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In 2009, George Mathenge, a teacher in Kenya, traveled to the UK to pursue his masters at the University of Leicester.
Like many Kenyans who move abroad, Mathenge had hoped that he would settle there after graduating, start a family and advance his teaching career. However, Mathenge says his life in the UK was never a bed of roses from the moment he landed there and although he persevered and completed his studies, it did not take long before he decided to return to his motherland.
Soon after he arrived in the UK, he realized he could not join the University of Leicester despite having an admission letter. He could not afford fees.
“I needed Sh2 million to pay for my fees. I only had Sh60,000. I did not go on a scholarship, but I was determined to make it. I had to get the money and survive because I would not have imagined going back,” he said in an interview on Daring Abroad show by Alex Chamwada.
Before he managed to enroll for his masters in the University of East London Campus, Mathenge was forced to accept any job that came his way including cleaning jobs. This is despite holding an undergraduate degree in education from Kenya.
After graduating, he began teaching in London in what he describes as a horrible experience and was also uncomfortable with the way parents raised their kids in the UK.
With this experience, Mathenge says there was no way he could start a family there and his only option was to return home after a five-year stay in the UK, a decision he does not regret making.
Mathenge, who came back in 2013, is the current principal of Brookhurst International School in Kajiado county.
“I wished that I would become a teacher because so much of what has helped me to be upright and positive in life was instilled by my teachers,” he said
He advises Kenyans who have established a good life and career within the country not to bother moving abroad, where the grass is not always greener. “If you have started a good life here, just continue if you have an opportunity to go there and improve yourself, do it but know it is not easy,” he says.
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He has a problem but now he is a big shot... I worked at Taco Bell, truck stop etc etc ... For me l am grateful for the great country of United state of America. Its not perfect BUT look at our own country kenya... Still with 51 yr of independent and still we are even more backward than when we were colonized. NOTE l am saying we be colonized but oh boy African we have a problems, stealing BUT we have potential to be great... Look like Equity run and one of the greatest Bank, Safaricom.... So we can if we stop stealing and believing in ourselves. And for a president to sleep on a job and wake up and want to get projects completed in 2 years and now blaming a small group of individual of derallying his projects... Blame game and will not get us anywhere.
@liz - there is a lot progress that has taken place in Kenya in the past 58 years since independence!
Yes, there are things that could have been done in a better way but still Kenya has the largest economy within East Africa. The road network is passable, The railways are transporting people and goods. The air travel is available.
I agree the level of corruption has increased dramatically but still Kenyans are working very hard to move ahead! I can go on and on with mentioning the great progress visible in Kenya.
How long have been living in America? Take a trip to Kenya once the coronavirus goes away and see for yourself. You will be surprised and nicely amazed!
@Sally... Thank you I have been home and what you are calling progress to me is not progress but l know my Kenya have potential to be the greatest country in Africa. Kenyan are hard-working individuals but what l was against was that mathenge man narrates 'Horrible' 5 years in UK and wondered what he expected and l think got carried away and went on to touch on failures we have in kenya but when we go to this countries we start narrating stories that do not hold waters NOTE some not all and we should be Thankful when doors open and we go to this country we are able to achieves our goals though this people employing us and getting scholarships to go to school and if not scholarship we work and we pay our fees which in kenya it can be hard. I know you mentioned on The road network, railways are transporting people and goods ... Wish can get you an article by a Senegalese who clearly outline how that shouldn't be a priolity but first secure a healthy country making sure we are secure in terms of food and systems are working. In Kenya and Africa in general... its backward...
@mydearliz - Jesus Christ gal, what did you study in America? Your english is quite classic; very antique-like in nature! Did you take TOEFL and the basic freshman English 101?? What do you do in Kenya?? I am aware English is not Swahili, but gal, you surely can butcher the written English language!
I was dissecting through the paragraphs until I encountered priority! Sarcasm
@Sally. This is a forum for thé valuable exchange of ideas. Let’s keep this trivial comments out of it.
Ok pretty Grace! What valuable ideas do you have? Lag them out so others can benefit from them!
Sarcastic-She has been there and her English is horrible. Mathenge is right, Kenyans expect good jobs when they travel majuu but shocked when they came to reality!
Leave the Senegalese guy alone. I regularly visit his country and you cannot even come close to compare Senegal with Kenya! Senegal can only be compared with Sudan. It is a dirty place to be!
