An American multi-millionaire has revealed some intricate details behind his reasons for uprooting his lavish life in the United States to move to Nairobi, Kenya.
Tim Booker, a 42-year-old businessman from Washington D.C., has built himself to become a successful mogul, and despite the financial resources to thrive in a first-world country, he decided Nairobi was a better fit for him.
The story behind his motivation to move to Kenya's capital is also interesting, as he recently revealed in an interview with Webnation that it all started with a visit to Kenya at the insistence of his cousin, who spent a large chunk of her career working with disadvantaged communities.
"She spent her career with disadvantaged people. She has been telling me for years to come and give back. After COVID, last year, I came to participate and see Kenya, and that experience changed my life," he narrated.
He went on, "I was in Machakos county looking for an NGO, and a calling told me this was the place to be. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be doing, but that brings me to today."
What was supposed to be a short visit turned into a five-week extension and eventually a permanent relocation.
Today, Tim lives in a swanky four-bedroom mansion in Lavington by Kenyan standards, paying a staggering Ksh450,000 a month. His Nairobi mansion boasts a monthly package which includes security, a housekeeper and utilities.
Why Tim Prefers Nairobi to Washington
Being a businessman, Tim believes that, besides the spiritual connection to Nairobi, moving from Washington, D.C., more than made business sense. For one thing, he admitted that the money he pays for a house in Nairobi does not compare to the rent Americans are subjected to for a small one-bedroom apartment in some American states.
Also, with most businesses shifting online, Tim admits that being able to work from anywhere made it easy to transition from the U.S. to Kenya, which he describes as much more peaceful than the U.S.
"My life here in Nairobi is much different. First of all, it is more relaxing. The energy level is higher, but it doesn't have the stress. So I'm able to think a lot clearer, so that is a huge difference," he explained.
"When I was in the U.S., at times I couldn't sleep because my mind was filled with tasks and responsibility. In Nairobi, I wake up with a sense of calm and stillness. In the States, I just didn't have enough time."
He also admitted that the Nairobi way of life, which entails people checking on each other, restored his humane side. In the U.S., according to Tim, people were living as they are programmed.
While relocating to a less expensive economy makes more business sense, Tim reiterated that his primary motivation was not money.
"I am well educated and believe I'm smart, but I met people here who really are smart, which was impressive," he admitted, adding that Kenya, being an English-speaking nation, also made things easier for him.
His first impression of Nairobi was of a city with diverse people, an uplifting spirit, and bright, entrepreneurial minds. From a business perspective, he calls Nairobi “the jewel of Africa”, a place where both personal fulfilment and investment opportunities coexist naturally.
The move has not come without its challenges, as Tim admitted the seven-hour time difference was one of the biggest adjustments. However, the silver lining is the fact that in Nairobi, he has a large chunk of the day to focus on the social bit of his life before reconnecting with U.S.-based clients from 5pm.
