Kisses from Kenya Episode 12: Is the Grass REALLY Greener?

Premiered on 20 Apr 2026  Kisses From Kenya

EPISODE 12: Is the Grass REALLY Greener?

Is the grass actually greener on the other side - or does it just look that way from here? Brendan and Vuyanzi sit with the uncomfortable feeling that the right seems energised, emboldened, and utterly unbothered while everyone else scrambles to keep up. Plus: what a four-day work week in Pakistan and the Philippines tells us about who's really driving global economics right now.

In this episode:

• Whose America Is It Anyway? - Democratic senators invoke the War Powers Act over Cuba; how U.S. policy is quietly triggering a four-day work week in Pakistan and the Philippines
• Lost in Translation - American friends versus Kenyan friends: do our friendships get lost in translation when we relocate? A Kenyan woman who lived in Boston weighs in, and the conversation gets into romantic relationships too
• Queer & Black Joy - Brendan sleeps his way into a better flight during a Boston blizzard; Vuyanzi attends an intergenerational women's brunch

Democrats Abroad Kenya | Expat life Nairobi | U.S. foreign policy | War Powers Act | Global economy | Black diaspora podcast | American abroad Kenya | Kenyan expat community | Four day work week

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Transcript

Vuyanzi 0:06

Hey, Kisses from Kenya is produced by Democrats Abroad Kenya, but everything you hear in this podcast reflects our personal perspectives. As Americans living in Kenya.

Brendan 0:20

Yes, nothing we say should be taken as the official stance of Democrats Abroad Kenya, Democrats Abroad Global, or the Democratic Party. And this is an entertainment space and not an official policy platform. Thank you. Welcome back to Kisses from Kenya. I'm Brendan.

Vuyanzi 0:40

And I am Buyonzi.

Brendan 0:41

And today we're thinking about if the grass really is greener on the other side.

Vuyanzi 0:46

Yeah, like I'm thinking about this idea about grass being greener and politics, the world views, perspective. I mean being on the other side of things, on the we're on the left, and some people are on the, and I hate saying right because they're not right, but is it is they're so empowered. So it's like when I see people, when I see ice throwing people down, killing people, when I'm seeing us launching bombs and people agreeing with it, when I see people agreeing that it's okay or quietly agreeing that it's okay that the Epstein files don't get released, like they are empowered, and the grass is looking like it's greener on their side.

Brendan 1:36

I guess it really does give the perception that at least for them the grass is greener. But that's always the question right is do we really want to be like no?

Vuyanzi 1:45

I just want to be empowered. I want to have green grass too. There's a joke there, but I'm believing after I said something, some thoughts came to my mind.

Brendan 1:58

For some reason, if you started talking about grass, like my mind went straight to like the those jokes about like the carpet matching the drapes, and I don't know why. Yes, related at all. But anyway, our favorite segment. We lead it off this time.

Vuyanzi 2:17

Yeah, yeah. Whose America is it anyway? So this is interesting because I won't talk about America. However, what America is doing is impacting what our America is doing is impacting the world. So I read something that's not so popular, at least for us in the news, and that is that Pakistan and the Philippines are going to a four-day work week. Now, before we're like, oh, they're so progressive, this is great. No, I mean they may be, but that's not really why they're doing it. What they're doing is it's an emergency measure to really prevent like a total economic collapse because of the, I know they call it the current oil crisis, but why is there an oil crisis? Because of the war, not war. We're not at war, right? Whatever it's called. Um, and so I wanted to explain some things about um the temporary work week. So in Pakistan, um, it's a temporary four-day work week for government offices to reduce fuel consumption and potential energy shortages. Um, it doesn't apply to all sectors, banks, agriculture, and some essential services, they continue normal operations. So it's not everyone. Now, um also in the Philippines, they or working class people just can't get a break, can they?

Brendan 3:44

No, be because it's like if you work in that field, you'll be in that field. You will be in that field. It does not apply to you.

Vuyanzi 3:50

And the thing is, where I was reading is, and this may be more so for the Philippines, maybe for both, it doesn't cut your hours. So you may be having a four-day work week.

Brendan 4:01

But it's like a 12-hour day.

