Circumspect

"For the spirit of Christmas fulfills the greatest hunger of mankind."

It's about that time of year when we reflect on everything that happened or did not happen and take stock of where we might be in relation to our goals, dreams, growth etc. If you're one who makes new year resolutions - and even if you're not - and still have "make a difference" on your list, then you might want to check out Project Drive-By - a non-profit initiative by LifestylzGH and feedForever which aims to spread the love and good cheer this Christmas season. Other sponsors include iStandAbove, TicketGhana.com, REACH Ghana, Heel the World, DailyGuideGhana.com.

The project is exactly what its name says: driving by less fortunate areas of Accra to provide a meal or two to an estimated 300-400 people, while sharing some good times and ushering in the new year as one. In the spirit of the season, I couldn't have come up with a better idea. So, while you're munching on all those tasty  foods, opening presents, and sampling delicacies from the numerous Christmas hampers you might have gotten, take a day off and spread some love and good cheer. Event details below, Happy Holidays All!



Project Drive-By (PDB) 2011

Hi Guys!

Great conversations going on at BarCamp Ghana 2011 which is happening RIGHT NOW! Here's a quick video on some of the key discussions taking place. Not in Accra? You can join in via twitter by following #bcghana. Also, BarCamp Dakar is currently ongoing. Follow via twitter #barcampdakar! Have a great weekend and I hope you find it useful!

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Salut tout le monde!

Plusieurs discussions interessantes se passent actuellement a BarCamp Ghana 2011 (a Accra) et BarCamp Dakar 2011 (au Senegal). J'ai fait un petit video (en anglais) pour expliquer qu'est-ce que c'est un "BarCamp". Si vous vous interessez, vous pouvez suivrez tout en ligne sur twitter. Faire une recherche pour #bcghana ou #barcampdakar. Je vous souhaite un bon weekend!

The thing about embarking on a new experience - travel, project, idea, decision, dream, opportunity - is that you always uncover yourself anew.

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"Why don't you write anymore?"
That's the question that sent me running back here.
The number of false-start posts I've had in the last two months are shameful to say the least
You either go all in or it's nothing at all.
So what keeps stopping me?
Sense of duty
Of what I should be doing (studying, reading, problem solving), and when I should be doing it (NOW!).
Ironically, that's also what keeps me from starting. Anything.

When did the notion of putting thoughts out there seem so scary?
The moment certainty walked out the door
Of who I am/should be and exactly what I am/should be up to.
We all - or I do - like to put things out there that We are - I am - sure about
Nobody wants to be accused of plagiarizing, heresay or concocting pure nonsense
Unless you're just in the business of plagiarizing, heresay or concocting pure nonsense
If that's the case then nobody has any business making grand statements about life
"Life - It's the journey that counts", "Despite all its gloom, life is still beautiful"
And other philosophical musings
So if certainty was never guaranteed to begin with, why limit oneself to what one deems to be "certain"?

You throw yourself into a new country, and you're satisfied you've proceeded on some 'immersion'
Honey, you have no idea how much.
What you will encounter is not the least bit as interesting as who you will encounter
No need to look around. It's all YOU anyway. Yes you.
The student. The boy. The girl. The child. The man. The woman. The friend. The foreigner. The change maker.The confused. The hopeful. The procrastinator. The successful. The over-indulger. The guilt-tripper. The micro-detester. The conflict studies discoverer. The pizza devourer. The bicycle rider. The pinata breaker. [insert whichever cap fits]
Every delicious bit. All you.

Yet you get so caught up that when you finally - after God-knows how long - look within,
You see the foreign land has become you.
Unrecognizable, strange, exciting, new, but scary.
Uncomfortable to the point where you're not sure whether to:
a) offer your hand for shaking b) bow down low in Oriental respect c)Give a huge smack on the cheek

You said you wanted to go on a journey. To learn new things, meet new people, and explore new ways of thinking.Well folks, it would seem Christmas came early.

Identity.

Photo Source: http://www.olafhajek.de/images/series/african.beauty.jpg

Hi Folks!

It's been ages since I blogged and I must say even I am surprised at how few posts I've been able to publish since starting grad school. Some of you have emailed questions concerning pursuing a graduate degree - to do or not, what to consider, the works. Once I have some free time I'll probably do a post on my candid impressions about graduate school. For now though I couldn't let this event pass without some mention on Circumspect: BarCamp Ghana 2011!

Globalization = (By Force/Voluntary) Partnerships
Life in this globalized era means many things. One of those is the importance of partnerships and collaborations. Like it or not, what happens in one part of the world resonates in another. Choosing not to 'participate' in the global system doesn't necessarily mean you're excluded anymore: case in point, the global financial crisis. A similar dynamic is evident at the local level and especially when you're actively seeking to influence your national or local system through one project or another.

Connections Vs. Networking
Everyone in Ghana has at one point or another encountered the need to use "connections". This usually entails having a family friend or distant relative put in a good word on one's behalf in order to improve one's chance at an opportunity. While it might get the job done, it's by no means a sustainable way of creating partnerships. What happens if your family has a falling out with that 'connection'? Does that mean your job (and everything invested) is on the line? And what about the thousands other people who you don't have an apparent link to? What opportunities are you missing out on there?

I think it's time the mindset in Ghana changed from "connections" to networking. Here, networking is not an ad-hoc (or last minute) attempt at getting your foot in the door, but a more long-term, strategic development of professional relationships that are mutual. From personal experience, nurturing relationships with people in fields I'm interested in, or just curious about, have had a positive impact on the opportunities I have undertaken. Already, the momentum around strategic career development is being built in Ghana and BarCamp Ghana 2011 focuses on exactly this.

Mentorship & Career "How-To"s
How exactly do you go about networking? What kind of things should you be thinking about with regards to pursuing a career in technology, public service, international affairs, etc? What exactly is a resume or CV? How about the 30-second elevator speech? All these things go into nurturing and developing one's career and laying the foundations for a successful career. Who better to give insight than people who've already been there?

BarCamps are in essence about networking and fostering collaboration around innovative ideas and solutions. Under the theme: "Establishing Partnerships to Transform Dreams into Action-Based Projects: Lessons from Mentors", BarCamp Ghana 2011 will take on the issues head-on and introduce inspirational and well-versed mentors who share candid insights on how they got to where they are, and what you need to do to get to where you wanna be.

So, if you're free on Sat. Dec. 17, 2011 from 8am to 6pm and would love to develop networks both in-country and abroad, then you wanna sign up to BarCamp Ghana 2011. As always, the event is FREE to the general public. Venue: AITI-KACE

NB: Final event details will be announced via the BarCamp Ghana Website: http://www.barcampghana.org/ and Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/BarCampGhana. Please see below for a press release and further details.


BarCamp Ghana 2011- Press Release