My Conversation With a Stranger

Mukudzei Venancio Chinaka
Zimbabwe

            *Based on a true story*
Very seldom do the words of a complete stranger resonate with me. A nameless face, a beautiful stranger impacted my view on how We, the youth of this great continent, can take charge of our futures and move Africa forward.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm fairly stubborn and it usually takes more time, a few well thought out points and sneaky comments to convince me of anything! So when this stranger, lets call her R, asked me if I planned on returning home after completing my studies, I said "only if there were sufficient opportunities in my field". An answer which was met with a combination of disgust and what seemed like pity, for I would miss out on the chance to be part of something bigger than myself! 


I can confidently say that I wasn't really bothered by this because, as in most cases, I thought I was right. I had the facts and my bottom line view of the world dictated  that if my services (get your mind out the gutter) weren't required, what choice did I have but to go where I was needed. R and the man who sat across me had a different view, they both pointed out that no one said I had to work in my field of study, the brain isn't wired to complete only one task and why couldn't I be part of the solution and create jobs in my country on this great continent.

What they achieved is they spoke to my heart - even though I have doubts about how I can create gainful employment with limited resources or whether the initiative to create jobs and recognize opportunities comes before investment (kind of the chicken or the egg problem). But that was besides the point, what I want to show is how a simple conversation can change attitudes and get us thinking, we don't have to have all the answers but speaking on how we plan to charter the way forward is just the beginning. We may not be the ones to change the world but a simple conversation may inspire the mind that does. 




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