How I See America After Living in Namibia for 14 Years 

You are the original trailblazer of the diaspora to Africa , you created a path where so many have followed, thank you and stay blessed 😊.

As an African living in the US, The sense of community in Africa is greater. Your next door neighbours become family . Here in the US , you will be lucky to even know the gender of your next door neighbour. Depression is definitely higher in the US.

I'm from Pennsylvania. My mother is from South Africa. I ended not being raised by her and she then passed away. In 2006 I went to Cape Town and got to meet my family. It was the first and only time I felt like I was home. It was an incredible feeling. I've been back again and hope to go again. I'm a teacher. Sometimes I want to return and teach in the townships.

Its not that Africans are not bothered by service disruptions its because there is nothing one can do .I am from Nigeria and when the power went out in Nigeria there was no one to call and nothing to do so its not patience its learned helplessness !! As for the attitude to work , in many African countries workers sometimes are not paid for months !! In Nigeria, government workers can sometimes go six months without a paycheck , plus workers are not paid for overtime and this explains the attitude towards work !! Lateness is African BUT I now live in America and I never see any Africans coming to work late here !!

I am Namibian now leaving in Ireland and I have noticed how people here panic about everything even little things. I have learned then that as Namibians we are very flexible, patient and can actually cope anywhere.

She stopped aging when she landed!❤

EVERYTHING this lady has said is true, even in the Caribbean. I'm Canadian, born and raised, but I moved to the island of Grenada 17 years ago. BEST decision I ever made, not just because Canada has gone crazy (thanks Trudeau) but because I discovered that PEOPLE are more important than PROCESS EFFICIENCY. I have a better quality of life even without Walmart and Amazon. I've learned to slow down and appreciate blue water, gentle breezes and a smile from the neighbour. I'll NEVER go back to live in North America and I'm so happy to see there are others who have made a leap and don't regret it.

Africa is keeping you looking young and beautiful.

As an African American the fear of being randomly shot at a grocery store,school is far more “inconvenient “ than not having air conditioning or electricity for a day. IMO

Before Wode Maya and the ton of RU-vidrs that make content in Africa today there was this sister. Good to see you again.

Loving the moringa tree in the background

I"am so soooo proud of you to made such a move and explained it so well - life in Namibia compares to America well said ! I'am an Namibian leave in New York came here in my early 20 's love , love my New York no regret living here for so long , made good frieds here but , planning to retired back home because of the peacefulness that i feel when i come home , also financially way better than leaving in New York as we all know here its very expensive . I told my american frieds about your youtube channel they watched it and very excited to come and visit Namibia . You made it happed it take a strong black sister again i am proud of you . May God bless you , your husband and chrildren peace .

I am a 25year old Black american and deeply resonate with everything you are saying. I’ll be moving to Nigeria soon with my girlfriend who is Nigerian from brooklyn to start a eco village and to practice self sustainability and regenerative life practices with her. Most of us coming up these days can’t even afford a half way decent life even if we have our bachelors. It’s really tough and draining and many are starting to see life here as pointless. The culture of the US is unsustainable long term and many of us in the younger generations in the US and in other western nations are beginning to wake up and smell the sugar Honey ice tea. I have a burning desire to leave this place and never ever come back. Don’t get me wrong. I love where I’m from and my culture. But it’s suffocating at times because of the narrow mindedness that runs rampant in American and Black American spaces about the rest of the world. Americans genuinely believe we are the best people on the planet and it’s incredibly Annoying how closed minded we can be at times. Even I myself have been guilty of this at times. That’s why I gottah make it out of here no matter what.The world is changing and this empire is soon to crumble.

As a Jamaican 🇯🇲...You're on point, there's nothing wrong with managing time, but its not urgent and crazy like in the West.....God intended for us to take a break & ;rest.....We are also on " African time" in the Carribbean too, and trust me. Never, ever will I change that....Amen awesome content.

