God is Nice, and He Likes Me

I was a terrible student in secondary school. I'm not sure if it was my choice of course (I'd wanted to be a medical doctor, specifically, a paediatric surgeon) or my laziness or a combination of both. Bottom line, when I wrote my final exam, I failed in some subjects and just passed (the last pass grade before a fail) others. Technically, I qualified for entry into any university in Ghana by the entry requirements at the time, but getting in would be tough. Right now, with the revision of entry requirements into universities in Ghana, I don't qualify for entry into any university in Ghana with those grades.

I applied to the University of Ghana. As per advice I received, I chose one of the not so popular courses to guarantee my selection, and then I waited. The admissions list was out, admission letters were distributed, and nothing for me. I understood that when you get dumb grades like mine, you don't get to enter university, but I couldn't understand why I couldn't make it into the university with my mates.

I gave up waiting and enrolled into a remedial school to rewrite the WAEC papers I'd performed that bad in. I started classes, I hid it from just about everyone (it was mighty embarrassing), and then a letter came in the mail addressed to me. It was my admission letter. I doubt I have jumped that high or been that excited in my life.

Turns out I was on the late admissions list. I was one of the few who were admitted after the admission process had been completed. I later (not illegally) found a copy of the original admissions list for my department. Majority of the names had been typed, mine was one of 4 names which had been handwritten.

A remedial student made it into the university without rewriting the WAEC exam, and then went on to be a very good student, after which she went on to be an exceptional student in a Masters programme. So, when I say God is nice, and He likes me, I know what I'm talking about. How I even transitioned from that terrible student to a very good student to an exceptional student is testimony of just how much God likes me.

When One Door Closes...

...another one opens, but often times we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.

After my first degree, I was just glad to be done with school, and for me, "why would I go back and do more school?" And then I see an advertisement for an educational reality show, prize package includes a postgraduate scholarship in the UK. Suddenly, I'm thinking about a second degree, and I'm thinking I could do this (enter the competition and win). I enter, I do not win, I am crushed.

I'm wondering why I feel so crushed. I wasn't really interested in a second degree, but then, the programme I wanted to study in the UK is offered right here in Ghana, and since I couldn't afford school in the UK, I figured I might as well enroll into the same programme right here in Ghana. You see, taking part in the reality show, I'd psyched myself up to do my Master's and now that's all I wanted to do.

Turns out, getting into this programme in Ghana was even more difficult than getting to be a part of the reality show (and that one was worse than difficult). Well, I make it into the programme, and I emerge the overall best student. Yay! And as the best student, I'm offered a scholarship to study in Canada as part of the Master's programme. I could not believe it. I made it through the rigorous selection process, all I wanted was to do my 1 year Master's and be gone, but here I was, the best student. Instead of 1 year, I get to do 2 years. The second year is fully paid for, and although I didn't get to do school in the UK, I got to do school in Canada. Wow!

Imagine if when I'd got evicted from the reality show, I'd let my being devastated hold me back from doing all I could to upgrade myself? The UK door got closed, but the Canada door was opened for me. A door I hadn't anticipated being opened for me.
So I ask, what are you letting hold you back? Which closed door are you staring so hard at wishing it would open? Wishing so hard you can't see the other door that has been opened?

Everything Happens for a Reason

:( I don't do this as much as I would like to (blog).

Sunday, in church, one of the priests in my church who had just been ordained gave the sermon, and boy did she have a remarkable story to tell. It was mostly about how she wanted to grow up and be in a certain profession, but she didn't make it there because she didn't pass an exam she needed to. She was very disappointed, ended up taking certain courses she didn't know why she was taking.
Never did she imagine she'd be ordained as a priest, but there she stood. A priest, and guess what? The course she took which she didn't know why she did has actually come in handy. It was in public speaking (she was training to be a broadcast journalist). Good thing she took that course because how I love it always when she delivers the sermon.
Basically, her sermon for the day was God knows why we have to go through certain things (everything happens for a reason).

