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The Displaced African
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20:31
From: The Displaced African
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Mwangi’s note: Why on Earth they would confuse the world by having a place called Washington D.C. and then an entirely separate State called “Washington” I don’t know, but anyway enjoy this guest post from an old friend of mine, Wambui.
Mwangi asked me:
“What advice would you give someone that is coming to Seattle, WA.?”
Well carry an umbrella and a jacket. It rains often. You’ll need it. The weather here changes in a minute and most of the time it changes to rain. I’ve been here 3 years now and I am still not accustomed to how much it rains.
mamamusings
Get your geography right:
Seattle is in Washington State. Not to be confused with Washington DC. DC is in the East. Washington State is the Northwest. Seattle, WA = Northwest.
Get your documentation right
It is important to make sure you visit the necessary government offices as soon as you possible can to get yourself not started on the right path. Get an id card. Get a bank account. Get a social security card if you are allowed to get one. It really is much easier to get a head if you do things legally. Don’t over stay your visa and use your visa for the right purpose i.e don’t come on a visitor visa and then attempt to become a student or worker without getting a permit to do so.
Seattle is somewhat tolerant. But once people know you are not originally from here they ask questions. These questions are usually to find out your intention of being in Seattle and the US. Seattleites know their basic immigration stuff – they know about visas and how they work – they are not afraid to ask how long your visa is for and what you plan on doing next(using the word next is their polite way of saying when it expires) . They are also big on following the law… No easy shortcuts or hookups.
Get your money right:
Understand the value of money. Seattle is not considered a super expensive city, but it is definitely not on the cheap list. It’s very easy to get caught up in the Seattle’s art and culinary scenes. Its easy to spend in small doses here, However those small doses add up when you look at your balance and realize that the ten dollars (plus tip because it is expected and customary here) you spent eating out every week adds up to 100 bucks. Please live within your means. It’s a common problem with African immigrants here in Seattle attempting to show people that they aren’t “poor”. It really isn’t cool because most people can see through the façade. If you can’t afford it, don’ t do it.
Get yourself right:
You need to get in the mind frame of “me, myself and I”. Family isn’t always there to help and even if they are they may not be willing to help you. Friends come and go. So know who you are and where you are going.
You also need to have your emotions in check. Its gets lonely, it gets depressing, it gets hard, people question you and who you are. This is where self confidence comes in. You need to be confident in who you are. You’ll meet people out there who aren’t cool with who you are and the way you look or the way you dress.
Also you need to be happy with what you have at the moment. Always work for better things. But don’t ever let anyone get you down. One has to learn to feel good about themselves and the current position they are in while still working for something better.
Seattle is a huge melting pot when it comes to culture. People are from all over. However one needs to be aware that as much as it is a huge pot. People may not be open to understanding your culture or who you are. As friendly as the Seattle is it is a little cold c. Everyone says “hi” and they are excited to see you the first time around. Don’t be surprised if they meet you on the street next week don’t acknowledge you. Don’t worry though its not you. It’s just how they are. It is known as the “Seattle freeze”
Please don’t be shocked if you find people talking to you like you are inferior. A lot of people here while calling themselves tolerant are not. They will be opening to getting to meet you and having fun with you but its all superficial. They are not interested in what you are about or where you are from. As I said … don’t focus too much on this. It’s not you its just them.
Get to know the city:
Mag3737
You’ve got to learn how to get around. Remember, it’s just you. People can only help you for so long. Fortunately one doesn’t really need to buy a car if you live in proper Seattle. This is because Seattle has one of the best bus systems in the USA. The buses run on a regular schedule and they take you to pretty much any suburb in what is known as King County.
The faster you get to know the city, the faster it will be to get around and get things accomplished. It is especially crucial because people will always be willing to give you directions but they only know directions of places that concern them.
If you opt to get a car. Please do your research!!
My experience in Seattle that you need to know a few main streets ( Pike, Pine , Westlake, Madison, 3rd Ave, and Bell) Navigating through downtown is is a breeze once you know these.
Get your accent right:
Did you say you were from Africa? Great!
Well half of what you say will not be understood, the first few times. They’ll always tell you that they love your accent but it doesn’t mean they are understanding what you are saying. To this day, I’ve been here 3 years, I can’t really order a Hamburger at most restaurants, I have to get a friend to do it for me. Why, you ask? Well apparently the way I say it would be spelt out as “Hambagga”. Same applies for most words that end with “er”. Personally most people delight in the way I say “whatever” and they repeat it endlessly to whoever will listen. Oh and they love the way Kenyans pronounce the letters of the alphabet. Apparently we say “h” differently!
Get comp savvy:
Seattle is after all home to Microsoft and Amazon! Google and Adobe also have huge offices here. So please… don’t walk around seattle and not know how to use a computer. Or what a CPU is? It would be good too if u knew that C+ and Java are programs too because a good number of people you meet will be in IT professions.
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8:07
From: The Displaced African
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This is post 14 on my My 4 Hour Work Week Journey. Please make sure you read the rest of the articles that came before this one to understand where I am in the journey. Click if you wish to buy a copy of the 4 hour work week and go on the journey with me.
Hey folks,
Today we talk about how I created my cash flow muse. I give you some suggestions on outsourcing the creation of the muse and give you lessons from my triumphs and my upsets. Enjoy and any questions, do the web 2.0 thing and leave me a comment or contact me with your thoughts.
Enjoy.
