*** Snippets of my life >>> after campus... (Part IV)

 >> Pursuing my dream career...

 




What defines your success in life? As I proceed to section IV of this series, I can’t help but think about the number of times we have let our society or the people around us be the determiners of our own success in life.

As fresh graduates we are often ushered into a journey of realizing our professional dreams; from a life of dependence to that of independence. There is a lot of pressure and expectations from society to be successful and give back to them… after all you now have your degree!

The search for employment is a journey most people would not prefer talking about; for some it comes easy for others it almost takes a lifetime. I always like the enthusiasm and optimism that always comes with being a fresh graduate. It’s at this point that one is usually so focused, fresh and charged to face the professional world.

My first month after graduation, I drafted a list of companies that would be of interest to me as far as securing a job was concerned. I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to be and anything less of what I wanted would be an option.

I had the mentality that; I’ve been to school for four good years, in an expensive university meaning I had spent a lot money-wise! I never wanted to settle for anything less than the standards I had set; I mean, who would want to?

In my search for a high-rated/paying job, I got a little bit frustrated; my vision of where I wanted to be was so clear, but what presented itself in reality was the exact opposite. Flipping through the newspapers for vacancies, subscribing for job alerts, e-mailing of CVs and giving much attention to your phone for that magic call, becomes the order of the day.

We all have dreams right? Dreams of companies we wish to work for, dream jobs, houses and even dreams of those that we wish to spend the rest of our lives with. That said, I have always had a dream of working with one particular airline; I had it in mind that given a chance to secure a job at this airline would be a dream come true for me. I lived for it and not any information about this company would pass me by: with a few contacts from the company, I was good to go!

After so much evaluation and pondering on what to do next; I finally decided to make my move. I was so determined to realize this dream… My first contact was the Corporate Communications Director; since he was out of office, he referred me to the Marketing Director who then assured me that she will keep my C.V on record in case an opportunity arose. That was a good sign, but I must say I wasn’t really convinced much, so after several days of waiting, I decided enough is enough, and well… I decided I would talk to the Managing Director!

I never had the MD’s contacts and trying to get them was proving to be a daunting task. In what seemed like a long search, I finally managed to reach him via mail; and with a little bit of convincing I was done… after all I really didn’t expect it to be a hard decision to make going by his position in the company; the worst he could say was ‘NO.’ After a while I got a reply…

Sometimes we look for shortcuts and in the process of hunting for the high-rated things in life we end up loosing our focus, ourselves and even the path that would have led us to a greater tomorrow…

The saying “a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” sinks in. It is not bad to chase after your dreams, but even as you do so do not forget the opportunities that present themselves on the way, you never know; the single step to your dream might just present itself in disguise!

You might probably be wondering what happened next after my contact with the Managing Director. What was the reply? At least he didn’t shatter my dream by saying ‘No’ but he did refer me to his assistant. I let go, and took a halt in my chase for this dream; not because I never wanted it anymore but because I wanted to avoid wasting a lot of time on it while there was a lot more I could do; I wanted my track record to speak for itself and through the right channels my dream will be realized.

It requires an open mind to make such a decision and true to my word an opportunity arose through my passion, my talent… (For more details on this: look out for part V)

 

Witten By:

Dorcas Waringa

13th December, 2012

>>> The Presidential Battlefield: >> same goal, different visions, different strategies!

It’s The American vs. Kenyan politics...

I am writing this with the hope that this post is going to find its way to at least one or two of the Kenyan political leaders.

The election date is drawing closer, and all who are seeking to clinch the presidential seat are busy campaigning and on a mission to woo voters to help them achieve their goal.

As we all know the election period is always an intense one and sometimes when proper care is not taken, conflict and hostility between the opposing parties could arise.

Mark this: the strategies you use as a leader to campaign could either build or destroy your nation!

I say this with great conviction because I have witnessed it in my own country, it is so easy to destroy a nation through politics and it always seems that when it comes to the political scene, people get so aggressive and corrupt deals become the order of the day.

"Know this, America: Our problems can be solved, our challenges can be met. The path we offer may be harder, but it leads to a better place. And I'm asking you to choose that future." President Barrack Obama

I was glued to the T.V screen watching and listening to President Barrack Obama’s speak to thousands of delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C:  I must say, his speech moved me into deep thought. The way he presents his vision with great confidence and composure automatically brings out his leadership skills.

On the other hand, trying to identify a great leader in Kenya is quite a hustle. Even with the campaigns going on, if one was to carry out a research on the most preferred presidential candidate, you would notice that either quite a good percentage aren’t sure, or if they are, the reason as to why they would vote for that particular candidate wouldn’t be any thing close to their vision.

The American general election debates between presidential candidates could be a very great idea to be incorporated in most African states; nevertheless, this also depends on the number of candidates vying for that particular position.

In Kenya we have over 10candidates each one of them battling for the presidential seat; the question to ask is; who is worth your vote? As they all go around campaigning in different regions it is very clear that the Kenyan politics has been and is still being driven by ethnicity and lack of a clear vision.

