8 February 2020: From Molo to Singapore — Arrival, Achievement, and Reflection
Context and Setting
This chapter is written as the second letter to the author’s late mother. It is dated 8 February 2020 and is set mainly at Singapore’s Changi Airport, one of the world’s busiest and most celebrated airports. The setting is significant: it symbolises global mobility, modernity, and achievement, sharply contrasting with the narrator’s modest childhood in rural Kenya.
Detailed Plot Summary (Text-Based)
The narrator begins by describing Changi Airport in admiring detail. He compares it to a “stately home” and a shopping mall, emphasising comfort, order, and excellence. This establishes Singapore as a place that “does not do things in an ordinary way.”
He recalls a previous visit when his friend Suman took him to Jewel, a modern complex with a dramatic indoor waterfall. This reinforces Singapore’s image as advanced and impressive.
The narrative then shifts to a global concern: a new virus outbreak in China. Kombani notes that travellers are required to declare whether they have been to China in the last fourteen days. He recalls first hearing about the virus in India and mentions Wuhan as the epicentre. Singapore’s strict health measures—masks, temperature scanners, hand sanitisers—show a society that values preparedness and collective safety.
Despite these measures, Kombani underestimates the seriousness of the virus, believing it will be contained quickly. This moment reflects dramatic irony, as readers know the global impact COVID-19 would later have.
The focus then turns to immigration. Kombani carries a blue folder of documents, marking a major shift: he is no longer a visitor but an incoming employee. After scrutiny, the immigration officer clears him, and Kombani officially enters Singapore.
He then reveals the main purpose of his journey: he has come to work at Standard Chartered Bank’s global office. His role, Lead: People Capability — Retail and Private Banking, places him in charge of training staff across the world. He explains this in simple terms to his mother, showing humility and a desire to remain understood.
The most powerful reflection comes when he contrasts this achievement with his childhood in Molo, where Standard Chartered Bank was a building they only ran past on their way to school. At the time, working there was “unfathomable.” Now, being posted there as a branch manager would be a demotion, highlighting how far he has risen.
He reflects on past doubts, including reactions to what once seemed like a high salary. He contrasts this with his late relative T.A., who survived on about 2,000 shillings a month. This comparison deepens the theme of economic transformation.
The chapter closes with Kombani preparing to inform his family of his safe arrival. He acknowledges how much has changed—technology, family life, responsibilities—and gently reminds his mother that this is a lot to absorb in one letter.
Characterisation
Kombani (Narrator)
Reflective and humble
Despite holding a senior global role, Kombani avoids self-glorification. He pauses to explain his job in simple terms to his mother, aware that titles can sound abstract or intimidating.
Illustration: He breaks down his role at Standard Chartered by saying that anyone served in a branch or contact centre will have been trained using a curriculum he manages. This simplification shows humility and consideration for his audience.
Grounded in his past
Kombani consistently measures his present success against his childhood realities. He does not treat achievement as a break from the past but as something that grew out of it.
Illustration: He recalls running past the Standard Chartered Bank in Molo “every day on our way to school,” noting that they could never imagine entering the bank, let alone working there. This memory anchors his identity in struggle.
Grateful and self-aware
Rather than attributing success solely to talent, Kombani frames it as something almost overwhelming and undeserved.
Illustration: He admits, “It feels like too much to handle,” showing emotional honesty and gratitude rather than entitlement.
Observant and analytical
Kombani notices details others might ignore, revealing intellectual curiosity and global awareness.
Illustration: His description of Changi Airport’s carpeting, layout, and atmosphere, as well as the health protocols, shows attentiveness and reflective thinking.
Mother (Implied Presence)
Moral audience and emotional anchor
Although deceased, the mother functions as the narrator’s primary listener. Kombani explains his achievements as if seeking her understanding and approval.
Illustration: “I know you are wondering what I am doing here; so am I.” This direct address keeps her actively present in his thoughts.
Symbol of roots and sacrifice
The mother represents the life Kombani comes from—one of limited means but strong values.
Illustration: His recollection of childhood poverty and his reference to relatives surviving on small incomes highlight the economic context she endured.
Measure of success
Kombani imagines her reaction to his current salary and status, suggesting that success is meaningful only when viewed through her lens.
Illustration: He wonders what T.A. (a mother figure) would say about the “magic number on this contract,” comparing it to her survival on 2,000 shillings a month.
Major Themes
1. Social Mobility and Achievement
This chapter strongly illustrates upward social mobility—the movement from poverty and limitation to global professional success. Kombani measures achievement not by wealth alone, but by distance travelled from his origins.
