Might be a new member of this group

Hello arcticmonkey.

Welcome to Expat.com!

Hope other members will share their experiences with your.

Thank you,
Aurélie

Welcome to Expat.com,

Hi Arcticmonkey, i believe there are numerous blog posts from members regarding their experiences within the archives - Kenya isnt a perfect country, far from it, we have our kitchen issues :-) But i am a kenyan and i love this place!! I have been fortunate to meet quite a number of expats living here, most of them find reasons to extend their stays or to come back, its easy to fall in love with the place and the people :-)

It is impossible to learn everything there is to a country by reading online for 2 hours (most of what makes it in the news is likely to be negative) you have to be here to experience it for yourself.

My advice - plan for a 2 week holiday prior, then see what you feel about it before you make the 2 year commitment.

Hi,

I am living in Nairobi for last four years ans found it very nice place!

TRUE EXPAT FEEDBACK:  If you have traveled to other African countries, you will find Kenya easy. The resources are extensive which means you don't have to go to 4 different stores to find the one thing you need. The shopping is good but depending where you are coming from, life is expensive and you must bargain or pay more than most people.  Housing requires some searching. You can find cheap apartments but you must be careful if you want safety. There are lovely  places that are furnished but that depends on how much you are willing to pay. Some furnished apartments are nice but the neighbors are slobs and security may not be what you expect. Look around. Again, it is about your expectations. Read about areas and if you are single look for a place near a shopping mall which will help with transportation costs. For example Westlands is near a mall but most of the housing is expensive. Junction is good but not all the apartment compounds are good. If you get a realtor they will show you places where their profit will be higher. Demand what you want. If you have traveled before you will be safe. Stay out of downtown alone and don't wander without being cautious.

BenicianExplorer wrote:

TRUE EXPAT FEEDBACK:  If you have traveled to other African countries, you will find Kenya easy. The resources are extensive which means you don't have to go to 4 different stores to find the one thing you need. The shopping is good but depending where you are coming from, life is expensive and you must bargain or pay more than most people.  Housing requires some searching. You can find cheap apartments but you must be careful if you want safety. There are lovely  places that are furnished but that depends on how much you are willing to pay. Some furnished apartments are nice but the neighbors are slobs and security may not be what you expect. Look around. Again, it is about your expectations. Read about areas and if you are single look for a place near a shopping mall which will help with transportation costs. For example Westlands is near a mall but most of the housing is expensive. Junction is good but not all the apartment compounds are good. If you get a realtor they will show you places where their profit will be higher. Demand what you want. If you have traveled before you will be safe. Stay out of downtown alone and don't wander without being cautious.

do it. don't believe the hype.its sensible to be aware of the risks but dont get caught up.nairobi is awesome

Well, you have to consider all aspects before you make your move. Kenya is a beautiful country and Nairobi is a beautiful place to live in. The weather is good and a lot of greenery around and you can get a good social life too. Yes, there are some safety concerns here but again if you follow a certain precautions like not venturing out alone in the nights and renting an apartment with security you should be safe here. It is a lot safer than many other places in the world. So if you don't really push your luck then it can be a safe place to live.