In Spain they say, Americans live to work, while in Spain people work to live, and I think that applies to most countries outside the USA

You’re definitely a 🐐 One of the first people to actively vlog about move to Afrika. Still standing tall and thriving 🙌🏿

I can only wish my wife had assimilated and tolerated life and traditions of South Africa back in the 1990's when we moved back to South Africa but she had a hard time and we ended up moving back to Chicago a couple of years later. Being a South African living in the US, I agree with you 100%. Your posts are always soothing to me each time I view them, but I also feel the loss of my South Africaness. Keep up the great work.

I was born in Congo (Kinshasa) and lived in Lusaka (Zambia) from the ages of 2 til 9, when my parents promptly moved us to the States (Connecticut).I'm now turning 32 in a few days and I don't think I've ever been genuinely content living here. I'm married to a Black American wife (with Jamaican ancesctry) and we have two beautiful children together. I bring up the idea of moving to a country in Africa, and at first, she was extremely reluctant to it. Over time, I notice that she's now a lot more open to having that convo, as the strenuous American life has taken its toll on everyone. Fingers crossed, and y'all wish me luck, in a few more years I'll be sharing my "moving back home" journey. 🤞🏾🙏🏾

I was born and raised in Namibia and I thank you for this insightful comparison. I have never been to the US (last time I left Nam was in 2013 to South Africa) but it's nice to see someone actually compare the two societies. Please make another comparison video! I'd love to learn more from you.

I was born and raised in Kenya, but I came to America when I was very young and have lived here for many years. One day, I decided to return to Kenya to experience it as an adult for over 6 months. Oh boy, I experienced culture shock when the water and lights cut off without notice! I had an American tantrum and was so frustrated. But with time, I learned to be patient.

Welcome back, you were one of the first African Americans to provide content on Africa. Much success to you.

In the case of kids with disabilities, I am in Eswatini and we have very few schools for disabled. We are in a process of implementing inclusive education though. A few of the schools are already there but a majority of the schools are still working on it. The challenges include making necessary adjustments on the infrastructure & staff training because our education system wasn't inclusive for many years

African American married to a Nigerian & living in Nigeria 3 years, I can relate & agree to everything you’ve said. I’ve been following you for a while. Your channel was one of the channels helped me have an insight on living on the continent. I don’t regret my decision to move here.

Your channel was the first one I saw when I considered relocating to the continent. Thank you for making this content 😎

Your skin is glowing you seem to be thriving! Congratulations.

My screensaver is of Swakopmund. I am from CT, and I have had Namibia on my radar for at least a year now. I want to visit so badly. The school system here in the states is so volatile. I lived and worked in Westchester County for 3 years, and I would never work in a school again. The staff is stressed, the kids lack discipline, the parents are just as challenging as their kids. Although I am from the Northeast US where it's ridiculously fast paced, I prefer a respectful, laidback, welcoming environment. And that is slowly diminishing all throughout the states. It's so divided and hostile. Great informative video!

Thank you sis this was great video! I’ve visited 5 African countries, 2 as a volunteer nurse and 3 as a tourist and I can totally relate to everything that was said. As long as I have a half filled bucket of water and soap to wash and a candle, a water or power outage is no big deal to me 😂. After traveling abroad you notice that typical American food is trash and the portions are waaaay to big. The best food and fruit I’ve ever had in my life came from Benin, Senegal, Brazil and Colombia. I hope to have a home overseas one day. I love experiencing other cultures 💕💕💕💕💕

This is a terrific video and terrific perspective. Thank you!

I so agree with you. Even living in a small suburban area in the States, things were slow but not so much anymore. I can't wait to see and compare once I get to the continent.

Thank you for sharing. this is what the internet was real meant for: sharing experiences from the world over easily so that we can learn from each other.

I am European, I used to live in a city and work for an american corporation. I've been living in rural Indonesia for 14 years and I so much relate to what you are talking about. I am grateful everyday for taking the decision of moving here and being able to enjoy this kind of live style.

I appreciate this video. It was refreshing to see she’s just talking about cultural differences between the two countries. Not some political crap like racism or white supremacy. For context, I am an immigrant living in NYC.

