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Sitting on a street bench in CBD waiting for someone to arrive when a young woman, 25, sat down next to me. After an incident with what appeared to be an incel man (he walked past less than half a foot away from me, I thought he wanted to grab the phone I was looking down at)
After a brief exchange about the weirdo (which also startled two men who were standing nearby), we were silent. She used the broken ice to volunteer she wants to go for some auditions at Kenya National Theater. I asked if she is an actress and if KNT is now open.
No, she was not but has dreams of becoming one. She wants to go see how auditions are conducted before trying out herself. The auditions this Sunday are for background vocalists, but she is curious about what goes into auditions, so she will go.
She studied journalism and is now looking for work, but work in her field is hard to find at the moment, so she is waiting for someone with whom she will go to a hotel recently opened in Kitengela to try her luck at service work.
The pressure to get a job ASAP is high as she currently lives with a cousin and wants to move out soon, "as you never know when someone will change their mind about hosting you". I told her it's great to have a passion for something & still be practical about what pay the bills.
She said she is currently confused about what to do with herself for a career (it's at this point I asked her her age). I told her the important thing at this point in life is to try different things but be fully immersed especially if it's an on the job training set up.
She got pensive. Quiet. Her eyes clouding up with tears. Then told me that she felt she made a mistake in her life which she feels is holding her back. I asked her what mistake? She had a child who is now two ... I told her that the child was born out of love and isn't a mistake.
I told her that at 25 years old she has a whole life ahead of her to make huge positive changes in her life. I told her it's very important that she is thinking forward and isn't rigid about jobs to do (a journalist waitress).
I told her not to let her lack of service training to get in the way. That she should keep her mind open and absorb as much of the on the job training she gets. If she maintains the right attitude towards learning what the job takes, she may end up managing the team.
I told her that she should utilize the relief that has been given to her by her mother, who is caring for her child upcountry, to do what it takes. I told her it's important to stop viewing her daughter as a mistake as it will affect her relationship with her.
We parted ways as I wished her well as she went to interview for her new role as a Journalist Waitress.
Don't beat yourself up for small hiccups along the way. There's only one deadline in life. When you are dead. #IkoKaziKe
Don't beat yourself up for small hiccups along the way. There's only one deadline in life. When you are dead. #IkoKaziKe
