The Day I got Lost in Nairobi

One day, I was in college and wanted to visit my cousin in Zimmerman, Nairobi.

He had just moved to Zimmerman from Umoja since Zimmer, as it is popularly known, was closer to his place of work, Farmer’s choice.

At that time, I was a student at Jomo Kenyatta University  (JKUAT) in Juja. Zimmerman is approximately 20 minutes by matatu (Matatu is a generic name in Kenya for public commuter vehicles) from Juja.

My cousin promised to wait for me at the bus stop. In this case, the matatu stop.

I was excited and looking forward to visiting him. As a student, I looked forward to such moments since I would go back loaded (few bucks).

I left college early enough, at around 9.00 am.

When I got to the bus stop in Zimmerman, I looked around, waited for around 15 minutes but I could not see him.

Little did I know that he had gone back to his house after being called by his wife.

As an adventurous guy, I decided to trace his house by myself.

I started walking into the estate, it looked intimidating.

The streets were poorly tarmacked with pot holes filled with rain or drainage water.

The drainage gullies were filled with dirty plastic bags of different colours which created a mosaic as they mixed with transparent ones. It looked really filthy and polluted.

The streets were lined with many idle people seated in groups doing a lot of nothing discussing politics in raised voices. They ogled at me from head to toe. I felt a real fear.

The most annoying thing was that, the houses are built without any proper urban planning.

The flats are tall with or without decent compounds and clothes hanging on every balcony. All the houses have heavy metal doors and metal grills on the windows. Children play carelessly on the streets.

Some streets were really scaring. I feared to be mugged at every corner.

I walked for 1 hour without success of locating the kind of house he had described over the phone.

As I walked I made sure that I spotted unique things and buildings that could direct me back to the bus stop in case I got lost.

Simply, I wasted my time walking along each and every street but I did not find his flat.

Unfortunately, I did not have a mobile phone to call him.

I eventually decided to go back to the bus stop.

I was very lucky that I had decided to spot guides that would lead me back to the bus stop. Since I knew how to locate the bus stop, it was easy, actually straight forward.

I disappointingly went back to college.

The way we later met with my cousin is a story of another day.

Real life

Although Zimmerman is real town in Nairobi, it symbolizes how life is unsystematic, disorganized, jumbled and sometimes messy. Life requires clearly designed plan to get through.

Are you planning just to drift-by in 2010 with a vague goal like my vague idea of my cousin’s house?

Are you planning to go through life in 2010 without a clear road map?

Are you planning to be adventurous by allowing fate to determine your achievements in the year 2010?

I found it difficult to locate my cousin’s house since I did not have clear road map despite the vague idea how it looks.

I do not wish the same to happen to you. It is a grave mistake to go through 2010 with a vague idea. Clearly determine what you want (goal), establish guiding spots/things/buildings (mentors/role models), set a clear plan (road map), follow your roadmap and you will achieve your goal.

Sometimes, the road map to the goal might get tough, seem crooked or just do not work.

This happens to many people and it will continue to happen.

However, those with clear goals find it easy to establish a new road to their goal than goalless people. Mostly, if the map does not work, the serious, the people with clear goal opt to take a longer route than initially anticipated.

They definitely achieve their goal.

The most important thing is that, they succeed in life with ease than those with no goals or plan.

Simple steps to set up a goal and follow through

1. Decide what you want to achieve (goal) and write it down. Place it in a spot where you can see it every day e.g. next to bathroom mirror or on the fridge door.

2. Everyday review your progress by writing down what you have achieved which is in line to your intended goal-This helps you to keep track.

3. Find a mentor/role model who has achieved what you are aiming at. Ask them questions or read their stories-This motivates you.

4. Keep the faith, patience and perseverance, it will not be easy, but when you achieve it, you will smile, your friends will smile and your family will smile.

Wishing you happy Christmas preparations.

• share this article:
• Recommend on Facebook
• Follow me on Twitter
• Tell a friend
• Print for later

Related posts:

1. How does lifestyle in Nairobi Compare to that of Dubliners
2. Jesus heals a Man with Leprosy
3. Review of my 2009 and Outlook of 2010
4. Turn life problems into Joy and Happiness
5. 11 Great Lessons That We Can Learn From Safari-Ants (Siafu)

Tagged as: farmers choice kenya, JKUAT, Kenya, matatu in kenya, nairobi, resolutions of 2010, Setting goals, Zimmerman in Kenya