Imekuwa Wiki ya Mafanikio

Wiki hii inayoisha imekuwa ya mafanikio makubwa kwangu. Napenda kwanza nifafanue kuwa dhana yangu ya mafanikio ni tofauti na ya wale wanaowazia fedha. Mimi ni mwelimishaji, darasani na katika jamii. Ni mtoa ushauri katika masuala ya tofauti za tamaduni na athari zake, hasa katika dunia ya tandawazi wa leo. Ushauri huo natoa kwa njia mbali mbali, hasa maandishi na mazungumzo na watu binafsi au vikundi. Dhana yangu ya mafanikio imejengeka katika shughuli hizo.

Kwanza, nilijiandaa kwa ziara ya chuo cha South Central, mjini Mankato, ambako nilifanya mazungumzo na darasa la wanafunzi wanaojiandaa kwenda Afrika Kusini kimasomo, na halafu nikatoa mhadhara kwa wanajumuia hapo chuoni, ambao mada yake ilikuwa "Writing About Americans."

Maandalizi ya mazungumzo hayo yote yalikhusu kukusanya fikra zilizokuwa akilini mwangu na kuziweka pamoja ili kukidhi mahitaji ya mazungumzo yale. Ilikuwa rahisi kujitayarisha kwa maongezi na wanafunzi waendao Afrika Kusini. Nmaongezi ya aina hiyo na wa-Marekani wengi katika maandalizi ya kwenda Afrika.

Katika kuandaa mhadhara wa "Writing About Americans," nilijikuta ninatafakari namna ya kuwasilisha mada yangu. Hatimaye, niliamua kuzingatia uzoefu wangu wa kuandika kitabu cha Africans and Americans: Embracing Cultural Differences. Niliamua nielezee chimbuko la wazo na azma ya kuandika kitabu hicho, mchakato wa kuandika, na mambo niliyojifunza katika kuandika huko. Baada ya kuamua hivyo, nilikaa chini nikatmia dakika chache tu kuandika dondoo ambazo ningetumia katika mhadhara.

Nilipoziangalia dondoo hizo, nilijua kwa hakika kwamba nitatoa mhadhara mzuri. Na ndivyo ilivyokuwa, kama alivyoeleza Mwalimu Becky Fjelland Davis katika blogu yake. Baada ya ziara yangu, niliandika katika blogu yangu kwamba nilitegemea kuwa tathmini ya ziara yangu ingeendelea miongoni mwa wale waliohidhuria.

Ukweli wa dhana yangu umeendelea kujitokeza, na hapa napenda kuleta ujumbe ulioandikwa na mtu aliyehudhuria mhadhara wangu:

Dr. Mbele,

I attended the talk you gave at South Central and found it to be very interesting and insightful. You showed how valuable writing is in itself, by giving us a mirror of ourselves as authors.

Thank you for your willingness to share you observations of Africans and Americans as well as your own self-assessments.

I thoroughly enjoyed your talk and only wish that I could have remained loner to hear the questions from the audience.

Thank you for sharing your life and writing experiences with us at South Central College.

Baada ya ziara ya Mankato, nilijikuta nikiongea kwa njia ya Skype na wanafunzi wa Chuo Kikuu cha Montana, ambao walikuwa wanasoma kitabu changu cha Matengo Folktales. Niliandika kuhusu mazungumzo hayo katika blogu hii. Mazungumzo yale yalikwenda vizuri sana. Wanafunzi na mwalimu wao walifurahi, na mimi pia.

Wameendelea kuelezea furaha yao. Mwanafunzi mmoja ameniandikia hivi:

Hello Dr. Mbele!

I was a student from Professor Olsen's Skype class earlier today, my name is Sara Saxton. I'm I just wanted to say thank you so much for your time and expressing your mind to our class! I really enjoyed hearing about your definition of a classroom. I agree with the aspect of having a classroom be a "safe place" for learning. I feel as though I have experienced many things outside of the classroom, but there is nothing that compares to being able to ask questions you've always wanted to ask in a classroom. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed hearing about your tales and watching you preform them. It was great!

Thank you again!!

Mwanafunzi mwingine kaniandikia hivi:

Shikamoo Dr. Mbele,

I hope I have used the greeting properly. I wanted to say thank you taking the time to speak with, and preform for our class today over Skype. Growing up in Montana there are not many oppertunities to experience the vastness of culture the world has to offer and your time and knowledge was greatly appreciated. I hope to have the chance to speak with you again someday.

Asante sana!

Kama ninavyosema mara kwa mara, blogu yangu hii ni mahali ambapo nahifadhi mambo yangu, kama vile mawazo, hisia na kumbukumbu. Nafurahi nimeandika hayo niliyoandika, muhtasari wa mafanikio niliyoyapa wiki hii inayoisha. Ni mafanikio yanayougusa moyo wangu na yenye maana kwangu kuliko fedha.