The Video
The Slide Presentation
Further Information and Resources
1) John Jonas’ website ReplaceMyself.com
2) Yaro Starak’s Blog Mastermind program
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13:20
From: The Displaced African
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This is day 13 (well in truth waaayyyy longer, somewhere between 4-6 months now but my 13th post) of My 4 Hour Work Week Journey. Please make sure you read the rest of the articles that came before this one to understand where I am in the journey. Click here to buy a copy of the 4 hour work week and go on the journey with me.
First of All
My potential cash flow muse, Conversations with Podcasting Gurus came out yesterday. I have an early bird special for the next 3 days to encourage folks to support the product so check it out by visiting the Conversations with Podcasting Gurus (& Bonus Quick Start Guide) Sales Page and ordering today.
Now onto the scheduled programming.
The Video
 Click on the Video to Play "How I Tested My Cash Flow Muses"
To watch this video on Youtube click here:
[www.youtube.com]
The Slide Presentation
You can also access the slide presentation using the link below:
How to Test a Cashflow Muse Slide Presentation hosted by Sliderocket
Websites and Resources Mentioned
1) Google Adwords Keyword Tool: [https:]
2) www.Ask.com
3) Keyword Discovery Tool: [www.keyworddiscovery.com]
4) Perry Marshall’s 5 Day Free Adword Course
Any questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below so we can begin a dialogue on how we can all create cash flow muses.
Have a day more beautiful than the muse that inspired it,
Mwangi
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11:04
From: The Displaced African
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As y’all will probably know, I am not necessarily a member of the Obamania club BUT that doesn’t stop his election from being a huge moment in history.
Here’s what I hope it’ll mean to African people:
1) That people will finally recognize that we are all equal and we are all human.
2) Other races and nationalities will stop looking down on us.
3) People will expand what they think is possible.
4) People will go after the impossible.
5) If someone ever tells you something can’t be done just look em in the eye and tell em
If Barrack Hussein Obama, son of a man from Kogelo, Siaya (thanks for the correction), Kenya can become the emperor of the world, then, dang, anything is possible!
I understand that in many parts of the world tomorrow is a public holiday so to y’all Happy Obama Day and y’all have a magnificent evening or night.
Mwangi
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22:23
From: The Displaced African
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My goodness! One of the most powerful men on Earth is now an African American: WOW!
All politics aside, that is absolutely amazing….absolutely amazing!
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11:05
From: The Displaced African
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Hey folks,
First of all welcome to all the new readers. I have been tickled pink by the fact that even though my writing frequency has reduced a little bit, the blog’s readership and subscribers have kept on increasing and so thanks to all of you and welcome to the new readers.
Following on from my last post about confusion and my podcast with Julia Sanna where I tried to put an african immigrant relationship manifesto together, today I thought I would go one step further and, with your help, try to carve out an African Immigrant Manifesto.
“Why What Is That My Good Man?” I hear you say
In a nutshell, its the answer to the question,
What are the characteristics of an ideal African immigrant?
After all, a man who aims for nothing is sure to get there. So what should we be aiming for? What should the end result be when you take all that Africa has created and leave it in the middle of the concrete jungles of the West?
And below I’ll list 9 characteristics (with a bonus) that I personally think are quintessential:
They Are……..
1) Goes beyond the limitations of his African community.
2) Expands the borders (whether psychologically, socially, financially etc etc) of that very same African community.
3) Takes advantage of the vast knowledge this land has to offer.
4) Materially secure and/or abundant (this one doesn’t tend to be too big of a problem for us)
5) Hard working (this one either)
6) Punctual when it counts (this one we do have a problem with)
7) Responsible parents (bringing children into secure, safe environments where they can grow up)
 Able to adapt
9) Takes care of the body regardless of the plethora of temptation to do otherwise out here in the West.
What Should I Add to the List?
I have gone beyond my site and gone on the forum site, Mashada and asked the same question and you can find that thread here:
[www.mashada.com]
So either head on over to Mashada or leave a comment below, it can even be a one word response, and let me know (leave your first comment, you know you want to) what should an ideal African immigrant look like:
PS: As soon as I read the headline, I got a feeling that some of you want to leave the answer, “Obama”. I guess that’s alright, but if you do, state why………
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15:10
From: The Displaced African
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I exist in an extremely odd shade of gray. This post will be as the title suggests, a confused convoluted conversation about confusion. Uncensored and unedited, straight from my brain to your eyes.
Discussion
I was talking to a friend of mine today. This guy is one of the first people I ever met when I came to this country and we both came when we were in high school and have pretty much entered adulthood in this country.
We Have a Very Strange Identity
Our identities are odd because:
1) We identify with Kenyan culture much more than we do the host culture: Here it’s a 50/50 split. Some people come in their teens and completely soak up this culture, the language, the fashion and make their friends and their lives here.
Then there are people like us who come here either 3/4 formed or fully formed (I of course speak of psychology, body, hormones etc etc very different story) who have been so shaped by the culture of where we came from and/or may have been rejected by the people here so we find it weird to change.
2) We Think and Act VERY Differently From Native Kenyans
Want clear proof of that? Look at this blog. I have 227 articles that I spent 9 months putting together simply because it was what I felt would be the most meaningful thing to do.
In Africa that = An idiot
Sure from time to time, some of us should get together and talk about what we should do and maybe even engage in projects part time. But engaging in a blog FULL TIME for 9 months where you pour everything into it and put the message and the purpose ahead of the money.
That’s absolute stupidity
The other differences are quite subtle but they are definitely there. What it boils down to though is:
I love where I am from and identify with it at the core of my being.
