Out of the Box

I spent my first 18 years immersed in an educational (and social) system that did little to encourage creativity. What subjects did I take for A levels? Economics, Chemistry, and Further Maths. That's not to say that I didn't do well in these classes, or that I didn't enjoy them, because I did. Heck, I loved Economics, and that's what I got my degree in, despite having the opportunity to change my mind (and the wisdom to know that it would be okay to).

It was expected that our degrees and the careers we chose would follow certain paths that all those before us chose; thinking outside the box wasn't really encouraged. This wasn't just a problem localised at my school; indeed, it was a problem that was facing a larger community in Nairobi. Looking at my secondary school graduating class, I can't think of anyone who chose to pursue further education in something like art, creative writing, or philosophy. That's not to say that no one was interested in these fields; rather, if present, this interest wasn't cultivated or encouraged, and as far as I know, if people expressed desire to pursue their passions, they were told to pick something more 'realistic'.

How many brilliant creative minds have we shut down because we forced them to pursue maths, sciences, or similar fields? Because art is not a 'real' field? 

I'm very fortunate that I'm still writing at this age. While we didn't do much writing for school, I did choose to pursue it personally, from quite a young age. Was this encouraged by my educators and peers? No, not really. Would my writing be at a different level if it had been? Maybe, but I don't think there's much value to be derived from regret; rather, it's best to move forward and see how we can change.

When I came back to Kenya this year, I had somewhat restricted myself to similar in-the-box thinking. I know that I want to be an entrepreneur eventually, but I also know that to be ready for that, I'd like to have more experience and skills. However, what I wrongly assumed is that those experience and skills would be gained at a typical 'desk job', and so that's what I went and found.

There was nothing wrong with the job itself, but I realised that it wasn't the best fit for me. I was trying to make myself conform to a standard I had no business conforming to in the first place. I was trying to live someone else's reality, a reality that I'd been raised to think was right for me.

It took me a while to make the decision, but I quit. In typical Roshni fashion, I did a lot of thinking about this decision, consulted a lot of people, and tried to listen to my head, which told me that change could always come later. Why rush it now? In the end, I did what was right for me, what I probably should have done in the first place; followed my heart now.

Why is it that we force ourselves into these boxes now, so that we can enjoy ourselves later? Here's something we need to realise (to a certain degree of course); later never comes. The excuses we make now can easily become the excuses we make tomorrow that prevent us from stepping forth confidently in the direction of our dreams. If we keep living for tomorrow, how will we ever enjoy today?

So what am I doing now? I'm working (full time) as a consultant. Primarily for a company in the U.K., but also on some independent projects. The work I'm doing is challenging, but I love it! I can officially call myself an intrapreneur. I have creative freedom, the opportunity to learn a lot, and autonomy over what I do. I have the opportunity to learn from a fantastic and hard-working entrepreneur. I now have the time and the flexibility to do more writing and to travel; two things that are very important to me, that I had told myself I would do 'later'. I already feel like I'm growing by leaps and bounds. Will things change in the future? Most probably; change is constant. But for now, I can confidently say that I'm in the right place, at the right moment, doing the right things. 

What have the past few weeks taught me? It's okay to stand up for yourself, to step out of the box society says you should be in - it's okay to follow your heart.

10 Reasons to Visit South Africa

Have you always dreamed of visiting South Africa? I just got back from a two week vacation spent in Kruger National Park and Cape Town and let me tell you, it was AMAZING! I was so fascinated by the seemingly endless beauty, culture, and adventures that South Africa had to offer. So, if a trip to South Africa is not yet on your bucket list, here are 10 reasons why you should go:

1. SAFARI #ENOUGHSAID

Going on safari is an experience of a lifetime that you simply cannot miss out on! When else will you have the chance to get up close and personal with all kinds of amazing wildlife?? Leopards, rhinos, hippos, elephants, lions, the list goes on…South Africa is arguably the best place on the planet to go on safari and I saw all of the Big 5 within the first couple of days.

2. FRIENDLY, HAPPY, BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE

Whether having a drink with safari rangers or striking up a conversation with locals on the train, one thing is certain: the people here are wonderful! Maybe it’s the great weather, delicious food, or just the laid back lifestyle, but everyone in this country was so welcoming and hospitable.