My reaction =whoa, ignorance is bliss
@ Sally we should not be where we are . In 1963 Malaysia was the same level with Kenya until 1969 when Jomo Kenyatta became a tribal overlord. Today Malaysia is 2nd world Kenya 3rd . Railway Sally the railway proceeds go to the chinese . chinese run SGR the Kenya machinist pay is peanuts compared to the chinese ones and the chinese find them inferior just as their salary says . the contract for the chinese to run the railway was to pay themselves for loaned money and if it doesnot chinese will take over plus . they wanted to take the harbour but Japanese refused cause they partly financed it. Is this the progress in kenya Kenya wealth is only by 5% Kenyans the marjority are living under 2 usd per day . today we are still talking of our tribe affliation instead of one people. i have not seen improvement in way of doing biz we still sell in the streets no proper market and hygiene . today as i write Kenyans are eating poison. farmers no longer pay for weeding they use chemicals they use chemicals for everything for boosting growth and ripening .I dont know one single commercially grown foodcrop that is not being poisoned. There is no check same with mild raw milk is being treated with chemical to make it last more days . why do you think there are so many cases of cancer. Corruption is another issue if you want to go to college or get a job mostly back door is used . i can go on for ever but i conclude by saying Kenya failed state and will remain so until voters start voting differently
@loise - you are not trying hard enough to effect the necessary change. You seem to expect everything to come from the government. Kenya shouldn’t be a welfare state! You seem to expect too much free stuff and that is why you are living a poverty stricken life. There are those things you can do instead of always expecting handouts to be dropped by your door steps!
First of all, don't call anyone poverty stricken when you don't even know him/her. Second of all, there are things we can't control like food sources because we have elected leaders to do that job. You could be the richest person in Kenya and still be feeding on poison because of poor leadership so this isn't a matter of rich or poor. Lastly, if you can't resonate with the problems we have as a country then you're surely part of the problem
When america was poor their people stayed there to build it no matter the situation. They stayed with their 19th century and early 20th century poverty, disease pandemics, wars and many calamitiies a poor society faces. If they ran away from their problems to successiful countries to only criticize it america could still be thirdworld and i guess if that is the case you wouldnt be there. Running away from your country and starting to critisize it without offering any solution is like moving to your rich neighbours house and staring to critisize your family how they sleep on the floor and with empty stomachs. Do you think your neighbour will see u as a hero who overcame challenges to run away to his house??? You are the people who make whites think all of us still walk bare foot without food.
I guess when you say a lot of progress has been done since independence you meant progress on CORRUPTION and the continued STUPIDITY of the kenyan masses.
You say Kenyan is the biggest economy in E. Africa. Seriously? How can we feel good comparing ourselves with war torn countries, terrorists infested nations, countries gorvened by dictators, countries whose economies are the worst in the world! And you think we deserves a pat on the back and feel good that we are much better than them?
We should be comparing ourselves with countries whose economies were the same level as kenya during independence. You know where those countries are right now? Not In the 3rd world category!
Tell me, which state owned industry that was established during independence still exists? Politicians embezzled so much, none of these industries EXIST in 2020!
Can you imagine if the cotton, sugar, pan paper, fishing etc industries were still here? With our ever growing population, hardworking Kenyans, who are ready to work, how many people would be employed in these industries right now? How many more industries would we have right now?
Politicians fell our own and are now importing & supporting foreign economies in the 1st and 2nd world. We have enebled these looters by continually thinking along tribal lines and voting these thieves into office time and time again.
You say that roads are passable? To where exactly? What's the point of constructing roads just to cruise around poverty stricken counties? What is a good passable road helping a slum dweller or a hunger stricken Kenyan in the village? What people need is employment. Good roads are good. Period.
State Owned/privately owned enterprises, industries, access to entrepreneurship funds etc things that offer long term employment and favorable conditions for business minded Kenyans to start and own business is what we need!
We have had 58 years. 58! Dubai is what it is in just under 25 years after the discovery of oil. There was a time we were at par with Argentina... Look at them now.
Kenyans should stop equating maendeleo to passable roads.
Have you ever visited or been treated in a public hospital? No meds, no medical supplies, buildings so old and dusty you're better off going to a small private clinic down the street.
