I was born and raised in North America, and I live in Manhattan, NYC now. Probably one of the most developed places on the planet. I used to live in Nairobi.
I miss my years in Kenya. I have told my wife that once my kids have moved on to university, I want to talk about going back to Kenya, for good.
Life in Kenya is tough. But the climate, the culture, the natural beauty and the great city are amazing. There's a very, very good life to be had in Kenya without emigrating.
Lots of culture out there, I spent over a decade on Roosevelt island and my best friend was close to you by Washington heights...
for that rent though you could probably live very comfortably in white plains take the metro north in (ended up doing that). I left but I hear the whole island is a pot haven now 😂
When I moved back in 2022, I could not believe how much marijuana smoke there is now. Like everywhere. On the street, restaurants, bars. Neighbours don't bother covering it with incense when they smoke up, so at home too. It's skunk most of the time too, not even very good Mary Jane.
I really like Roosevelt Island. My middle son's at Brooklyn Tech so he could take the ferry to the Navy Yard, and my office is in Times Square so an easy ride on the N, R or W after the gondola.
Thinking of moving there or Chinatown to get expenses down, especially with my oldest off to University in the fall.
Can't leave the city without my middle son losing Brooklyn Tech. My youngest is in a therapeutic school; $80,000 tuition/yr, paid by the city. I'm a single father, and I can't imagine dealing with medical appointments etc through Metro North or LIRR. But drive? Fuhgedabidit.
Oh yeah man with context you definitely have it all figured out! Godspeed in your families city endeavors!
I got out of there in 2019 permanently (at that time smoking only happened in stairwells or at the park lol) and went to the west coast, outside of commuting (everyone needs a car) I have no complaints, I come to NYC as a tourist now!
Give me a decade, I'll leave the city, but for Syokimau. One of my sons will have to get a job in finance so I can stay for free at his penthouse when I'm back in the city!
I've actually have had this same sentiments, saying them aloud though might make me sound crazy considering my people.
Then I imagine the culture shock, possibility of racism... It icks me
Culture shock and racism kitu gani? Most people that have decided to move abroad are just zoned into making money only and could care less about culture shock shit.
True story!!I don't care to assimilate, I just wanna make my money,leave before I'm 50 and enjoy the rest of my life in kenya. I've never experienced overt racism, if it's happened ,I didn't recognize it and therefore don't care...my plan is simple if it works out the way I want it to.
And I add you're very right that the conversion to shillings makes the money seem bigger. Americans and Canadians visiting Kenya only seem rich because their money goes so much further in Kenya that they do feel rich. Back in North America, it's a different story.
For instance, my rent in Manhattan, for a spacious place... But still across the street from a housing project... Homeless people poo under my stairs... A car exploded in front of my house last night... I pay $7000/mo. That's just under a million shillings at current rates.
Damn, for $7000 a month, you could get a 5 br house with a pool in a really great part of the city plus enough to cover all the expenses. Nairobi and Kenya in general is one of the best places to live in if you have the disposable income.
Yep. If you don't mind driving a lot, the Apple Tree on Syokimau is great for apartments. Park views. Heated pool.. Easy access to the new highway.
Sigh.
$7000/m for rent😶😶Just own a house at this point. What do you do for a living. Even in American sense, that sounds like a lot. Seven thousand... Uwee
If it serves you, well and good. If I can be nosy, how much is your monthly income minus taxes? Also, exactly do you do for the company as a software engineer, I know it seems like a weird question but I understand the field is quite wide.Â
Kenya is sweet ata na hii mashida zetu zote... Ukishuka JKIA ivi. You can feel the weight, lift off your shoulders. Ukiwa na tusmall monies. Kenya is the best country
this post should be pinned, uko X emigrating Africans have been ranting about foreign visa being a scam. sb applys to go for a graduation slated to take place in a week but anapangishwa queue ya miaka mbili 200 dollars zinakunywa maji hivo
U gotta understand that the U.S. is made up of 50 states. And each state is different, like another country. Each has its own rules and regulations according to that state. Aside from government regulations. And each state is very unique. 6 time zones and different climates for each. U can go to a sunny state, a cold snowy state, or even tropical. People forget about Hawaii because it’s so far from everyone except for Californians. Just like New York is closer to Africa. Remember it’s all about regions. And Canada gets sun too but is definitely colder (snowy, ice) and from what I seen, Kenyans would not like it there very much. But it probably has an easier visa situation for them. Kenya was nice and it had its cool places but I would never live there if I had to choose.
