Searching for that CPA!

So today I sort of went for a career fair for secondary school girls as a mentor, but as luck would have it, I completely missed out on the news about the diabetes walk, so was stuck on the road and arrived a cool 2 hrs late…the guest of honor was quite inspiring, and I was looking forward to the afternoon one on one sessions. I had to leave earlier than planned for another event, but I digress…..

Anyways, during Q&A, one girl asked what happens when you are not sure what you want to do. What do you choose then?? And this was deja vue to me…you see, truth be told, I never was very very clear about what I wanted to pursue, but since my twin was clear she wanted to work in a bank (translate, doing finance), she was signed on to a CPA class and I tagged along. So that’s how I found myself in  (the then brand new) Strathmore college at Nairobi West in early 1995. I did CPA section I and II pretty fast…so I had 4 more sections to go.....but then joined university in Eldoret!

After joining campus doing something totally unrelated, I took my time to clear section III and IV. Basically it was self-study and it took a lot of will power to read for these sections!! I remember one of the papers I sat for the exams in Kenya Polytechnic – I was on campus break - and after that paper, I went to the bus stage to get matatu to Langata. Wacha its starts raining hizo za fujo. I don’t know what convinced the driver to short cut through the pot holed ridden South C! Needless to say, the matatu coughed and coughed and finally stopped! We all had to alight in the pouring rain to push the matt….all this at around 8pm and the next day I had two more papers….never felt so sorry for myself like that day….and to think I passed that set of papers despite the transport hitch!

I also once sat for one of the exams in Eldoret town and that morning we were several of us standing at the campus gate waiting for an early  matt and this guy came in a pick up and asked if we wanted to ride to town. Of course we did as it would mean we also save on bus fare…Eldoret air is normally crisp….Eldoret air as you seat at the back of a pickup is more than crisp….waaaa…..si we froze!! Haha…and at least I made new friends from that experience. So after section III and IV… I took a longggggg break

After several years I told myself I simply had to finish these papers (2 remaining sections). At that time my MBA was also at the ‘ongoing’ status and so this was not a good picture. Since I had been out of reading for a while, I joined one of the packed colleges in town that offer CPAs so as to be able to increase my chances to passing the papers. I was expectant with my second born and these stuffy rooms were not so conducive for my light tummy…several times I had to ran out of the room because of the sheer ‘smell’  in the room given my heightened sensitivities….arrggghhhh…I don’t even want to remember! I sat one of the final sets of papers in KPPCU - that place near Muthurwa...the dust!! and since the students are seated as per admission numbers, after all these years, I was certain I would be placed as first one in the corner, can you imagine there were 4 people with older numbers than mine!! hii CPA lazima imalizike!

So in 2007 when I finally cleared CPAs and got my results, I was so excited I immediately signed up as a member of ICPAK and AWAK, just so that finally I can say for sure I am a Finance professional!!

Hurry, hurry, quick, quick...

So recently as I was heading home, I saw this lady dragging her not so happy kid along the streets and this instantly brought back memories!!

Flashback to mid eighties growing up in Nairobi and generally, going into town center was not a matter of routine unless of course it was  a school day and you had to go to school (I was in a primary school in the middle of town!)

Anyways, it was a real treat when Mum selected one of us to take her to town. But before heading out, she had to lay the ground rules....hakuna kulia....hakuna kusema umechoka.....hakuna kusema you are hungry......and the list was endless.....so you find yourself in town....literally running beside her (she walks very very fast) and of course with time.....the treat is no longer a treat.....but indeed you are tired, you are hungry, you want to cry.....but remembering the rules.....you hang on; fighting back tears!! LOL....of course Mum knows you are tired so soon you enter an eatery and can have some soda/snacks...those were the days!!...simple things in life.....


Fastforward to today....and I still find myself doing the same thing. We pile into the car and I ask the kids to say the rules themselves (participatory approaches....hehehehehe) and since they already know them....the recite them without effort (of course, specifically add that sitalilia chips and only one item allowed when we enter the supermarket!!!)

I have become my Mum!! Not bad....not bad at all

Plus one??

So I promised a friend I would be their Plus one

when they go to the maternity ward

...seeing as I was , by then, already mother to 2

...on material day, I was present

...but waaaa

...I could not do it

..I just could not stand the pain she was going thru

..thank God another friend came over took over 'the role' and

...note to file

...do not volunteer for such noble tasks unless you have the ***for it!!