Vuyanzi 4:03

Exactly. You still have to put it in. So you'll probably, yeah, you talk about can't catch a break. No, you can't catch a break because, and and then um even a comp a they're calling a compressed schedule. So, yes, you're gonna work 12 hours. Um, you work from home, you have a work from home set up, and yeah, so this when we talk about whose America is anyway, it's like filtering this whole idea of what America and America's stands for. The and and I'm really putting air quotes around this thing, you know, democracy, evil, uh, against evil, uh, you know, for democracy. So we're gonna just kill your lead. Okay, let me not even go there. Yeah, so that's what's going on on my um, and this is on the other side, things that no one's talking about because I know there are other things dominating the news. And maybe people are like, what do I care about? Pakistan and the Philippines four-day work week. However, the world is watching because to see what is how it starts to save. Um, anywhere, I think I was reading somewhere, I don't have it now, but any it could be saving anywhere between 10 to 20 percent on oil consumption oil and I guess gas consumptions, which may not sound like a lot, but just like anything else, you add little by little and you get a lot of savings there. So that's what's up. What about you? What do you got? What are you thinking about in terms of what's going on lately?

Brendan 5:36

I want to show y'all to know that we we have a document that we used to prep, and I sent Vuyanzi my article this morning. She did not put them into the Oh my god. She wrote it. I said no.

Vuyanzi 5:47

I thought you were gonna have it. I thought you were gonna have it in your hand. Open up the article!

Brendan 5:53

She wrote. Um no, so the first one, it's it's funny you talked about like, you know, because we're like not at war. Um, and the article that I had sent you was like, you know, this question about like we all have this understanding of like war powers, right? Like who has the power to declare war? What does that mean? Yeah. Which, you know, like the whole point, and like the reason that people are splitting hairs about it is because, you know, theoretically, I mean, of the million impeachable things that that man has done, if he does take us to war without Congress's authorization, I mean, technically, like that, like there's a punishment for that, right? Because you've stepped over like your constitutional bounds, what you're allowed to do. So what they had to do this week is now Senate Democrats have introduced like another War Powers Act. You know, they had they had the one that they had tried to put in place for Iran, you know, that failed because, you know, nothing government. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But so Senate Democrats now have introduced one specifically for Cuba because they're like afraid that like that's where we're gonna go next. And then he will once again just kind of like go trap thing off into wherever. Um and I think it's just I like to me the two relate, right? Because it's like I think it's it's interesting that you know, you're talking about two what some people at least would refer to as like developing nations or like global south countries, you know, who basically like their whole structure is being like influenced by what we're doing. Um, maybe not for the best, because I would be pissed if I woke up one day and it's like because these dems did that, like exactly how to go work together.

Vuyanzi 7:45

Exactly, and now everyone else is looking, and other people other countries might do it too.

Brendan 7:49

Yeah, so but then it's like to me, it's also just emblematic of like on top of all that, it's like we can't even get our shit together because it's like don't nobody know, like, are we are we or aren't we? And if so, like who said so? And like it's just so it's like it feels like we're all like trapped in which is ironic, like in like an episode of like The Apprentice or like one of these fucking reality TV shows, but it's like you like we showed up like not prepared, like we were not prepared for the final presentation, yeah. Like we showed up drunk from the bar last night trying to wing it.

Vuyanzi 8:30

Like nobody knows what's happening. It feels like one time when I was gonna lead praise and worship. No, I promised you I was drink some coffee, but anyway.

Brendan 8:47

But yes, yes, yes. But I mean, to make it biblical, there is that. I always go back to that quote. They read to us on Ash Wednesday, you know, let not the left hand know what the right hand is doing. And I'm always like, that is about timing. Not about lack of preparation. But some of y'all dick dogs don't know how to read. So when you say I interpret the Bible, literally, you also come from a country that has some of the worst reading comprehensive scores in the world. What? What?

Vuyanzi 9:20

What anyway?

Brendan 9:22

A biblical war, Jesus, Father. Biblical war literally with illiterate people. That's why I'm like, they're like, I'm a literalist, and I'm like, show me your reading comprehensive score. What did you get on the verbal SAT?

Vuyanzi 9:37

Well, was it below 400? Listen, did the guy who's about to lead uh Department of Homeland Security did that kind of win? The guy who's about to fight the congressman? Mark Wade?

Brendan 9:49

Yes. The only way that I would trust someone named Mark Wade to do anything is if it was spelled with a Q U and an apostrophe in there somewhere. The fact that you are Mark and Wade with a W-A-Y, I don't know what trailer park they like wrestled him up out of.

Vuyanzi 10:04

Because they indeed wrestled him out of the trailer park. I'm trying to say. What? They were trying to find someone in this. Oh my god! He's like, Well, you want to go? Then let's go. I'm watching this. Bernie Sanders must be the one to be like, I'm like, you guys.

Brendan 10:22

The one who's shouting all the time is the one that's like.

