america the land of the free and the home of the brave

I was reminded of all the subliminal messages I thought I had risen above but had so cleverly followed me all the way to Philadelphia from Namibia. The feelings of inadequacy were strong and breathing in and out with me.

But I didn’t know just how deeply it was rooted in me as I walked the floors of this company. The shrinking back, the feeling of wanting to be at the back, unseen. See I know the feeling but I hardly ever give it mind because it became part of me. I stepped in, yes with wide eyes and the more I learned the more I started to feel this thing creep up. The companies I read about in the TIME magazine with wide eyes. I was incredibly fortunate and got picked for the additional 6 weeks where I was placed at a Fortune 500 company. The fellowship ends in a week-long summit in D.C and thereafter a select few remain for an additional 6 weeks assigned to a US office or corporation. The programme equips and empowers what they believe are Africa’s leaders of tomorrow with the chance to learn more about business and entrepreneurship, public management and civic leadership. The Mandela Washington Fellowship, an initiative of the Obama administration and the Institute of Research and Exchange was an amazing opportunity for a fully funded 6 (or 12) week programme in the US. Finally, third time lucky, I was finally a Mandela Fellow.

I got a phone call, THE phone call telling me that one of the applications I had been dying to get, I got. Until there was no other choice but bravery, but freedom, I didn’t know how deeply fear and timidity ruled my life. I didn’t know how afraid I was until I decided to be brave. I didn’t know how deeply it ran until I got here.

America the land of the free and the home of the brave