Did you know that Mama of Maisha blog thought ChickAboutTown had brilliant content and/or design? Well, she didn’t tell me so herself, but since she recently prized me with The Honest Scrap Award, I can only extrapolate! 🙂
Thank you, Mama, for this great honor!
I humbly accept this award whose attachments are:
Attachments to the award:
You must brag about the award.
You must include the name of the blogger who bestowed the award on you and link back to the blogger.
You must choose a minimum of seven (7) blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
Show their names and links and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with Honest Weblog.
List at least ten (10) honest things about yourself.
Then pass it on with the instructions!
Since I have bragged about the award and let you know who awarded it to me, I’ll now move on to the next step and tell you which seven bloggers I’m passing the award on to.
To these seven: you may never have heard of me or my blog before, but I am an avid reader of each of your blogs! I hope you will accept my award for what it is: a testament to how much I enjoy your writing. Thanks for your wonderful thoughts and words; I look forward to reading much more from you. Without further ado, these seven are:
Now that that’s done, let me tell you ten honest things about myself. Drum roll, please!
Let me start by sharing something trivial. Let’s say, about something like…hair. I have a 5-year pact with myself not to cut (or process) my natural hair. I made this pact in 2006, so that will be in effect until 2011. (If you are wondering why, it’s because I am scissor-happy when it comes to my hair, yet I want to grow a huge Bamboocha afro. So far, so good! :-))
I have a “Christian” name, but most people who know me, don’t know this fact about me. I go by two African names: the root of my first name means “hope”, while my second name means “he who, through his own efforts, does well for himself”. (This is not in an effort to be afrocentric – it was all my parents’ doing.)
I have no sisters, just brothers. (To all my cousin-sisters reading this, you know I simply mean among my parents’ offspring. With you in my life, I know I definitely do have sisters! :-))
I am very goal-oriented. I love to set goals for myself and achieve them. The more unlikely I am to achieve a goal from the start, the more exciting the whole journey is for me. I can take extreme measures to reach a desired goal but rarely realize how extreme I am being until other people react to what I am doing. 🙂
I was never taught how to read. I (spontaneously?) began to read one afternoon when I was three or four when I couldn’t find anyone to read me a story. My younger brother had just been born and I really, really wanted to hear a story. I guess it’s true what they say: where there is a will, there is a way. 🙂 (True story! I just verified this fact with my Mother to be sure my memory wasn’t playing tricks on me.)
Money is important to me – I love having money and enjoy the power and freedom (and fine things :-)) that go with having money. I am a staunch believer in Suze Orman’s mantra, “People, then money, then things”, though I often misquote this as “Money, then people, then things” (can anyone say Freudian slip? :-)).
Although I am 30 years old, I feel like life has just begun for me. I look forward to seeing the world and partaking in a multitude of experiences that I have only dreamed of until now. This is in sharp contrast to what I feel the world tells me I should be feeling now, which is feeling like settling down and bringing forth the next generation. Not!
I love Africa and particularly love living here. My happiness is directly related to my being on this continent. I am a true daughter of the soil.
Family is very important to me, both nuclear and extended (on both sides). I go to great lengths to nurture my family relationships. Some of the members of my family are my closest friends. (You know who you are! To my peeps, oyé! Note: this is not when you contradict me and say that I have been too lost lately. You know my love for you never falters! :-))
So that’s me in a nutshell…for now. I hope you enjoyed finding out more about me – I definitely enjoyed sharing myself with you. Thanks once more, Mama, for the kudos and the opportunity. I hope your curiosity has been satisfied!
Didn’t think you’d actually do it…but I am so glad you did! It is an absolute joy to know the girl behind the blog, you always write reviews on products and places and very rarely about yourself.
Since I didn’t mention it to you personally, may it be known that I think you have excellent content. I absolutely enjoy your review on products. The design is also great, not many WordPress users have thought of using this theme.