There are MANY things I dislike about my culture at the core.
There are MANY things I like about the Australian culture at my core.
A Few of My Favorite Things
I like the fact that people here, not always but enough that it counts, don’t wait for people to solve their problems but take it upon themselves to do so, starting new industries and social movements in the process.
I love the personal development movement.
I love the fact that people here are willing to put themselves on the line for an idea and won’t just sit on the sidelines criticizing.
I love the fact that people here actually think about their health AND take action in the way they eat and live to take care of their bodies.
I love the fact that people here are always testing out their boundaries in real life instead of in the abstract.
As I said, this meandering post will probably resonate with some of you who are just plain confused and feel like a tiny minority in a large Western country.
There Is No Sub-Culture For People Like Me
I am not saying this because of arrogance but its true. I know no one like me. I know no one who has feet in both puddles like I do. There are no songs sung about people like me, no movies made, no poets, no discussion groups, no forums.
I just have to spend my time immersed with African culture one day and put it to the side while I engage in Western affairs another day.
I have to speak with a certain slang one day and change it up the next.
Not That I Am Complaining
I think I have been too blessed in my life to just be outright angry about something that is ultimately not a bad quality problem to have.
This situation doesn’t really anger me. It just saddens me from time to time, because I am yet to resolve it. If this resonated with you, leave a comment below or email me and let me know what your situation is.
Working through the confusion,
Mwangi
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
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No joke! You want the formula, here it is:
A Happy Life is:
Pleasant emotions (Think about that great feeling you have after great food, an awesome movies, theme parks and sex)
+
A life filled with moments of flow ( When you engage fully in what you are good at. Time and space stand still as you are one with what you are putting out into the world. Check out this interview where its briefly discussed)
+
A meaningful life (taking your unique gifts and applying them towards the achievement of something greater than yourself
A Very Important Idea to Remember
I have a running hypothesis in my head that as human beings we are naturally wired to hold on to, experience and be guided by what makes us feel pain as opposed to what makes us feel pleasure.
What I mean by this is that, we appear to more naturally remember, want to converse about, and have our actions guided by the one time an employee screwed us over as opposed to the Saturday we went out and watched a great movie.
I have a Discovery Channel derived idea on why that is but that isn’t the point of today’s discussion.
Here’s The Thing
The skills that are neccesary to eliminate negativity and negative emotions ARE NOT the same skills that make us happy.
Let me say that one more time:
The skills that we use to make us stop feeling like crap ARE NOT the same ones that will make us feel happy to be alive.
So, if you are buying into the belief that:
I will be happy when I get rid of this person/this job/retire/this weight etc etc etc you might be right, but chances are, science and literature have repeatedly shown, you are probably holding on to a fool’s gold.
Ladies and Gentlemen
In case you did not watch the video please set aside just a little bit of time today and learn how to be happy for the rest of your life:
Have a day just brimming with positive emotions where you love what you do so much that the time-space continuum does not exist and you truly are bigger than your body,
Mwangi
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
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When Steve not only sent me a review copy of his book, but also allowed me to interview him (please refer to the previous podcast) I knew I had to do something special to say thanks. So I came up with a:
My-goodness-isn’t-that-the-most-original-thing-since-cubic-zirconia-idea
I called it:
The Two Days of Steve
Yeah, I know, my creativity took time off to make room for the blatantly obvious :P.
Yesterday was all about getting to know the man. Today is all about the man’s book.
I got Coach Caroline on the phone with me and we had a freewheeling discussion about the impact the book had on both of us.
The discussion was very loosely scripted and we had a discussion more like a radio show than a podcast, which is what I was after.
Lest You Forget:
The book is Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth. You can find out more about the book using the link below:
I hope this is of value and service to you.
The Podcast
Things Discussed
1) What we both loved about the book?
2) The practical nature of the book
3) Things I would have improved about the book
4) The things that surprised us about the books.
5) The ideas that deeply resonated with both of us
6) We had a feel good session (I think she made me blush as much as my complexion would allow  )
7) We had a lot of debate
8 ) A lot lot more
Any feedback, tips, hints and you are free to leave a comment below and/or hit the “Contact” button at the very top of the page and get in touch with me.
One Quick Final Thing
For those who want to support the release of my first ever information product, or just want heaps of videos and interviews with experts that teach them all they need to know about podcasting, please check out the site: www.MyPodcastingTutor.com.
Have one of those days that is so awesome you rename it “Perfection-Crammed-into-One-Day”,
Mwangi
Update on 28th October 2008: Steve Pavlina linked to this review of his book, among many many others. Check it out on this article entitled: More Book Reviews (there were that many)
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
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How This All Got Started?
I have been a reader of Steve Pavlina’s blog for quite a while now and subscribe to it via my Google RSS reader.
A while back, Steve wrote a post entitled, How Bloggers Can Get My Book for Free
(By the way, the offer might still be on the table for all of you bloggers who are interested, so head on over to his site and check it out).
The Idea Behind the Post
Steve wanted to use the power of the blogosphere to launch his new book: Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth
So, if you’re blog had a significant audience and had been around for a while, you were free to ask for a free review copy of the book AND even a podcast interview.
I Wasn’t Sure I Wanted to Make the Request At First
After all, this is an African personal development blog. I seek out people of African descent doing great things, with full knowledge, that there are volumes upon volumes upon volumes of Western personal development blogs, podcasts, autobiographies etc etc
But Then I Thought About It
This is the Steve Pavlina who inspired me to become vegeterian.
This is the Steve Pavlina who I have linked to repeatedly throughout this blog’s life.