Kenyans are hardworking and ready to work. What we lack is unity and exposure. We go back to the same cycle every 5 years. We have a toxic relationship with the politicians. We are there enablers!
I always tell my friends Kenyans are like that abused spouse in an abusive relationship. He/she gets beaten but still goes back hoping that their abuser Will change. And you know what? The abuser doesn't and will never change. The choice is to either know he/she learns their worth or continue to be abused.
Well, do something to make things better for the masses you call “stupid”! They should Nyorosha your skinny ass for foolishly insulting them! Domo bila vitendo!!
@ sally you are the one using your behind to reason ! shame on you or do you eat with them . You are the reason Kenya will never mature . shame on you again
Your problem is really quite big! Your laziness has rendered you to be expecting free things from the government. You expect others to work but fir you, oh no you just want to look pretty and just complain.
@loise - you can’t reason laziness! That is exactly what you promoting here! Get out there and do something and stop complaining over things you have failed to do. Do you expect Uhuru to come to your house to grow Waru, matharu, nyanya, mboga, etc so you can feed yourself! Uhuru can’t be the husband of every lazy woman in Kenya. Get your long nails dirty and do something. Don’t even tell me you have no land! Lease a 1/8 of an acre to grow food! And test don’t tell me you live in Kawangware! Move back to your village where people work to earn a living!!! Gheee!!
@sally should not get ashamed telling you the truth. Remove the blinders in your eyes and get to work! You sound like the unthankful Principal here. Stop complaining over idiotic laziness. Do something to better yourself!! You whine too much like a bitch!!
@ Thuraya - preach and sing the choir but go out there and do something to make a visible change! Don’t tell me it cannot be done because of what..........????
You voted, right!? Which thief did you vote for and for what office? @Thuraya - your talk is cheap; very cheap indeed! What have you done to bring positive changes except running your dirty mouth? Your all time high blane games will not change anything! Change begins with you! Tell the people why you have done to make things better! You must be a mwalimu too! Are you?
Sally, I don't know where in Kenya you live, but majority women and little girls carrying heavy pails of untreated water on their heads all day long is not progress. People dying in floods and/or losing property along small streams and creeks is not progress. Frequent power blackouts and using dangerous latrines or pooping outside is not progress.Schooling our kids under trees and poor hospital services are not progress, 57 years into independence. We might have the biggest economy in East Africa, that's like saying you have an inheritance in a poor household. So, we need to push our leaders to do the bare minimum of their jobs which is to stump out corruption, land grabbing and provide infrastructure like dams, water sanitation and treatment plants and power to help people create and run businesses to create jobs with no corruption.
Then organize your community and dig a borehole to get clean water. Then buy pipes and supply water to every house. That will solve the issue of women carrying jugs in the head! Also talk to your area leadership and ask them w he ere is the CDF money! That is a good place for you to start. Do you not have a local Chief, MCA, MP, etc! And where are the men (husbands) to help the women with carrying the water!! Stop complaining if you have used all the resources available to you! And by the way, I live in Kisumu!
do you live in Kenya. It looks like you are new there or you have not being paying attention. People can't put food on the table. That is the bitter truth. I have a PhD in mechanical engineering yet I couldn't secure a job and you want or convince me b of progress. My sister that is difficult
Why do you need employment if you have a PhD? You should be using that genius to make things! Or you just want a white color desk job?
@kamau - you are asking others to come feed you while I believe Kikuyus have the largest tracks of land in Kenya? You even have no shame saying you have a fake PhD and you can’t even be resources enough to make life better where you are? You must be a very lazy kikuyu man! Come to the RV and see how hard kikuyus work. Wow, a PhD expecting handouts?? Please don’t tell the world you got a PhD and you are hungry! You are embarrassing yourself! PhD is what? Queen’s English language? Just go sleep hungry with your PhD on the mud hut walls!!
So many cars are broken on the road sides and a guy with Mechanical Engineering degree (PhD) is unable to fix them! He is talking about hunger while free jobs are staring at him! @kamau, please give up your name. Not a Kamau now complaining about food!!!! Your people feed the world! The whole wide world!! What happened to a Kamau!? I humbly ask?
Surely - I must confess your English can only be understood by the queen of England!! Wow, very educated indeed! You live in north America or South America? Nice!
I am also wondering the same.
Really?! The USA? Which language were your studies conducted in?
The studies were conducted in Tugeni!!