All this Reverend had to say last Sunday got me thinking about me and my life, and I agree with her 100%. I said a bit in My Big Day! but, I'll add a little so much more.
By age 10, I knew I wanted to be a paediatric surgeon when I grow up (very curious since a lot of people understandably don't know what they want to do by 40). At least I thought I knew. That meant I had to study elective science in senior high school. My grades after junior high were good but not good enough to get into an elective science programme in the school I wanted. I ended up in a different school because I wasn't going to kill my dream of becoming a paediatric surgeon just because of a preference in schools.

I was the worst science student ever! I flunked all my electives from day 1. Quite a number of my classmates were in a similar situation, and they advised themselves early. They switched from science to arts or business after the first term of school. But I was stubborn.
Result? I almost didn't make it into the university. Matter of fact, I was so sure I wouldn't make it anywhere with the grades I had that I enrolled in remedial classes to rewrite my elective subjects. And then I got my admission letter from the university. Turns out I was on the late admissions list.

Well, by then I knew I had to give up the paediatric surgeon dream (no one would admit me into medical school with those horrible grades). So, I studied home science for my first degree, mainly because that was one of the few programmes I could make it into the university to study. I was a good home science student. There was one semester where I actually had straight A's. That has never happened to me before (ever). Did I already say that has never happened to me before? Never! I didn't even know that was possible. So I graduated from the university with a Bachelor's Degree in Home Science with a Final Grade Point Average (FGPA) of 3.56.Yeah, I was bummed out, totally. That FGPA meant I graduated with a Second Class Upper. To get a First Class, a graduand should have an FGPA of 3.6 or better. I needed just 0.04 more points to get a First Class (see why I was bummed out, totally?).

I got past that feeling, and then I found out about an educational reality show British Council was organising. What got me interested was that 3 winners would be selected and they each get a scholarship for postgraduate study in the UK. Out of thousands of applicants who were cut down to a couple of hundreds to 25 and then finally to 12, I was one of the 12. I honestly couldn't believe it, but I knew there was something I was good at, but I just hadn't found it yet. At that time I was just about to start my national service in the dietherapy department of a hospital in Ghana, and the plan had been to study dietetics after. That changed just when I got into the reality show. I read on the courses the 3 awarding universities had to offer and settled on communication. That, I decided was what I wanted to do. We were down to 7, and then I was evicted. I was devastated (I must have been cos I got all teary eyed on national TV when I was evicted).

Life goes on. For me, if I couldn't study in the UK, why not study what I wanted to right here in Ghana? I did that. Out of hundreds of applicants into the School of Communication Studies of the University of Ghana, who were cut down to just about a hundred, to a little over 30, 23 of us were admitted into the school into the MA programme. Out of the 23 of us, 5 of us were selected into the MPhil programme and 1 (yours truly) was presented with the Canadian Commonwealth Exchange Program - Africa Award. I got to study at the University of Manitoba in Canada (Yay!).

Yep, eureka! I had found it. I had found what it is that I was good at. Never had I been the best sudent in any class, but here I was. By age 10, I thought I knew what I wanted to do, turns out that wasn't it for me. It wasn't until age 23 that I actually found what it is that I was good at and wanted to do.

Being a paediatric surgeon is a great dream, but I'm sure the fact that I squirm at the sight of my own blood would have been a problem. Being a dietitian is not bad at all, but the fact that I get irritated telling people to do what I figure they should already know would have been a problem (I still don't get why overweight persons don't get that there is a problem with being overweight). Getting that First Class would have been great, but it just might have convinced me to push for that career in dietetics since I would have felt I am that good at the subject. Winning "The Challenge" (the educational reality show I was a part of), would have been awesome, but that would mean I wouldn't have got to live in Canada when I did (I am so not saying living in Canada beats living in the UK). All I'm saying is, no, I didn't get a scholarship to study in the UK, but all was not lost. Another opportunity presented itself and I got a scholarship to study in Canada instead (when one door closes, another one opens).

Even when it seems all is lost and you feel disappointed, even when you feel bummed out, totally, even when you feel devastated, keep your head up! Everything happens for a reason. It might not seem apparent to you at the time, but give it some time, all will work out!
And oh, it really isn't just about finding what it is you want to do, how about finding something you are actually good at and want to do (that I've come to realise helps).

Mightier Than The Sword I

"Burke said that there were Three Estates in Parliament; but in the Reporter's Gallery yonder, there sat a Fourth Estate, more important far than they all" - Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881).