This is the Steve Pavlina who has 2 million readers every single month.
This is the Steve Pavlina who has written the best personal development articles I have ever read online.
This is the Steve Pavlina who inspired me to go on trials, such as My 4 hour work week journey, and record the results for others’ benefit.
All those things, plus many others, culminated in my thinking:
I would have to be blinking mad not to leverage the little success theDisplacedAfrican.com has had to try and get a useful interview with Steve Pavlina out there.
I Asked for Both
And he agreed to be interviewed and sent me a review copy of his book  .
Tomorrow, I release my review of Steve’s book, which I worked on, together with Coach Caroline. However, today, why not focus on the main man himself.
Ennnnjjjjooooyyyyy!
PS: If you love this podcast, don’t forget to share it with your friends on Facebook.
The Podcast
What was Discussed
1) Brief intro: Just who is Steve Pavlina ?
2) Some of the defining moments in Steve’s life.
3) How did Steve get the idea to write his brand new book?
4) What was the process he used to write his book?
5) How did Steve get to a place where he experiences flow on a regular basis? (What is flow?)
6) Tips for people who want to become published authors
7) Steve talks about how he got more than 2 million people visiting his site every month.
8 ) How did he arrive at a place where he broke down all personal development into 3 primary principles (truth, love and power) and 4 secondary ones (oneness, authority, courage and intelligence)
9) The link between Anthony Robbin’s work and Steve’s book.
10) How on Earth did Steve finish 4 years of University in 3 semesters? Some tips if you want to do the same.
11) Tips for transitioning to a raw vegan diet - How to overcome some of the common obstacles.
12) The idea from Steve’s book that had the most impact on me: definitely not what you’d expect.
13) Me thinks that it is noble ideal to live a life where one eats solely for nourishment and not for the pleasure. Steve’s thoughts on that idea.
14) What should you put on your not to do list if you want to intelligently pursue conscious, personal development?
15) Much much more
PS: Make sure you pick his book on Amazon.com and return here and tell me what you thought of it:
Websites and Resources
1) StevePavlina.com
2) StevePavlina.com Blog
3) Steve Pavlina’s new book - Personal Development for Smart People: The Conscious Pursuit of Personal Growth
4) What is Flow? The definitive resource on flow - Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience (P.S.)
5) Hay House Publishers
6) Steve’s Article on Graduating College in 3 Semesters
7) Steve talks about the Raw Vegan Diet
10 Tips for College Students
Update on 24th October 2008: Steve Pavlina linked to this article from his Twitter and the Steve Pavlina blog.
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11:05
From: The Displaced African
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Before listening to this make sure you listen to:
a) Part one
b) Part two of the interview
The Podcast
Things Discussed
1) Skills needed to succeed at the various stages of relationships: courtship, marriage
2) Sex (Need I really say more? )
3) Interesting facts about people who live together and how that influences the success of their marriage.
4) How is success measured in relationships when Julia counsels them?
5) What “works” in terms of African immigrant relationships?
6) The changing sex roles for African immigrant couples.
7) Money (Again, need I say more?)
How to raise kids abroad?
Websites
1) Julia’s website
2) Julia’s blog
3) Article on raising kids abroad
4) An African immigrant who raised kids abroad and her insights
5) My sisters who I mentioned in the interview (My most popular podcast to date BYYYYY FAAAARRRR)
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
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Make sure you listen to Part One of this interview with Julia Sanna first.
The Podcast
Ideas Discussed
1) The importance of “relationship role models” especially when one is younger
2) Digressions to discuss African American relationships
3) The African “man is boss” mentality in the 21st century: How do women respond to male authority today?
4) The educated African woman in the West vs traditional African values
5) The changing roles between men and women
6) The flexible role of authority in marriage
7) Why on Earth should people get married if the rules and roles are so arbitrary and negotiable?
The role of children in marriage
9) How to ensure that people have a great relationship after they have kids
10) Friends and mentors in relationships
Websites
1) Julia’s website
2) Julia’s blog
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11:05
From: The Displaced African
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Three quick things I just wanted to mention about the Displaced African podcast:
1) I finally fixed the technical issues so you can go back and download any of the Displaced African podcasts you want.
2) Because I have fixed the podcast tech issues you can also subscribe to the Displaced African podcast on itunes and get all the latest podcasts direct to your ipod using instructions in the video below:
3) Finally, I finally got my most popular podcast, Opinions on Melbourne from Children, transcribed so you can head on over to the post and read the text version of the podcast.
Any questions and I am right here to help.
Have one of those days that’s so super, it has a hero named after it,
Mwangi
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19:06
From: The Displaced African
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If there are two topics the Internet, including the African immigrant web, are obsessed with its relationships and sex. HUGE proportions of this blog’s traffic, controversy, friends and enemies come from relationship and sex-related articles.
With that in mind, I thought I would do the most responsible thing I could. Get someone who is an expert on relationships, especially as pertains to African immigrants and find out what she knows, what her research has uncovered and what practical tips we can take away that we can apply to make our intimate relationships magical.
The picture is gorgeous aint it
And so I called upon the years of expertise built by one Julia Sanna
This Interview Is Long, So…….
Me and Julia spoke for an hour and thirty minutes and so I have divided this interview into three parts that will come out over the next fortnight.
I hope this interview will contribute towards the end of our creating, and I quote, an African Immigrant Relationship Manifesto where we basically look at all the unique aspects of our identity and leverage them to make our relationships absolutely outstanding.
Enjoy!