Well said Mr.Kinyua.I am a nurse in the Us, after working as a nursing assistant for a whopping 10 years, and I don't regret. Prior to coming in yhe US, I was a lecturer at the kenya College of communications Technology for many years. But I cannot start bragging that I can't do this or that because I am a kenyan trained electrical engineer. That's bullshit.
I earned my MBA in finance working menial jobs in a foreign country! Yes I went there on my own volition and I knew it was not gonna be easy.
Having a degree should not exempt you from doing whatever kind of job(s) to achieve your higher education.
Stop telling and misleading the youth in Kenya that working dirty jobs to earn a graduated degree is wrong! Did you expect the Queen if England to hire you as her Butler straight from Kenya??
You went to England with only shs 60,000.00 expecting to earn a shs 2,000,000.09 college education!? You needed to clean many toilets to survive! It is just normal to do so. Give me a break!
You have a pathetic mind set as a teacher of young children! Should I call it some type of colonial mentality?? Did you expect the brits to educate you without paying anything? What a shame!!?
Mwangi, why have you captured my name? Mwangi is already taken. Call yourself Meangi2 or something like that.
Just like me, when too many guests appeared, ... hahaha, good one! Well, I noted his Mwangi starts with capital M and yours is not, maybe that is the distinction?
Sir! Mr Principal! What was so wrong with you working as a cleaner to earn you graduate degree? How horrible is that while you still achieved what took you to England?
I’m very surprised you call your good experience in England a horrible thing. What were your expectations before you left Kenya as a young lad to go to England? Just curious to know from a principal teacher?
And many of us have done menial jobs etc while earning our degrees, big deal
Wonder he wanted to become headteacher right away
He is head teacher now; called Principal! His dreams have finally been achieved! So, he now has Maine’s to clean after him. Just like the colonial masters did to ordinary Kenyans!
A pathetic principal teacher with an arrogant attitude from hell!! I’m surprised you got your graduate degree with the kind of negative attitude that you have.
So, did you expect stuff to be given to you freely? You are the first kikuyu I have ever heard complaining about work; and I surely got many hard working Kikuyu friends!
Is this dude for real!? What a loser in life!! Many have done those cleaning jobs to pay for their education in foreign countries!
Please stop telling people about cleaning work like you are damn too good for it! What else did you do in England besides complaining?
Hope you still empty your trash can in your glorious principal’s office! Let me not see any child in your school coming to clean after you bwana boss man!!
Mathenge - who cleans you dishes, house and clothes in your house? Your enslaved wife and the poor kids? Tumua kanua ta itina ria “Thenge” if you don’t have anything better to say! You are very weak!!
What kind of graduate degree that took you five solid years to finish?? Medicine?
It took you the time it takes to finish up the 4 years of undergraduate and one year of graduate work!
You must be a very lazy man! No wonder you had difficulties in England!! And where did you live there? In Camden area?? That fits your attitude in general!
I can’t stand a whining kikuyu man! God help this man to grow up quickly! He is a big kid supervising other people’s kids with all the wrong mentality about life! Work never kills any body. Indeed, you are required to work you spoilt brat!!
No body forced Mathenge to do any kind of work to include cleaning! He had no choice because he was not a British citizen to take up academic loans and grants! His complaining here is childish and immature in nature! He should have done more public toilet cleaning to earn his living. And what did he learn from the nice experience?? Nothing!! Otherwise he would not have been bitching about it!
Did Mathenge go to England expecting to get his education without working?
Mathenge sounds like he failed to understand his predicament in a foreign country - a mama’s little boy for sure!!
Give him ndanuko cia mitahato to make him happy!! Stop a shaming your mother with baby complaints!
There is nothing wrong being a cleaner even if you hold a PhD, could be your side hustle. You will be surprised the qualifications of people who drive Uber especially in the United States.
It depends what kind of degree.
Surely five years is a long time to work on a masters degree! It takes only two year complete a masters programme; and that is with a good thesis included!
Well, today I came across an applicant who listed herself as a certified broom operator. I presume she meant boom operator but my perverse nature needs answers and I have to interview her in case this really is a thing. If it is, I see a business opportunity in Kenya.
George Mathenge, if you felt cleaning was below your standard you could have used that 60K to buy an air ticket to go back to Kenya. Trying to make yourself more important than you are. Shasha Obama worked in fast food restaurant over the summer.