3. MELTING POT OF CUISINES

One of my favorite things about visiting South Africa is the wide variety of food options. While South African food itself is delicious (with lot’s of meat), there’s a lot of Malaysian and American influence in the cuisine - especially in Cape Town. If you love to eat, you’ll definitely satisfied!

4. EPIC SCENERY

This probably goes without saying, but the views here are to die for. Watching the sun set over the vast landscape of Kruger National park was incredibly unreal. But my favorite view was definitely in Cape Town, at the top of Lions Head hike. You can also climb to the top of Table Mountain for some amazing views of the city.

5. FASCINATING HISTORY

South Africa has an incredible history of European conquest, racial violence, and the more recent political revolution led by Nelson Mandela. I learned a lot about the history of South Africa from listening to our tour guides, reading The Covenant, by James Mischer, and visiting the District 6 Museum.

6. WORLD CLASS LIBATIONS

Wine. Great, really great wine. And Amarula. That is all.

7. GREAT FASHION

Hipster, stylish, fashionable, whatever you want to call it, South African’s have a SUPURB fashion sense. Pair that with affordable prices, and this girl is in heaven! How cute is this sundress I found for just $18 US!

8. GREAT WEATHER

South Africa’s climate is rather subtropical. We went at the end of March and the weather was perfect: warm and sunny during the day, and cool at night. It can get pretty chilly in the winter (May through July) with lots of rain, but there is not heavy snow. On the flip side, it can get VERY hot in the summer (October - February) so make sure to bring your sunscreen!

9. IT’S AFFORDABLE (compared to the US, at least!)

Affordability is all relative, but relative to the US, I was in heaven with the $1 coffees vs. my $4 Starbucks latte back home! And that dress I mentioned in #8? It would have been double the price in the US!

10. ONLY IN SOUTH AFRICA

• Sundowner - a drink taken as the sun goes down, AKA “happy hour” for you Americans
• Biltong - the most amazing snack of dried meat, AKA beef jerky (but not limited to beef)
• Springbok - shooter of mint liqueur and Amarula
• Boboti - South African casserole made of minced meat and topped with a layer of baked egg
• Boerewors - the most amazing sausage ever

Have you been to South Africa? What were your favorite experiences? For more details on my amazing trip, check out my South Africa blog series on Strum Simmer Sip.

Guest Author Bio:  Lisa is the founder and author of Strum Simmer Sip - a lifestyle blog dedicated to those who share a penchant for great food, music, and life experiences. Originally from San Francisco, CA, Lisa currently lives in Evanston, IL where she is a full time MBA student. She enjoys eating, cooking, playing guitar, traveling the world, coffee, working out (sometimes), shopping, and blogging, of course!

25 Before 25

Nearing the end of the year seemed like a good time to create a broad bucket list, so to speak! I've seen lots of these on various other blogs and websites, and it seemed appropriate to make one of my own (that could also be used by others)! I'm 22, turning 23 in March, so I figure this gives me a good two(ish) years to get exploring. Of course, the list is general enough that it can be used by most adults at any stage in life!

1) Pick up more languages: Personally, I'd like to finally master French, and attempt to tackle Italian, and the dialect of Irish that my phone calls 'Irish'. For others who're interested in languages around the world, the digital age we live in has made it SO much easier to pick up new ones; whether this entails using apps like Duolingo, or actually immersing yourself in a culture that speaks another language. 

2) Travel more: While I have family all over the world, and have travelled often, I haven't necessarily travelled to many different places (yet). Having graduated, hopefully I can work on this! An uncle of mine who regularly travels around the world for work told me that now is the best time to go out and see the world, and I think he's absolutely right (thanks Amu Faiz)! I've been fascinated by Ireland for some time now, for no particular reason, and so I hope to at least see this soon enough! 

3) Expand your musical skills: If 'musically challenged' was a medical disorder, it would describe me perfectly. I appreciate music, and enjoy live shows once in a while, but lacked the patience and skill to pick up an instrument (much to the dismay of my mum and teachers). However, singing doesn't seem (that) difficult, and at the risk of breaking all the windows around me, I think now might be a time to improve my skills enough that I can sing to my soon to arrive niece(s) or niece and nephew without cause for tears (did I mention I'm about to become a double aunt?) :)

4) Learn to make your money work for you: Younger than 25 may seem to some 'too young' to start worrying about money, but take clues from the successful (and unsuccessful) people around you. Just learning about simple investments that can be made and how to control spending habits could go a long way in the future!