One Last Thing
To receive the latest podcasts, and all the previous podcasts, for free direct to your computer and mp3 player subscribe to the Displaced African podcast. Instructions on how to do this are in the short video below:
The Podcast
Issues Discussed
1) Who, Julia Sanna is and why you should pay attention?
2) How has immigrant life changed in the US over the 14 years she’s been abroad?
3) Why is her focus on counseling couples in their early years of marriage?
4) The absolute importance of the decisions that people make in those early years of marriage
5) What defines a successful relationship?
6) Importance of negotiables vs non-negotiables
7) Commonalities, shared values and their role in relationships
We go in depth into negotiables vs non-negotiables
9) The importance of the man’s earning power to women
10) The definition of love
11) How the feeling of love and the choice to love intermingle
12) What men want vs what women want
13) The search for one’s parents in their partners??!!
14)
Websites Mentioned
1) Sigmund Freud’s ideas
2) Julia’s website
3) Julia’s blog
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11:05
From: The Displaced African
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Hey everyone, I am absolutely ecstatic that Caroline has decided to do a second guest post here on tDA. For those who haven’t read her first guest post, check out Would You Play a Game of Russian Roulette. If you would like to share your immigrant story and use this blog as a platform (thanks as always to those who have already done this), contact me and I shall see what we can do. Mwangi here signing out and leaving the floor open for Caroline Atieno
When the deal is too good think twice…
By Caroline Achieng Otieno.
Have you ever heard of the English proverb ‘Look before you leap?’ Bet you have, it was one of my favourites as a child, however, most times I thought of it in terms of jumping into a muddy puddle if I didn’t look, so it was literal for me. Just before leaving Kenya years back, there was an interesting commentary in one of the dailies that came in weekly that bears similarity to ‘look-before-you-leap.’ It was tagged, “When the deal is too good, think twice…” It was quite interesting, to some extent hilarious and was a narrative of guys who had fallen victim to some of the conmen prowling the streets of Nairobi. Granted, things were pretty tough that time in Kenya, structural adjustment policies were taking a big chunk out of people’s pockets and there was a lot of hustling and jostling going on. While some folks were really trying hard to pull in that valuable shilling, other folks were busy trying to offload the same valuable shilling through clandestine means.
Now, gone were the days that conmen filled bags with newspapers and looked for desperados who wanted a miracle so bad they would close their eyes and give them cash that would double, triple or quadruple and get back to them that way. Due to hard times, and an audience that could see through their trickery, conmen had metamorphosed into skilful con-artists. Their modus-operandi was sophistication; not going solo but in two’s or three’s, not exclusively male- but of mixed gender; well polished, articulate and highly intelligent. If any response was needed to outdo these con-artists, it was to be as damn smart-ass as they were, fight fire with fire so to speak.
Scenario 1: I recall one time rushing from Kenyatta hospital where I had come from visiting a sick friend. A handsome well-groomed gentleman stops me. I enthusiastically returned his greeting, wondering whether I know him, and step aside to walk on. He waves a hand bearing a gold-watch, and motions for me to sit with him on the pavement.
Would he have a word with me? Sure, I thought, ignoring my rumbling stomach’s pleas to be fed. I listened to a long tale of how he came from a nearby country, and how he was stranded here, and about the love of God to His children. Well, as he is yammering on, in a conversation that has neither head nor tail, out of the blue a pretty damsel barges in and greets him with enthusiasm and acts like she hasn’t seen him for a long time. They carry a brief conversation before he motions for her to join us, she introduces herself to me and does so. Great! Now we are a trio. The conversation continues endlessly, going round and about in circles, and I finally realize that there’s something these two are after. They are by no means interested in my conversion to any religion; rather in how much money I am willing to part with. For the love of all things bright and beautiful, I don’t have squat on me. Not a penny. As soon as they hear me out, they suddenly and abruptly end the wonderful conversation, begging to be excused. They have an urgent matter to attend, and they leave like a harsh dog (Mbwa Kali ) was nipping at their heels. I shrug, scratch my head, brush off my skirt and take off to the nearest bus-stop. My tummy is rumbling twice as loud as before, I have to get home. It strikes me then, the couple are con-artists.
Scenario 2: I am accosted by two women on the streets of Nairobi, at the City Centre. They see something on my forehead and feel I need prayers as to avert some disaster ‘waiting-to- happen. I have to sow seed so that they can pray for me. I see their insistence. I go to the one ATM type in the wrong number, and get my card rejected. I signal to them that this ATM is not working, would they wait for me to get to another ATM. I hurriedly take off in the opposite direction leaving our sisters gazing into space.
Scenario 3: I now live in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. I am house hunting and doing so rather desperately because the days are speeding on, and by no means would I like to be out in the cold harsh winter. I tell everyone I know, and place adverts in the supermarket, on the websites, you name it. Everyone knows I need a place to stay. A quick response comes in from a man who has read my advert on a site for English speakers in Amsterdam. He writes me a wonderful e-mail, he is a Russian engineer working in London, and has a one-room apartment here in Amsterdam that would be ‘just-right’ for me. The price blows me away; 1000 Euros is way above my budget. I carefully pen down a response that I cannot afford it but if he has alternative accommodation, I can pay for half the amount he has asked for. I add on my number as he has requested it.
Lo and behold the gentleman calls me the next day, “Have you seen the pictures?” is the opening question.
“Um, no, I haven’t, I have to get to the office,” is my response.
“You don’t have internet at home?” he asks sounding perplexed.
