I have been in Kenya for two weeks now.

In these two weeks, I am enjoying every bit especially the warm weather. I left Dublin when it was sub-zero temperatures accompanied by snowing.

I felt it is good to compare lifestyle in Nairobi to that in Dublin. The experiences in Dublin are similar to those you can experience in most of Western Europe cities and American cities.

Differences between Dublin and Nairobi

1. In Nairobi you can buy one sweet, one cigarette, a pair of pain killer such as panadol etc. In Dublin or any other European city, you can only buy sweets, cigarette or pain killers in a packet.
2. I am enjoying ripe, fresh, juicy and sweet fruits straight from the farm. In Dublin the fruits are imported. This means that they are harvested while unripe and treated with Ethylene during transportation. This treatment makes them turn colour similar to that of ripe fruits but they lack that natural sweet aroma and flavour. This season, is when the mangoes harvesting time. I can assure you I am enjoying every bite especially when it is roasting hot. Sometime we make the think orange juice from mangoes.
3. It is only in Kenya where Public transport vehicles are conspicuously coloured and doubles as free Disco theatres with extremely loud music and video screens.
4. In Dublin, Public transport in cities is run by the Government. Public transport operates on clear and discreet time schedule and no over loading. In Nairobi, public transport is entirely private, uncontrolled, run with no clear time schedule and is sometime chaotic.
5. I can carry, pay bills or transfer money quickly and efficiently to friends and relatives using mobile phone now. In Dublin, I use internet for these services since they are not available on phone.
6. Almost every building in Nairobi is turning into a University building. This is very uncommon in Dublin.
7. In Nairobi estates, especially in Middle and low class estates, there is a corner shop commonly known as Kiosk in every street. This is uncommon in Dublin.
8. The government of Ireland has set the minimum wage which is adhered to and implemented. The lowest wage is 9.60 Euros per hour which is equal to Kshs 960. I am not aware of the minimum wage set by the Kenyan government for the low cadre jobs.
9. Healthy eating habits have not been embraced by the masses in Kenya. In Ireland, it is exactly opposite. People are very conscious of what they eat. Even in supermarkets you cannot find any saturated cooking fat on shelves at all. Whereas saturated cooking fats are the most common.
10. Kenyans of ages masquerade as politicians and  discuss politics most of the time. Other discussions such as family affairs, healthy and education are given less air time. Irish give sex, healthy, family and career  priority in any discussion. Politics are always in periphery.
11. It is very common to see husband and wife or boyfriend/girlfriend holding hands in the streets in any European or American city. This is a taboo on Kenyan streets. The Sunday Nation columnist Oyunga Pala wrote about this issue. To emphasis how unKenyan it is, Maina Kageni and Mwalimu King’ang’i of Classic FM went ahead to discuss it on air on 02-02-2010 morning radio talk. If you are a Kenyan reading this, I would like to hear your views.
12. The Irish government offers free education up to the first degree, while in Kenya, government is providing only free primary education.
13. The Irish government gives social benefits of up to Kshs 20k to every unemployed Irish every week. In Kenya no such benefit. So the unemployed people get no support from the government.
14. I am a frustrated man due to unexpected blackouts. Sometimes, blackout occurs without prior notice when I am in the middle of a very serious assignment. I have never experienced power blackout in Dublin for over five years I have been there.

There are other differences between these two cities in two different countries. The above differences are the main ones that are mostly affecting me or my friends directly. I am aware there are many more other differences. If you are reading this and you would like to add something else, you can do it in the comments section below.

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