5) Try an adrenaline sport: Honestly, I want to do banzai skydiving at some point. It sounds crazy, but fun! It may take me a while to get good enough to be able to do this, though, so I may stick to skydiving at this point!

6) Pick up photography: Or in my case, pick it up again. Bob (my camera) has been complaining of late that I haven't paid him much attention. Those classes I took while still in uni gave me an excuse to explore this art, but recently I've reduced my photography to taking pictures of friends and family when we get together. Yes, it's fun, but not necessarily what a DSLR was built for!

7) Give back, give often: 'Charity' has become so much more than giving money to those who're 'less fortunate'. I've been lucky enough to be in an environment where people are mindful of those around them, and I hope to be able to continue this as I get older. 

8) Learn to let conflict go: Sometimes we hold on to anger because we're too dogmatic to give in. By the time we realise that the relationship at risk means more than the silly squabble, it could be too late. I think the younger we learn to let go of conflict and move on, the healthier we'll be as we get older. 

9) Learn to let go of relationships: At the same time, sometimes it's important to recognise when some relationships have come to an end. These may be friendships that were very close to your heart, but may actually be detrimental to you. I read an interesting article recently on Elite Daily on 10 Toxic People You Shouldn't Bring With You Into The New Year , make sure to check it out!

10) Trust new people: I find that the older I get, the more comfortable I get with the comfort zones I create around myself. Being able to take a jump and try something new and meet new people does me wonders and I'm sure would benefit others too. 

11) Love yourself: I must have said this a thousand times before, but the best time to learn to spend time alone and be comfortable with yourself is now. No matter how old you are, no matter how many years you've spent with a negative self-image, with a little effort, this won't be hard to achieve at all. 

12) Make (and stick to) a fitness routine: Luckily, as of September, I've been pretty okay at this, but just hope that my streak continues! The benefits are definitely innumerable. I want to try accumulate at least 300 yoga hours in 2015, and be able to run at least a 5K so that when people learn I'm Kenyan, I can actually live up to the stereotype. 

13) Climb a mountain: This seems simple enough, right? The world has lots of variety you can pick from. Fortunately, Kenya does too, and I have lots of people around me who've already accomplished this. My best friend climbed Mount Kilimanjaro recently, and while I may not be ready to do this as soon as she was, maybe someday it'll happen. 

14) Learn to cook: Hurrah! I can almost check this one off, thanks to my sister who patiently showed me the basics. Six months ago, I'd never even broken an egg or cut an onion, but now I can safely say I would survive in a kitchen by myself. 

15) Learn to say no: I find this difficult to do, but am learning to do it more often. Sometimes, it's okay to think of yourself first and recognise that you have needs too. 

16) Say yes to things you would've previously turned down: You never know when a fun adventure may be right around the corner!

17) Read more, write more: Personally, I'm trying to switch from quantity to quality. I've got a few untouched-since-I-used-them-in-school Philosophy books that I've been meaning to explore but haven't quite gotten around to. 

18) Spend time with family: This one speaks for itself I think! I'm lucky enough to come from an extremely close family, and though we may be miles away, we speak almost everyday. Time together may not be as much as we'd like, but we make sure to use it well. 

19) Make time for friends: The older I get, the more it seems that I have friends spread out across the globe, from California to Australia. It can be hard to keep up with all of them, but I think it's important to try, especially so because it's these distances which remind you who values you in their lives too. 

20) Become a morning person: Those of you who know me well are probably doubled over laughing at this point. But hey, others have done this before me, so there may still be hope!

21) Go a significant period of time without TV and social media: Honestly, once you begin this, I don't think it's as hard as it seems. It's the initial step that's the hardest, but I think I'd really welcome being able to be Facebook free; not forever, but for a little bit. We've become so attached to our phones that interactions with real people leave much to be desired. 

22) Write with your non-dominant hand: This is a bit of an odd one, but I've always been fascinated with the fact that my dad can write with his left hand and it's actually legible (he's an eye surgeon so this makes sense). I'd love to be able to use mine too!

23) Talk to strangers: This is so much easier to do when you're in a closed environment like a university or workplace, but once you leave these, talking to strangers can seem daunting, at least to me! (Note to self (and others): Do not take this far enough to accept rides from strangers...)

24) Learn your way around a vehicle: My dad has always believed that if you want to drive a car, you should be able to look after it too. I remember the first time I polished one; it got dark while I was still working, and discovered some spots I'd missed the next day. Still, it was pretty exciting, and I've been meaning to learn more when I get a chance! 

