Black history month owes its creation some good 126 years ago to Dr. Carter G. Woodson, an african- american historian. Dr. Woodson intended to draw attention to contributions made to history and society by blacks. Today it has become quite international and Germany has been part of these celebrations since about 13years, with Hamburg and Berlin as flag-bearers.
This weekend is characterised with kick-off parties across the nation as people of african heritage prepare to celebrate their history and themselves!!
February will be marked with discussions, artistic presentations, lectures, book readings and cultural dance nights in big cities.
This year the organisation, Initiative of Afro-germans (Initiative Schwarze Deutsche ,ISD), which initiated the celebration of this month in Germany, will be joined by the
Institute for Cultural Diplomacy (icd), Bundeszentrale für
politische Bildung (bpb) and Goethe Institut in organising a series of events in Berlin.
Alice Motanga is a modern woman who
successfully balances career and family on a daily basis. She was born and
raised in Cameroon and later moved to study computer sciences in Germany. She
gracefully mastered challenges like language barrier, culture shock and other
hurdles; staying goal-driven all along. Her perseverance, hard work and
discipline paid off. She is a successful consultant in computer sciences (Dipl.
Inform) working with Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS
Berlin.
At this time of the year when many reflect
on the past year and set new goals for 2010, a Sister-in-Germany talked to this
inspirational, motivational and exemplary woman.
Dr. SEA: Good evening and a happy new year.
Alice V. Motanga: Happy New Year. Before I start, I must tell
you how much I appreciate this gesture and I will have to congratulate you on
putting your heart out there in what you believe in.
Dr. SEA: Thanks. What were your initial
difficulties when you came to Germany and how did you adapt?
Alice V. Motanga: I came to Germany when I
was 20 and had just ME to count on. Leaving my family was hard, but my dreams
gave me hope for a better tomorrow. I convinced myself, it was the right thing
to do for my family. The second issue was the language! It took me a while to
feel comfortable enough with the language in order to express myself. That was
very frustrating and as a result I kind of entered into a shell, a comfort
zone. I was lucky I had the right people around me to show me; it was really not
that bad and one can only learn from your mistakes. There are no other ways
around it; one has got to embrace it. I am thankful I did. That is where the
adaptation started for me.
Dr. SEA: You left home as young girl to
study in a country millions of miles away, whose culture and language you knew
little or nothing about and today you are a successful career and family
person. What is your advice to many young ladies who are still studying or plan
to study against all odds?
Alice V. Motanga: All odds right! I like
the odds. Only the odds challenge us to grow and learn. To speak for myself, it
was important for me to have a goal, because there sure will be difficult
moments, guaranteed. And in these moments, the only thing you can hang on to is
your promise. What did you promise yourself? Another advice would be to believe
in yourself, set your goals not according to what people have or have not
accomplished. Walk your path, and let the people how have made it be your
source of inspiration but never your limit. At the university, the first two
years were pretty tough, because I choose to remain in my comfort zone. Among
other foreigners like myself who were facing the same problems. I later came to
the realization, staying within these circles simply always reinforced the same
complains, limitations and difficulties of the everyday life. Learn to
integrate the new values to your old values, seek for information. So my
younger sisters, my advice to you is to be open and have a passion to learn and
a hunger for information that would take you forward.
Dr. SEA: In everybody’s life, there are
moments when all seems lost and sometimes one is close to throwing away their
goals for one reason or the other. What is your source of hope in such moments?
Alice V. Motanga: Sisters, if you feel you
are losing it, take one step back and try to observe the situation from an
observer’s point of view, I bet you a glue bulb is going to light up within you
and you would know exactly what you need to do. Listen to that inner voice;
that is your guidance. True, there are times when all seems so blurred. Moments
like these, if you cannot count on that inner voice, it is important to have
that one person you can talk to, who has the ability to push you again in the
right direction. Surround yourself with people you can trust, and they will
always pick you up. I have a quote I use very often...”Life is just a game and
it’s all about attitude”. It helps me not to take things too seriously, and it
reminds me everything can be fixed.
Dr. SEA: I can see you are a
well-integrated person in Germany. What do you think is the key to a successful
integration?
Alice V. Motanga: I am still working on
being well integrated (smile), but thanks I take that as a compliment. What is
the key to successful integration? Let’s see, integration to me is on many
levels: personal, community-wise, culture-wise, nation-wise, international etc.
