Today I went to town to meet with a Somali woman who has put me in touch with a Somali NGO that is seeking a consultant for project proposals. We arrange to meet at a mall downtown Nairobi and it takes us 30 minutes to locate each other in the mall. I often get lost in translation with giving and getting directions in East Africa. It's amazing how many ways there are to describe your location. We finally meet and she has brought a colleague with her who is also from Somalia. She begins the meeting by saying that the organization will only pay me for my services if a grant is awarded. I explain to her that I am not financially able to do that. What I want to say is that for so long I have provided services for employers for little or no money. I do however say that I will speak with the director to see if there is any compensation he can offer although I know damn well there is isn't. When our meeting closes, they look to me to pay which I do without hesitation. I'm trying to not let myself get too worked-up over a few dollars since I am after all much more fortunate. Principals are hard to let go of sometimes but I'm finding it is more beneficial not raising your blood pressure over stupid expectations.
After the meeting, I headed over to Alliance Francaise to see the film, "A Prophet" which was runner-up to the academy awards last year. http://movies.nytimes.com/2010/02/26/movies/26prophet.html The film provides an intimate portrait of cultural prison gangs in France. It is a very well made film that keeps you on edge the whole 2.5 hours. It is a bit too long and during scenes of such intense anxiety, I found myself wanting to leave. Several people actually left and came back during the film.
Overall I recommend it, particularly those who are from France, Corsica, and Franco-phone countries.
No comments:
Post a Comment