I love #6 #8 and #9. Money is important Biche no matter what people say, I love Kenya too much, my heart bleeds for this country, I can’t believe no one sees the potential Kenya has and we just get mixed up with trivialities like tribalism and gutter politics. I kinda like TZ as well…moreover family(nuclear) is the most important thing to me…..my extended family not too much, most of my relatives from my dad’s side are atrocious!!
Allow me to comment on your last statement first: your relas on your Dad’s side are atrocious? Kwani, they are how? LOL.
Thanks for the kudos on the blog. People (readers), now I can really stand by my brag – she’s told it to me directly. Thanks, Mama.
You know TZ well? Where have been? What do you like about TZ? I can’t wait to hear more about this.
Hmmm…I generally never discuss potentially divisive issues such as politics and tribalism on this blog but, for once, allow me to. Yes, it is a great shame how we, in Africa, are so often willing to just throw everything to the dogs in the name of politics and political issues. When will we realize that politicians don’t really care about us or their country in an altruistic sense.Their allegiance, seems to me, first and foremost to themselves, as individuals, and to their own true tribe – the tribe of career politicians. Sadder to me, is when we, regular folk, get caught up in their rhetoric and agree to turn on our brothers and sisters based on what these politicians say. Yes, Kenya like all other (East) African countries has loads of potential. And a lot of people do know this. Sadly, it is often the foreigners who know best how special this part of the world is in comparison to elsewhere while we are just caught up hating our own countries and circumstances. Sincerely, I’d love it if we could style up and start taking pride in who we are, where we come from, and what we have to offer the world. We, too, are equally children of God. Now, if only we could believe it. Question is: what are we doing to see this way of thinking become more widespread in the communities around us? Food for thought.
Thanks for your feedback (as always). I am looking forward to reading your response to this comment.
Biche, sorry I took so long to reply. I just don’t know what to say about my dad’s relaas! Those ones just need to be prayed for.
I like TZ a lot, especially the greenery. I am mostly at home in Arusha and Moshi. What’s more when I go to my home area, I have to use the Nairobi-Moshi road to get to the other side of Kenya. Every time I manage to get a few days away by the way, I run to Arusha, it’s so peaceful and quiet there I tell you, and its only a five hour drive from Nairobi.
Nice to read your response. No sweat about taking “long” to reply. Life happens!
Oh… I so loved your posts about TZ! I can relate entirely with your irritation at dalalis. The first time I encountered them, I was an a most dramatic trip from Nairobi to Dar and happened to be in Arusha trying to get a bus to Dar es Salaam. Wow, I had never encountered anything like it.
It’s funny – they say that it’s in Kenya where you need to watch out for people who approach you in order to swindle you, but for all of my gallivanting in Kenya, I’d never felt so threatened! Could it be that the dalali situation was so unfamiliar that we felt particularly overwhelmed by it? Or is it just about being a foreigner in a strange land, so people will try to take advantage (I still get taken for Kenyan all the time! I guess I haven’t yet learned to call everyone kaka and dada and shemeji or mama mdogo :-))?
Hmmm…I love Arusha and Moshi. When I lived in Nairobi, I also used to head out to Arusha for the slightest reason. That part of the country is so different from Swahili-land (Dar, Zanzibar, and its environs).
Not to pry too much, but where is your home area? How come it’s easier to drive from Kenya to Kenya, through Tanzania? My father is from Northern Tanzania and we also often drive from Tanzania to Tanzania, via Kenya and Uganda. Sounds a little extreme, but until recently that was the safer and easier way to travel between the capital city and my father’s home.
Zanzibar is definitely a part of Tan-ZAN-ia. 🙂 And yes, isn’t it just lovely? I can’t wait to try out Chapwani Island that you recommend so highly. I’ll let you know when I do.
I come from a border area Biche Kenyan coastal border with Tanzania’s Holili. The Nairobi Voi Road is not tarmacked so TZ is all we have.
