What I've learned

Here are a few things I’ve come to learn and realize in the last week:

1. Ujamaa is like a boat which my project is trying to board. Every now and then a bit more of my project latches onto the side, clinging for dear life as the Ujamaa boat slowly putters along. Often these pieces are forgotten and slowly fall off. Maybe the sides of the vessel have been polished too well, but I think its because the crew doesn't care to exert the effort to pull them fully on board.

2. I’ve found that in life, around other people, you spend most of your time butting heads, doubting them, assuming things, questioning others, and eventually allowing them some of your trust. The trust is often misplaced, which makes you continue all the previously mentioned activities. Doing work in management in a foreign culture has really exposed me to those feelings, as they have been constantly present.

3. The most stressful thing in life, which is something you can’t avoid, is making choices. Sometimes they’re made for you, but usually you have to pull together your brain, heart, and guessing facilities to make them – and you can never be sure if you were 100% right. In foreign environments choices become harder. You don’t know the lay of the land. You end up making choices instinctually – especially when trying to figure out prices.

4. Meetings where all issues are addressed and flushed out are invaluable. I few times it happens, filling you with a sense of accomplishment. Here, it rarely happens. The meeting style (which I will describe in detail in a later post) causes that failure.

5. In Kenya, grading is public and often negative. Reading out loud and passing out of grades and comments is common. The students are not that ashamed, but it can’t be good for motivating improvement. They defended themselves, opened discussions on their marks, are happy for each other. In the end, it has been accepted.

6. Energizers for a learning environment are amazing tools. At the learning program run last week an energizer ranged from short dance to team activity to just yelling “put your hands in the air” and “put your hands on the ground”. There were so many I can’t even remember them all. The group always responded, and was more attentive for the next short while. It explains the incredible effectiveness of the “clap, clap, clap clap clap…clap clap” that my dad’s used in 4th grade, which remains drilled into my head.

There is lots more that I learn and realize, so there will be more to come! That’s all I can think of for now. Just some food for though…