When I was in school, as a class assignment, I was to do a book report. Assignment was by Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo (totally love her. she's just awesome) and students were to select from a list of books. I chose the book "Mightier than the Sword: How the News Media have Shaped American History" by Roger Streitmatter. Good read. Look the book up if you can. I will do well to post the report I did up in here in another post. But now, to the issue at hand. Ghanaians do not seem to be very aware of the statement "Mightier than the Sword". Hearing it for the first time, someone might think, let's say, the gun probably is mightier than the sword (totally makes sense), but it's not the gun the statement refers to. The statement refers to the PEN (well, nowadays the keyboard I guess) being mightier than the sword. How? Read up on the Watergate Scandal (Google it. wikipedia gives an understandable account of the events) and see how two reporters broke a story that contributed to the downfall of arguably the most powerful person in the world (that's if you believe the President of the US of A is the most powerful person in the world). The book gives an account of fourteen distinct occasions when the news media not just reported, but played an active role in events that made history in America. The Watergate Scandal is just one example.

Where am I going with this? All around me, I see injustices being committed against people and they plus everyone else sit back, fold their arms and do absolutely nothing. I actually wanted to talk about another incident, but looking at how long this post has already got and will get, I'll stick to just this and get to that incident in another post.

At my place of work for example, I see injustices being committed by the big wigs against the common floor members all the time (watch any one of Roverman Productions plays and I bet you will see a sample of that), but they and everyone else (including me) do nothing about it. I guess those to whom the injustices are being committed against feel there really is nothing they can do and really, who wants to go up against the big wigs? Everybody else feels, it's really none of their business, and that's the category I put myself in until an injustice was committed against me. That's when I sat up and realised the big wigs can target anyone they want to, and it had just got to my turn. I'll not go into the details, but I will say this, I strongly believe the pen (aka keyboard in modern times) is mightier than the sword, I have a pen, I love using it and thank God I am good at using it too. I also believe in second chances and I believe in letting go. Reason I won't go into details is my belief in letting go and a bit of my belief in second chances, because even though an injustice was committed against me, the big wigs stepped up and redeemed themselves (at least in my eyes).

A few months ago, I went on leave for a couple of days (less than one week). On my last day of leave, I received a phone call instructing me not to come back to work but to proceed on leave for a whole lot more of additional days. Meaning I ended up on leave for a couple of months. Now, yes, I get that I had a whole lot of accumulated leave days, which had to be exhausted, but seriously, how is it that I go on leave for less than one week and then you call me on the last day telling me not to come back? For a second I really was at a loss because when a person goes on such a really long leave of absence from work, at least they know it and plan ahead. If it's a trip out of the country or some vacation time within the country, or something, it has to be planned and preparations made. Here I was, no plans made, because this thing was just sprang on me. Well, I complied (did I really have a choice) but resolved to make the most out of the couple of months I wouldn't be at work. I went to school (IPR organised a course, which I participated in) to upgrade myself, watched a bunch of movies and some series and then I, for the first time in my life took part in a text and win promo, which saw me winning and travelling out of the country for a few days. Anyone who really follows my blog will remember the very first post I did on the text and win promo. Yes, I had some grievances, which I aired in that post. I was not the original winner (for those who are wondering) but due to some circumstances, I was chosen as winner by default and interestingly enough the second winner (two winners were selected for that competition) shocked both me and the organisers (I presume). For me, I was mostly shocked because the competition rules suddenly changed somewhere along the line (necessitating my writing the post about it), which I voiced out in my post, so based on the new rules, the second person really should never have won. But this person did, and I had a blast with this person outside Ghana, and I was too busy having a blast to be too concerned about the further injustice committed by my workplace against me, because the injustice was committed the day I was leaving the country. Fortunately (for everyone involved) the injustice was corrected before I came back to Ghana and way before I had finished having a blast to have the time to think about it. So, I totally enjoyed the unplanned long leave I was obligated to go on, I watched movies, upgraded myself and took a trip outside Ghana. Before I get off the subject, I should add that I took the first post off because I wanted to. No one asked me to take it off (it is after all my space). I chose to take it off myself. Like I said earlier, I believe in second chances and letting go.