Glad you are back sis. I missed you. I watched you in the early days and you encourage my decision to move to Africa as a retiree. Now I permanently live between Ghana and South Africa for the last two years. And you are so right in your assessment. We have to be humble, patient and adopt to the culture. Everything you mentioned is an opportunity for entrepreneurial industry. Afro-Americans with skills need to think about starting a business here because it’s so needed. Again Welcome back!

Greetings sis. My family and I moved to Namibia back in August from the US. I agree 100%. So far Namibian culture moves very very slow. That's going to take some getting use to but otherwise I have no regrets with the move. Shalom

You are the Godmother of Black American Expatriation. I remember watching you years ago when you were one of the few. God bless for living your full life and sharing with us (while simultaneously leading the way for other).

You're absolutely right. I was born and raised in N.Y.C during the 60's and 70's also and was uncomfortable with the hustle and bustle for survival and progress. Everyone in competition with each other as individuals as well as groups of individuals and many don't last to long. I was happy to leave in 76's. still in the U.S., but away from the brutal environment. I too hope to one day leave the continental U.S.A

Super interesting perspectives! Thank you so much for sharing your reflections and a glimpse into your world!

i cannot believe it's been 14YEARS! i remember when you first came on RU-vid. just want to say I am so proud of you my sista. You have represented our people FBA's/AA's very well. Many blessings to you and your lovely family. Shoutout from Oakland👊🏿💯✈

Always good to see Americans leave them come back for a visit and see how strange the U.S. is in many simple aspects... When I take a long vacation and come back you see the difference. I think living in a very rural area of the desert in California is a lot less stressful than a city or suburb...

You helped inspire me to make it down to Namibia. Glad to see you're doing well!

Loved your video. The very last thing you said is what lead me to comment…You talked about being ready to “shed your skin” when you moved abroad but realized that it’s a part of you. I had the same experience. I never knew how American I was until I moved away…going on 18 years now. 🎉

So interesting! Thank you for sharing your experience, your journey 🧡

Greetings!! I definitely salute you Sis. I was inspired by your journey as I watched it unfold while living in Canada years ago. The Most High has also made a way for me to repatriate to the continent iand I met my husband in The Gambia. I'm so happy for you and your family and pray for all the best for you guys. All praises!!

Well done sis you are on point. Being an African myself you don’t need that much to be happy down there

Thank you for another video! I wanted to mention that not all of the USA is strict with time. That is only certain regions. I am from the northeast (Philly) but have lived in about 7 states and now on the west coast. In the northeast there was a major push for doing everything early and strict with time. But I was mainly raised down south and in some southern areas, we are barely on time and it isn't an issue. It is also laid back in the south and southwest. I do notice here in Arizona there are a lot of people migrating from other places bringing that rush rush mentality so hopefully they don't shift the laid back culture. It also depends on the field you work in. I am a substitute teacher and there is a little wiggle room with the time. But of course I have to be there when class starts. But I have been late a few times since the bus runs late and nobody made a big deal about it as long as I call and let them know. That is one reason I cannot live in those major cities around the USA. Smaller towns aren't that bad. As far as shelters around the USA, there is a crisis here. Most shelters are full. And with the influx of illegals coming into the country, you are lucky to find a shelter or even a hotel in some areas if there are football games etc going on. Now as far as respect, listen; I can't argue with that. These students in the USA are disrespectful and hate learning. You should see what happened yesterday when I handed out an assignment. A few of my students speak Arabic and Swahili and they entered the work into a translator, sat there quietly, completed the work, and was done before all of the American students. The other students just kept talking and being unruly as usual. I am glad your children won't be raised here since a lot of schools (private and public) contain students who are coming from broken homes where values no longer matter in the USA.

You are the OG of AfAm youtubers in Alkebulan. I believe you were the very first youtuber I ever discovered living in Africa. Thanks for sharing your journey in Alkebulan with us. ❤

Thank you so much for this video. You are so right about American ways. My son lived abroad for 2 years. He came home and often said we have so many unimportant first world problems. We are a nation of speed, greed and need. I love seeing how so many other countries appreciate just taking the time to slow down, breathe and live life. I appreciate your videos, continued blessings Kaylan❤

I appreciate how unique your story is, living and raising a family with a brother from here in the motherland. Very refreshing perspective. Thanks for sharing 🙏🏿

So glad to see the OG creating content again. ❤ Can't believe that I will step foot in Namiba next month. Just a cruise stop but still a bit surreal after watching your videos.