In any event when people get really sick in our home area, they have to go the referral hospital in Moshi (KCMC) where the good doctors are. It is an hours drive from my rural village.
That’s a puzzle you get to solve for yourself :-).
Hi Mama,
So you are practically Tanzanian? Hehehe…I am just joking! Often, when I tell people where I am from in Tanzania, they tell me: kwa hiyo, wewe ni Muganda and it just ticks me off! Not that I care about being called a Ugandan – I am half Ugandan and look it! 🙂 But the question is: who’s anyone to tell me what I am or am not? Si, I’ve got a passport to prove I am Tanzanian?!
Anyhow, thanks for sharing. I checked out what you were describing on Google Maps and now I get it. Thanks for the geography lesson!
These borders I tell you! A bit artificial….
Wishing you a great weekend,
Biche
Hi..nice meeting you for first time..not disappointed…
awesome. that you were given such a gift and awesome that you share with the rest of us. I like how you put that you are ‘a true daughter of the soil’.
peace n abundance
CheyAnne
hellew hellew…this is kipepeo…or rather “sparkles” my new blog name…check there for my honest scrap! hihi
Hi Misschee,
Thanks for letting me know! I’ve left you comments on both your old and new blogs. 🙂
Cheers!
Biche
I like N°7!!!
Thanks Sibo!
Welcome to ChickAboutTown!
Do you like #7 because you are also on this side of 30? Hehehe….
Just asking,
Biche
I am almost there…..
I love the positivity in N°7!!!
Oh. Ok. Now, I get it! 🙂
Didn’t think you’d actually do it…but I am so glad you did! It is an absolute joy to know the girl behind the blog, you always write reviews on products and places and very rarely about yourself.
Since I didn’t mention it to you personally, may it be known that I think you have excellent content. I absolutely enjoy your review on products. The design is also great, not many WordPress users have thought of using this theme.
I love #6 #8 and #9. Money is important Biche no matter what people say, I love Kenya too much, my heart bleeds for this country, I can’t believe no one sees the potential Kenya has and we just get mixed up with trivialities like tribalism and gutter politics. I kinda like TZ as well…moreover family(nuclear) is the most important thing to me…..my extended family not too much, most of my relatives from my dad’s side are atrocious!!
Hi Mama,
Allow me to comment on your last statement first: your relas on your Dad’s side are atrocious? Kwani, they are how? LOL.
Thanks for the kudos on the blog. People (readers), now I can really stand by my brag – she’s told it to me directly. Thanks, Mama.
You know TZ well? Where have been? What do you like about TZ? I can’t wait to hear more about this.
Hmmm…I generally never discuss potentially divisive issues such as politics and tribalism on this blog but, for once, allow me to. Yes, it is a great shame how we, in Africa, are so often willing to just throw everything to the dogs in the name of politics and political issues. When will we realize that politicians don’t really care about us or their country in an altruistic sense.Their allegiance, seems to me, first and foremost to themselves, as individuals, and to their own true tribe – the tribe of career politicians. Sadder to me, is when we, regular folk, get caught up in their rhetoric and agree to turn on our brothers and sisters based on what these politicians say. Yes, Kenya like all other (East) African countries has loads of potential. And a lot of people do know this. Sadly, it is often the foreigners who know best how special this part of the world is in comparison to elsewhere while we are just caught up hating our own countries and circumstances. Sincerely, I’d love it if we could style up and start taking pride in who we are, where we come from, and what we have to offer the world. We, too, are equally children of God. Now, if only we could believe it. Question is: what are we doing to see this way of thinking become more widespread in the communities around us? Food for thought.
Thanks for your feedback (as always). I am looking forward to reading your response to this comment.
Biche
Biche, sorry I took so long to reply. I just don’t know what to say about my dad’s relaas! Those ones just need to be prayed for.