Factual illustration from the text:
As a child in Molo, Kombani and his brothers “used to run past the Standard Chartered Bank every day on our way to school.” The bank was a symbol of wealth and exclusion. They could not imagine entering it, let alone working there. He notes that the banks “served the affluent clients,” making employment there “unfathomable.”
In contrast, in the present, Kombani enters Singapore not as a visitor but as a senior employee of Standard Chartered Bank’s global office, holding the title Lead: People Capability — Retail and Private Banking. He states that being posted as a branch manager in Molo would now be a demotion, clearly showing the scale of his rise.
This theme highlights how education, perseverance, and time can transform one’s social position.
2. Memory and Identity
Despite his global success, Kombani’s identity remains deeply shaped by memory and origin. The past is not erased by achievement; it actively informs how he understands success.
Factual illustration from the text:
Throughout the chapter, Kombani addresses his late mother directly, explaining his new role patiently and simply. Even while standing in one of the world’s most advanced airports, his thoughts return to Molo—the post office, the banks, and childhood poverty.
His success only gains meaning when viewed through the lens of his mother’s life and the family’s past struggles. This shows that identity, for Kombani, is rooted in memory rather than status.
3. Globalisation and Opportunity
The chapter places Kombani within a global professional and economic network, showing how modern careers extend beyond national boundaries.
Factual illustration from the text:
Kombani travels between Nairobi, Chennai (India), and Singapore, demonstrating international mobility. His job affects “thousands of colleagues across the globe,” as he is responsible for training staff from tellers to branch managers worldwide.
This theme shows how global institutions create opportunities that were unimaginable in Kombani’s childhood, while also demanding adaptability and global awareness.
4. Preparedness and Responsibility
Singapore is portrayed as a society that values planning, discipline, and collective responsibility, especially in times of crisis.
Factual illustration from the text:
At Changi Airport, travellers are required to declare whether they have visited China in the past fourteen days. There are temperature scanners in public places, widespread use of masks, and hand sanitisers “strategically placed along the walls.” Notices and banners encourage hygiene.
These measures show a proactive response to risk and reflect the value of responsibility at both individual and institutional levels.
5. Irony and Uncertainty
The chapter contains strong dramatic irony, where the narrator’s confidence contrasts with what the reader knows will later happen.
Factual illustration from the text:
Kombani believes the virus outbreak is confined to “a small, remote town in China” and confidently states that authorities will manage it “within no time.” This belief is reasonable within the context of February 2020 but ironic to readers aware of the global COVID-19 pandemic that followed.
The theme highlights human uncertainty and the limits of foresight, even among informed and well-travelled individuals.
Together, these themes show that the chapter is not merely about travel or success. It is about distance travelled—socially, geographically, and emotionally—while remaining anchored to memory, responsibility, and humility.
Style and Literary Techniques
1. Epistolary Form (Letter Writing)
The chapter continues in epistolary form, written as a direct letter to the narrator’s late mother. This style sustains intimacy and emotional honesty while allowing the writer to explain complex experiences in a personal, reflective tone.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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The letter opens with a direct address: “Dear Mama,”
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The narrator anticipates his mother’s reactions:
“I can imagine your bewilderment.” -
He simplifies his job description deliberately for her understanding:
“Let me put it in simpler terms, Mother.”
This technique makes the reader feel like a silent witness to a private conversation. It also allows Kombani to bridge past and present—speaking to a mother who never lived to see his success—without sounding detached or boastful.
2. Contrast (Past vs Present)
Contrast is one of the strongest techniques in this chapter. The writer deliberately places Singapore against Molo, and childhood poverty against global success, to show the scale of transformation.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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Singapore is described as advanced and luxurious:
“The floor is covered with thick, wall-to-wall carpeting, making it feel more like a stately home than an airport.” -
In contrast, Molo is recalled through modest landmarks:
“The Standard Chartered Bank… the Barclays Bank… and the post office.” -
As children, they could not even imagine entering the bank:
“The closest we ever got to the banks was while waiting for someone nearby.” -
The contrast peaks when he states:
“If I were to be posted there as the branch manager, it would be a demotion.”
This sharp contrast highlights social mobility and reinforces the magnitude of the narrator’s achievement without exaggeration.
3. Imagery
The writer uses vivid, concrete imagery to make unfamiliar places feel real and to emphasise order, beauty, and progress.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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Changi Airport is described visually and tactilely:
“Thick, wall-to-wall carpeting… more like a stately home than an airport.” -
Jewel’s waterfall is painted vividly:
“Water gushing down from the roof into a giant funnel.” -
The virus precautions are presented visually:
“Many people are wearing masks, temperature scanners are set up in public places, and flyers and pull-up banners urge people to wash and sanitise their hands.”
This imagery grounds the narrative in physical reality and helps learners visualise the setting, making the global environment accessible and believable.
