Feb 13
The Unfinished Diary; A Random Entry
Today I stumbled over a diary I used to keep four years ago. I was very excited as usual when having a new experience in a new place when I made this entry.
“A diary is a room of one’s own” -Virginia Woolf
Welcome to my room. This entry is inspired by “Son of a Woman” by Charles Mangua.
6Th April, 2017
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7th April, 2017
Woke up late for class after sleeping over at Gloria’s, don’t mistake me for a son of a woman but tumbles might have been involved, let’s face it, a woman is a wonderful creation. I am heavily clogged by cold and just bought lemon to take with tea to see whether it will work to ease my sore throat. I feel like my head is blowing off, like it has loads of a material I am not aware of.
I am worried because I am not sure whether I have secured a position for school practicing at Kabianga but all the same I am an optimistic person and hope everything will be fine at this hell of a university called MMUST. It’s also today that I decide to start writing my own diary that will remind me of some moments in campus so Lord help me be consistent.
10th April, 2017
Woke up feeling weak and nauseated. I attend a CIT class and my temperature is getting out of hand, the fever is so high, am feeling cold, am sweating a lot and I surely need to see a medical practitioner. I head to SPD to confirm my attachment and thereafter I head to the university dispensary, it takes me a full five hours to get attended to fully. Feeling like my legs have intentionally refused to walk, I drag myself to Gloria’s room where I take a nap waiting for my roommate to arrive from class.
12th April, 2017
Am feeling better now after taking medicine.
14th April, 2017
Its Friday the 14th, Good Friday, am feeling very energetic and surprisingly very happy for that matter. I am feeling better now and whole again and ready to continue with my campus studies. Still focused in my third year of my degree. Very anxious to teach and come back for my final year. I can’t believe how time flies. Just the other day I dragged my suit case in Kakamega on a chilly morning innocent looking and naïve, now am an “old man’’ who the world is eagerly waiting for. I’m so excited.
27th April, 2017
It’s at 2:30 pm. The English class is ended abruptly. We head to the MMUST auditorium for a public lecture by the ‘honorable speaker’ of the Senate Assembly of THE REPUBLIC OF KENYA, EKWEE ETHURO on the opportunities of the youths in the devolved government dispensation. Funny because unemployment of the youths has been on the rise and opportunities for them on the decline. We take as much helpful information as we can though he is in the corrupt government regime.
30th April, 2017
It has rained heavily throughout the night and we had planned to travel to Kabianga for our attachment. We wait patiently for the rain to subside and when it does, we start our hectic, tedious and miserable journey. By the time we arrive at Kabianga we are so tired but luckily, we are welcomed warmly by deputy administration Kabianga school, Mr. Dennis Ayieko. A man with great personality, honest and understanding and more so very friendly. He makes us feel at home. It’s the start of a great experience here at Kericho, very cold and mosquitoes looming all over.
1st May,2017
Its first may, a labor holiday to that matter, I walk around trying to familiarise myself with the school and teachers. Non-teaching staff here are very accommodating and welcoming I’m very happy and glad I came for my school practice here. I’m also very excited as I gear up for my first staff meeting as a teacher, eating like one, sitting with other teachers and being seen as one, oh yeah, I’m a Teacher of English and Literature.
2nd May, 2017
It’s a great day as I wait for the meeting to start. The staff room is thronging with teachers and I can’t believe it. The meeting kicks off, I introduce myself and as it progresses, I realize how poor the school is in English. I’m very disappointed as a teacher, by the thought that it’s a national school. The day goes on well as I prepare for my first day in class. The only problem is the incompatibility between my digestion and the food we are being offered here, another toxic relationship that has to thrive.
3rd May-17th June, 2017
The big day finally dawns and now here we are on assembly introducing ourselves and the subjects we teach. I am the first on the dais after I realize my fellow comrades hesitating. If I die, I die. “Good morning, I am Mr Njagi and I will be taking you through English and Literature, I look forward to you your cooperation. Thank You and see you in class.” Later I attend my first lesson as a teacher of English at Kabianga school. I have never been to class and to be honest I must say I feel concerned about my confidence levels. I interact with students; a great rapport is created. After that I feel good and like a complete teacher and I can assure you I’m excited and very. Afterwards I fit into the system and within no time I attend a Debate Session at Kaplong Boys in Bomet County. As time goes by, I am inducted into marking exams the KNEC way and it’s a good experience I am getting here at Kabianga. Waking up early to teach is the worst thing when you are busy sacrificing your time but whoever you are teaching is fast asleep. It hurts and irritates. Now and then I get a token of appreciation from remedial sessions. At a later date we head to Thurdibuoro secondary school in Nyakach, Kisumu County for a staff football match and unfortunately, I get an ankle injury. The following day I travel to Kakamega to deliver my HELB form. I have to lie to the principal that I am the guardian to my sister who is in Mukumu girls. We don’t even have hope that we will have a sister at this moment, and I mean we, because we are three brothers and from the look of things, it’s like the suppliers closed shop.
The Language department is one of the places I have been with the craziest professionals who by the virtue of being literary scholars speak, critic, mimic, personify, imitate. Science teachers wish they could be part of this department. We are still waiting for our assessment but until then I can say I am having fun despite all the chronicles of Kabianga school. Just the other day a BOM teacher was fired because he was hunting the prey the head of school had his eyes on. Today another teacher Mr. Kiptoo who will retire in 10 years had a quarrel with the head of school. They have differing ideologies and both are Men of Ego, who has bigger saggy balls. The head of school has had to ask for his transfer from the employer. A transfer to the most interior school around and far from his home to teach him a lesson apparently of whose balls are bigger. Who is in charge. I also didn’t know blackmail is a leadership style that some people use to operate.
It’s the Eve of midterm, the school is left in our hands as the regular teachers go for a retreat. We are not irregular teachers; we are just not teachers yet. This is my worst day as it’s a long hectic day as the form fours and threes whom we have taken to the neighboring Kabianga university give us headaches but at last it’s over and am glad. It’s 17th June, we break for midterm and since I have not been home since last year, I have to go home to see my great family.
19th June, 2017
As I write this entry, I’m having mukimo at home watching the one pm news. It feels good.
20th June, 2017
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