Feeling a little bit ashamed yet not daring to lie, I respond, “No, I don’t.”
He continues on and on, about the apartment. He can give it to me at the amount I can afford; all he wants is someone to take care of it.
“You see, my wife and child died, so the garden is in their memory,” he says, “It’s really not about the money, my contract is 1 year here in London, so I really need someone to be there in Amsterdam, and take care of the garden and house as I have already paid for it.”
“I can take care of your garden,” I respond trying not to sound very enthusiastic.
He asks me to call him as soon as I have seen the pictures.
The pictures of the house are beautiful; it really is a dream home.
I call back and say I’d like to take the apartment immediately, when can we meet?
That’s not a problem,” he responds. “I can ask my contact person in Amsterdam to hand over the keys, and you can send the money here, as I cannot come now to Amsterdam, I have just begun a new job-contract and I cannot leave until after six months from now.”
“Very well,” I reply, and hung up the phone, doing a little happy jig.
Somehow, I am not completely at rest. Is this an answer to my prayers? I don’t feel it in my inmost being. People say that you should always listen to your inner voice, the instinct or gut-feeling. Well, my gut is not feeling with this apartment, and eventually my communication with the Russian guy goes about in circles. He states that his contact person is on vacation right now, can I send the money for him to send me a set of spare keys? The next day, he’s talking about his wife; I think okay, his wife is alive now? Into the week he expresses his worry about the keys getting lost in the mail. At the end of the day, my dream house was really, “in my dreams!” A deal that was too good to be true. We always have to think twice. It doesn’t only apply to conmen, it may be a relationship where someone is promising the world, and failing to deliver, it may be a business partnership, whatever the case, Think twice!
I hope someone has learned something, I just did!
Carol.
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19:24
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
Who knew that cartoons could be so deep? Tell me this cartoon doesn’t get you thinking and wanting to discuss propaganda?!
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10:06
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
The Podcast
Things Discussed
1) How did Benin and Joshua get people to write for African Path (Amazing!)
2) What was the vision behind AfricanPath.com
3) Did the initial writers get paid?
4) How to get advertisers to committ to you and your site?
5) Pamoja Media and the Vertical Advertising Network Business Model
6) The Long Tail Theory of the Internet
7) How did they get people to advertise on African Path
Was it easy to get publishers for Pamoja Media? Was it easy to get advertisers?
9) What you must understand if you are to deal with African publishers i.e. the large African newspapers and magazines?
10) How difficult it was to integrate African publishers to the Pamoja Media advertising model
11) What has separated the African online ventures that have succeeded from those that haven’t?
12) We had yet another feel good session
13) The unique strengths that Benin Mwangi Brown has brought to African Path that have helped it succeed
14) What unique strengths do African people have that they can bring to the West?
Websites and Ideas Mentioned
1) The Long Tail
ii) Long Tail 2
2) Pamoja Media
3) African Path
4) Open X (Even I use it)
5) CPM
6) CPC
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
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14:02
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
The Podcast
Things Discussed
1) Brief feel good session before call: Just because I’m corny like that
2) Who he is and what he does?
3) Why does he have the unique mix of the names “Benin”, “Mwangi” and then the surname “Brown”?
4) The relationships between Africans and African Americans: I finally hear the African American side of the story
5) His transition from an Engineering student to Entrepreneur
6) His time in real estate
7) What drew him to entrepreneurship?
The effects of his first trip to Africa: How was Ghana? How did he get there?
9) The journey from his Ghana trip to founding AfricanPath.com
Websites Mentioned:
1) African Path
2) Pamoja Media
3) Entrepreneur Magazine
4) Inc Magazine
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
This is day 12 (well in truth much longer, probably 3-4 months now but my 12th post) of My 4 Hour Work Week Journey. Please make sure you read the rest of the articles that came before this one to understand where I am in the journey. Click here to buy a copy of the 4 hour work week and go on the journey with me.
In the previous edition, we discovered the niche that I had selected: the bloggers and podcasting niche. On this episode, I walk you through how I selected what products to test and what ultimately got tested.
It All Started with Adsense
Around the time that I was going through the 4 hour work week journey, I was also at the stage where I was about to begin optimizing my Google Adsense on this site, theDisplacedAfrican.com.
For the unitiated, or for those who hate fluff talk and want to know exactly what I mean, optimization means:
The process of getting the maximum results possible for the minimum amounts of input.
In the case of Adsense this meant changing the position, font, colours, shapes etc etc of my Google adsense untilI had ads which were consistently getting clicked on the most and therefore bringing the website the most money.
Necessity is the Mother of All Invention, Innovation and a Whole Lotta Businesses
I realized that nowhere on the web did there exist a guide that taught solo Wordpress bloggers such as myself how we could optimize our Adsense step by step. Specifically I wanted information on:
a) Just what ad blocks I should test and what elements I should test out of the infinite number of elements that can be tested.
b) How to automate the process.
c) A step by step by step guide.
The only guy I could find who was doing this was Joel Comm, but I felt that Joel was far too general, didn’t focus on Wordpress, didn’t have a system of automating it.
A Little A-ha Moment
So I thought to myself, well since I am a Wordpress blogger, a graduate of Blog Mastermind and am kinda frustrated with just how to optimize my Adsense, surely other people must be having this problem too. So, after deliberating with Yaro Starak my fellow Blog Mastermind members, I thought:
Killing 2 Birds with One Stones
Why not go onto a site like Rentacoder and get a coder to:
1) Research the best performing ad blocks for Wordpress blogs.
2) Discover how to automatically test the infinite number of success elements.
