At the end of April I’m moving back to the US, after 4 years of living in Kenya. I recently got married, and the US is the right place for us to be as we start building our life together.

I still believe building a big profitable company serving people in low-middle-income countries is one of the most impactful things a business-minded person can do. It’s an endeavor I might come back to later in my career. But for now I’m coming home - where I’ll stay for at least the next couple of years (1).

Reflecting on my four years in Kenya—and anticipating the questions that will inevitably come when I arrive back in the US—here are 14 takeaways from my time here (2):

Companies drive development.
Especially boring companies. (Venture capital is overrated in Africa).
And development is good.
But a lot of global “development” is a waste of resources.
Technology may have reduced the effective distance between different corners of the world. But physical place still matters a lot.
Cheap labor changes everything.
Life in Nairobi is more similar to life in New York than it is to life in rural Kenya.
A large proportion of culture in Kenya is directly imported from abroad - especially from the US.
Similarly - lots of political and business ideology is imported from abroad.
I am so much better off than a lot of people. There is no moral justification for this state of affairs. I should enjoy my life, while channeling my discomfort into actions that improve life for others.
The level of acceptable ethnic stereotyping varies greatly from society to society. In Kenya the acceptable level is way higher than in the US.
Africans really are great dancers.
Tribal identity is quite salient in Kenya as just an everyday fact of life. To be Kenyan is to be cosmopolitan.
Assuming your basic needs are met, approximately 63% of happiness is how you set your expectations.

I also have a lot of visceral experiential learnings that affect my worldview. I have perspective on what it really “feels like” to live in a different culture. Similarly I have a sense for what the legacy of colonialism in Africa “feels like” on the ground. I have a greater love for American culture. I have a greater appreciation for all the people out there building a better life.

To overly simplify all of this into 3 basic principles:

Capitalism is good.
I’m happy with my way of life - my values, my purpose, my culture.
My way is not the only way.

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1. Exact location TBD. I’m applying for jobs in operations / sales / strategy in tech and retail. If anyone knows of any cool companies hiring in these spaces, let me know!

2. Besides the greatest takeaway of all - my wife.