For the past several weeks I have been seeing billboards, fliers, and huge banners stretched across intersections featuring the face of John Maxwell; leadership guru and author extraordinaire. I've read his books, and chances are, you have too. Especially if you hold any type of leadership position anywhere. I will admit that he has some good stuff to say. For example "A great leaders courage to fulfill his vision comes from passion, not position." Now that is definitely a statement, a nugget, if you will of wisdom that I can get behind, agree with and believe in. What I cant get behind is someone like Maxwell who has a lot of influence and a lot of knowledge to share using that influence to take advantage of people.
Case in point: the billboards, fliers and banners that I've see all over town are advertising a ONE day "values based leadership conference" featuring the great John Maxwell for SIXTY-FIVE THOUSAND KENYAN SHILLINGS
Thats little less than Nine hundred USD. $900.00. For a one day conference.
This price is ridiculous anywhere, but in a third world country? In a country where the average citizen barely feeds his family for about a dollar a day? Its more than ridiculous.
It is wrong.
The small business owners, the pastors, the directors of children's homes, the people who need something like this, the ones who care enough to actually make a difference and sacrifice everyday in this country. The people he should be targeting are the very ones who after years of saving would still not be able to afford this conference.
It makes me angry and I wonder why he is doing it. It cant be to help Kenya because like I said, the very Kenyans who need it cant afford it. So why? to make money? to be famous in more countries than just the U.S.?
I love this country. She is flawed and has much to overcome, but I love her. I want her best and I want her people to learn how to stand on their own.
He is a leader. But I no longer see any value in what he has to say. or sell.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Saturday, February 6, 2010
SHOUT OUT
I just love skype. It allows me to connect with people on the other side of the world that I normally wouldn't be able to. AND, even better than the video calling which is sometimes difficult cause you have to coordinate when you will be on etc is the fact that I can call any land line or cell phone in the states unlimited for only $5 a month!! So I can call anyone, at anytime. Like Tessa.
SOOO, sign up for skype and add me or send me your number so we can talk!
I love technology.
SOOO, sign up for skype and add me or send me your number so we can talk!
I love technology.
Friday, February 5, 2010
STORM OVER PARADISE
Storm Over Paradise is a spanish soap with english dubs that I've been watching pretty much every night since I came to Kenya.
It. Is. UNBELIEVABLE.
Seriously. I love it. Its full of drama and suspense. Love triangles and octagons and people trying to kill other people multiple times (and yet somehow police never get involved or even called).
Women making stupid mistakes,identities being stolen, plots to take over massive amounts of land and money, cars blowing up, people going blind than miraculously getting their sight back. There was memory loss, secrets and lies. People getting stung to death by bees (that was kinda gross)and getting struck by lightning.
And all of this with english dubs. What could be better?
My evenings are sometimes difficult cause I'm not really supposed to go outside after dark cause it isnt safe. Storm Over Paradise gave me something to look forward to every evening and helped get me through it. It made me crazy, but I loved it.
And now, its over.
I'm not gonna lie, when I found out tonight was the final episode, I was more than a little bummed. But then I remembered that I bought seasons 1 AND 2 at the market the other day and now I feel better about life.
Now we can ALL enjoy Storm together!!
Dont try and hide your excitement. It'll be good.
It. Is. UNBELIEVABLE.
Seriously. I love it. Its full of drama and suspense. Love triangles and octagons and people trying to kill other people multiple times (and yet somehow police never get involved or even called).
Women making stupid mistakes,identities being stolen, plots to take over massive amounts of land and money, cars blowing up, people going blind than miraculously getting their sight back. There was memory loss, secrets and lies. People getting stung to death by bees (that was kinda gross)and getting struck by lightning.
And all of this with english dubs. What could be better?
My evenings are sometimes difficult cause I'm not really supposed to go outside after dark cause it isnt safe. Storm Over Paradise gave me something to look forward to every evening and helped get me through it. It made me crazy, but I loved it.
And now, its over.
