Hello Rafiki! I hope you had a nice Christmas!!
I have made it a tradition that I do no cooking on Christmas day. That is my way of celebrating. If we do not get an invitation from family or friends, we will usually go to a nice restaurant and eat there. So this Christmas 2011, we went to my mother-in-laws house. Its always nice to spend time with family during the holidays.
She had her former classmates, a couple from Nyeri, over for Christmas lunch. That is people she went to school with over 40 years ago. I have come to respect experience more as i grow older. I believe we can learn something from a couple that has been together for 40 yrs or more.I could not appreciate their company more especially for what i learned from them. They talked about raising kids and marriage in a lengthy way. They said that the one you are with right now is your best bet.The others out there are the 'unknown'. They are unpredictable and unreliable. When hardship strikes, the one you have been with will be there for you more the one you are trying to be with.
In 2011, I have seen many couples split.I asked this couple why there is so much divorce in America and they corrected me by saying, that it has nothing to do with America but individual couples. The biggest issue is communication. If the two people do not work on their comunication, their marriage will end up dead. They said if you do not know how to communicate with your partner, seek help because that is the olny way to save a marriage today.
Sounds very basic but it is profound.The lack of communication is what is ending many marriages. This is the kind of communication is started early in the relationship not in the thick of things.
Therefore no matter the problems you are facing, the attraction to another or the differences, Love the one you are with and work on your communication. Learn to tell them things like, "I do not like the way you chew your food, instead of pouting and sitting at the corner, far as away from them when they are chomping down their steak loudly.." etc. You might be surprised when they say ' oh i am sorry. I did not realize that.
Stick with them and help make them better, unless, ( of course) if they are trying to murder you.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Thursday, December 22, 2011
AMERICA THE GENEROUS.
I tend to think that most people in other parts of the world adore the American way of life. This is seen more in the pop culture and media. There are so many out there trying to live the American way of life.Even people in first world nations. Some Kenyans will ape anything American. Nowadays, I see traces of America every where in the streets of Nairobi. I am told that they now sell turkeys on the streets of Nairobi in November for thanks giving as well as celebrate 4th of July!American's independence day. Isn't that going too far in aping? Here is more..youths in Mombasa dorning heavy bubble jackets, wool lined boots and mittens because these are now trending in America despite the sweltering heat of this tropical city. I guess they have no idea that this style is influenced by the cold, or maybe it does not matter to them. A while back, I listened to Jay Z talking about how the over sized bubble jackets, jeans and warm boots became hip hop's fashion statements and he explained that they needed to be warm to walk the street doing gang activies during icy nights. That's when he was launching his book, Decoded, (nice read).While I want Nairobi to remain unique to itself, I will not be caught on Uhuru High Way holding a placard to protest the Americanization of Nairobi. That's not my cup of chai.
Its just 3 days to Christmas 2011 and the biggest activity in all American cities is sharing the joy of Christmas. I think 99% of Ameircans will receive a gift or a meal from another American this Christmas. Americans are a very generous people. There is a lot of donations going on. Most charitable organization depend of the money raised during Christmas. And donations do they get!!.Hundreds of millions of dollars are raised during this season.
This is the kind of character i say my people should ape. Kenyans should share with their needy country men during this Christmas season more than ever. I propose that some rich folks from the burbs hold Christmas dinners in Kibera. The Sonkos (rich dudes) needs to have toy drives for Kids in Korogocho and so on and so forth. This is the kind of aping that makes sense. Their motivation? to simply experience the joy of giving, well, most wananchi are used to having it all and having their neighbors share as well, so thats a tough call but seriously speaking, please share the joy of Christmas with someone in need.
Which other American culture do you think is worth copying?
Its just 3 days to Christmas 2011 and the biggest activity in all American cities is sharing the joy of Christmas. I think 99% of Ameircans will receive a gift or a meal from another American this Christmas. Americans are a very generous people. There is a lot of donations going on. Most charitable organization depend of the money raised during Christmas. And donations do they get!!.Hundreds of millions of dollars are raised during this season.
This is the kind of character i say my people should ape. Kenyans should share with their needy country men during this Christmas season more than ever. I propose that some rich folks from the burbs hold Christmas dinners in Kibera. The Sonkos (rich dudes) needs to have toy drives for Kids in Korogocho and so on and so forth. This is the kind of aping that makes sense. Their motivation? to simply experience the joy of giving, well, most wananchi are used to having it all and having their neighbors share as well, so thats a tough call but seriously speaking, please share the joy of Christmas with someone in need.
Which other American culture do you think is worth copying?
Friday, December 9, 2011
Leadership in Kenyan Community in Boston
Jambo! How is the weather treating you today?
Is it dusty and hot , wet and muddy or is it slitting and freezing in your area?
First let me point out that most people who live in Massachusetts always identify with the Capital City, Boston. I guess the city is more famous than the state. Most Kenyans who live here do not live in Boston but in other cities such as Lowell, Lynn, Worcester, Salem, Quincy, Malden and so forth. Some of these cities have a lot more Kenyans than others. In Worcester for instance, I gather that about 7,000(that's not an official number, you can only imagine how hard it would be to count) Kenyans live Worcester and about the same number in Lowell. Other cities have a good number of Kenyans too.