What I really don't get and find terribly strange is I'm sure the big wigs had their reasons for the decision they took. Sad thing is they forget that when they go for their big wigs meetings, all those present (though they are the big wigs) are human, and humans like to talk. These human big wigs leave their big wigs meeting, and some of them talk to other humans who talk to other humans and then eventually, whatever it is gets back to the person (in this case me). Mine is, if you feel I have done something wrong to necessitate any injustice (as I would call it) against me, why not call me to order? Why not make it known? Why not give me the chance to accept or deny and then you take your action against me? Sad thing is something I was supposed to have said (heard this from one of the humans who spoke to a human that was spoken to by one of the big wigs) in a so called open forum was used against me. Why then do big wigs in companies try to blind the eyes of common floor members by organising open forums so common floor members can air their views and share their concerns, only to use what they say against them? What really is the point?

I'm back at work, the injustice was corrected before I resumed and all seems to be right with this world I find myself living in. Right now, I find myself almost doing what I went to school to study (which really would make sense since I was just about the best in my class). Now, I was going to continue on that train of thought, but before I go on, I should add that, I first should have started by thanking God. I did start off with a little rant, but I do know and accept that all that I am, all that I have is by the grace of God and I know that God would never have let me go through anything that His grace would not have seen me through. Thank you Almighty Father. For those that do not believe in God, well, you got no idea what you are missing out on. I am one of the living testimonies of what God can do. I repeat, I am just one (believe you me, there are many of us). Now, I will continue boasting (as someone put it). I know I was one of the best in my class because I was the only one selected (by merit) to go study abroad by none other than Prof. Audrey Gadzekpo (she was the Ag. Director of the School of Communication Studies when I was a student there). I say boast because after my post When I Was A Celebrity, someone pointed out to me on BBM that I was boasting in that whole piece because not once did I mention God and that He made it possible for all that to happen. Trust me, no one knows better than I do just how much God made it possible. I did not say everything in that post and I haven't even said half of it here. Granted, I did not thank God in the post so after this person drew my attention to it, I edited the post and I did. Now, in drawing my attention to this erroneous error, this person goes on to send me a nice text about what God did to the Babylonians who believed in themselves too much and how people of today are no different from the ancient Babylonians because most of us worship idols (our selves). I really am not sure just how my posts come across. Mostly, I try to be funny and look at the lighter side of things. It really has never been my intention to self worship over here and if I have given anyone that impression, I sincerely apologise because I have so misled you. I am not an idol worshiper and I do not worship myself. But, for more on my idolatry (self worship) see My Big Day and Yipee! It's My Birthday! Look at Me...

I should add that this person who feels I was worshiping myself in my blog post sent me this nice text via WhatsApp. Anyone who knows how this application works knows to send a message to someone on WhatsApp, you'll need that person's phone number. I never gave my phone number to this person, I usually just chat with them on BBM. This person I should add is male and I (if you haven't already figured it out) am female. This person obviously dubiously obtained my phone number and prior to this Babylonian message had said "hi" to me without identifying himself. Dubiously because this person refuses to say how he got my number. Now, this person turns around trying to appear, I repeat trying to appear all Godly, SMH! Why do people try to make being a Christian so difficult and unappealing to others? Because I am a Christian I shouldn't write funny blog posts? Because I am a Christian I guess I should dress and walk differently too, right? I'm sure if this person saw me all dressed up walking down the street they would pull me into one corner in the name of exorcising demons out of me, and only God knows what they really would do. People, let's stop being pretenders. If you just found Jesus, praise the Lord for you (I have had Him all my life). But really, condemning others just so you can feel better about yourself?
While on the subject, to be clear on one thing, there are so many different kinds of blogs. People have Christian blogs, celebrity news (gossip) blogs and I'm sure there are some on Islam (not seen any yet). If you, Mr. Person, feel so strongly about the subject, feel free to start a blog on modern day idolatry (self worship) and ancient Babylonians.

Like I was saying, I'm back at work, doing what I know I've been trained to do and am extremely good at, and I thank God.