3) Automate the process
4) Optimize my Google Adsense
5) Record all that into a book
6) Include a step by step guide so people can do the same
7) Mint money off of that.
Test Number One
And so, I went to Rentacoder and got a coder started on optimizing my Google Adsense and recording the results while I went onto performing research to see if any self-hosting Wordpress blogger wanted to learn how to make the most money they could from their blog’s Adsense.
Tools Used
I made use of 3 tools to do my research:
1) Google Keyword Tool
2) Ask.com
3) Free search term suggestion tool which I first heard about from the Andrew and Daryl Grant website
Quick Digression
Andrew and Daryl Grant are a couple who made $250,000 in their first year as Internet marketers selling ebooks.
When you visit and opt-in to the site , they give you FREE, clear step by step instructions on how they did this.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED if you see yourself making your online fortunes via ebooks (sadly I don’t make a dime in affiliate commissions ofF this recommendation, but it definitely still stands).
The Research Began
And the results were not good. There were no people searching for information on how to optimize Google Adsense for self-hosted Wordpress blogs. I didn’t get much better results when I tried variations and creative ways to express the term.
And So I Thought
Let me put that to the side and I will try to retail “My Adsense Guide” later using my existing connections in the Internet marketing world once that is ready.
Definitely not enough demand for my maiden voyage, though.
I wanted my maiden voyage to be an area where there is high demand, and hopefully an area in which I have expertise.
Outsourcing
Next, I moved on to outsourcing. I have been outsourcing all sorts of things for the last 8 months. A lot of the work that I do is actually dependent on outsourcing i.e. someone gives me a job to do, I outsource some or all of it while I supervise. So, I know quite a bit about outsourcing using sites like Elace, Rentacoder and GetaFreelancer.
Keyword Research Take 2
My problem when I went to perform keyword research is I didn’t know how to narrow down from the HUUUGGGGE topic of outsourcing to what it is I do:
Outsource Internet marketing related processes using freelance sites such as Get a Freelancer, Rent a Coder and Elance
Well Around That Time
I got one or two questions on my blog about podcasting. Me thought, why not?
KeyWord Research
Specific enough: Check = When you search for podcasting you are looking for information on a very specific process known as podcasting as opposed to a more broad category like content creation or audio production.
Traffic= Check = The search traffic for terms related to podcasting were enough to at least give it a shot.
Experience and Expertise = I have my own podcast and have been podcasting for 5 months. I also have some contacts in the Internet marketing world who I knew could probably connect me to other experts. I am also part of the Blog Mastermind where we have our fair share of podcasters. So it definitely seemed like a good bet.
Keyword Research
So I set up the site www.mypodcastingtutor.com, began working on my email autoresponder sequence which includes content rich Camtasia videos. (I currently have 7 emails that go out over a month)
And I began my test.
In the next edition, of my 4 hour work week journey, I walk you through my testing process.
How goes your journey? Well, I hope?
Mwangi
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5:48
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
Hey folks,
As a lot of you will know, one of the things that sets
www.theDisplacedAfrican.com apart is the fact that it has its own
Podcast, the Displaced African Podcast:
www.thedisplacedafrican.com/category/displaced-african-podcast/
I am sure a lot of you have heard it and I hope its been of value
and use to you.
REQUEST FOR HELP
I am basically writing this email to see if anyone out there has
sound editing skills and is willing to help me out with the process
of editing the Displaced African Podcast.
You would help me get the insights of African experts from all over
the world, including Derrick Ashong, David Kobia and Benin Mwangi
from African Path (the next podcast coming up) and share them using
the podcast format.
If you are interested,leave a comment below or contact me and let me know.
Have a great one,
Mwangi
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
Today I received the physical copy of my first ever newspaper article. It was from the folks at African Bulletin who featured my press release this month and will feature a few of my articles over the coming months.
So I thought I would celebrate that with y’all, say thanks to African Bulletin and to you, tDA’s reader.
Who woulda thought I would have ended up with my own feature in a newspaper and my own show on the radio in such a short time.
If I was to derive a lesson from this then I guess it would be, whatever you want to do, put yourself out there hard because you never know what results you will achieve until you put yourself out there and take action.
Direct Marketing
I love studying direct marketers like Dan Kennedy and Jay Abraham and of course, Tim Ferriss & Yaro Starak. One of the key ideas I have gotten out of the industry is:
Test assumptions!
Whenever you want to establish whether or not something will achieve particular results, conduct a micro-test and the test will give you much more real world knowledge than hours of abtraction ever would.
Here I am 9 months later and me and my tiny little blog actually have a brand name and a reputation which can probably be translated into something else.
So now, I can honestly say to other people, the greatest use of a blog is to establish a brand, preeminence and mindshare in a particular niche.
Why? Because I have lived it.
I can actually say that putting useful information out there on a blog is a great way to get featured in the media.
Why? Because I know other bloggers who have achieved way more media than I have and I have had a bit media success too.
So in short, I will repeat a message that I have expressed over and over and will continue to express over and over because I believe in it so much:
Let’s not think about it or read about it, let’s BE about it.
Hope that helps and yet again thanks for supporting the Displaced African (tDA).