I'm not gonna lie, when I found out tonight was the final episode, I was more than a little bummed. But then I remembered that I bought seasons 1 AND 2 at the market the other day and now I feel better about life.
Now we can ALL enjoy Storm together!!
Dont try and hide your excitement. It'll be good.
THE NEGOTIATOR
I always thought that I could talk my way into or out of anything as well as talk others into going along with me. Being a negotiator was a profession that appealed to me. I would whirl into a hostage situation, smile confidently, be witty and charming and talk the HT into giving me all the hostages and surrendering himself. A day in the markets here, however, has shattered my confidence in my ability to negotiate. I’m horrible at it.
The thing is, since I’m a mzungu as soon as a seller sees me coming the price is automatically jacked up 2 to 3 times what it originally was. And I have no resolve. I’ll crumble and pay whatever price is asked of me and throw in a couple extra hundred just for good measure. Its shameful.
Today I went to the Toi market to get some DVDs for the kids to watch on the weekend. The DVDs here are amazing cause you can by one disc with 10 movies on it. The rule is, you shouldn't really pay more than 100 shillings for them. So when the vendor (whose name by the way is Dan and who kept trying to get me to buy earrings as well – buy 10 get 10 free)told me they were 200 each, I was prepared.
To make a long story short, my friend Samantha and I spent a long time at their table talking and laughing and negotiating- ok, I was flirting; I was able to get a few for 100ksh each, but not all of the ones I wanted. Maybe I’m not so bad at negotiating as I thought. Or maybe I’m just better at flirting. Or maybe they’re sort of the same thing?
The thing is, since I’m a mzungu as soon as a seller sees me coming the price is automatically jacked up 2 to 3 times what it originally was. And I have no resolve. I’ll crumble and pay whatever price is asked of me and throw in a couple extra hundred just for good measure. Its shameful.
Today I went to the Toi market to get some DVDs for the kids to watch on the weekend. The DVDs here are amazing cause you can by one disc with 10 movies on it. The rule is, you shouldn't really pay more than 100 shillings for them. So when the vendor (whose name by the way is Dan and who kept trying to get me to buy earrings as well – buy 10 get 10 free)told me they were 200 each, I was prepared.
To make a long story short, my friend Samantha and I spent a long time at their table talking and laughing and negotiating- ok, I was flirting; I was able to get a few for 100ksh each, but not all of the ones I wanted. Maybe I’m not so bad at negotiating as I thought. Or maybe I’m just better at flirting. Or maybe they’re sort of the same thing?
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
CULTURE SHOCK
An expression that I’ve heard a lot over the past few months and use often myself is “its cultural” It is used as a statement of fact, but also, as sort of an excuse I think. When something happens that is different or unexplainable to us “mazungus” we simply shrug our shoulders as if to say “its Kenya, what can you do?”
As the youth director at New Life Church I always did my best to expose my students to other cultures and teach them to be accepting, tolerant and loving of people who did things differently than we did. After all, “its not bad, its just different” and although I still want the students that I come in contact with to experience different cultures and broaden their world view, I’m not sure anymore if “its not bad, just different” is completely accurate or usable in all situations.
Yes, I have no right to come to another country and try to force or impose my beliefs and values on its residents just because I may believe that my point of view is the right one. And I understand that I can not change a culture and really have no right to. So here is my question:
Does a belief or value being cultural, make it right or OK?
And where do you draw the line?
Exhibit A: in the U.S. we are on time. We make appointments and keep them. Our schedules are set and we follow them sometimes down to the second. They are important to us. We would never dream of being late to an interview and in fact doing so would be seen by the prospective employer as a lack of commitment, and work ethic. If we have friends or know people that are always late they are looked on as flaky or unreliable. Here, it is not so. Its perfectly acceptable and normal to be an hour and a half late to a meeting or show up with an appointment at all. Nothing starts on time and no one expects it to. Its not bad, its just different.
Exhibit B: In Kenya if you walk into your office to find a stranger with his hands in your purse, it is perfectly acceptable to beat him. When you call the police to report it you might hear something like “just kill him and we’ll come and get the body later” Not bad, just different??
