In early 2003, Kenya had a new president in quarter a century. The whole country was hopeful of the new government. My family thought it was a perfect time to relocate. So, we moved to Thika, a cosmopolitan industrial town.

I was in class 1 then. The school my mum wanted to enroll me in required 'entrance' exams before admission. I don't remember if I insisted on doing entrance exams for class 2 or it was mum's idea. What I remember is that I failed terribly.

I failed so badly that the school decided to place me not in Class 1, but in Pre-Unit for a few weeks. I don't remember my reaction to this setback. I probably did not care that much about it. I was too happy about our relocation.

I sometimes think that this premature retake was not as a failure, but a vaccine. A vaccine against academic failure.

The vaccine seems to have been working quite well so far, though it has been tested to its limits by medical school. I highly recommend this vaccine to your future(or current) children.