Shasha? Sasha.
Head teachers 👩🏫 are very important you know! They don’t even wipe their behind after they use the toilet! The Principal is now slaving those little kids with all manner of dirty work! This man is not all there; I mean his intelligence is deeply wanting at best!
And Uhuru worked at a gas station as a student in the US, while his daddy was the president of Kenya! It surely humbled Uhuru and helped him to be who he is today!
Mzee Jomo Kenyatta used to work as a bar tender in London. But that did not make him bitter - read his book, “Suffering Without Bitterness” .
He took the bull by the horns and ended up being the founding father of our beloved country, Kenya!
Your negative outlook of your past life abroad defeatS the whole purpose of teaching those young children; the future leaders of Kenya when you present your grievances about your student days in London! Clean up you mind and the rest will follow suit!! Many have gone through the same long avenues of life; and the experience along the way shaped their future success!
Mathenge - as you can see folks are quite flabbergasted by your attitude of negative energy in what made you the current principal of a school.
Is there anything positive you learned in the five years you lived in England? Just tell one good thing and we will forgive your bitterness, literally!
Mundu wa Thenge! Ukwenda kuga Ati nduonire ona kairitu Ka muthetere to keep you busy so you have good memories of England? Principal, mwalimu witu, wee niwokia muno.
What is, “kairitu ka muthetere”?Do you mean did he ever have a white galfriend? You know they used to call brits, “Thetera”! I don’t think Mathenge ever tasted that; otherwise he won’t have been complaining.
I left Kenya for the US after working as a high school teacher employed by the Government (TSC) for 12 years. I was a graduate with B.ed degree but was tired from carrying placards on the streets with "haki yetu" songs every September and ending up with KSh. 1500.00 increament spread over three years.I am working in manual work sector that you despise but making good money, creating good life that I would only dream about while working as a TSC teacher in Kenya. I dont regret quitting teaching in Kenya and if I were to wind back the clock, I would just do exactly the same thing. Stop misleading young people into creating wrong notions about work.
@omega - please tell the “principal” what you just said again! I love your good English Omega! You would make a very good principal for those kids in the hands of Mr. Boss Principal!! Aren’t you ashamed of Mathenge? His name simply means a “he-goat”! And he is surely one big he-goat’!📣
America, England, or any Foreign country outside your Comfort Native home my friend it is not a bed of Rose's.
We all land in the diaspora from different backgrounds and upbringing. I used to be a principal back in kenya..came to US and landed my first job in a warehouse then 2 other menial jobs to make enough for bills and school. I dont regret my decision! As much as we attack Mathenge,many others have encountered similar problems and taken the same route. Some dancing the musical chairs, back n forth.The main problem is failure to research widely prior to making the life-changing decision and packing their bags in haste with pregnant expectations . To those with Mathenge's mindset pls know that "mwanamume ni kukaza japo kwa kuuma meno." Bw. Mathenge...Now that you have been entrusted with young souls,pls teach them the core principles of Success."Quitters never win/Winners never quit" stay safe.
This is the best advice I have read here from a former teacher! He surely knows what he is telling Mathenge to do! Give the kids practical education about life with a more positive view of life! Hongela Mwalimu huku Narecani!!
Mwalimoo . Your lack of originality, obsession with knock off . Fake. Copycat branding strategies and insecurities manifest themselves in your institutions name .ati brookhurst international schools. next itakua boobburst international school 😆😆
a China copycat of brookhouse international schools .
your obsession with England is inborn Mr Senge.
The last time a checked your name means🐏🐏🐐
you are better in Dr arap mwizis circus troupe than teaching our innocent children
Mwalimoo . Your lack of originality, obsession with knock off . Fake. Copycat branding strategies and insecurities manifest themselves in your institutions name .ati brookhurst international schools. next itakua boobburst international school 😆😆
a China copycat of brookhouse international schools .
your obsession with England is inborn Mr Senge.
The last time a checked your name means🐏🐏🐐
you are better in Dr arap mwizis circus troupe than teaching our innocent children
Please give us real stories Alex. Dont waste your time publishing non starter stories. We know even doctors who have done menial jobs abroad and they dont whine. They either take it with a stride to achieve their purpose or come back home as the losers they would be on letting an opportunity pass them by. I am disgusted
Many British college students work as barmaids/barmen over the holidays to earn their money.By the way I know one who was while doing her masters degree used to clean toilet in hospital to earn money.This was a Briton,in her own country.I wonder what your expectations were!!?