Have one of those days that will be studied in the history books,
Mwangi
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12:04
From: The Displaced African
Read This Entry & More At The Displaced African
Hello people,
My name is Caroline Achieng Otieno, and I am a guest blogger at the Displaced African, and a regular contributor to The African Bulletin – www.mediablackberry.com. Having lived in the Netherlands for the past seven years, and experiencing the good, the bad and the ugly, I must say that I have observed a lot going on in Europe. I feel sad for the many Africans, who escape war and other tragic situations, come into Europe through very difficult means (some even trekking the desert through Northern Africa) and when they get here, they face other hurdles in trying to build an existence for themselves and their families back home. What hurts the most is that the system set in place makes our African sisters do things they would not ordinarily do, just because of their legal status or the lack of it thereof. The following article is another version of the article I wrote for African Bulletin in the April issue, feedback is welcome…
Supposing you were in Russia, it’s war-time, early 20th century. You are an aristocrat soldier and you are with your soldier friends. Feeling the loss of your status, money, family and country; you play a lethal game, perhaps to display bravado, perhaps you want to commit suicide. You spin the cylinder of a revolver so that the location of the cartridge is not known. You point the revolver to your head and pull the trigger. Bang! Well, probably you live, and unharmed and admired you walk away, or you die, and that’s the end, it’s final.
While many Africans living in Europe would not dare play the game of Russian roulette, no matter how much money they were offered, many are caught up in a riskier form of a similar game. There are few chances here; it is a ‘no-win’ situation. Young undocumented Africans, eking out a living in the big cities of Europe, find themselves alone in a foreign land. Many gamble with high risk sex, playing a game of ‘Russian roulette’ as it were. For the young African woman especially, illegality is a challenge. She is placed in a very vulnerable position. She may view being undocumented as having ‘no rights, no shelter, no access to medical care, no money, no food, no peace.’ If she is not well informed or protected, she falls into the trap of selling her body. In the big European cities, female migrants are caught up in a fast growing endemic of promiscuity, for no other reason than being illegal. On one hand, these may be women who are fleeing dangerous situations in their countries, where men have raped women as a weapon of war. Others have undergone traumatic and often brutal genital mutilations. Yet when these same women arrive in Europe, only to find their applications to stay in the country rejected, and out on the streets, the harsh reality begins to set in and sex becomes a strategy for survival.
Research done by SOA-Aids Netherlands in October 2006 among the heterosexual Black community, established that sex was used as a ‘salient exchange commodity’ by women. Men gave them money, and women in return took care of all their needs. When money begins to flow and the women are past survival, they find themselves at a point of no return and trapped in a life on the fast lane. Free-lance writer Zack Bigalke from Portland, Oregon writes, “Women, smarter than ever, have learned that their bodies are money-generating machines which can easily draw much larger pay-checks than most other jobs.” And that is the main problem, sex does sell, and many African migrant women get addicted to the business of having myriads of sexual partners.
There’s a mysterious pull to hang in there.
Probably it’s the bad company, or the lack of social skills, or the low-level of education coupled with the rush to make big bucks quick. Friends encourage some to join them, stating the fact that money comes easy in the business. Ultimately, there’s the attraction of the ‘invincible’ Euro, the demands of relatives back home, and the desire to mirror the lifestyles, the dress and the mannerisms of the of the characters played out by the beautiful West African actresses of Nollywood; keeping up with the latest designer fashions, smelling like a queen, and owning the latest gizmos at the drop of a hat.
There are risks involved, the risk of pregnancy and the greatest risk of all, that of catching a Sexually Transmitted Infection (S.T.I).
Let’s admit it, most men initiate and control sex, paying for it with their greater wealth.
However many women bear the burden of the consequences of sex. Due to the fact that a woman’s body is well structured to receive, a woman is eight times more likely to become infected from a single sexual act with an infected man than a man is likely to become infected from a single sexual act with an infected woman.
Not only is the likelihood for infection for women greater, but also infection can be present in and spread by them when they do not have any symptoms of the disease. The disease becomes a silent killer.
A breakdown of the most common S.T.I’s follows:
Gonorrhoea is one of the oldest known S.T.I’s. However, like the condition Chlamydia, most women who are infected by the disease frequently have no symptoms of it, especially in the early stages. Both of these diseases, left untreated destroy the Fallopian tubes and cause Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (P.I.D). This can lead to ectopic pregnancies or infertility. Another well-known S.T.I is Syphilis. It operates in stages, which can be in gaps over a period of many years. The last stage of Syphilis is most fatal. It can cause problems throughout the human body such as heart abnormalities; brain malfunctions leading to stroke, meningitis, deafness or blindness. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV), another S.T.I has long been known to be a cause of cervical cancer. Infection with the Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) weakens the body’s immune system and increases vulnerability to many different infections. HIV at its’ final stage is referred to as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS, when full-blown, many infections overwhelm the body and this results to death. Treatment options exist for HIV-infected people that reduce the multiplication of the virus in their bodies thus delaying the progress of the disease to the final stage, which causes death.
Solutions are quickly needed.
Condoms may be useful in decreasing the spread of infections such as Chlamydia and Gonorrhoea, but should be noted that they do not fully protect against infections such as genital herpes, HPV, syphilis and AIDS. Public awareness and education about STI’s and methods of preventing them is imperative.
African migrant women should be empowered and educated about their sexual health and reproductive rights. There is the need to practise good social skills that include the ability to negotiate safe sex, a better understanding on the working of their bodies and the risks of a promiscuous lifestyle.
Global agencies, international policy makers, African leaders and civil societies should push to make education for the Girl-Child in Africa free at all levels; such an action would encourage society in Africa to send their female children to school. Migrant churches and faith-based organizations in Europe need to address sexuality and behaviour change among both men and women.
It is my prayer that the article has helped someone in some way or another,
Blessings,
Carol.
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