To all my haters, I say IN YOUR FACE! and GOD BLESS YOU! but change your life (phrase borrowed from Ms Naa of YFM). To those of you haters that don't believe in God, well, aside you not knowing what you missing out on (look what you tried to do to me and see what happened), still IN YOUR FACE! and GOD BLESS YOU! change your life and just maybe I might mess up myself (you know that will never happen, right. God won't allow it) and then the bad stuff you been planning will happen to me without you lifting a finger.

Interesting thing is since I got back to work, no one has said anything to me (y'all could have at least attempted an apology) neither have I said anything to anyone. Like I said, I like to let go. Someone asked me at work two weeks ago why I'm always smiling especially at the people that were trying to bring me down, and I was like, well, I don't want to end up all wrinkled and shriveled up like them. Besides, anyone who knows me knows I've always loved to smile, regardless.

I did want to get to my next post today, but I'm doubting it. Speaking my mind has resulted in me writing a semi demi PhD thesis (was trying to so totally avoid that). So, I will get to the injustice that is (or was depending on how things are going right now) being meted out to Ghanaians (and other foreign nationals in Ghana) by a department store (I'm guessing that's what it is) in Accra.

I know I'm totally getting some backlash for this lengthy post, but let me end with some food for thought. "If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner" - Nelson Mandela (1918-2013).

My Big Day!

Last two weeks I'd say was my happiest day thus far (waiting on my wedding day and the birth of my first child to outshine this one though :D). So, what happened two weeks ago? By the grace of God, I graduated from the University of Ghana with an MPhil in Communication Studies *whew!* (felt like I'd been waiting forever for that day to come). It wasn't an easy journey at all (total understatement). It was quite a tortuous journey but guess what? I wouldn't trade it in, not for all the tea in China (I always wanted to use an idiomatic expression :D).

Ok, so I believe a brief history leading up to last two weeks would be in order (like I said, brief). My undergraduate degree was in Home Science and in school, I did a couple of internships with diet therapy departments in hospitals and a nutrition unit of a research facility. My national service was even with the diet therapy department of a hospital in Ghana. Obviously, the next logical step would be to train as a dietitian. I should say that I hadn't seriously thought of doing grad school after my 1st degree, matter of fact, I was just too excited to be done with school. The thought of opening a book again just sent shivers up and down my spine. Seriously, reading a textbook wasn't exactly on my list of things to do any time soon *bowing my head in shame*

ummmmmm... so where was I? Yep, it made sense that I'd probably study dietetics in grad school (that's if I decided to go) but during my national service, I had one of those light bulb moments and I honestly couldn't see myself doing what I was doing and loving it for the rest of my life. I did some soul searching and that was when I realised, I love reading (seriously? *raised eyebrow*), writing (ummmm but totally lazy about it) and talking plenty (oh yeah, very true). I should probably add that I sometimes am people sometimes think I'm a smartass and that I thrive on sarcasm (I wonder where they'd get that idea from *incredulous look*). Ok, this brief history is getting kinda long and winding, so let's get to the end.

I thought of stuff I could do that'd involve me doing stuff I loved, and then I had another light bulb moment. Yep, I decided I should definitely do grad school and I should definitely study something communication related so, I got into the School of Communication Studies of UG (long process. I'd say my charming smile and even charming personality got me in) where I specialised in Public Relations and Advertising.

Now that the anything but brief history is over, let's get to the morale of the brief history (yeah, there's actually something to learn from all this).

• No matter what, never settle.
• Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone, cos you just might find something more interesting and worthwhile.
• Don't be afraid to take risks especially when you got people discouraging you (you have no idea the number of times I heard "what has Home Science got to do with Communication").
• Do think outside the box (I always wondered what box people were referring to when they used this phrase. now I got you to wonder too :D)
• Finally, even if it takes forever, the rainbow does come after the rain.

Now, that said, I'd like to say a huge huge thank you to the Almighty God for bringing me this far, and to everyone that had my back during this journey. My wonderful family for believing in me and seeing what others refused to see, and my lovely friends for understanding when I dint have time to hang out cos of that thesis that took forever to write. And to all those that dint believe in me and tried to discourage me, IN YOUR FACE! (I love you too though. your unbelief egged me on :D)

Yay! I made it *huge smile*