Have you ever remembered something crazy that happened in your past that made you laugh uncontrollably? Well, it happens to me countless number of times. So I inherited (if that happens) the habit of keeping a diary from my mother. I put the events of the day in written, and not just for the fun of it, keeping a diary/journal is more than great. It helps you grow, when you go through the archives and see how far you’ve come, the challenges you overcame and the beauty of life, you long for more days to come. You diary teaches you that seasons come and ago, it could also save you(if you wrote down what happened, who said what or did what, all you’ll need to do is flip the pages.) You don’t want to be the same person day in day out, going through your diary warns you of your stagnancy, it could be a change agent too as you reflect on you. Written observations too could remind you of what you would otherwise not remember if not put down. Please keep one, I cannot overestimate the lessons you will learn from the habit of keeping a diary.
Allow me to share an archive from my diary with you, I would not remember everything today had I not put it down fresh. Feel free to laugh out loud as you read through.
My Diary; February 16 2012
It was on 12th Dec 2011 when I took my flight to Ukraine.So dad told me as I left home; ” when the plane is taking off you could get scared/or even nauseated” just to prepare me.
It happened.I saw the plane leaning on one side and said “kwisha!” (finished!) ha ha ha, but as we rose higher and higher everything became normal. I was shocked to see people walking (am not kidding) here and there while on air. I remembered what my physics teacher said about COG (center of gravity) and moving bodies and just hoped it didn’t apply to airplanes.
I couldn’t even imagine how Ukraine looked like.I stopped all imaginations and read my book – Inspired for greatness by Pepe Minambo (I had to re-read every chapter since I could barely remember anything). The cabins served us some stuff,I don’t know. I expected something else. Had to close my eyes to swallow some.I was hungry, though I had enough chocolate to keep my mouth busy.
The least expected thing happened,I was pressed and had to ease myself. You should have seen me tiptoeing thinking if I walked anyhow I could cause the plane to fall.
While in the toilet,there was a vibration that made my spine tingle. I couldn’t even scream(who would hear me anyway). My body trembled. I had to cool down after some deep breaths. Nothing had really happened……the rest of the flight was now easy.
We had to stop in Sharjah (United Arab Emirates). It was cold. One man asked “where do you come from? ” Kenya.
”Oh yes, he said. I know Kenyans, they can sleep while sitting.” It didn’t sound funny then (my friends and I were damn tired and we actually slept while sitting) later though.
………………………………………………………………………………
The better part of the journey was fine.Landed safely.
Back at the University of Nairobi I had a roommate who smoked weed. But she did it once in a while when in the company of dudes, and was doing it in secret, at least it would not be known if you met her on the street. Ukraine is different. I saw pretty ladies in micro mini- skirts smoking cigarette. I first was perplexed.I thought they were shooting a movie. I was wrong. It was just an introduction to what was coming.
The days of the bold and the beautiful, when I saw people kissing I would shy off and go to the bedroom. In fact it was a PG program and not for under 18s. If I even choose to close my eyes now, I will never reach the shops. I will not move to the next lecture hall. It means I will have to lock myself inside my hostel room. I didn’t come to stay in the room, so I have to learn how to pretend that I ain’t seeing no thing (but I do). It is now normal(so to say)…………………………..
I laughed this morning as I went through this. I remembered of my boarding the plane for the first time, and how naive I was. Just one thing a diary could do. I love my diary, and if you don’t have one, please get it. It could even turn you into a great writer, if you let it.
By Liz Ekakoro:Diaspora Messenger contributor/Kenyan in Ukrain