Someone, I think it is Kinyua, has captured this man’s misguided mind vizuri sana. That notion that having a degree should enable someone get a white collar job. Many Kenyans think that way. How can I get my hands dirty starting a business? I need a big job with a window facing the beautiful mountains and to drive a big car. I listened to his accent and are sure British Children would not get him anyway. What you study matters!
Kikuyu women are too full of themselves in foreign lands. In the States, they are more American than Americans. If you don't want to marry a White woman, I can understand why Mathenge preferred going back to Kenya.
@ Settled Nomad I'm not sure what Kikuyu women have to do with Mathenge's delusions. Many of us in foreign lands worked a menial job or two along the way. Learning a little humility along the way is good for everyone. First lesson should be, majuu no one cares who you are or who your daddy is and 2nd is you do what is necessary to make it you cant rely on others as they have their own struggles and lastly exactly where did this fool think $600 would take him? That might cover 40% of the rent not counting deposit, food, utilities, etc. This man is an educator!!! I think he is not being honest. Most universities give you the costs of room and board and tuition up front.
Which Kikuyu women are you talking about Jack!!!?? We work hard for our money so we don’t have to put up with your shitty halogen filled bubble head!! Had you been near me, I would lick your ugly face with my left handed blow and just keep on moving like nothing happened!
Mathenge wee wii thenge muno! Now that the school you head is kept clean by human beings, do you look down on them and say, you lowlifes are useless? Just because you had a first degree from Chuka University you had assumed the world will lay a red carpet for you? Thenge ino!
Sometimes it's nice to think in the other person's thoughts. Let's not be so quick to judge, we do no know Mathenge's full story, it could have been a terrible shitshow. We ought to put our opinions regarding his assertions. Life is not easy in these "foreign" countries, but they surely reward hardwork. Nobody usually has it all figured out. It has a growing phase that needs patience and determination which gets rough most of the time, but everyone ultimately makes through it. I call the lesson phase, it always teaches us something mostly life changing. To put the record straight,if you desire to come, get ready to do anything, I've done a super menial job while attending school, as a foreigner that job thought me to be a better communicator and understanding some small things of the culture I'd have otherwise not understood. Plan that it's not going to start easy but however rough it gets it's all going to be fine ;never give up during the "rough" phase. Dont be forced to be here if you don't want to be here. Money and wealth are not the greatest things we gain from these "foreign" countries, it is the global outlook of life we get from interacting with people from all over the world and the opportunity to do so in your lifetime. Be always realistic with your expectations, you could be working your mind out for something that's a non-issue. Kwa hayo machache asanteni.
I think he said the right thing, if you have a good job or a business please do not go abroad. I
Bwana Mathenge - you inserted your big head inside a bee hive as witnessed here! A cleaner is now call an essential labor!
You can never enjoy your life if you don’t live a clean life-style! Don’t you wash yourself or wifey does everything for you? She is a country girl; right?
Even the coronavirus will get you if you don’t stay clean by washing your hands, your behind, etc!
You sure touched a raw nerve and surely insulted a lot of good people! They now think you are just a pig 🐖 locked in a pig’s stale den!!
Mathenge, you should not even be made a school Principal anywhere because you are rude. You are also confusing those kids about your own personal experiences in the United Kingdom. My name is James Mayik. I am currently a public school teacher here in America where I have taught for the last four years. I sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) in 1997 in Kakuma Refugee. Joined Manor House High School in Kitale. I dropped out of Manor House in 2001 to move to America. While going to college, I worked as a housekeeper, Banquet Houseperson, factory worker, etc. I understand racial discrimination is there but it all depends on your own attitudes. All it takes to be trusted here is positive attitude and honesty. I don't know what contributed to your negative experiences. Good luck!