Good to see you back Kaylan. As a Namibian living in Ireland, I totally agree with you. Great content🙌🏾

Well said, without any bashing of either country like some American’s do when they leave for Africa. It’s nice to still appreciate where you come from.

So glad to see you again Sis. Thank you for the inspiration. We’re 2 years on the continent now. I can identify with many of these points.

Many blessings to Africa, Namibia, and all of you. I am so glad you made the right choice. Tap into the original blue print, unravel the treasures, and the authentic blessings God has prepared for you. Wishing you life's best ahead.

Did she say 14 years?! Girl haven't aged a day! Glad to have you our sister! Much love from a brother from Zambia

You hit the nail on the head on pretty much everything. I particularly like your explanation on so-called 'African time'. Respect for elders, no rush, etc is all true. Your video came up randomly on my feed and I have now subscribed. 😊

Nice one... Awesome video.... Much respect for you to stay that long in Africa.... From Zambia...

Kaylan, thank you so much for sharing your journey in Namibia. You are incredibly resilient, and I am glad you still enjoy staying in Namibia. I am from Okahao - born and bred there. I have been living in the US for the past few years and had a tremendous culture shock when I first got here. I totally agree with you on your observations in Namibia and the comparison to the US. The US and Namibia are vastly different, and they both are surely far from perfect. I also had a sojourn in several European countries before, but the US is just so different. My idea of America was always shaped by books and movies, so I thought I knew what to expect when I got here. I agree that Americans are super concerned about almost everything - safety and convenience. The hypervigilance culture in the US - gunshot alerts, bad weather alerts - paradoxically makes me feel unsafe because you are always bombarded with something to worry about almost every time. The other thing that shocked me when I first got here was the number of unsheltered people on the streets and the amount of garbage downtown in most major cities that I have visited. It seems that homelessness is a serious concern in major US cities. I definitely agree with you on the issue of the shortage of social services in Namibia. I guess the main issue is that there are vast cultural differences between the US and Namibia. In capitalist countries like the US, where everyday politics involve public conversations about how taxpayer money is spent, people demand more from the government, including the provision of services that in some countries are exclusively confined to the realm of family responsibilities. Duties like caretaking are also sentimental in many African cultures, such that when those are outsourced from the government, for example in the form of hospices, that is mostly deemed as neglect. Governments' functions in many ways are informed by local culture, what that unfortunately does is that it leads to the neglect of some essential services that a few people who might not have conventional families, extended families, homes, and communities might need. On kids' behavior, I think the way kids are raised in the general American life is tremendously different from Namibia and most African countries. I was shocked to learn that kids in the US generally are not required to wear school uniforms. Americans are mostly too liberal and that has an effect on children’s behavior - not respecting elders and generally just being hard to discipline. I have observed that the American society generally does not respect conformity. I am socially conservative, so I am still trying to wrap my mind around that. Consumerism was also another shock for me. Every second you’d see a commercial on your screen persuading you to buy something that you definitely know you do not need. I must confess that I enjoy watching commercials though, haha... it is fun when you are trying to guess the product in the first few seconds, just to find out it's nothing out of the ordinary, it’s just Tylenol! Thank you once again for sharing your journey in Namibia and I hope you will continue sharing valuable lessons from your life in the motherland!

Lovely! A very informative and balanced commentary. Thank you!

Oh wow, I remember you. I came across your channel about 5 or 6 years ago. I plan to move to Afrika this year and Namibia is one of the many countries I would love to visit and possibly live. Blessings to you & happy New Year!

So happy to see you are still in Namibia. I stayed a subscriber because I knew you were coming back. I notice that lovely Moringa tree. I've been trying to grow the dwarf type in the states. Keep doing your thing in Africa and thanks for sharing your experience. Stay blessed!

