Sept 4th

Our first full day of lessons. Theoretical stuff interspersed with fun hands on activities. We are introduced to the question of what makes entrepreneurs entrepreneurial. Research conducted by Sara Sarasvathy proposes a dichotomy between traditional strategic or managerial methodologies and the played out practices of successful entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial talent is not innate but can be taught. Thus why we are all here. Causal vs effectual reasoning is also introduced. Interspersed with all the theory are more fun practical exercises like the spaghetti challenge. This time we make aliens out of plasticine which are subsequently challenged due to the fact that many have made creatures based on parts of existant animals. We also hop around a lot whilst word associating, and use the results to mock up a pseudo business plan to implement in Nakuru.

I share a room with Shosh, a lovely, rather batty girl from North Hampton, and Amy, a fellow Oxford graduate. Turns out she went to Hertford for geography, literally opposite my college. I already feel happy and at home in our room together.

Vickie, one of the North Hampton uni girls faints over lunch and is ill for afternoon lessons. Little did I know that this would spell the beginning of an epic collection of calamitous events. As people begin to notice the insistent and unapologetic retching from upstairs Amy mentions she also feels a little under the weather. I feel a sense of intense foreboding, compounded by that tensity of air about to rend with rain and electricity. The squeamish notes of vickie's failing constitution from upstairs ominously change timbre. Poor thing is violently ill from both ends. At this very moment we get our first water cut. The whimpering sounds an unfilled cistern attempting to flush slope out from under the bathroom door.