Very first job...and the risk involved

So there I was fresh from campus…..eager to make my mark in this big big world. Went for several interviews here and there…none materialized….but one called me back and I started working as a Marketing Executive (what does this mean really??). I was together with  a team of about 7 charged with the responsibility of ensuring we get people to advertise in the two magazines ran by the company – i.e. we were to sell space. Oh my…what a difficult task…hats off to all those people in sales!! While some of us had it rough trying to get people even remotely interested in the smallest space, there are those who played in the big league and got companies to do center spreads….and for 12 consecutive months, to boot!! Luck chaps….we sat and admired them as their bonuses were announced at the monthly meeting!!  The silver lining was that after those 3 mths I learnt came to know many buildings in Nairobi by their names and street because that’s how the person you call would identify their office, and you would have to look for it (no Google maps then, sorry!)

Anyways, where am I going with this...ah yes, I have remembered. Today I took a matt and because of the heavy (end month) jam, we were unceremoniously told to alight downtown…near the dreaded Grogon….the place I call Nairobi Half Life…. I remembered how I walked into this street many years ago, oblivious of how dangerous it can be to the new person….Now back to the story about my first job. One of the many calls I made to prospective clients yielded an appointment and yes it was on this dreaded street – Kirinyaga Rd. I walked confidently as per the way I was told on phone but somehow managed to loose direction. So I walked into this vehicle spareparts shop and spoke to this elderly looking guy who was standing behind the counter and I asked him directions to a particular spareparts shop. He didn’t even ask me why I was looking for this shop….incidentally I had almost reached....it was right round the corner!! But his next sentence chilled me….he said ‘…please, please, don’t ask anyone else for direction….go straight there and leave!!’. Eh, I left for the other shop and needless to say didn’t even get the muhindi spare parts man to book a space in the magazine, and the way I had risked my life!!  

Rains and shakey planes

So am seating at the Kisumu airport waiting for my 1830 flight. Its 4.30pm so am pretty early and not many people have come. I call someone who stays in Kisumu outskirts and they tell me its already raining alot where they are...i silently pray that the rain holds off till we at least are airborne...needless to stay it starts pouring heavily soon after i disconnect this call. Its raining...and raining...a lot.. and the dark clouds seem to be getting darker!!.I wonder whether the flight will be canceled.....thankfully after about 1 hour the rain stops and the flight from Nairobi comes in....phewwwww...at least this is a good sign. At 6.15pm we are called to board and given temporary rain coats made of light polythene...can hardly fit my large frame, so i cover my head and basically jog to the equipment (thats what they are called in some circles)....there is a delay since we have to board one at a time and the zealous attendant wants to check each and every boarding pass!! am tempting to shout, heyyyy we are being rained on! but i hold my cool.....shortly after am seated and we take off . The flight attendant is called Vivian...and its a guy...maybe i heard the name wrong...he gives us instructions....no extra hand to help demonstrate 'the safety features aboard this aircraft' and basically has to put the 'phone' that is talking to us with, back to its case and then demonstrate....anyways, i dont bother much since my mind is already in Nairobi

we taxi off and i silently count to 21 before take off, normally its around 28-30 counts before take off, so i guess also Captain wishes to get us to Nairobi quick fast.....its quite bumpy as we take a bit of time to get through the clouds...zealous Vivian takes to the 'phone' again and informs us about this. Am not one to stand up and use the '..wash rooms located at the front of the plane to the right..' so this piece of info is really not for me...i just wanna get hommmeee!!

wacha now as we start our descent into JKIA....ehhhh....the plane was dropping and leaving my tummy in the air...sema pure fright!! dear Lord, i normally don't fear flying but this one was a winner....my neighbour was amused....she asks....you're scared?? am like YEAHHHHHH.....she say ati another time the plane was actually shaking - so this is nothing...and it doesn't frighten her one bit....and for sure she looked so composed.....eh, i honestly felt like we were 'temwad' by the cloudy skies into JKIA...never been so happy to be on land again....

eh...wacha tuu!!

Field trips

Field trips are normally a welcome break.....especially when it comes hot on the hills of an intensive week at the office. was therefore glad for 3 days off mid week to breath the fresh air of merti...challenge is that is far far away and the exhaustion of seating in a car for 12 hr journey can take a toil on my knees. back in nairobi now.....

Form 4 results

Now that the results were released yesterday and some of my friends have children with very good grades, makes me wonder how i would be if i had a child in form 4 now!! Interesting....that would mean i would had to have had the child while still at the university - the very thought still freaks me out. I think am a safe player, so all this anxiety that parents feel will be my portion in 4 years time....so help me God!