20/20
First off, just to clarify: I was 99.98 joking about the name placement in the column in the Post. It's nice to see that so many people a) want to help Kenya's small enterprises; b) want to see their name in print; or c) a little from column a and a little from column b.
My 9th column appeared last Wednesday. I haven't been able to see it yet or find it on www.working.com . For those who missed it and want to see it, I'll be happy to send it to you as soon as I get a copy. If anyone else is interested, I'm going to host a reading of some of my columns at a local coffee house. Currently, I'm composing some music to turn it into a musical. I only play piano, so I'm looking for someone to accompany me on the guitar. Any takers?
Last Monday I was voicing my concern that I wasn't really empowering anybody by writing about source separation (and as a matter of fact may be impacting the livelihoods of some of the poor but I'll get to that later). Of course, what did I do that morning that is the exact opposite of empowering - I fed a street kid again. Well, I didn't feed him but I took him to a restaurant and let him order what he wanted (chicken and chips and soda at 9:30 am). I know, I know. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, but teach him to fish, feed him for a life, but I just told you - the kid had chicken. I don't even know how to teach anyone to fish, let alone catch, pluck and cook a chicken. I think the same kid was asking me for shillings later that afternoon too. Later that week, I bought another kid a meal b/c he told me he was hungry. I really have to get out of here ASAP before I run out of money.
By the time most of you read this, less than 5.5 weeks until I leave Kenya. 7 weeks until I'm back in Toronto, give or take a few days. I was asked by one of my colleagues what Canada has that Kenya is lacking. Oh, where to begin. Did I tell you that outside one of the banks I often see army men with machine guns.
On Wednesday night I was put in to play against the high school boys. Those kids can run. It's not just that I'm slow, they are quick. I thought I was going to have a coronary by the time the game was over. I seem to have the lung capacity of a 2-year old smoker. The next day my body was killing me. My knees hurt walking up the stairs and my hip hurt. If anyone knows any exercises I can do to strengthen my hips - much appreciated. I couldn't play basketball the rest of the week.
I'm down to 3 books. Well, probably 2.5 by the time you read this. I started Life of Pi this past week, and thankfully, one of the other two books is Kafka's The Trial. I started to read it some 5 years ago or so but only got 80 pages into it. It is one of the hardest books I have ever tried to read, so that one will probably keep me occupied for a while.
BUT, I do have my weekly magazines. Tuesday is a great day - new economist and new time, and once in a while, like this past week, Fortune as well. I feel like Johnny 5: more input!
So this past week I went on a field trip with the trash collectors who work for the town. What a waste - they couldn't answer any of my questions about the new by-laws for waste separation. While in the truck cab with the driver he asked me if we had hawkers in Canada (people selling stuff on the street). To me it sounded like a word that starts with "h" but rhymes with "lookers". I said sure we do, and asked him where they were now, in Nakuru. He said they're out on the street now. I was a bit surprised. I mean who would get a "looker" at 10:30 in the am? Once I figured out that he meant hawkers, it made the flow of conversation that much easier.
On Friday AM I went to interiew one of the officials in the dept of environment - the dept that oversees garbage collection in the town. The official was speaking english, and i was speaking english, but I don't think either of us really understood what the other was saying. It was like a conversation between George Dubya, and well, anybody who can actually speak english properly. I was trying to gather info on how the town council is prepared to engage in source separation when it collects waste, and to be honest, I don't think the dept of environment has really thought this whole separation at the source thing through. I'm meeting with the officials of the private waste collectors next week to ask them the same questions. Good times.
I've taken up a new hobby to alleviate the boredom - beard growing. It's low maintenance and doesn't cost me very much in terms of time and money. Actually it's really boring.
This past Saturday I did something very different - a few weeks ago I was asked to speak at a Junior Achievement conference the Junior Business Forum. For those of you who may not know, but for 5 years I was an Advisor in JA's Company Program where I mentored high school students in running their own company - it's become a passion of mine. I know, i know - it's quite frightening to think that I'm helping to mold and shape our future generations. But I do... and I'd like to think it's something I actually do quite well. Turns out that I had to give a talk on corporate social responsibility. With less than 20 minutes notice. Thank goodness for Bill Gates and Google - the focus of my talk. Well their foundations, anyway.
How awesome are my negotiation skills here in Nakuru? I agreed to buy some local crafts - I asked the vendor what price he'd give me (I was buying a lot of them) and he said 100 ksh. Since I was prepared to offer 130 ksh for each one, I quickly signed on the dotted line. Well, that's just a metaphor. But here's where my kickass negotiating comes into play - I said I'd buy at that price but if I want any more then he has to give me the same price. He agreed. Later when I placed an order for a fraction of my original one he tossed in a free one. Cha ching. Send me to Iran Mr. Bush and I'll not only get the prez there to stop his nuclear program, but i'll get him to give up all that he's already got.
Zero of the week: McMaster university registrar's office. I sent them an e-mail asking them for 3 pieces of information and they only gave me the first one. I had to send another e-mail asking for the rest.
