Hopeless Situation
What do you want to be when you grow up…?
It was used as motivation in early years. It still, to some extent do the magic. I wanted to be a soldier, no particular reason just a soldier. Then a nurse, no particular reason too just what the society wanted or rather expected. Then I wanted to be a scientist though I didn’t know what a scientist was! After watching several spy movies I wanted to be a Security Agent! I soon changed to being a doctor….but again I changed my mind. My friends too had ‘big dreams. Big dream jobs. It was a big incentive to know what you wanted to become when you grow up. To know where you will work. Who your bosses will be and imagining yourself somewhere in the ‘loop taking instructions and to a certain extent giving instructions. It still feels good to have this kind of dreams.
Education is the key. No doubt about it. But it should be the right kind of education not just education. I was prompted to pen down this article because my lecturer asked me what I wanted to be when I finish school, not what I want to be when I grow up. I thought he was joking until I realised that he was expecting an answer. I smiled because I did not know the answer. I am in my early 20’s and I don’t know what I want to become when I am done with school? Pretty dull huh? I don’t know what happened to my childhood dreams of working. Big jobs in big offices. Big pay and big cars. I remember I even wanted to buy a chopper from my salary. But now it’s all blank. I have no idea of what I want to become. Hopeless situation.
Before you conclude that ke ‘sematla, let me share with you why or how I ended up in this ‘’hopeless situation’’. When my lecturer asked that question I took it for a joke. O raya gore monna yo o kana ka nna o ka botswa potso eo?? He had a lesson in that. A very simple lesson but yet can alter your life path altogether. After the lesson I thought of what I wanted to become while I was still growing up. I thought of what my friends wanted to become once they were grown up. There was a common denominator there. A tragic one. WE ALL WANTED TO BE WORKERS! No one, at least not among the circle of my friends wanted to be his own boss. Like I say I want to be a doctor and own a Pharmaceutical Firm and sell drugs to people. Or I want to own a General Dealer and supply the village. Well this ‘’hopeless situation’’ that I am in is not my problem. It is only my problem because I am the one who is going to suffer. Be a worker for maybe the rest of life. But it is not my problem in that the ‘SOCIETY sees nothing wrong with that kind of thinking. In fact it is encouraged. ‘’Nna ngwanake o botlhale, o tsile go nna ngaka’’. Good for you parents; your child will be a doctor and save lives. Bad luck to you Dr…you will remain a worker for the rest of your life. Thank you Mr Lecturer for giving me this hopeless situation!!!
By:
Morena Monganja