25) Plan for the future, but learn to enjoy the present: This is such a big one, and such an important one! What's the point of planning for the future if you'll never enjoy the present? 

Happy holidays!

Enjoyed this post? Don't forget to comment, follow this blog, like my page on Facebook at The Kenyan Nomad or reach out to me on twitter @roshwalia !

Wanderlust

Here's another blog post by Aniqah Khalid, my fantastic guest blogger and one of my oldest friends. She's full of life and inspiration, and I'm glad I get to share her work with you!

Some of you may or may not know that I lived in London for four years of my life. I lived within the heart of central London where a combination of cosmopolitan life, bad weather, sophistication, dearth, excitement, downheartedness, materialism, spiritualisation and much more lay. I simply loved it. I love it not only because of the excitement of living in a bourgeoisie city; however what London had the ability to offer in terms of growth and self-realisation was in itself unexplainable.

Sometimes you find yourself losing yourself within a book. You become acquainted with every character and find yourself sinking into the ink of every page with every word you read. That is what happened during my love affair with London. I lost myself in this foreign city and let it find all different the emotions, fears and strengths embedded deep within my subconsciousness.

You meet people who are so different from you only to give that bubble you live in a much needed pierce. Different assortments of people walk the streets of London. From the homeless drunk, half asleep and effortlessly reeking the tube carriage to the piercing parlour of a man with spikes in different shades of purple that once used to be his hair smoking in a corner of Camden Town. You will never cease to be surprised by the vibrant characters you will meet. So many stories they hold, so much they have seen and so many dreams that have been crushed and have manifested.

The beauty of London further lies within its past. Streets still haunted by what has passed many moons ago through its time-honoured architecture that stands just as it had within the Victorian era. The gothic architecture that shadows London gives it a mystical magic and its statues and gargoyles hold the secrets of Londoners that have passed and that are to come.

Fashion is not a choice; in London fashion becomes essential. You may learn to love it or become naively opposed to the materialistic world you are already a part of. I loved and hated how you always have to keep up with what was trending and how displays in stores would constantly change to newer electrifying things. The talent and sheer outrageousness of the fashion industry evolved from a general musing to an overall lifestyle I adopted. The creativity was enticing and the ability to pull it off became an addiction.

To get lost in London is in itself a way to find yourself. There’s something really awe-inspiring about losing yourself in a big city.  We all experience different places differently depending on where you are in life and what you want from life. We are all in some way or another seeking something, and when you find yourself out there, something changes and somehow you just know that you have fallen in love with not only where you are at that moment, but who you are in that moment. 

To Move and To Stay

Recently, I've had to tell myself that soon (hopefully), I'll be settled down in some (as yet unknown) place. I'll relax into some sort of routine, and most of my time will be spent in the city that I choose to live and work in. One city, one home, one room. For an extended period of time. Sure, many of us make big moves in our lives; moving to different cities, states, or even countries. Yet, I've heard of a lot of people who've lived in the same 50-kilometre radius for their whole lives (which does confound me just a little bit). From my perspective, I'm one of the lucky/unlucky (take your pick) ones who has done quite a bit of moving in 22 years. Big city in East Africa, to small town in India. Small town in India, to small town in Western Kenya. Small town in Western Kenya back to big city Nairobi. Big city Nairobi to Tennessee (exactly four years ago). And most recently? A move from Tennessee, with my destination yet to be decided. And at this grown up destination, there is sure to be some sort of routine that I will fall into.

Most humans have evolved into creatures of habit. We can rarely be defined as nomads, and travel is often done with the aim of getting back to where we started from. From being something that was important and undertaken quite often by our ancestors, travel has taken on a leisurely tone, and is rarely a regular necessity.
Do I want to be forced by circumstances to have to move my home every few weeks or even days? Absolutely not. But I do want to be able to remember, when my 'life routine' has set into place, to make travel a priority. Not just travel for the sake of relaxation and exploration, but travel for the sake of learning and growing and appreciating that we live in a very big place indeed.

On that note, I've been thinking of making a travel bucket list. Of course, I have no idea where to start. There's so much diversity of place to be found a mere one hundred miles away; how do I expect myself to pick from an entire globe? But pick I must, and sooner rather than later, so that as time goes on I have something to use should I try make excuses for myself later on. Ireland would be great to start, wouldn't it?