Till next week... keep your ear to the grindstone...
Jacob
My 9th column appeared last Wednesday. I haven't been able to see it yet or find it on www.working.com . For those who missed it and want to see it, I'll be happy to send it to you as soon as I get a copy. If anyone else is interested, I'm going to host a reading of some of my columns at a local coffee house. Currently, I'm composing some music to turn it into a musical. I only play piano, so I'm looking for someone to accompany me on the guitar. Any takers?
Last Monday I was voicing my concern that I wasn't really empowering anybody by writing about source separation (and as a matter of fact may be impacting the livelihoods of some of the poor but I'll get to that later). Of course, what did I do that morning that is the exact opposite of empowering - I fed a street kid again. Well, I didn't feed him but I took him to a restaurant and let him order what he wanted (chicken and chips and soda at 9:30 am). I know, I know. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day, but teach him to fish, feed him for a life, but I just told you - the kid had chicken. I don't even know how to teach anyone to fish, let alone catch, pluck and cook a chicken. I think the same kid was asking me for shillings later that afternoon too. Later that week, I bought another kid a meal b/c he told me he was hungry. I really have to get out of here ASAP before I run out of money.
By the time most of you read this, less than 5.5 weeks until I leave Kenya. 7 weeks until I'm back in Toronto, give or take a few days. I was asked by one of my colleagues what Canada has that Kenya is lacking. Oh, where to begin. Did I tell you that outside one of the banks I often see army men with machine guns.
On Wednesday night I was put in to play against the high school boys. Those kids can run. It's not just that I'm slow, they are quick. I thought I was going to have a coronary by the time the game was over. I seem to have the lung capacity of a 2-year old smoker. The next day my body was killing me. My knees hurt walking up the stairs and my hip hurt. If anyone knows any exercises I can do to strengthen my hips - much appreciated. I couldn't play basketball the rest of the week.
I'm down to 3 books. Well, probably 2.5 by the time you read this. I started Life of Pi this past week, and thankfully, one of the other two books is Kafka's The Trial. I started to read it some 5 years ago or so but only got 80 pages into it. It is one of the hardest books I have ever tried to read, so that one will probably keep me occupied for a while.
BUT, I do have my weekly magazines. Tuesday is a great day - new economist and new time, and once in a while, like this past week, Fortune as well. I feel like Johnny 5: more input!
So this past week I went on a field trip with the trash collectors who work for the town. What a waste - they couldn't answer any of my questions about the new by-laws for waste separation. While in the truck cab with the driver he asked me if we had hawkers in Canada (people selling stuff on the street). To me it sounded like a word that starts with "h" but rhymes with "lookers". I said sure we do, and asked him where they were now, in Nakuru. He said they're out on the street now. I was a bit surprised. I mean who would get a "looker" at 10:30 in the am? Once I figured out that he meant hawkers, it made the flow of conversation that much easier.
On Friday AM I went to interiew one of the officials in the dept of environment - the dept that oversees garbage collection in the town. The official was speaking english, and i was speaking english, but I don't think either of us really understood what the other was saying. It was like a conversation between George Dubya, and well, anybody who can actually speak english properly. I was trying to gather info on how the town council is prepared to engage in source separation when it collects waste, and to be honest, I don't think the dept of environment has really thought this whole separation at the source thing through. I'm meeting with the officials of the private waste collectors next week to ask them the same questions. Good times.
I've taken up a new hobby to alleviate the boredom - beard growing. It's low maintenance and doesn't cost me very much in terms of time and money. Actually it's really boring.
This past Saturday I did something very different - a few weeks ago I was asked to speak at a Junior Achievement conference the Junior Business Forum. For those of you who may not know, but for 5 years I was an Advisor in JA's Company Program where I mentored high school students in running their own company - it's become a passion of mine. I know, i know - it's quite frightening to think that I'm helping to mold and shape our future generations. But I do... and I'd like to think it's something I actually do quite well. Turns out that I had to give a talk on corporate social responsibility. With less than 20 minutes notice. Thank goodness for Bill Gates and Google - the focus of my talk. Well their foundations, anyway.
How awesome are my negotiation skills here in Nakuru? I agreed to buy some local crafts - I asked the vendor what price he'd give me (I was buying a lot of them) and he said 100 ksh. Since I was prepared to offer 130 ksh for each one, I quickly signed on the dotted line. Well, that's just a metaphor. But here's where my kickass negotiating comes into play - I said I'd buy at that price but if I want any more then he has to give me the same price. He agreed. Later when I placed an order for a fraction of my original one he tossed in a free one. Cha ching. Send me to Iran Mr. Bush and I'll not only get the prez there to stop his nuclear program, but i'll get him to give up all that he's already got.
Zero of the week: McMaster university registrar's office. I sent them an e-mail asking them for 3 pieces of information and they only gave me the first one. I had to send another e-mail asking for the rest.
Till next week... keep your ear to the grindstone...
Jacob
posted by kacob at 5:33 AM
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