I like TZ a lot, especially the greenery. I am mostly at home in Arusha and Moshi. What’s more when I go to my home area, I have to use the Nairobi-Moshi road to get to the other side of Kenya. Every time I manage to get a few days away by the way, I run to Arusha, it’s so peaceful and quiet there I tell you, and its only a five hour drive from Nairobi.
I went to Dar-es-salaam for the first time late last year liked the trip but the dalalis ruined it for me. I wrote two posts at my end about my latest trip! Here are the links http://maisha-africa.blogspot.com/2009/01/chapwani-island.html and http://maisha-africa.blogspot.com/2009/02/those-dreadful-tanzanian-brokers.html.
I don’t know if I can classify Zanzibar as TZ, but have been there and been to some surrounding islands around there.
Hi Mama,
Nice to read your response. No sweat about taking “long” to reply. Life happens!
Oh… I so loved your posts about TZ! I can relate entirely with your irritation at dalalis. The first time I encountered them, I was an a most dramatic trip from Nairobi to Dar and happened to be in Arusha trying to get a bus to Dar es Salaam. Wow, I had never encountered anything like it.
It’s funny – they say that it’s in Kenya where you need to watch out for people who approach you in order to swindle you, but for all of my gallivanting in Kenya, I’d never felt so threatened! Could it be that the dalali situation was so unfamiliar that we felt particularly overwhelmed by it? Or is it just about being a foreigner in a strange land, so people will try to take advantage (I still get taken for Kenyan all the time! I guess I haven’t yet learned to call everyone kaka and dada and shemeji or mama mdogo :-))?
Hmmm…I love Arusha and Moshi. When I lived in Nairobi, I also used to head out to Arusha for the slightest reason. That part of the country is so different from Swahili-land (Dar, Zanzibar, and its environs).
Not to pry too much, but where is your home area? How come it’s easier to drive from Kenya to Kenya, through Tanzania? My father is from Northern Tanzania and we also often drive from Tanzania to Tanzania, via Kenya and Uganda. Sounds a little extreme, but until recently that was the safer and easier way to travel between the capital city and my father’s home.
Zanzibar is definitely a part of Tan-ZAN-ia. 🙂 And yes, isn’t it just lovely? I can’t wait to try out Chapwani Island that you recommend so highly. I’ll let you know when I do.
Wishing you well,
Biche
I come from a border area Biche Kenyan coastal border with Tanzania’s Holili. The Nairobi Voi Road is not tarmacked so TZ is all we have.
In any event when people get really sick in our home area, they have to go the referral hospital in Moshi (KCMC) where the good doctors are. It is an hours drive from my rural village.
That’s a puzzle you get to solve for yourself :-).
Hi Mama,
So you are practically Tanzanian? Hehehe…I am just joking! Often, when I tell people where I am from in Tanzania, they tell me: kwa hiyo, wewe ni Muganda and it just ticks me off! Not that I care about being called a Ugandan – I am half Ugandan and look it! 🙂 But the question is: who’s anyone to tell me what I am or am not? Si, I’ve got a passport to prove I am Tanzanian?!
Anyhow, thanks for sharing. I checked out what you were describing on Google Maps and now I get it. Thanks for the geography lesson!
These borders I tell you! A bit artificial….
Wishing you a great weekend,
Biche
Hi..nice meeting you for first time..not disappointed…
Hi JoyUnspeakable,
Welcome to ChickAboutTown!
I am glad I did not disappoint. 😉
Cheers,
Biche
lovely, lovely, young lady. crisp writing too. you must be an interesting person.
Hi Dennis,
Welcome to ChickAboutTown!
Thank you for the compliments! I hope to see more of you here around ChickAboutTown. 🙂
Cheers,
Biche
awesome. that you were given such a gift and awesome that you share with the rest of us. I like how you put that you are ‘a true daughter of the soil’.
peace n abundance
CheyAnne
Hi CheyAnne,
Welcome to ChickAboutTown! I am glad you enjoyed this post.
I look forward to seeing more of you, here, on ChickAboutTown.
Cheers,
Biche