HI there! It is a blessing to have your channel come across my recommendation. Refreshing and informative. One thing you said stands out to me about the many options at the grocery stores. I saw a documentary about how we have an illusion of choice. Its an illusion. Like all the choices are under an umbrella of a handful of companies. For example, the have 10 different choices of arm deodorant to choose from but in reality one company owns 8 of them. I was blown away. Its true with foods, the illusion of electing a president, cars, etc I have been fed up with mystery babylon since the great awakening(2020) I am so grateful for this video. Your family is beautiful!

Thank you my daughter, Thank you for telling them. Mzungus are coming and staying, Chinese are staying. They need to be more patient and not the other way round. You can survive off grid. Take your rightful place in the African society.

You are incredibly brave for doing this. I can’t imagine leaving my comfort zone to go and live and immerse myself in a different world. Such a beautiful thing to see. Do you speak any local languages?

Good to hear from you again! The first RU-vidr I started following

I miss that relaxed life, I have learned that it’s very good for our mental health.

I REALLY LOVED THIS VIDEO ON HOW U COMPARED THE TWO. I SUBSCRIBED, THUMBS UP AND I SHARED IT WITH MY DAUGHTER WHO IS ATTENDING THE UNIVERSITY TO BECOME A PSYCHOLOGIST. I FEEL YOUR CHANNEL CAN HELP HER UNDERSTAND THE TRUE AFRICAN CULTURE IF AND WHEN THERAPY IS NEEDED. THANK YOU FOR SHARING

This was a great posts. Looking forward to my African journey.

I am so glad to see you back on with new videos. Thank You for enjoying your process behind the scenes and being able to share your personal experience from living abroad in Africa all these years. You were the one the first resource of showing its possible as a fellow New Yorker who lives in Africa.

You are a gem, great catch! Your spouse is lucky, great to see you again!

As a person that was born and partly raised in the Caribbean, I can see myself living in Namibia. I enjoy a free, laid back and easy going lifestyle. In the long run, you live a lot longer. The reason why Americans are stressed out and sick because of the rush rush lifestyle that exist here. I'm planning in retiring in Africa when the time comes. Great vid and thanks for sharing.

Beyond being happy for you creating your family in Namibia, i am happy to see the trees in your compound have grown. Am sure your compound is very beautiful

I legit been following since day one. So proud of you..

I always get so happy when I see you’ve posted a video! I definitely agree with your point of view on us in the west vs the east. I lived and taught in the Middle East for a few years and I felt so safe, relatively stress-free, etc. I hope to return to the Middle East but it’s hard to live so far from family.

"It's not the end of the world" it's a mindset that will allow you to be free.

Wow so good to hear from you sis! Your intellect and info is very much appreciated.

Love your video; I’m Namibian living in the Us since my late teens I have adapted to the lifestyle in the Us when I come home to Namibian I get easily frustrated about service but after being home fior few days I tend to chill us and remind myself that getting frustrating does not help.

Hello madam. I'm a DRC 🇨🇩 national who has discovered your channel this Monday , Jan. 22, 2024 around 05:50 a.m South african 🇿🇦 time/Namibian 🇳🇦 time. After listening to you for 2 minutes or so I have subscribed to your channel. Keep up the great work and keep those videos coming, please.💖💖💖💖💖 🙏🇨🇩🤝🇿🇦🤝🇳🇦.

Great video! Thank you so much for continuing to share your journey. I found your channel about 5 years ago. You really helped me with mindset in my transition to first visiting and then moving to the continent.

Namibia sounds like the life I used to live in Miami back in the early 2000s when I was working for the government. I know this sounds weird but I feel like that’s how I used to live didn’t care about any power outages because of our street always had an outage after storm. Save a tub full of water before a storm. Are used to leave work early on Fridays and it was casual day.

Such a pioneer from New York. Happy New Year to you and your family. Stay blessed.

Thank you so much, Queen! This was wonderfully informative and inspiring! Subbed and looking forward to receiving more of your content about Home.