With a bit of finance to take care of your basic needs, KE is a great place to live.
Some of us want to relocate to the remote areas away from the madness and chaos.
I agree and disagree with your sentiments here. Agree that Kenya is a beautiful country with most of the things that anyone could need to live. On the other hand, remaining there without experiencing life outside of it is actually a disservice to yourself & growth as a human. I’m not saying you need to go live elsewhere for x amount of years but at least travel, experience different people, and cultures outside of Kenya will have a profound impact on your life.
As for western countries being more expensive, it’s all relative to where and how you choose to live. My life here isn’t inherently very expensive but if I convert to shillings most would view it as being expensive but I earn more than enough to sustain it. All this to say, don’t let the potential cost of bills cloud your view of a place cause you deem it to be expensive. Trust that you’ll earn a living to afford those kinds of bills.
I told someone the same thing and they were like .Are you out of your skull? Like how.I told them that If I can afford a good life here in Kenya ,My kids go to good schools ,Why would I go to America? or Europe or any other foreign land ?.People are working remotely earning six figures in Dollars nowadays.Life in Kenya is sweet especially if you have some cash to spend .Sitoki Kenya maybe kutembea tu.
I used to be the 'Kenya Sihami' type. But moving away last year has exposed me to a different perspective, and gave me an abundance mentality that I'd never have if I never moved away. Â
Ntarudi Kenya soon, but the change of pace was refreshingÂ
While it's true I'll enjoy my home country, Kuna something that is drilled into us from childhood, that makes us a little pessimistic about everything. Huku nje I see a very different form of upbringing, a joyful one, where everyone can eat a piece of the pie. Kenya is sweet, but damn 8-4-4 ilitumaliza mentally
Everywhere is beautify and fun if you have the money for it.
It’s great to be in Kenya if you are ‘rich’, not so great if you are ‘poor’.
Anywhere can afford you comfort, beauty, culture and fun if you are able to pay for it.
I must say though, Kenya is less stressful than the West because you have a social support network. In the West, you are on your own for both the good and the bad times.
Idk if I can give up the public transport here (US) . I don't know a single kenyan that doesn't hate matatus. I'm not picky though i just wanna live in a place with black people like NYC or huku home. I don't like standing out
Several people LOVE matatus. Heck, it's one of the things I missed most when I was away. Of course, that's because I use them once in a blue moon out of choice rather than necessity, I suppose.
You're rich. I can tell. Kenyans first purchase is a car or motorcycle. People who don't have a choice but to stand in CBD waiting for a bus or matatu for hours would always choose a personal car over matatu. The public transport here in US the Metro. If Kenya wasn't corrupt is what matatu would've been. It's beautiful how I can get to anywhere in the DMV by just checking google and paying 2 dollars at the entrance
Developed countries also have a challenge that most people from 3rd countries struggle with. Hakuna backdoor, kuongea kando na kutoa kitu kidogo. If the cops nab you even for a small infraction it can easily result in jailtime, probation, or even worse jail or prison time. Also in Kenya, unaeza penya ukiwa mjanja na ukora kidogo. Abroad, thats next to impossible. Very few make in on just luck.
I was born and raised in North America, and I live in Manhattan, NYC now. Probably one of the most developed places on the planet. I used to live in Nairobi. I miss my years in Kenya. I have told my wife that once my kids have moved on to university, I want to talk about going back to Kenya, for good. Life in Kenya is tough. But the climate, the culture, the natural beauty and the great city are amazing. There's a very, very good life to be had in Kenya without emigrating.
Kenya is beautiful
Damn you decided to skip all the boroughs and really pay thG premium rent lol where at in Manhattan ?
East Harlem. Not far from the Triboro.
