At Kiash. Listen dude. I lived in the States for 16 years before i moved back to Kenya early this year. It was time to roll up the sleeves and hightail it out of the States. Was it scary to make the transition? You bet it was, but in retrospect, i know that this was the best thing that happened to me. Does Kenya have issues? of course she does, a dime a dozen. This place looks like who shot John, like a scene out of a horror movie, lol, But what do you expect from a third world country? You don't expect a road network like the ones in the States. This is not Atl or Dallas or NY, this is Africa and instead of complaining about it, do something. It's a challenge and there are a lot of hurdles to skip even when you are trying to do good, but challenges only offer a chance for improvement. I used to complain about everything when i first came back, but i then realized that iwould be better served by taking actions rather than bitching about it everyday. The complaining gets old after a while. So in true Yankee fashion, i try what i can, i don't bribe, i don't trash, i tell people to line up when they act like savages, i talk to managers whenever i see crappy service, whatever i can do to make things better, i make it a point. I won't bore you with all the shit that i have done and am still trying to do but there is a lot of opportunities in Kenya that are ripe for the picking and ready to be exploited. The States affords us a comfortable life. Going to an NBA or NFL game, or doing happy hour with buddies at TGIF, the sense of security that you feel, the efficiency with which things work, clean cities, manicured lawns, i could go on and on, but at the end of the day, there is no better feeling than being at HOME. It just is what it is. I wouldn't trade this feeling for anything. My observation might be a little skewed because if we are to keep it real, Kenya is only good if you have money and can afford life's luxuries, truth be told. If you don't have a good source of income or a plan to make money, then stick it out there. This place is not for the faint hearted. But one thing is for sure, there might never be a more true adage than, East or West, home is always best. I have been all around the world, i have done Summers in Europe and been (in the famous words of Sade) Coast to Coast, LA to Chicago, but home is where the heart is. So quit being an armchair quarterback, get in the game and take some reps if you would like to see a better Kenya. Some of us are knee deep into it, America is not your home, shit just doesnt feel the same out there, there is always something missing, you and i both know this, so instead of being condescending towards your fellow Kenyans, play nice and understand that we might not have an ideal country, but this is our home. It's up to us to make it a better place.

Harsh but to the point! Well said. I usually do not respond to the mashinani/majuu discussion, but since you have represented my thoughts and feelings well, I gladly

Kenya is a gangster state; rotten to the core and beyond. I've come to the conclusion that we will never change our ways. Corruption, tribalism, insecurity, hypocrisy, looting malls and all other evils will continue to increase.

For me, KDF looting a scene where scores lost their lives and many more were injured is the nadir. Even a trusted institution like the military has been stained by this animalistic greed. The religious community, media, IEBC and Judiciary already gave in a while back so we have nobody to protect us now.

Previously, the middle class and the wealthy felt insulated from the effects of all these evils. Now the Westgate attack has changed all that- it's obvious that everyone loses when corruption is allowed to fester.

But it is still the country of my birth and I have a duty to do my part in making it better. I won't transform Kenya, but let me die trying.

I have come to appreciate what @Kiash and the others are talking about. It's called culture shock! it happens when you move back to your native culture as well. no one is immune.
there is so much literature on it!

http://internationaloffi...edu/cultural_adjustment
http://wwwkrcmar.informa...C6/$FILE/Paper%2021.pdf

Step 1: The Honeymoon Stage

When you first arrive in a new culture, differences are intriguing and you may feel excited, stimulated and curious. Like any new experience, there’s a feeling of euphoria when you first arrive and you’re in awe of the differences you see and experience. You feel excited, stimulated, enriched. During this stage, you still feel close to everything familiar back home.
Step 2: The Distress Stage

A little later, differences create an impact. Everything you’re experiencing no longer feels new; in fact, it’s starting to get you down. You feel confused, isolated or inadequate and realise that your familiar support systems (e.g. family and friends) are not easily accessible.
Step 3: Re-integration Stage

During this stage, you start winging about your new home. You dislike the culture, the language, the food. You reject it as inferior. You may even develop some prejudices towards the new culture. You’re angry, frustrated and even feel hostile to those around you. You wonder why you made the decision to change. You start to idealise life “back home” and compare your current culture to what is familiar. Don’t worry. This is absolutely normal and a healthy reaction – it means you’re adjusting. You are reconnecting with what you value about yourself and your own culture.

Step 4: Autonomy Stage

This is the first stage in acceptance. Sometimes called the emergence stage when you start to come out of the ‘fog’ and finally begin to feel like yourself again. You start to accept the differences and feel like you can begin to live with them. You feel more confident and better able to cope with any problems that may arise based on your growing experience. You no longer feel isolated and instead you’re able to look at the world around you and appreciate where you are.

Step 5: Independence Stage

You are yourself again! You embrace the new culture and see everything in a new, yet realistic light. Things start to become enjoyable. You feel comfortable, confident, able to make decisions based on your own preferences and values. You no longer feel alone and isolated. You understand and appreciate both the differences and similarities of both your own and the new culture. You start to feel at home.

some persons have analysed it much further....

the longer you are in a certain culture the more you get accustomed to it.

when you get back to your native culture you may experience/feel

all characteristic of the dis-integration stage. I think @Kiash has been in the US for so long that periodic immersions into our culture push him to the dis-integration stage but he does not stick long enough to sort out his personal and deeper cultural issues that he has with his native land.