Vuyanzi 10:26

I was thinking, is this a Saturday Night Live um like skit? Okay, so Lost in Translation. That's a great opener for Lost in Translation. Oh God. So recently I was out and I met this Kenyan woman who had lived in, um, lived in the States for 10 years in New England. Um, and so she she looked at me, she's like, I'm really glad you you hang out with Kenyans. And so thinking about is the grass always greener? So we're here, and is the grass greener for me to hang out with Kenyans? I mean, I have some American friends as well. We're here in America, do the kisses, we're okay, yeah. However, is the grass greener? Because she said it as if to say, like, thank God, you know, like you're with us. And then she told me when she lived in Boston that she didn't hang out with Kenyans, but it got me thinking about friendships because I do think there is something unique about being friends with someone from the land, if you will, um, about perspective. And so I think that offers a kind of the grass is a little bit greener because when I'm with, let's say, my American friends, it's you, you know, we we talk American, we speak American. Who said that? Another guy said that too. Hoxick. When after Marco Rubio uh said something in Spanish, he's like, Well, I speak American. Mother, let's keep it clean so the kids can listen. But yeah, so so and even with relationships, yeah, even with relationships, is the grass greener for me to date a Kenyan man? Or even let's spread it out East African, or we can spread it out even more. Or we can spread it out. After I said spread it out, I'm like, wait, wait, I'm not spreading my legs nor myself.

Brendan 12:33

Well, they like is still available, y'all. Actually, we're both stable.

Vuyanzi 12:46

Sorry, Paulisana. So, so, but is is it greener? So, I do think for men, okay. Yeah, I do prefer a dude from this continent, from this, if it can't be from this country, because we, you know, if I can't be from this country, at least give me somewhere in the in the sub-Saharan region. So I think the grass might be greener. How would I know? I'm still single. And the dreams matched the garden.

Brendan 13:19

Oh my god.

Vuyanzi 13:26

Oh, some of you will get that on your way home. Anyway, uh, what about you? What about your loss of translation moment?

Brendan 13:35

Um I mean, equally off call. So I was at a dinner last night um with two friends that are here from Senegal um for like a fellowship training thing. Um and you know, it was like we were talking about like there's there's this all this, like Senegal is trying to pass this like anti-LGBT like legislation that like doubles the penalty and blah blah blah. Oh gosh. And so like we were talking about like, you know, what is like why, like what does that mean? And she's like, you know, like oh, doing Ramadan. And I was like, you know, I was like, well, and so I made some like very offhand comment about like, you know, we're just out here trying to eat ass. Like we were like talking about like some other very, like, very nice, like very like hello, like some of the pleasant conversations. And like literally, like, we're there eating our fish, you know, this come now. Like, because I took him to like a local driver. Yes. And then like literally like halfway through, like, a bite of fish, she was like, You're eating ass come and like just caught up with me. And I was just like, why did I even say that to this like nice woman? Like founder of a whole NGO.

Vuyanzi 14:55

She's traumatized, by the way. She does need therapy right now.

Brendan 15:00

She's in therapy. She's I all this to say, you know, like I'm hoping we can work together on something.

Vuyanzi 15:07

No.

Brendan 15:08

In future, just know if we work on contract together, I will talk like this in some of you. I'm so what you see is what you get, okay?

Vuyanzi 15:19

What you see is what you get. Sorry, that was an old song. Yes, yes. Oh god, okay. That would have brought me joy because that could have also been queer joy, by the way. So let's just get it. What about queer joy this week? So my queer joy happened while in um in Boston.

Brendan 15:41

Oh. You know, on my trip. Because you know, we had a blizzard.

Vuyanzi 15:45

You were in how many states?

Brendan 15:48

I was in 14 states on the road trip, but we got caught in the blizzard in Boston. And I always laugh because it's like, you know, we call it like I don't know if everyone calls it this, but like me and my friends call it like queer diplomacy. It's like the way that we like all sleep with each other, and then it's like how we get things done. Okay. So long story short, we're like in the Hilton at the airport and at Logan. Yes. And I met a gentleman who works for Delta. Oh, and I'm like, trapped, there's like flight cancellation, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I won't like go through like all the details, but long story short, next day, he's a gate agent, right? So you know, gate agents are the ones that have the power.

Vuyanzi 16:36

Yeah, yes, they do.

Brendan 16:37

People don't know that those are the ones that really like hold the strings. Because they can delete your seat real fast, real quick, fast in a hurry, be like, and they can also have operational seat. Bye. Sorry. So be nice to gate agents. I mean, be nice to all airline employees, be nice to everyone, but especially the gate agents. Um long story short, you know, we we we had some moments together. It was his birthday.

Vuyanzi 17:02

He was kept in my hotel. Not celebrating his birthday.