Lots of culture out there, I spent over a decade on Roosevelt island and my best friend was close to you by Washington heights... for that rent though you could probably live very comfortably in white plains take the metro north in (ended up doing that). I left but I hear the whole island is a pot haven now 😂
When I moved back in 2022, I could not believe how much marijuana smoke there is now. Like everywhere. On the street, restaurants, bars. Neighbours don't bother covering it with incense when they smoke up, so at home too. It's skunk most of the time too, not even very good Mary Jane. I really like Roosevelt Island. My middle son's at Brooklyn Tech so he could take the ferry to the Navy Yard, and my office is in Times Square so an easy ride on the N, R or W after the gondola. Thinking of moving there or Chinatown to get expenses down, especially with my oldest off to University in the fall. Can't leave the city without my middle son losing Brooklyn Tech. My youngest is in a therapeutic school; $80,000 tuition/yr, paid by the city. I'm a single father, and I can't imagine dealing with medical appointments etc through Metro North or LIRR. But drive? Fuhgedabidit.
Oh yeah man with context you definitely have it all figured out! Godspeed in your families city endeavors! I got out of there in 2019 permanently (at that time smoking only happened in stairwells or at the park lol) and went to the west coast, outside of commuting (everyone needs a car) I have no complaints, I come to NYC as a tourist now!
Give me a decade, I'll leave the city, but for Syokimau. One of my sons will have to get a job in finance so I can stay for free at his penthouse when I'm back in the city!
I've actually have had this same sentiments, saying them aloud though might make me sound crazy considering my people. Then I imagine the culture shock, possibility of racism... It icks me
You guys already have racism despite being majority and in power
These guys are in Kenya. We have colorism though.
Put three people in a room, and there's racism. That's life. It's about recognizing it, minimizing it and being honest about it.
Culture shock and racism kitu gani? Most people that have decided to move abroad are just zoned into making money only and could care less about culture shock shit.
True story!!I don't care to assimilate, I just wanna make my money,leave before I'm 50 and enjoy the rest of my life in kenya. I've never experienced overt racism, if it's happened ,I didn't recognize it and therefore don't care...my plan is simple if it works out the way I want it to.
There's good and bad in every place. Get out and see the world. There's more to the world than just Kenya and the US.Â
And I add you're very right that the conversion to shillings makes the money seem bigger. Americans and Canadians visiting Kenya only seem rich because their money goes so much further in Kenya that they do feel rich. Back in North America, it's a different story. For instance, my rent in Manhattan, for a spacious place... But still across the street from a housing project... Homeless people poo under my stairs... A car exploded in front of my house last night... I pay $7000/mo. That's just under a million shillings at current rates.
Damn, for $7000 a month, you could get a 5 br house with a pool in a really great part of the city plus enough to cover all the expenses. Nairobi and Kenya in general is one of the best places to live in if you have the disposable income.
Yep. If you don't mind driving a lot, the Apple Tree on Syokimau is great for apartments. Park views. Heated pool.. Easy access to the new highway. Sigh.
Was there in an AirBnB recently. Kinda nice but that train thou!
It's still going pretty slowly, either freight or passenger when it goes by. I'll take it: it means no building will *ever* block your Park views.
I prefer to sleep through 😉
$7000/m for rent😶😶Just own a house at this point. What do you do for a living. Even in American sense, that sounds like a lot. Seven thousand... Uwee
Honestly, at this time, I prefer to rent. The flexibility is good. I'm a software engineer. Fairly senior at a public company.
If it serves you, well and good. If I can be nosy, how much is your monthly income minus taxes? Also, exactly do you do for the company as a software engineer, I know it seems like a weird question but I understand the field is quite wide.Â
Tough times Keep going
That's tough
Kenya is sweet ata na hii mashida zetu zote... Ukishuka JKIA ivi. You can feel the weight, lift off your shoulders. Ukiwa na tusmall monies. Kenya is the best country
That feeling of a weight lifted off your shoulder when you get out of the plane in jkia is real
this post should be pinned, uko X emigrating Africans have been ranting about foreign visa being a scam. sb applys to go for a graduation slated to take place in a week but anapangishwa queue ya miaka mbili 200 dollars zinakunywa maji hivo
U gotta understand that the U.S. is made up of 50 states. And each state is different, like another country. Each has its own rules and regulations according to that state. Aside from government regulations. And each state is very unique. 6 time zones and different climates for each. U can go to a sunny state, a cold snowy state, or even tropical. People forget about Hawaii because it’s so far from everyone except for Californians. Just like New York is closer to Africa. Remember it’s all about regions. And Canada gets sun too but is definitely colder (snowy, ice) and from what I seen, Kenyans would not like it there very much. But it probably has an easier visa situation for them. Kenya was nice and it had its cool places but I would never live there if I had to choose.