With such large numbers of community members, there is need for representation, consultation, celebration and consolation for occasions that call for that. So where do Kenyans living in Boston go? aha! I hear one of you say church and am not surprised.
As a community, Kenyans rarely gather together for Community Building events. In other words to they do not participate in local city or state affairs. This is a case of lack of leadership. Of course there are many individuals who do take part in these affairs as individuals due to either job or school related interests. To clarify let me give an example; If there is a cultural event at the City hall or at one of the local Universities, the planners have nowhere to call if they want to have a Kenyan stand or information table. For the most part, most city officials are aware that there is a large Kenyan community in the cities, and that they do well in supporting each other in times of need.
The good part is that there have been ongoing efforts to start a Kenyans organization in this area. It is quite unfortunate that any efforts to start an organization are thwarted by selfishness, superiority complexes and power or money greed. Whenever one is started its immediately faced with bickering and heated arguments and soon it is buried in an unmarked grave.
The leadership of the Kenyan Community has now been left in the hands of local Kenyan church leaders who have the front in gathering people especially during times of trouble such ailments, immigration problems and death. This has remained the only one sure way that Kenyans come together to solve the pending matters. Well, the local Kenyans church leaders have their own shenanigans too that I do not wish to get into.
It is a shame that this has not happened and does not seem to be progressing anywhere. I believe that is is possible to start one if the right people are picked by all the people. Nobody should be left out if one united front is to be formed.
The challenge to the Kenyans in Boston is;-
1. Agree to pick their own leaders to avoid imposters and imposers who rise out of nowhere and declare that they are the who is who.
2. Participate in picking their own leaders by taking the iniative to know who can make good leaders and vote vote vote. Do not sit in limbo and cry bloody murder when you are left behind.
3. For the leaders who are elected, learn to work with everybody and learn how to keep your word.
4.Forget about selfishness and serve the Community. Being named a leader does not equal hitting the jackpot. Get rid of the KANU Ugali-eating-disorder that still ails many who grew up in the nyayo era.
I wish to close by sending you a link that i hope will awaken you to rise up and do something positive about building our community living in Boston.
http://www.ajabuafrica.com/Charity-Differences%20of%20opinion%20cause%20delay%20of%20donated%20hunger%20funds%20remittance.html
Ahsante!
Is it dusty and hot , wet and muddy or is it slitting and freezing in your area?
First let me point out that most people who live in Massachusetts always identify with the Capital City, Boston. I guess the city is more famous than the state. Most Kenyans who live here do not live in Boston but in other cities such as Lowell, Lynn, Worcester, Salem, Quincy, Malden and so forth. Some of these cities have a lot more Kenyans than others. In Worcester for instance, I gather that about 7,000(that's not an official number, you can only imagine how hard it would be to count) Kenyans live Worcester and about the same number in Lowell. Other cities have a good number of Kenyans too.
With such large numbers of community members, there is need for representation, consultation, celebration and consolation for occasions that call for that. So where do Kenyans living in Boston go? aha! I hear one of you say church and am not surprised.
As a community, Kenyans rarely gather together for Community Building events. In other words to they do not participate in local city or state affairs. This is a case of lack of leadership. Of course there are many individuals who do take part in these affairs as individuals due to either job or school related interests. To clarify let me give an example; If there is a cultural event at the City hall or at one of the local Universities, the planners have nowhere to call if they want to have a Kenyan stand or information table. For the most part, most city officials are aware that there is a large Kenyan community in the cities, and that they do well in supporting each other in times of need.
The good part is that there have been ongoing efforts to start a Kenyans organization in this area. It is quite unfortunate that any efforts to start an organization are thwarted by selfishness, superiority complexes and power or money greed. Whenever one is started its immediately faced with bickering and heated arguments and soon it is buried in an unmarked grave.
The leadership of the Kenyan Community has now been left in the hands of local Kenyan church leaders who have the front in gathering people especially during times of trouble such ailments, immigration problems and death. This has remained the only one sure way that Kenyans come together to solve the pending matters. Well, the local Kenyans church leaders have their own shenanigans too that I do not wish to get into.
It is a shame that this has not happened and does not seem to be progressing anywhere. I believe that is is possible to start one if the right people are picked by all the people. Nobody should be left out if one united front is to be formed.
The challenge to the Kenyans in Boston is;-
1. Agree to pick their own leaders to avoid imposters and imposers who rise out of nowhere and declare that they are the who is who.
2. Participate in picking their own leaders by taking the iniative to know who can make good leaders and vote vote vote. Do not sit in limbo and cry bloody murder when you are left behind.
3. For the leaders who are elected, learn to work with everybody and learn how to keep your word.
4.Forget about selfishness and serve the Community. Being named a leader does not equal hitting the jackpot. Get rid of the KANU Ugali-eating-disorder that still ails many who grew up in the nyayo era.
I wish to close by sending you a link that i hope will awaken you to rise up and do something positive about building our community living in Boston.
http://www.ajabuafrica.com/Charity-Differences%20of%20opinion%20cause%20delay%20of%20donated%20hunger%20funds%20remittance.html
Ahsante!
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