The problem with Kenya’s political scene is that the strategies being used by politicians to campaign is based on coercing the public to develop a hostile attitude towards the opposing side: and so in most cases time is wasted on attacking the opposition as opposed to presenting a clear vision to the public.

I dream of the day I will witness a nation where two opposing parties can sit in a room and present their manifestos to a group of people without being jeered at or attacked. A forum where leaders speak of what they stand for and where they hope to take this great nation without having to throw stones at their competitors.

Don’t get me wrong: I am not asking our leaders to be or talk like Barrack Obama or Martin Luther: but don’t you think there is a lot that can be borrowed from their leadership and presentation skills?

To our leaders: the people seeking to achieve the same goal as you aren’t your enemies but competitors, it’s just that your dream for the country and how you want to go about realizing it is different. So let’s all stop this hate speech and public attacks and focus on your vision for the country and the people you seek to serve. Speak in truth and conviction, and act on your word!

"I won't pretend that the path I'm offering is quick or easy. I never have. You didn't elect me to tell you what you wanted to hear. You elected me to tell you the truth. And the truth is, it will take more than a few years for us to solve challenges that have built up over a decade." President Barrack Obama’s speech at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, N.C

Written by:

Dorcas Waringa

September 7^th 2012

*** Snippets of my life >>> after campus... (Part III)

Moving on to the next level..*

After the party…

The excitement fades and it’s time to witness all your campus dreams come to reality… Right..? And you probably thought; since you have successfully completed your four or two year-course and you have your certificates and transcripts to show for it… that job is definitely gonna be yours!

I must admit that after I had gotten over the fact that I had graduated, it didn’t bother me at first whether I was going to get a job immediately or not, I felt like I needed a much more deserved rest; after all I had been working even before I graduated! It’s just normal but not okay that most people my age would have reasoned that way, considering the fact that I had graduated at a much younger age.

So the first month goes by, then the second and now the third; I have almost used up a big share of my savings on fun and now the thought of where I’m gonna get more cash strikes me. At least when in school it’s a little bit easier for some; because all you have to do is just ask for it from your parents or guardians and you get it in an instant.

My parents (thanking God for them) are the kind of people who really found and still find it hard to say no when they really can provide to us something that’s within their means. So most of the times in campus I would have my way with the school trips and being dropped off every morning and picked-up after my evening classes. I mean, getting used to such stuff and now having to think of independence?! I must say it definitely wasn’t going to be an easy ride for me… and true to my word; it became a challenge and still is.

Where was I? Yes after the third month reality suddenly checks in; I needed not just a job but a serious one! After all, who would want to go through a hard-work experience for four years in university with the expectation of ending up with a low paying job? Don’t get me wrong, in this generation at least most of us if not all would have expected more, and this is the time that you hope that everything you ever wished for came on a silver platter.

Your C.V has been well organized; with your profile reflecting highly on your achievements and vision perhaps with the hope that somebody somewhere is going to be impressed and be a part of helping you realize your dreams. You later come to realize that it wasn’t going to be that easy after all.

Time goes by and you realize your social circle has been reduced to discussions on recent job openings and the next place you are gonna drop your CVs. I mean, applying for a job in Kenya has been considered work in itself only that it isn’t paying:  the most annoying part of it is that at the end of the day you get no or minimal response.

On a lighter note; this is the time you keep your phone so close to you with the hope that any call you receive could be a miracle!

With all these frustrations, you get to realize how important networking is, when seeking to apply for the job of your dreams. How do you even survive in a country where almost each University produces approximately over 3000 graduates annually and almost concurrently? It therefore becomes a daunting task trying to prove oneself to employers in order to secure a well paying job.

Looking back, this period has been a learning experience for me and it still is even with my current job,,, a lot happened in between and that’s why I share my experience with the hope that somebody is gonna learn from it or laugh about it; after all it’s never that serious!

My Dad once told me that the reason why most people end up getting frustrated after campus is because: we live in a generation where being successful has been determined by whether you are employed or not. It is in this regard that we end up loosing ourselves, calling from one company to another, sending our C.Vs to almost all the companies that we know of and yet we forget our talents and other strengths. We can be successful in so many ways other than being employed; I can attest to this.

 

(The story continues … Part IV of ‘Snippets of my life after campus’ coming soon.)

Written by:

Dorcas Waringa

September 4^th 2012

>>> A Cry of an abandoned soul

When there was me
          &
       you...
 

When there was me and you

Growing inside of you… I mean our life together

We were so inseparable then, not even the air we breathe could separate us

You were so happy to have me, just as I was happy to have you

Each time I moved or kicked, I could feel the excitement in you

Because each movement I made then, was an assurance that all was well with me.

I miss the days, when you would share with your friends the joy of having me

On this day, I could feel that you were in so much pain

You kept pushing for me to come out of you but I wouldn’t move

I kept wondering why you had to interfere with my comfort

So scared; I didn’t understand why you kept pushing me away.

At last you managed to push me out and I let out a loud cry, perhaps to show that I didn’t like the idea.

