Kenya native leaves family, life to become a Marine

Sometimes in life one seeks a greater purpose or calling. One Marine from the outskirts of Kenya pursued a dream that could have only become a reality by him leaving his family and everything he knew to travel across the world to the unknown.

                Private First Class James N. Gathondu, Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, followed his dream and came to America in pursuit of becoming a Marine.

                Gathondu grew up in Kikuyu, Kenya, where he explained life as tough, difficult and a struggle.

                “Living in Kenya is nothing like here in the United States,” said 24-year-old Gathondu. “You have to grow food, hunt for meat and provide for your family without the use of a grocery store or a vehicle.”

                He went to school at Komothai Boys, a high school where he graduated in 2009. After he graduated, he spent his days working on his family farm and playing soccer with his friends. He had no real opportunities to make a living.

                Throughout his adolescent years, Gathondu heard about the United States Marine Corps but he wasn’t too sure of what they were. However, he became interested in its history and traditions and started to research.

                “I started to study the Marines a lot,” said Gathondu. “I was really interested in everything they stood for and made it my dream to become a part of them.”

                In March of 2014, Gathondu left his family, and his life in Africa, behind when he flew from Kenya to Boston, settling in Worchester, Mass., with his wife. At the time, he could barely speak English and was still in what seemed to be a culture shock from living in a new country.

                “It was hard for me because all we spoke in Kenya was Swahili, and life was so much different,” said Gathondu. “I didn’t know how to comprehend or process life in America.”

                One thing that he couldn’t deal with was the extreme change in temperature compared to Kenya.

                “We lived in Massachusetts for about a year until I realized it was too cold for me,” said Gathondu. “Coming from Africa, I wasn’t really used to that sort of weather.”

                The following year, Gathondu and his wife moved to Fort Worth, Texas, where he found employment as a certified nursing assistant at the Marine Creek Nursing Home. There, he treated and cared for elderly patients and assisted them with their day-to-day tasks.

                In August of 2015, he sought out a Marine Corps recruiter and began the process of following his dream to become a Marine.

                “Once I got the process started, there was a lot of paperwork that needed to be done since I was originally from Kenya,” said the new Marine. “It took almost three months to get everything sorted out.”

                In October, Gathondu received a spot in Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, and finally began his transformation to make his dream a reality.

                “I was just happy to finally be here,” said Gathondu. ”The Marine Corps put clothes on my back, food in my stomach and a roof over my head, that was more than anything I had ever received before.”

                Throughout training, he would always remind the recruits in his platoon how life for him was in Kenya and how they shouldn’t take anything they were given for granted while in training. He recalled reminding them they had all made the decision to join, and they should try harder because they are being given everything they need, especially the chance to earn the title Marine.

                Even though Gathondu was able to see the positive sides of recruit training, he still faced many challenges throughout the course of training.

                “My biggest challenge was speaking and writing in English,” said Gathondu. “My drill instructors took the time to help and challenge me. Without them, I would not have made it to where I am today, a Marine.”

                Gathondu will be graduating recruit training as the Company Ironman, the most physically fit Marine in his company. Following recruit training, he will move on to Marine Combat Training in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and then on to his military occupational specialty school for his job as a motor transportation operator. He plans on making a career out of Marine Corps.

                “I want to thank my drill instructors,” said Gathondu. “For not only believing in me but also

making me believe in myself.”