4. Rhetorical Questions
Rhetorical questions are used to engage both the mother and the reader, revealing the narrator’s awareness of how overwhelming his story sounds.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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“I know you are wondering what I am doing here; so am I.”
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“It feels like too much to handle, does it not?”
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“I have a family now? What are video messages? Who is JSO?”
These questions create a conversational tone and underline the emotional distance between the narrator’s present life and his mother’s lived reality. They also humanise his success by showing disbelief rather than arrogance.
5. Dramatic Irony
Dramatic irony occurs when the reader knows more than the character at the time of narration. This chapter contains clear dramatic irony related to the virus outbreak.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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Kombani dismisses the threat as limited:
“The outbreak is currently confined to a small, remote town in China.” -
He expresses confidence in authorities:
“I am confident the authorities will manage the virus within no time.”
For modern readers, who know this was the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, these statements carry heavy irony. What the narrator sees as a minor concern will soon become a global crisis, adding historical depth and unintended tension to the narrative.
6. Tone
The tone in this chapter blends wonder, humility, reflection, and mild disbelief.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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Wonder at achievement:
“Standard Chartered, in Singapore.” -
Humility:
“I know you are wondering what I am doing here; so am I.” -
Reflective disbelief:
“It feels like too much to handle.”
This balanced tone prevents the chapter from becoming self-congratulatory. Instead, success is presented as something to be processed, not celebrated loudly.
In conclusion,through epistolary style, contrast, imagery, rhetorical questioning, and dramatic irony, the chapter transforms a professional milestone into a reflective meditation on distance travelled, responsibility, and perspective. These techniques ensure that the narrative remains emotionally grounded and accessible to learners, while clearly advancing the autobiography’s central themes of growth, memory, and purpose.
Values and Competencies
1. Perseverance
Value: Long-term effort, patience, and consistency lead to achievement.
The chapter shows that Kombani’s success is not sudden or accidental. It is the result of many years of steady effort, stretching from childhood poverty to global professional leadership.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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As a child in Molo, Kombani and his brothers could not imagine even entering a bank:
“The closest we ever got to the banks was while waiting for someone nearby.”
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Fifteen years earlier, he was still applying for a clerical position, surprised that the company was Standard Chartered:
“During the fourth interview for a clerical position… the company I was interviewing for was Standard Chartered.”
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His salary expectations at the time were modest:
“A salary of about KSh 27,000.”
In contrast, he now holds a senior global role responsible for training thousands of colleagues worldwide. The chapter shows perseverance as gradual progress over time, not overnight success.
CBE link:
Learners see that perseverance involves enduring long periods of limitation and uncertainty while continuing to work towards growth.
2. Humility
Value: Achievement does not erase one’s origins or sense of perspective.
Despite his high-ranking role, Kombani does not present himself as superior or entitled. Instead, he expresses disbelief and humility about how far he has come.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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He openly admits his own surprise:
“I know you are wondering what I am doing here; so am I.”
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He simplifies his job description for his mother, avoiding technical pride:
“Let me put it in simpler terms, Mother.”
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He measures success against his past honestly:
“If I were to be posted there as the branch manager, it would be a demotion.”
He constantly refers back to Molo, his family, and his mother, showing that success has not disconnected him from his roots.
CBE link:
This models humility for learners—showing that success should be accompanied by self-awareness and respect for one’s background.
3. Global Citizenship
Value: Awareness of global issues, responsibility, and interconnection.
The chapter situates Kombani as a global citizen who understands that actions and events in one part of the world affect others.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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At Changi Airport, he must formally declare travel history related to China:
“I was required to make a formal declaration that I have not been to China in the past fourteen days.”
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He observes public health measures:
“Many people are wearing masks, temperature scanners are set up in public places…”
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He prepares responsibly by buying masks and sanitiser before leaving Nairobi:
“Before I left Nairobi, I bought a packet of masks and a bottle of sanitising fluid.”
These details show awareness of health, travel ethics, and collective responsibility in a globalised world.
CBE link:
Learners are encouraged to think beyond national borders and understand shared responsibility in global challenges.
4. Critical Thinking
Value: Reflecting on change, progress, and one’s place in the world.
Kombani does not simply celebrate success; he actively thinks about its meaning, its scale, and its implications.
Factual illustrations from the text:
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He reflects on how impossible his current life once seemed:
“We could never have fathomed the idea of even stepping into the banks.”
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He questions whether his success is overwhelming:
“It feels like too much to handle, does it not?”
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He reassesses earlier assumptions about the virus:
“I am confident the authorities will manage the virus within no time.”
These reflections show a mind that evaluates experiences rather than accepting them blindly.
CBE link:
The chapter encourages learners to analyse progress, question assumptions, and think critically about change and uncertainty.
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