Tips and advice to thrive in Kenya

For me, it was an easy integration process, and I felt at home very quickly. Much of that was due to my roommate, who had arrived a month before and showed me the ropes. A couple resources:
-Join the Nairobi Expat Social group on Facebook. This is a great help, with information on the basics of life in Nairobi as well as social events.
-Join Internations. This group holds events that are a nice mix of Kenyans and expats so you won't feel like the only outsider, but you can get to know people from the country as well.

Well, I married a Kenyan! My wife has been my guide and mentor through the process of settling into Kenyan life and induction to Kikuyu culture.  So, for me the process has been quite easy.

I have been able to integrate to the extent that I know very few expats.  I am the only mzungu living on our street and this has been the case since we moved out of Nairobi (best thing we ever did) in 2008.  This doesnt bother me at all, I have always been made to feel very welcome and an integral part of the community.

As Kenya was a British colony, there are many aspects to the country that a Brit would find familiar.....driving on the left, road signs, speed bumps, lots of signs in English, imported familiar foods, English widely spoken etc.

The main issue for me is learning Swahili....I dont have a good ear for languages and have always struggled. I find Swahili very challenging.

I had tried groups such as Internations, but these tend to bevery Nairobi focussed and not a lot of use if you dont live there.

One frustrating aspect of life that wont go away is the assumption that all expats are rich, leading to dual pricing for almost everything.......prices being very inflated for expats.