By Ruth Munyaka
That feeling when still in school? That you have everything figured out. The kind of job you are going to land, your first paycheck, your dream car and the leafy suburb you want to live in. It’s even more profound during graduation when the Vice Chancellor says “I bestow upon you the powers to read”. Well spoiler alert. It’s a jungle out there. That is what they don’t tell you. Tarmacking is no joke. Your shoes know best if you have walked that road. Let me just say, I was among the lucky ones.
My first stop was at Microfinance Company. I thought providing financial services to small business and entrepreneurs that lacked access to banking related services was my destiny. Sorting them would be my obligation and life comfort. My role of transforming lives by alleviating poverty was to last for three months. Four gone days and my brains were burned out. The last day is all that lingered in my mind. Don’t get me wrong, the place was okay. I’m just not the routine kind. It was evident I was at the wrong place. My passion was somewhere else waiting for me to come home. To find and embrace it and promise to never let go. My advice “fighting passion is a losing battle”.
My next station turned out to be a media company. Culture shock is real. I was taken aback; the fashion trends got me agape. Everyone was in denim while the fashionistas in pajama pants (wish I could pull off that look). On the other hand, I was fully dressed in official clothes. I felt out of place. Did I miss the memo or something? Guys moved from one desk to another just to catch up…Catch up! The only thing that missed was a blanket and a basket. Why not? People still somehow managed to beat deadlines.The open plan office made interaction with bosses and supervisors easier.
Spielworks Media offices at Parkfield place Westlands
There was this guy seated at a corner cubicle. He didn’t talk much and always seemed to be writing. For a whole month I was oblivious of him only to realize it was Oyunga Pala! My lord! Wasn’t I a nervous wreck during my first meeting with him. I couldn’t quite place my finger on whether it was awe or anxiety. He’s a cool guy though and he got me writing. Then there was the boss. It’s not every day that the company CEO high fives you for a job well done. After writing my first article for the website, Dorothy Ghettuba did just that (My boss is cooler than yours!). It was the best feeling and I should have used the opportunity to proposition a salary raise.
Spielworks Media CEO Dorothy Ghettuba
Meeting the actors is always a mixed bag of emotions. For some, it’s akin to that feeling when an ardent fan (read streaker) runs into the field during a football match to hug the striker with security in hot pursuit. I was that die-hard fan when I met Mumbi Maina. Watching her performance in the movie Unseen, Unsung, Unforgotten a few years ago was so impressive. I could tap into her emotions and she is quite stunning in person.
Bumping into Lizz Njagah at the wardrobe section got me starry eyed. I hope she didn’t notice, but who am I kidding? She is the type of person who oozes confidence when she walks into a room. More so, she is well informed on local and international current affairs which intrigued me. She has featured in TV shows like Makutano Junction, Saints (the first medical TV drama in Kenya a product of Spielworks Media) and had her big break featuring in Tinsel (Nigerian TV drama show). There’s nothing holding back this Tv and film queen.
Sharing a bench with Pete Openda (Changing Times- TV drama) during breakfast was fascinating. He has an amazing deep, eloquent and authoritative voice. I could listen to him speak all day.
Does Avril Nyambura ring a bell? You all know her as one of Kenya’s famous singers. She has adorned different magazines covers, been on TV shows and rubbed shoulders with bigwigs in the industry. With all this to her name, I expected her to be adequately snobbish. But, she proved me wrong with her down to earth demeanor. How to handle natural hair was our conversation…we were just being girls.
Back in primary school there was this beautiful but shy girl. I would have never wager my money that one day Sarah Hassan would become a force to reckon with in the entertainment industry. After the many years she still has a bubbly personality and the girl can rock a dress on the red carpet.
Actresses in Jane and Abel from left Sarah Hasssan, Mumbi Maina and Liz Njagah.
Do you guys remember the “Utahama lini?” advert? Well I got to meet the man whose mum couldn’t stand him anymore. The name is Bilal Wanjau , better known as Mr. Rent in Sumu La Penzi. He is a hard one to miss. He always has that sly smile, making jokes and teasing crew and cast. His absence is usually felt. He so much like his on-screen character that I was dying to ask him, did he stop being mummy’s boy and move out?
Cast in Sumu La Penzi Avril Nyambura{Eva} and Bilal Wanjau {Mr.Rent}
Then there was my favourite surprise. He’s an all-rounder. A prolific writer with articles in the Saturday nation magazine, Msafiri magazine, Business Daily Newspaper, True Love magazine, just to name a few. He also has a blog that many of you are familiar with. It took me days to know that the guy who sat a metre away from me was (drum rolls)….Biko Zulu.
This man is a master of words. I can’t get enough of his wittiness, sarcasm and humor. Two years down the line, since I first read his article and I’m unashamedly hooked and addicted. He’s even more interesting in person…ooh! and dramatic.
With all the fuss surrounding celebrities, I assumed that they were all snobs. But I have come to realize they are just regular people made of flesh and blood. They don’t set themselves on pedestals like we the public do. They are just doing what they know best, to entertain and earning their daily bread. I’m looking forward to meeting more famous people. Every day there’s a new experience at Spielworks Media. I have no regrets whatsoever for following my dreams. Someone once said “Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.”