I was talking to a family member about the latest outbreak of chaos in Kenya. When she told me, " Those 2 men have bought us another 5 years here."
You see unlike popular belief many Kenyans abroad do plan to come home as soon as possible and some of them have even taken steps to making those plans reality. But with those hopes have taken a fatal blow with what is going on back home. In the past Kenyans in the diaspora have been called cowards for not wanting to go to a Kenya with any uncertainty, but if the odds of you not making it home from the airport due to road blocks where your ethnicity decides if you will live or die you can't blame them for postponing the return. What of the current state of the economy? Even if you have money to invest, where will you invest it with the economy being in the doldrums. I'm not being an apologist for escapism but we have to be realistic here with what has gone on with our country more people will be willing to leave and less will want to come back and rebuild. Pragmatism more often than not trumps idealism.
What's sad is that even our marathon runners who we first saw as Kenyans and then their respective tribes have not been spared from the hate campaign that is going on. Children are now being pulled out of schools that are in areas predominantly populated by tribes that don't like them to save their children from any possible harm. Then of course Mungiki is making a major come back complete with arms and police uniforms, I guess someone in the government decided to take things in their own hands. Anyway while all this drama is going on, why are we hearing more from opposition figures and the government spokesman then our "duly elected" President? Or is it back to the complete hands off style of leadership?
Anyway lest I get depressed let me move on, I found this interesting quiz about finding out what would be the best religion for you would be and I thought I would share it. Let me know what your best religion turns out to be.
After reading this article one has to give marks to white people for the mind games they played on the rest of the world making them think that white is right in terms of beauty. Call me idealistic but I think that we should get to a level where we should stop judging our beauty on eurocentric ideals which due to our natural make up we can never achieve without the use of artificial aids ie bleach etc.
Anyway let me be optimistic and wish you all a nice week!
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16 comments:
This post resonates with me big time. I am one of those that chose to come back last year, and had actually started making headway with my plans. Things were such that, even if I was offered something good elsewhere, I would turn it down since things were working out great. And then this mess comes up, and now I'm of the mindset that if something good does come up, I am so out of here. As you say, pragmatism trumps idealism, at least as far as I'm concerned.
On that issue of eurocentric beauty... wacha ikae!
egm - niko nawe on the point of moving. then the quiz is asking for an email address..that was the end of that.
aha..when i navigate from the page they give me a result...christianity
Post dated entry....ama the time in the states has changed na hatuna habari!
Wacha I go read.....date check 28/01/08!
@ egm
I feel your pain, Im sure things are now completely uphill for you. I hope things look up for you.
We need to appreciate ourselves as black folk I tell you.
@ aegeus
Those peeps really disturbed me for that email address and that is why I have a spam address for such things.
@ mocha
You soma and holla back. And yeah I can turn back time :)!
Acoloyte
Im going to be posting more ugly pics of myself, so please come back!
And I can understand, intellectually (and somewhat emotionally), the desire for lighter skin in some people, but when it comes to the actual process, the physical pain, the work thats involved, I just dont get it. Its a lose/lose situation all the way around.
L
Aco, I'm still getting business here and there. It's not completely bad. But if things don't get fixed soon, one of the first things to go on people's budgets is money for things like photography when there are more important things to worry about. I'm hoping for the best, while at the same time preparing for the worst. Thanks!
Date check - 29/01/08
Yaani, leo egm tells me ati an MP was shot in the wee hours of the morning.
I get news from BBC, reuters, etc. Standard and Nation(which has been bila access) are bilas.
Now situation is looking very bleak.
Listening to capital and shows going on as kawa.
Yaani, situation on the ground and what is reported are two different things.
Lakini the investment issue, from Kenyans and the international community are on VERY VERY SHAKY grounds. Even export is being affected. Transhipment to landlocked countries like UG, Rwanda, Burundi are being affected.
As a result, a chain reaction is occuring. Now there are reports of the railway lines being destroyed.
Wacha I go take a moment and pray!!! I am still young....sitaki ulcers!
Acolyte,
Pragmatism is appropriate now, I believe.
I would love to be home, but am not sure that work would be waiting for me, at home in this current climate.
My family and relatives benefit from me being in the diaspora. If I go back, things will change,and not be so good for them.
I am surveying the situation, and hope to be home soon, but whether I stay for good is another matter.
This post relates absolutely to me. My american husband and I are in the midst of planning our move to Kenya. Houses on the market and everything. Now look... it seems my chances of going home are lost for now. What is this madness?
You don't have to be 'home' you can always hang out at your friendly neighbours. Tanzania is looking good right now.
@ lola
I shall be at your page as soon as the next pics go up!
Despite the pain there are many people who are more than ready to go out and make themselves lighter no matter the cost.
@ egm
It will take time but things will get back on track for you.
@ mocha
You and me both are too young for ulcers.
That whole situation in KEnya is very very depressing to say the least.
@ tamtam
I was planning on going home sometime this year but with the way things are looking I may end up donating that money to help out friends and family.
@ mamakemi
I feel your pain because I am sure now it will be even harder to convince your hubby to relocate with you back to Kenya.
@ ndungu
Im sure many Kenyans have taken that option I just hope Tanzanians dont get tired of us too soon and throw us out.
Aco I so feel you some family members had to cancel their tickets because they were almost boarding when the chaos broke now lets wait and see where the mediation is taking the country and it better be for better.
I have been informed that am an Atheist! Let me go sulk & reflect on this
@ nakeel
I too am hoping for the best despite the hick ups we have been having.
@ xs
Ebu get some God in you while you are sulking!
You hit the nail on the head about something - I've been here in Aussie six years and at this point I really do take it for granted that I can go outside in my slippers and go to the shop to buy milk at 2 a.m. There are a lot of other luxuries that this place have that after a while you take for granted. The longer you stay here, the harder it becomes to go home where there is so much stress and crime. It's something we rarely discuss so thinks for bringing it up.
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