The Philosophy of a Village Boy – Reflections on knowledge, science, spirituality, identity, and life, from a man whose questions began in the village

Post 31: When a Qualification Was Not Enough

When my PhD scholarship ran out and I had to continue working on the PhD from home, I was also applying for almost any opportunity I could find. At least I was already professionally registered as a GISc Technician. My former supervisor at the conservation agency had assisted me with…
Post 30: Finishing a PhD from an Unfinished Chicken Shed

One of the major challenges towards the end of my PhD came from delays in completing the study. My thesis had effectively been completed, but I was still waiting for my supervisor’s comments. He had several students under his supervision and other responsibilities. As the delays continued, most of the…
Post 29: The I, Them, and We

Postgraduate students worked from offices allocated to us at the university. Fellow students and interns worked from the postgraduate office next to ours. Although a wall physically separated the two rooms, that barrier meant very little socially. The offices faced each other, and the relationships among the students meant that…
Post 28: Building My Grandmother a Place to Call Home

While my PhD was opening new doors for me, another part of my life was changing at home. My grandmother had lost all her children. I had also left, first for George and later to pursue my studies. She increasingly found herself alone. Eventually, she made a difficult but practical…
Post 27: When the PhD Made My World Bigger

A PhD is often described in terms of research, a thesis, and eventually a qualification. My experience became much broader than that. One of the benefits I had not fully anticipated was the people I would meet. I studied alongside students from different parts of Africa, including Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania,…

Explore the Journey