A Kenyan living in USA has narrated sad things Kenyans go through when the land in America. If you are planning to visit USA,you should know some the things mentioned below so as to prepare psychologically:
Hii Amerika hii………ndio Daring Abroad hii….
Sometimes US for an African can be a blessing or a curse, depends majorly on your mindset and the hands you land on once you get here-your host.
It’s not easy to Leave everything behind ,
Pack a suitcase ,
Go to the airport ,
Board a plane
and vanish to the skies not knowing where you’re going.
Leave Your family,
Friends your job and go go go to start all over again …from Square one.
Managing homesick….sad.. missing home meals, missing family.You have to cry at some point or cry like a man.
Your hosts play a very important role in introducing you to Amerika.
The relocation can be confusing,at some point you’ll want to go back home.I guess a greater number of people who moved to US at some point were fed up and wanted to get that return flight back home.
The culture shock is real,watu wakuambie story zao utaumia na kicheko.
The food and language- different accents.change of sleeping patterns since For example Texas is 8hrs behind Kenya.
Long working hours can dissapoint you,more when you have a racist as a supervisor or workmate.
Someone to teach you how to drive the numerous wide roads.
A hostile host maybe who thinks you’re here to snatch their husband.
A host who thinks you’re eating all the food from the fridge.
A host who won’t take you to get your social security card n help you get a job.
That host who will decide not to come pick you from work..so you have to walk all the way to the house in the cold snow or beg for a ride… thank God we now have lyft and uber,you can sort yourself though expensive.
That host who will force you to accept their Doshi demands just because you’re staying in their house for free.
A bad host who will hide your green card and social security card when they’re finally sent to their mail box—-coz if they give you, you’re going to get a job hence they lose their unpaid Househelp.
A host that can make you start paying a share of your rent from your first pay check…..before you even buy yourself innerwears…(wandaweyas.)
The McDonald’s drive through first experience.. ordering what you don’t know on that speaker with your Kisii Accent… it’s not easy…ni kujaribu.
After your 68 bills you have to send something back home.Where do you get the surplus?.. Sijui.Your bank will be willing to give you a beautiful credit card-Sema SCAM,you enjoy the cash…..good money, sadly you’ll have to pay it back later.you will pay that credit card forever,with crazy interest rates.
If one day you land in US,stay away from that glittering credit card,or atleast be wise on it,use as you pay it back asap so to build your Credit score.
One day by you not understanding US better, you’ll find yourself bankrupt…carless or apartmentless…sad situation.its not the end of the world,Focus, go to work,make your payments on time and be happy.
America is not for the faint hearted.
The beer is cheap here and very available,some call it milk,it can break you if you don’t handle it wisely.
Maybe one day i need to do a collection of stories that my friends share with me,like one came to me asking anaeza pata wapi fundi wa viatu….Sikucheka,mimi nicheke?…hapana.
And the one who used Body wash as Lotion then it rained cats and dogs….Mimi siwezi cheka jamani coz nina zangu pia.
-One day I’ll write a book about these American stories….get one super editor and have it published..Too many stories….some sad,some funny …. it’s life.
#Thanks To my Super fantastic awesome hosts,forever indebted.Be blessed.