I won’t claim to know how integration works on all these layers, but I think a
common ground for integration is WILLIGNESS to learn, know and respect what is
unknown to you and your kind. Integration to me is bringing in differences to
co-exist. I have to be willing to accept differences from another person,
community, culture, nation, etc without feeling threatened by them. That to me
is the key to a successful integration.
Dr. SEA: As immigrants we face another
spectrum of daily challenges of which non-immigrants might not notice. Do you
agree?
Alice V. Motanga: Oh yes I agree,
definitely. And these daily challenges have become so subtle, detectable only
by the eyes of the victim. You see, that is not my business. I cannot change
the way another person approaches or speak or treats me. But I sure can change
the way I feel. So when I get confronted with an attitude, I sure as hell look
pass it and don’t allow that one incident govern the rest of my day. I walk
over it.
Dr. SEA: It is a start of a new year. How
was your kick-off?
Alice V. Motanga: I had a really quite
kick-off. I flew into the country on the 31st and was pretty much jet lagged
for the rest of the day and night. But it was beautiful to observe others
celebrate and watch the fireworks, receive and send out warm wishes to and from
loved ones.
Dr. SEA: At this time of the year many
people are setting new goals and resolutions for themselves. Did you set any?
Alice V. Motanga: I gave up on those four
years ago, because by June I have forgotten what those resolutions were in the
first place. For those I remember, I then find out, the year is half gone, and
you are nowhere close to what you promised yourself. I won’t set myself up like
that anymore (smile). I have an intention though. My intention is to live life
in the present moment, hate less, love more and flow with the stream of life.
Dr. SEA: Many people, including me, find it
difficult to keep and respect those new resolutions. Any tips on how to stay
focused?
Alice V. Motanga:Version:
Do not
set yourself up like that, girl (Laugh). Nevertheless a tip is to actually
start aligning your actions towards your goal. I once saw a beautiful
quote...”a goal without a plan is simply a wish”. So in the process of setting
your resolutions, ask yourself if you have a plan for it, and take baby steps
towards that goal. Else, let us just push it into the wishful thinking
category.
Dr. SEA: As part of a very aspiring African
Diaspora in Germany I would assume you are conscious of the somewhat
exponential growth of this minority group, especially families. What role must
Africans assume to ensure a good and safe future for their kids in Germany?
Alice V. Motanga: This is a difficult one,
because we can all speak about it, which is so different from actually doing.
But I think Africans in general have a pretty good hand on family issues. The
role they should take for their kids is to be a role model for them. Be what
you demand your kids to be when they grow up, so they can easily walk your
shoes and sing your songs. With kids in general, I think one aspect that is not
fostered is the ability to develop individualist. We are pretty much taught to
go to school, have an education, and become a doctor, pharmacist, accountant
etc? What about the soft skills; dancer, poet, entrepreneur, singer etc? I know
many people would disagree, which is fine, but look around; some of the
healthiest people today made their passion their business. The
you-must-go-to-school mindset outweighs you-have-a-gift-for mindset. I think
there should be a platform for that as well.
Dr. SEA: Who are your role models in the
following categories: family and career?
Alice V. Motanga: On family – The Cosby
family (please don’t laugh). Though it was virtual, I grew up thinking of them
as the perfect family and still do (I guess I am in trouble). Career-wise, oh I
have lots of role models. Every strong woman (black or white) who shows a sense
of direction, entrepreneurship, motivates and changes people’s life in a
positive sense falls under my role model category. In general, if I am moved
positively to be a nicer, wiser person by somebody, they are my role models.
For example, you are one of my role models.
Dr. SEA: I must say I am flattered.
Anything you might want to tell the African Diaspora in Germany, especially the
women?
Alice V. Motanga: Build communities of
people who hold and share the same values as you do. Engage in a WE-concept and
not a ME-concept to help here and back at home. Be open to learn every single
day. Information is out there, ready for us to grasp and make use of. Learn to
build fruitful partnership for a sustainable long-term future for our
communities. I must confess I speak not from experience, thus I wish to engage
more in the African Diaspora to proof my concepts.
Dr. SEA: It was great pleasure talking to
you. Thanks a million. Once again happy New Year.
Alice V. Motanga: I wish you a year full of
grace, beauty and fruitful moments. Happy New Year