@Mathenge i love your story as a returnee from that slavery western world.I have ready many comments about the black africa diasporas who r stuck in stato or Uk.I personally didn't see any problem with what mathenge wrote.Yes if u have a good comfortable job don't leave kenya majority of the guts commentin badly here wish they can go back if they have saved or invested well!I said it n i will repeat majuu is for hustlers ukihussle pack yr bag n come sweet home n enjoy the proper life sio matripple/madoubles/buying houses which pple don't sleep at juu ya mamorgages na mabills zenye haziishi n fake fake plastic life!!Mathenge u didn't very well to return after five years.Personally i did all sorts of jobs in states/australia n i thank God i returned after 8 years am happy n satisfied here in this stupid corrupt untarmacked country of ours but am FREE FREE in did both mentally n physical n i don't leave in FEAR how am gonna pay my bills or mortgages??Mathenge again i support if ur not struggling in kenya stay home n let yr kids stay in kenya too unless they want to fly for adventure to see the world.
When you left Kenya with ksh60,000, did you know how much you were going to pay for your school? All colleges send fee breakdown to all students before they start to make a move. You are not telling us the truth. Please read success stories from most people who have made it to the top positions in the world and see where they came from. Most people in Kenya are doing what you are calling dirty jobs and are not being paid as much as the west is paying. You need to come back here and apologize for confusing our youth and imparting such negative thoughts to them.
Mathenge, just take some time and listen to yourself... You said u only had sh. 60,000 and you managed to earn your masters degree in the UK. Instead of thanking the system that helped u turn your 60k into thousands of dollars, u call it dirty and demeaning? Think again... I know if u were sincere enough you would tell Kenyans that your monthly check today is equivalent to a nurse's weekly pay in the said foreign countries. Let's learn how to appreciate and motivate others. If it was that bad, u would have come back here to complete your masters degree,.. anyway. Everyone has to start from somewhere, time and right attitude is all that matters in life.
Mathenge went to Uk thinking he was qualified for a white colour job while possibly he could not even open a computer . I know a guy who went to germany for a PHD he used to clean vehicles for an extra DM . After his doctorate he came back and went on with his lecturing job at Kenyatta university of agriculture . he wanted to make an extra penny and he never complained i know many students europeans africans chinese name them who do odd jobs to finance their study or to live a bit better mathenge is still naive . i mean if you get a chance to study abroad it is a bonus . The kenya system is not the best with all strikes for one reason or the other by students and lecturers
Mathenge, just take some time and listen to yourself... You said u only had sh. 60,000 and you managed to earn your masters degree in the UK. Instead of thanking the system that helped u turn your 60k into thousands of dollars, u call it dirty and demeaning? Think again... I know if u were sincere enough you would tell Kenyans that your monthly check today is equivalent to a nurse's weekly pay in the said foreign countries. Let's learn how to appreciate and motivate others. If it was that bad, u would have come back here to complete your masters degree,.. anyway. Everyone has to start from somewhere, time and right attitude is all that matters in life.
If the kitchen is to hot, go out! Diaspora is not for all. I’ve worked those menial jobs to see myself through college and it paid greatly for me! I can afford a decent and comfortable life in America and I’ve been able to help my family way far than I could have been able to do if I was in kenya! I still love my homeland and I’d encourage those who are there to be open and explore green pastures when they get that opportunity
Oh Lord! Can I get a witness! Amen!!
Beggars can't be choosers.
Mathenge’s attitude have elicited the largest response ( good, bad, ugly, etc) I have ever witnessed in Mwakilishi!
I think Kenyans expect something better from those who have benefited from some challenging situations. Jomo Kenyatta suffered but he never complained; he used his sufferings to uplift others!
Being positive in the midst of adversities is a medicine that can heal those who are looking for a simple moment of hope!!
We can al learn something good from the responses Mathenge has attracted here!
Mathenge - you have a very bad attitude in general about the things you had to do to get your education! What is so bad about working some cleaning jobs in a country that you did not have the legal rights to work?
Many Kenyans do menial jobs to pay for their education and also meet their daily expenses in foreign countries!
You should be telling your students that you were able to achieve your academic goals by doing whatever was necessary to earn your way through the graduate program. We see the kind of your attitudes perpetuated by higher level students in Kenya because they think that certain jobs are beneath them!
Your silly and stinking attitude made your 5 year stay in England “horrible” because you apparently wanted to be handed everything in a silver platter!
The kind of attitude you are reflecting here is not a good one for someone who is a teacher! I’m surprised they selected you to be the principal of that school!
Please free your mind from the ignorance and prejudices of your youthfulness and understand that men are required to work hard to earn lasting life experiences! I won’t want my son to be taught by you. I don’t feel sorry for you!!! Wow, what a teacher!!??