Brendan 17:06

I gave him a birthday cake to enjoy all we out here doing chatty. So long story short, um birthday. You know, I was like supposed to be like like my flight had been canceled. I was supposed to be going out the next day, blah, blah, blah. There was like a flight that was there, and I was like, I don't know if this flight is actually gonna go or not, but can you check for me? You did long story short, that man got me on the flight at 2 p.m. that day.

Vuyanzi 17:37

Thank you, Delta Gate agent at Logan.

Brendan 17:40

So that was my queer joy was the fact that you know, by utilizing Nature's credit card to make a payment into my karma account. Not my Klarna account, my karma account. Okay, because there is Klarna too. Well, this one didn't take my credit score, so Lord have mercy.

Vuyanzi 18:02

Sorry, I'm hit by my credit joy. Oh, oh, oh, um, I should have explained this before I go into my black joy because this is bringing me joy, this around my neck, that Brendan did go to Mardi Gras. You can Google that if you're outside the United States. Hell, inside the United States, Google it because even knowing the origin. Um, so anyway, I'm wearing the beads, so you'll see it for two episodes because I refuse to take it off for the next episode, too. Um, so my oh, my black joy was a friend of mine had a a brunch. So it was on, it was in March, so it's like Women's Day and it was on the end of Black History Month. So it was Black American happened to be American women coming together, intergenerational from ages 39 to 87.

Brendan 18:51

Oh wow.

Vuyanzi 18:52

Yeah, came together to have a brunch, to have conversation. I think there would be it was about maybe 15 of us, a small group. Um we gathered in, it's like the oldest cultural center or something in Ken in Kenya. I forget what it's called, but anyway, actually, I'm not gonna say the name of it right now. But we came together, we ate, we laughed, we cried, we hugged, and it just brought so much joy. One thing that I do miss about, I think about two things about being here and getting older is being around older people. Everyone who I tend to be around is in their uh 40s and 50s, so it's like my peers until I come here and I get this douse of youth.

Brendan 19:40

Um, and so so the last time someone said it about me was, but but I but just I had someone call me middle-aged the other day.

Vuyanzi 19:49

Oh my god, how did you feel?

Brendan 19:50

We'll talk about that in the next episode.

Vuyanzi 19:52

Oh my god. Oh my god. Because I'll say that I'm middle-aged right now and I'm significantly older than you. I will call myself middle-aged all day, all night. And I do mean all night. Um, so so anyway, it it just felt great. It just was beautiful. That's all I can say. I love that. All right, so um, oh, we are coming up to the end. Yeah, the end because of what I did before. Any other thoughts on your mind about what previously, like any closing thoughts? Well, the grass being greener.

Brendan 20:34

I think, but I mean, I think at the end of the day, like when you talk to anyone anywhere, like I think it's true opinions, I think it's true of other people on this continent, I think it's true of Americans, Europeans, like I just feel like there is some like innate part of us to like always think that like other people have a better demand, like no matter what we have. So I don't know that there's like a solution to that. Or that's probably why, like, you know, in things like Buddhism and like Hinduism and stuff, like you spend so much time like you know meditating and also thinking about like pushing away like the desire to have more. But so maybe it's not a new problem either.

Vuyanzi 21:22

No, and I I love that part, right? Because that whole notion of the grass being greener, if you remove it, what do you have? You have people being at peace, people being fulfilled in what they already have, people being content, perhaps, or at least for the most part, because something else isn't better. Um but I do think it it could change things. So I I love the fact that you brought that up, that yeah, with the removal of the grass being greener, and so it makes me think um, in terms of How intentional I need to be, right? Because it it is easy to get into that, like because even what do they have? Well, I mean, the whole thing, even when I'm talking about having a relationship with a Kenyan man that doesn't exist yet. Um, but am I basing it on I think the grass is greener over there because I've experienced African American and well, not just African American. I mean, it's been a different American, yeah. Yeah. Well, some not so, but in America, they're coming to America. Um, so you know, would it even change how I'm going about a relationship if I didn't have that? So anyway, maybe it's something for all of us to ponder.

Brendan 22:50

Well, it's like, how do you stop thinking about the grass being greener somewhere else and focus on making your own grass greener for yourself?

Vuyanzi 22:59

Or wax it off.

Brendan 23:02

Okay, so we come to Oh my god. Well, that's the end of our episode on that note. Leave you with that mental picture. It's like a punk rock bag. It's like a green mohawk. Um we love you. Thank you for watching, those of us, those of you that are here watching, and we'll see you next time on Kisses from Kenya. Keep sending your grats, y'all. Yes.