Smiling_Pen Ajiambo

Fulbright TEA ‘24| English and Literature teacher|Frenchie|Writer and Translator|Social Change Ambassador|Everything Media enthu

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

Congratulations to me and my fellow writers.

[Ituĩka @Ituika_]

Congratulations to this team of writers about to engage in the important work of creating a multilingual anthology of stories in Kenyan languages. cc. @kimaniwanjogu @ProfMadhuK

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

@Bookwormwork1 @USIEF @Dir_Education @AdamGrotsky @Gayatri1976 @Sudarsan_V5 @ECAatState @FulbrightPrgrm @FulbrightTeach @USAndIndia Go Divya! The Fulbright opportunity was not just for you but many that come after you.

[Barack Obama @BarackObama]

Here's our statement on the results of the 2024 presidential election:

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

Do you remember when you joined X? I do! #MyXAnniversary

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

Raising my country's flag at State Capitol California was my dream come true moment. The best of it was that it was after a successful meeting discussing matters education, meeting senator Brian Dahle and taking a photo with the PA Taylor Brown #Fulbright2024 @IREXintl

[Divya Gupta @Bookwormwork1]

#MyFulbrightStory

Day 23

Just another Fulbright Sunday !

On the Sundays that we have spent here so far, we like to walk around the town, visit museums and baristas, take photos and shop for presents for friends and family.
Today was different. Many of us chose to stay in and here's what we did - India hosted a little Chai-Pakoda (because it's raining!) get together and Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Armenia made this a day to remember!
I have always been proud of the incredibly rich cultural heritage that our sarees symbolise so I proposed to take our sarees to the world and the result is Ukraine and Kazakhstan in Ikkat, Uzbekistan and Mongolia in Baluchari and Armenia in Uppada silk!
Another friend of mine who wore a wonderful kalamkari saree is not in photos. She wears a hijab but took it off when she wore the saree so her pictures are not up for posting but she is stunning! Reminds one of yesteryear actor Meena Kumari in a saree!
Everyone asked for and got bindis and bangles. My lovely Azure-eyed friend from Ukraine, Olena, even wore my silver anklets!
Later she said - "It was good to feel like an Indian princess for a while!"
I told them I am a princess at work everyday 😂 because I wear sarees to work.
How they gasped! While their surprise amused me, my ease shocked them! We had a good laugh!

All these women are brilliant teachers, Fulbright scholars, social changemakers and champions for the cause of a better world in their own countries. I feel deeply thankful that they chose to honour an integral part of our culture by embracing sarees as they did.

Easily one of the best days here!

[Divya Gupta @Bookwormwork1]

#MyFulbrightStory

Day 20

Smiles grew bigger this week with the arrival of @angesomteklu from IREX.
One of the coolest things about America is how they have reinterpreted hierarchy at the workplace.
Mr. Teklu represents @IREXintl , a global development & education organization that administers the funding provided by the U.S. Department of State.
Yet he rides on the bus with us and is very chill with group selfies !

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

It is an honor to be part of this amazing team @Bookwormwork1

[Divya Gupta @Bookwormwork1]

#MyFulbrightStory

Day 12

Fulbright Fellowship is synonymous with great prestige and honour. You are your country's ambassador at a global platform.
We go to school and work hard and hand in assignments, and we wear our nice suits and deliver our speeches.
But we also share life stories, joys, traumas, fears and aspirations. We laugh and cry together and become a family handpicked by fate !
My journey so far fills my heart and I wish to say thank you to everyone through this post today.

My many blessings

[Divya Gupta @Bookwormwork1]

#MyFulbrightStory

Day 12

Fulbright Fellowship is synonymous with great prestige and honour. You are your country's ambassador at a global platform.
We go to school and work hard and hand in assignments, and we wear our nice suits and deliver our speeches.
But we also share life stories, joys, traumas, fears and aspirations. We laugh and cry together and become a family handpicked by fate !
My journey so far fills my heart and I wish to say thank you to everyone through this post today.

My many blessings

[Algonquin Books @AlgonquinBooks]

New York Times bestselling author @TheresaBrown shares a poignant and powerful story about breast cancer - her own - with humor and grace in her moving memoir #Healing: https://t.co/eFQcIHnUXC # bookbirthday

[Ituĩka @Ituika_]

Illiteracy in the #AfricanLanguages is one of the major factors affecting the commercial and cultural value of literary works written in the languages.

Through our #AfricanLanguagesTeachersDatabase , we are promoting the learning of African Languages . #Ituika

[Ituĩka @Ituika_]

Through #AfricanLiterature, we keep our collective imagination of Africa alive and such, we are able to channel our energies to a communal social construction of our identity.

#AfricanLanguages #Ituika

[Safal Kiswahili Prize @KiswahiliPrize]

How do we build cultural bridges? Join @HekayaEA today at @swahilipothub for the second day of #SwahiliLiterayFestival as we answer this question. @KosgeiChelagat will be in conversation with Profs Rayya Timamy and former @KiswahiliPrize Prize judge Rocha Chimera among others.

[Ituĩka @Ituika_]

Happy #WorldStorytellingDay. Stories matter. Stories help us understand our place in the world. Stories told in our mothertongues anchor us in our cultural wealth. So today we celebrate stories told in all manner of African Languages.

[Safal Kiswahili Prize @KiswahiliPrize]

Mshindi wetu wa 2021, @HalfaniSudy89 yupo hapa Mombasa kushiriki #SwahiliLiterayFestival. Jiunge nasi hapo kesho @swahilipothub

[Mercy Wambui @wagio2010]

Last day of #culturegrows symposium closes with Juma Toto and the Swahili Jazz band. Thanks to @TwawezaComms and @ke_British for the fantastic panels and the conversations on culture and inclusive growth - and investing in that growth.

[Safal Kiswahili Prize @KiswahiliPrize]

Halfani Sudy, mshindi wa @KiswahiliPrize, atasoma kutoka kwenye mswada wake wa Kirusi Kipya ulioshinda Tuzo ya Mabati-Cornell katika utanzu wa Riwaya 2021.

Ni hapo kesho. Jiunge nasi hapa @swahilipothub saa sita za mchana.

[Pwani Tribune🌴 @PwaniTribune]

I enjoyed the last Swahili Literary Festival and looking forward to the coming one this weekend, 18th March-20th March. Also excited to be featuring in the discussions alongside those whose work I admire in language and culture. Hope to see you there @swahilipothub @HekayaEA

[Youth Deliver @YouthDeliver]

📢 @WomenDeliver is looking for a changemaker to join our Youth Engagement Team! Help us fill the Associate role and share with someone who may be interested 👇
https://t.co/t6p5fKWt8Q

🗓️ Priority deadline: March 3

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

I have even grown in height.

[Smiling_Pen Ajiambo @MsNafwa]

The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority. Kenneth Blanchard