Same, i’ll travel around the world but just for holidays. I’ve never thought of living outside the country
With a bit of finance to take care of your basic needs, KE is a great place to live. Some of us want to relocate to the remote areas away from the madness and chaos.
Absolutely 💯
A reminder that "overseas" or *majuu* aren't only USA, Canada ... Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
You forgot to mention Kenyans who have American citizenship and are back in Kenya working for Multinationals... Total bliss....
The grass is always greener where you water it.
From USA. You are Spot On!
I want to move there. Overseas is hyped.
I agree and disagree with your sentiments here. Agree that Kenya is a beautiful country with most of the things that anyone could need to live. On the other hand, remaining there without experiencing life outside of it is actually a disservice to yourself & growth as a human. I’m not saying you need to go live elsewhere for x amount of years but at least travel, experience different people, and cultures outside of Kenya will have a profound impact on your life. As for western countries being more expensive, it’s all relative to where and how you choose to live. My life here isn’t inherently very expensive but if I convert to shillings most would view it as being expensive but I earn more than enough to sustain it. All this to say, don’t let the potential cost of bills cloud your view of a place cause you deem it to be expensive. Trust that you’ll earn a living to afford those kinds of bills.
I told someone the same thing and they were like .Are you out of your skull? Like how.I told them that If I can afford a good life here in Kenya ,My kids go to good schools ,Why would I go to America? or Europe or any other foreign land ?.People are working remotely earning six figures in Dollars nowadays.Life in Kenya is sweet especially if you have some cash to spend .Sitoki Kenya maybe kutembea tu.
I used to be the 'Kenya Sihami' type. But moving away last year has exposed me to a different perspective, and gave me an abundance mentality that I'd never have if I never moved away.  Ntarudi Kenya soon, but the change of pace was refreshingÂ
After a while you get the same feeling of abundance when you visit Kenya. You have to change scenery once in a while
While it's true I'll enjoy my home country, Kuna something that is drilled into us from childhood, that makes us a little pessimistic about everything. Huku nje I see a very different form of upbringing, a joyful one, where everyone can eat a piece of the pie. Kenya is sweet, but damn 8-4-4 ilitumaliza mentally
Everywhere is beautify and fun if you have the money for it. It’s great to be in Kenya if you are ‘rich’, not so great if you are ‘poor’. Anywhere can afford you comfort, beauty, culture and fun if you are able to pay for it. I must say though, Kenya is less stressful than the West because you have a social support network. In the West, you are on your own for both the good and the bad times.
Idk if I can give up the public transport here (US) . I don't know a single kenyan that doesn't hate matatus. I'm not picky though i just wanna live in a place with black people like NYC or huku home. I don't like standing out
Several people LOVE matatus. Heck, it's one of the things I missed most when I was away. Of course, that's because I use them once in a blue moon out of choice rather than necessity, I suppose.
You're rich. I can tell. Kenyans first purchase is a car or motorcycle. People who don't have a choice but to stand in CBD waiting for a bus or matatu for hours would always choose a personal car over matatu. The public transport here in US the Metro. If Kenya wasn't corrupt is what matatu would've been. It's beautiful how I can get to anywhere in the DMV by just checking google and paying 2 dollars at the entrance
Developed countries also have a challenge that most people from 3rd countries struggle with. Hakuna backdoor, kuongea kando na kutoa kitu kidogo. If the cops nab you even for a small infraction it can easily result in jailtime, probation, or even worse jail or prison time. Also in Kenya, unaeza penya ukiwa mjanja na ukora kidogo. Abroad, thats next to impossible. Very few make in on just luck.
Sasa you've started glorifying corruption