Exhibit C: Washing the dishes the other day, I asked some of the boys to help. The response that I got was not a happy one. I was told that washing dishes is “woman's work”. A test that I was grading not too long ago asked the question, ‘Eve was created for Adam as a _______’ the possible answers were friend, slave, helpmate. The majority of boys marked ‘slave’ as their answer. Boys are not taught to respect women, and women are not taught to expect respect from men. They each have their respective roles and they fill them without complaint. I am not arguing for against specific gender roles. I am, however, arguing for a woman's right to be treated like a human being whose values, opinions, and talents are valuable, not as a work horse. Most don't seem to mind or care that they are treated like they are. Is that because they accept and believe in the system in which they are brought up? Or is it simply because they know no other way?
Not bad? Just different?
As the youth director at New Life Church I always did my best to expose my students to other cultures and teach them to be accepting, tolerant and loving of people who did things differently than we did. After all, “its not bad, its just different” and although I still want the students that I come in contact with to experience different cultures and broaden their world view, I’m not sure anymore if “its not bad, just different” is completely accurate or usable in all situations.
Yes, I have no right to come to another country and try to force or impose my beliefs and values on its residents just because I may believe that my point of view is the right one. And I understand that I can not change a culture and really have no right to. So here is my question:
Does a belief or value being cultural, make it right or OK?
And where do you draw the line?
Exhibit A: in the U.S. we are on time. We make appointments and keep them. Our schedules are set and we follow them sometimes down to the second. They are important to us. We would never dream of being late to an interview and in fact doing so would be seen by the prospective employer as a lack of commitment, and work ethic. If we have friends or know people that are always late they are looked on as flaky or unreliable. Here, it is not so. Its perfectly acceptable and normal to be an hour and a half late to a meeting or show up with an appointment at all. Nothing starts on time and no one expects it to. Its not bad, its just different.
Exhibit B: In Kenya if you walk into your office to find a stranger with his hands in your purse, it is perfectly acceptable to beat him. When you call the police to report it you might hear something like “just kill him and we’ll come and get the body later” Not bad, just different??
Exhibit C: Washing the dishes the other day, I asked some of the boys to help. The response that I got was not a happy one. I was told that washing dishes is “woman's work”. A test that I was grading not too long ago asked the question, ‘Eve was created for Adam as a _______’ the possible answers were friend, slave, helpmate. The majority of boys marked ‘slave’ as their answer. Boys are not taught to respect women, and women are not taught to expect respect from men. They each have their respective roles and they fill them without complaint. I am not arguing for against specific gender roles. I am, however, arguing for a woman's right to be treated like a human being whose values, opinions, and talents are valuable, not as a work horse. Most don't seem to mind or care that they are treated like they are. Is that because they accept and believe in the system in which they are brought up? Or is it simply because they know no other way?
Not bad? Just different?
THINGS I'VE LEARNED #11-15
#11. If i were a man I could pee ANYWHERE I wanted to. This wide open field surrounded by tons of people looks like a good place.....
#12. If I was a thief I could be burned alive, beaten or thrown on train tracks. Nobody would mind much, the police would just come and get my body later.
#13. Storm Over Paradise is the best soap ever created. EVER.
#14. Swahili. Still not fluent, but most of the time I can guess what someone is saying fairly accurately. Is that cause I’m learning Swahili or because I’m just a good guesser? Maybe I’m psychic?
#15. Shaving your legs really isn't that necessary. Even if you are wearing shorts or a skirt. There’s a lot of freedom in this one.
#12. If I was a thief I could be burned alive, beaten or thrown on train tracks. Nobody would mind much, the police would just come and get my body later.
#13. Storm Over Paradise is the best soap ever created. EVER.
#14. Swahili. Still not fluent, but most of the time I can guess what someone is saying fairly accurately. Is that cause I’m learning Swahili or because I’m just a good guesser? Maybe I’m psychic?
#15. Shaving your legs really isn't that necessary. Even if you are wearing shorts or a skirt. There’s a lot of freedom in this one.
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