CULTURE +
CULTURE SHOCK
KENYAN CULTURE
Kenya is an amazing country and home to some
of the friendliest people in the world. You will find
many people are keen to start up a conversation
with you or invite you into their homes for some
tea. On public transport you will often see lively
banter between complete strangers, most likely
on one of the two favourite subjects amongst
Kenyans; soccer and politics.
Kenyans are quite formal in certain aspects
including dress and greetings. It isn’t unusual, even
in rural areas, to see men walking around in suits
when its 30 degrees outside. Kenyans take pride in
their appearance - shorts for example are usually
only worn by young boys. With this in mind if you
are meeting someone important or in a position of
authority it’s important to dress appropriately.
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Greetings are also very important in Kenyan
culture; they usually consist of a handshake and
asking how you are. It can be considered rude
to rush and it’s not uncommon to get stopped
frequently for people to come up and say hello
while you are walking around Shikunga.
One of the things many people find frustrating
when they visit Kenya is the amount of time spent
waiting for things; people, planes, buses. Things
just seem to happen at their own pace in Kenya
and it’s probably best just to take it in your stride
and pack a couple of extra books!
Food is also something of an experience in
Shikunga. The staple diet consists of ugali - a thick
cornbread - and sukuma wiki (literally translated to
‘stretch the week’), which is like spinach. Western
Kenya is also known for chicken, tea, bananas
and sugar.