Let me tell you. I have lived 10 years in Britain, and 10 years in the USA. I have been back for 3 years in Kenya and while there are things we can improve, east or west, home is best. There is nothing like being in your country. Your lifeblood. I make 93% less money than I did in the US and I have a lower quality of living. But, I have peace. And friends, and family. I wake up looking forward to the day, at lunch I enjoy myself in the many eateries in the CBD, after hours I have a beer or two with my work and personal friends. When weekends come I feel a sense of being relaxed and being happy. Be careful of the Soddom and Gomorrah that is the west. It is not all it is cracked up to be.
I have not personally had a bad time in the countries. I studied in the UK and worked there for a bit, then I worked in the US (marketing and advertising). I was making good money (my last year in the US I made $250K before taxes) but I feel a person cannot relax and switch off in these countries. It’s always “hustle hustle hustle” and relationships and a person’s soul are secondary. The only thing that matters is the almighty dollar.
I left on my own accord. I still have a green card and could enter the country when I want, I choose not to.
Guy’s don’t realise these countries give with one hand and take away with another:
My salary was 250K before taxes. Sawa.
After taxes, I was getting $125K.
I was living in the Bay Area, working in San Francisco. The cheapest place I could find that would not get me murdered was 3K/month so that’s 36K/year.
Then I need a car to get to and from work, another 12K/year.
I need to put away money for my pension, that’s another 48K/year
Living (food, clothes, etc) another 12K/year.
Shosho also needs to eat, so I send her 1K/month = 12K/year
So I’m left with 125 - (12 + 48 + 12 + 36 + 12) = 5K/year.
I was working 60 hours/week and every saturday and some sundays.
I was done.
@zimzimma dont you think ‘peace of mind’ is overrated? Will you pay rent,feed your kids,or invest with ‘peace of mind?’
Living a peasantry life in Kenya can be rather disturbing coz people treat you differently if they sense you’re poor.
Imo, some majuu pros&cons:
Pros: the money of cos is very good, opportunity to advance education, excellent health facilities/ roads, living in a civilized society feels great
Cons: no sense of belonging, no family close by, loneliness, stressful job, having to act civilized at all times, racism, bad winters
Happy for you lakini, living a life of no regrets
@Purple I am in agreement with your comment 100% peace of mind can be overrated. I do not decry those that go to the west for these reasons you stated. I admire them. For me, it was not enough though.
Okay, not bad at least you can mingle with people you can easily relate to.
In university, we had lecture who had lived in Germany for a long time, he returned nearly 50 years old, no family.
he kept saying that he wasted time there because his age mate had progressed more in life.
I hope you had invested in Kenya.
I totally get you when you talk about peace of mind. There was a time my visa renewal was delayed while in some country, meaning I became an illegal for almost a month. Am telling you that 1 month was my longest ever…I couldn’t even walk to the local to have a drink without looking over my shoulders. I eventually ended up in court, got fined and visa renewed and from that point I resolved to stick to my motherland kenya
Why are you exaggerating? There is no way your tax will be half your income at your tax bracket.
Vumbistan haturudi tena except to bring our white husbands home for that exotic wedding:D