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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\nThe Conundrum of Knowledge<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Unbeknownst to me at that time, I faced a perplexing conundrum consisting of four parts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. What I knew I didn\u2019t know, and therefore sought answers for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. What Canadians knew that I did not know, and therefore educated me about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
3. What I did not know I didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
4. What Canadians did not know that I did not know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the last two categories, some of the things I had to learn included how to pump gas into a car, how to add air pressure to a tire with a slow puncture, which of the screaming headlines in the newspapers was worth my 50 cents, and where to navigate to on the radio dial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Through a new immigrant settlement training program I attended, I learned that most job opportunities were advertised in the Toronto Star\u2019s Saturday edition. A Kenyan friend also informed me that the Toronto Star was akin to the Daily Nation in Nairobi. So, for about 10 months, I spent part of my visa mandatory settlement funds on the Toronto Star, enjoying and being informed by its articles. However, it was not very useful as a source of jobs in technology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eerie Familiarity<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Two things struck me while reading the Star. One was that whenever I read an article about Black people\u2019s complaints about white people, it sounded eerily familiar. It occurred to me that if I changed just a few words in the Toronto Star articles, people in Nairobi would definitely find them true and identify with the context. The words I would change were: White for Kikuyu and racism for tribalism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learning About Canadian Society<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
As years went by, I learned more about Canadian society. One thing I found intriguing was the assertion that a Black person in Canada has to work several times as hard as a white person to achieve the same progress in school, work, and business. The question then is, how can you tell this unless you have lived both lives of a Black person and a white person?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It occurred to me that I might have done just that. Lived that double life! From birth to around 2010, when I joined the Misery Merchants in the realms of the Lords of Poverty, I was a white man, and from 2010 to date, a Black man.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reflections and Realizations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Through these reflections, I came to appreciate just how profound and transformative my journey in Canada has been. Each challenge and experience has deepened my understanding and sparked a passion for growth. This journey has gifted me with unique insights and a profound appreciation for the incredible resilience and determination it takes to overcome obstacles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sharing My Journey<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
I will share my thoughts in two articles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. My Life as a White Man<\/p>\n\n\n\n
2. My Life as a Black Man<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each article will delve into the nuances and complexities of living through these dual experiences, offering a perspective that bridges understanding and fosters empathy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The journey of navigating life in a new country, armed with both the wisdom of my past and the knowledge gained from my experiences in Canada, has been both challenging and enlightening. By sharing my story, I hope to shed light on the broader issues of societal dynamics and the importance of empathy and understanding in creating a more inclusive world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Kikuyu privilege is akin to white or male privilege in that most Kikuyus are not even aware of it: https:\/\/www.theelephant.info\/opinion\/2019\/07\/20\/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-kikuyus-about-tribe\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Who Are the Kikuyu? And why do Kenya\u2019s other tribes resent them so much? : https:\/\/slate.com\/news-and-politics\/2008\/02\/why-do-kenya-s-other-tribes-resent-the-kikuyu.html<\/p>\n\n\n\n Professionally qualified teachers were over-represented in the regions where the Kikuyu predominate: https:\/\/files.eric.ed.gov\/fulltext\/EJ903854.pdf<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Accumulation of Kikuyu capital in the finance and agricultural sectors. https:\/\/library.fes.de\/pdf-files\/bueros\/kenia\/09859.pdf<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When I arrived in Canada, I was neither black nor white; I was simply a man. Stepping out of Pearson Airport that cold winter night at 2 AM, ready to catch a taxi to the Bond Place Hotel in downtown Toronto, I carried with me the wisdom imparted by my elementary school teachers and classmates: … Continue reading Living a Double Life in Canada: From White to Black Man<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-mystory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=243"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":248,"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/243\/revisions\/248"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/easytx.ca\/MyFaceForYourTax\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}