'Asante Sana' Nairobi

First part of the month started with a trip to Nairobi, Kenya. Though arriving at Nairobi brought back pleasant memories of my last trip many years ago, the taste didn’t last for long as I discovered that I had lost my luggage! First few moments were of hope to get the luggage and move out fast; the moments that followed added a bit anxiety, thinking why is it so late to come! All those who were waiting had collected theirs and gone, leaving a lot of space around the conveyor-belt and equally an empty space in my mind! What will I do with all my clothes and documents in it! It finally got traced as left behind in Dubai and I left with a promise that I will get them the next day evening!

On the day one of interviews, I had quite a good number of candidates who had come from far and near. The second day was relatively less, but at the same time I was also trying to observe the staff in the hotel I was staying and tried to find the best ones with a wonderful attitude and approached them; managed to sign a few of them, and a few others had their own reasons to continue in Nairobi!

It was wonderful weather during my trip; at times it was drizzling, but all the time it was nice and pleasantly cold weather. I felt the country has changed a lot since my last visit, especially the place where I was staying which was relatively unheard of. A lot of infrastructure development is taking place, and yet, I was touched when I had to listen to some of the issues the candidates had to share with me from their personal lives, the struggle they face to make the ends meet, and my helplessness to match their experience with my requirements, the internal struggle to say ‘no’ to them and the friction within to find a way to help them! How can I do it when what I am therefore is with a business objective!

There were some good examples of people fighting their way to reach where they want to reach; at a very young age, some of them has experienced life perhaps in some countries people double their age are yet to ! Though as a bye-product of their pursuit of worldly pleasure, a paradox I also had to adjust with and tune my questions were on the fact that I could meet many ‘bachelors’ having a child or two from an earlier relationship, growing with the children’s grand parents ! On the other side, there were others whose immediate answer to my question of whether they drink was “No, Sir, I am a Christian!”

A society of two extremes!

I will remember the pianist in the hotel’s lobby café who played for me Leonel Richie’s ‘Hello’ and Steve Wonder’s ‘I just called to say I love you!’, and gave me a few tips on what makes a real pianist – one who could pour the passion of heart to the key board through the tips of fingers !

Shahir