You are back so happy to see you, am always checking for your videos

👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 my Caribbean siStar is back, D first I subscribed to With Nambian tales more than decade ago( i thinkk) ...All is well with u n fam. Great to c u. Asè ❤❤

That African sun got your skin radiating. Good to see this update, as someone mentioned, you are the original trailblazer. Good to see your family has grown and your progress. I'll be planning my repatriation soon, but different country; keep the best of the American culture it's good to infuse something new into Namibian culture, the exchange of ideas is welcome I'm sure. Stay blesses wish you and family continued propsperity and peace!

Heeeey! Aint seen you in a minute. Glad to see you hanging. Glad to see you still married. Glad to see you have children. PLEASE keep growing into your Africaness Sister.

This is beautiful to wtch.ur so courageous 🎉❤and ur spirit settled well in namibia its where ur soul connected to.

I'm a mix of being on time and reusing/fixing things. I was raised in New England here in the States, so we have many things in common with the Brits.

I can totally relate to everything you've shared. I was born in Guyana (the Caribbean). I grew up in New York, I moved to Cameroon in 2009 and lived there for 4 years. I now live in Congo since 2013. All your observations are on point!

It is good to be yourself. No one, anywhere in better than you 😊. Peace and blessings.

I moved to Queretaro in 2021 at 79. I am always happy to see you sweet lady. God continue to bless you and those you love. Judi Grace.

What an intelligent, thought-provoking post. Thank you.

There is a core component in this: Resilience. Resilience is in its essence flexibility. Accepting that while perfect is a good aspiration to strive towards many things will STILL not work perfectly or the cost benefit of reaching that perfection doesn't square up. With timeliness it is the Latin/African time that allows you to be flexible and listen to your neighbours, receive your unannounced visitors etc because you know you can bend time. And this flexibility makes us available to more people in a time of need rather than rushing away because you MUST be on time ALL the time. So in a sense I feel this Nordic and anglo culture arises from some rigidity in norms and can lead to somewhat cold and self-centered society. For example when in emergencies some systems fail: 1. You probably can't fix it, so fretting is literally useless. Just sit it out. 2. In most cases there are people working on the solution. Your irritation mostly just fails to recognise the effort of others. 3. Efficiency is great, a sense of urgency with certain issues is great, butbutbut the vast majority of things people fret about have no impact whatsoever on your life. The stress and irritation is entirely selfinflicted. So there. I think Americans lack resilience.

Love your content. I am not of African descent. I am half Irish and 1/2 Dutch. My age is 59. A few years back I read my great grandfather’s autobiography. He immigrated from Holland at age 16 by himself to the USA. He found back then that American was fast paced, and people very stressed compared to Holland , in respect to the times that he was living. I would welcome a simpler lifestyle that is more geared to wholistic needs of people. Also, I like to watch people who are making a life out of homesteading in the USA. Thank you for your very informative and interesting content.

Seeking out African heritage after growing up in NY shows you're a very strong person and hopefully you spread that strength to your community. (no doubt)

Of all of the places in the world that I’ve traveled to, I absolutely love Namibia. I’m seriously considering retiring there.

Fascinating! Thank you for posting this extremely informative video.

So basically what I got from this video is if you move from America to Africa you should be able to adapt to the poor conditions like the locals and not expect better. That's actually part of the problem if everyone is just adapting and not demanding better conditions than why would anything change. And every developed country there was a revolution where people demanded better but there they are being taught to adapt and accept what they are being given.

My husband is from Côte d’Ivoire and he wants to move back. We are making plans for the next 1.5-2 years to move.

We just moved back to the States from Mauritania because of my son's disability. And I agree with what you said fully. I would add that my level of patriotism for being an American has increased and I don't feel ashamed to say that I am an American like I once felt before coming back to the States. I guess because when I saw the people feel pride in their country despite the problems andhardships they face they were still proud to be from whichever country they were from. I think I feel this way because we moved to a very rural town and we still have some of the issues with power outages and Internet disruptions. These are just my thoughts. I'm glad you're back on RU-vid again after a long hiatus.

This was a great broadcast. Keep up the work. Coming to you from Los Angeles, Ca.