Everyone around was so happy to receive me as you passed out from fatigue

I was afraid then that you would leave me

Just then I heard the lady holding me saying “Meet your mummy little one”

I looked deep into your eyes and smiled

But you never smiled back

What was my sin mummy?

You packed our bags and we left for home.

I could feel that you were not happy

At some point you even broke down in tears

I wish I could help, but all these was new to me

You looked so helpless and you kept whispering in my ears “I love you, but I have to do this child”

What did you mean by this?

Last night I couldn’t sleep

There was darkness all around me: I couldn’t see a thing

I was overwhelmed by the bitterly cold weather

The croaking of frogs and chirping of crickets, confirmed my fears,,,

I opened my eyes wide, looking around for you…

But you were nowhere to be seen!

Just then, I remembered your words “I love you, but I’m sorry I have to do this child.”

Everything was clear now…

I was all alone in a pit!

Not even my cry could, call for my rescue

You had already left, left me for good

What was my sin Mummy?

I must have fainted from too much crying

Because the next time I opened my eyes

I noticed the beautiful smile on your face

I smiled back in gratitude for coming to my rescue

Just then, I was interrupted by a cry that was almost similar to mine

When I looked around to see who it was, I discovered that I was in a home for abandoned children

The lady who had smiled back at me wasn’t you Mummy!

Where are you?

We were so happy together

For nine months you held me so close and tight

Only for you to let go of me and leave me in a pit for dead

What was my sin Mummy?

Saved by an angel

I have found a new family in this home

They’ve showered me with so much love, but I’ll forever miss my Mummy’s love

I have forgiven you, because my heart only knows love, that’s what I learnt within the nine months that we were together

I may not be able to understand why you had to do this, but all I know is that I still love you and you once loved me too!

And so I ask… what was my sin?

Written by:  Dorcas Waringa

<<In the shoes of  children abandoned by their mothers at birth>>

14th August, 2012

*** Snippets of my life >>> after campus ... (Part II)

After the Grand finale party >>> What next?

I am hoping that by now you have read part I of “Snippets of life after campus” to fully connect with what am talking about.

I had stated earlier that one of my Lecturers used to compare life in campus to that of a passenger in a bus… and after alighting this bus many always find themselves in very interesting situations!

The graduation mood… the week just before graduation is one that is always full of happy moments and anxiety! I remember being so excited about it and as we lined up to go pick our gowns, most people especially the ladies would take their time just to get the right one that fit… really? those gowns are so oversize & it would take a century trying to find the perfect fit! You should have seen the expression on the faces of the dudes on the queue… for them it was a long wait; but I guess we ladies are just special.



On the D-day; the rehearsals have been taken care of and everything is set… the excitement, still intact: for a reason or two I arrive at the graduation square late and to make it worse I find my seat missing: each seat had a name tag on it, it was there a day before and now missing?! You can imagine how frustrating it is! At that minute I am up and about looking for the registrar: wait, and how I’m I gonna explain that my seat was present the day before and now it’s missing; it’s not like I expected her to do much considering the fact that she had already lined up for the procession, but somehow I felt like it would offer me some sense of relief. I finally spot her and I go like ‘ummhhh… excuse me Madam, my seat is missing!’ everyone on the queue by now including the Vice Chancellor has this ‘are you nuts?’ look on their face, just then… ‘I thought I had shown you how to adjust your gowns, come closer’ what? that’s all she could say, and as if to console me… she adjusts my hood and the cap and then she releases me! I mean that’s all she did..! Let me just say, my excitement had been driven away by little frustrations that accompanied the day.

Despite the excitement and all, I have learnt that Graduation days do sometimes present a lot of confusion and drama, actually that was not the only situation that I was faced with, there were quite a no. and later I came to discover that I wasn’t the only one who went through some sort of confused moments going by my friends stories a few days later… though this just a by the way.

After the party… what next? When being ushered in to this other side of life which many like to refer to as the “Outside world” the fresh graduate is usually celebrated by family and friends and all sorts of advice given. What happens a few days later is quite interesting… What was it like for you, just in case you have experienced it?! This is the period I usually refer to as “The defining moment” it’s like that moment when one ponders on what to do and all the dreams and aspirations you had while at the University suddenly strike your mind; and you are left wondering where to start from, who to call, probably those that had been promising to take you in their organizations immediately you graduate.

I can assure you that after the graduation party everyone is back to their business and you were possibly thinking that they would be around to walk the rest of the journey with you! When I graduated, trust me, for a reason or two I thought and expected that I would achieve quite a good number of things that I had planned to while at campus; I must have imagined that if I applied for a particular job opening as long as I met the requirements stated, it would automatically be mine!

This is the moment reality comes hitting back at you and all your fantasies from campus are merely turned into shadows…!

{You must be wondering by now how I survived without a seat on my graduation day, somehow when I went back to the graduation square a friend of mine had already sorted me out and there I was comfortably seated!}

The story still continues… Part III of Snippets of life after campus…coming soon!

Written by:

Dorcas Waringa

July 15^th 2012