one can gain all this skills in stealing by night and Mutumba hussle (lots of skills here) by day, to end up as a night watchman for 16 years, IN DUBAI! Watchmen are Valuable: My current business model building is using their skills. He must have been doing something different, don’t you think? Some of the skills gained: Business management, Business strategy, Self-Discipline, Quick Decision making, People skills…Oh my goodness, if I list all of them…
I still stand by, “You cannot compare an C+ from State House Girls and an A from Kenya High School. There is independence, exposure, talent nurturing: music, art , leadership, language etc.”. One of the minor differences I noticed was when we slept in the same domitory in Meru during the 2011 or 2012 (not sure) national Festivals. By 7 a.m. One side of the dorm was green: hospital corners with no sign of a suitcase or a Staterian hovering – well apart from the spectator, Me. On the other side… beddings hanging from everywhere which 3/4 was later straightened, some snoring, open bags all over…they were literally on our space.
In the dining hall, as a few of the remaining fully dressed staterians were walking out, night clothes decorated bomarians (Kenya high girls) were dragging in rubbing their blood-shot eyes. One whom we shared a neighborhood asked me, “We were not told to come with spread.” Poor girl, who used to dismiss me, was torn between borrowing a bucket (I didn’t mention the hot showers duplication…from school to meru) and peanut butter. We woke up early to sweet talk the cooks to delay the Strungi/Tea. “Hawa watoto wa Nairobi wanabembelezwa sana” They should have been thinking. This book finally makes sense
All this was unplanned. Nobody told nobody what to carry… what time to wake up… what to do, Nada! It was engrained in us. We are still talking about skills. We were taught how to live a balanced life. You can have all the papers but there is still so much that shapes productivity in your career.
Doesn’t matter what you do, skills are things no one can take from you. How you gain them may not be related to what you want to do but relevant one way or another, Don’t Waste them.
Much appreciation to the Young Australian lady.
A scientist who writes about her daily experiences. Most are drafts but some are publicly shared, like this one you just read.