Kenyans Abroad

Not long ago it was a novelty for a Kenyan to travel abroad. When prospects of travel were hinted at people went on overdrive preparing for the big day. Almost always there was a harambee (fundraising) organized to aid in the travel expenses – which was weird because the harambee usually happened even before a visa was issued, and you know how rarely anyone was actually given a visa.

Then came the big day for those lucky enough to get a visa, and it was a village or estate affair, depending on whether you lived rural or urban. Close and extended family and friends had to see you off at the airport. So vehicles were hired, there was a kind of party the day before, and the airport often nearly came to a standstill as escorts from all walks of life swarmed in with twigs, banana stems, the lot; anything to signify one of their own (the closest definition of the loosely connected crowd) had achieved the near impossible feat of travelling abroad.

Mh… never mind that for some reason, many of the Kenyans who did go abroad didn’t bother to return home, not even to visit. Those who did usually took many years before making the visit. A few though did return, or at least visit as often as possible.

It didn’t seem to matter though for those aspiring to send their children and relatives. Apparently, being abroad is so desirable that even if you never see your loved one again it will be all worth it – oh well… I hope no one burst the bubble!

Today things are different on one or two fronts. First, Kenyans are simply tired of harambees. Well, we did our best to keep up with the harambee spirit until everyday became a fundraising day for all sorts of reasons – school fees, hospital fee, church building, Pastor’s car, travel abroad, travel to Uganda, business venture, newborn baby, get-togethers…. We simply got harambee burnout.

Second, with so many going abroad now, it’s no longer a novelty and, frankly, almost every home has someone living in a foreign country out there. As such the airports can breathe easy since we no longer crowd to see off travellers. After all, with so many going, we would have to make that our full time occupation. So now only the immediate and very close family bothers to see off travellers at the airport, and even a smaller number picks them up when they return.

‘Kenyans abroad’ is now an English phrase all on its own, so many are we. ‘Kenyans in the Diaspora,’ we like to make it poetic. Think about it, this group of Kenyans has its own special GDP calculation slot. They are now an important segment requiring a special mention on Budget-reading days.

Gone are the days when we stood in awe of anyone who has either been abroad, or has a relative/friend abroad. Why? Because now we all do, more or less. And as a result the older generation, those who stood little or no chance of flying out due to their academic limitations, are now criss-crossing nations and flying all sorts of airlines as they go to visit their children abroad! Think about that for a moment… Before they couldn’t travel because they had no papers and couldn’t claim they are going for studies, but these dear ones worked hard and educated their children, and now they are flying without requiring a single qualification – simply as family visitors! ‘Whatever goes round comes round,’ remember? Do good to your children, it will come back to you with a vengeance.

It’s refreshing how often as you move about nowadays you meet people and hear ‘so and so now lives abroad with his/her son, his/her daughter’. You know, those totally ordinary villagers upcountry who had probably not travelled outside their District before. But after labouring to educate their children have now travelled from their little village straight to magnificent, overwhelmingly huge Western cities.

So before you try to impress anyone with your flying or travel experience, pause and ask yourself whether maybe you did not share the same plane with them on your last trip to wherever: Or whether maybe they are not just here for a visit, waiting to fly back abroad where they now live with their children… maajabu haya! (Amazing!) Don’t let their age or appearance deceive you.

The one thing that hasn’t really changed is how many of us don’t want to come back once we travel to America, Europe, Australia and other such desirable places. I mean not even to visit? I can understand if you cannot imagine yourself settling back in dusty Kenya after the spotlessly clean West, but surely we can visit our country, our family, our friends? Oh well…

I think it is time those granting visas relaxed the rules for Kenyans since it’s now obvious we have entered the class of those who travel. And not just the young, but the old too. Whom are we kidding? Think of all the revenue we earn for those countries in terms of visa fees, airfares, upkeep and all sorts of other expenses. (Never mind the labour we provide, building up those economies.) It’s time we were considered frequent travellers like many other nations and therefore not harassed when we apply for visas. All we want to do is travel, get a bit of exposure, see how other people live and contribute positively to other economies as we build our own.

It’s a global village now, it’s a very small world. We are determined to own it and this is just the beginning. We can and we will because we are Kenyans.

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