Uncertain times are approaching for the economy in Italy, with the unknown of possible changes due to a new government after the 25 September elections. The energy crisis is certainly one of the issues of greatest concern for Italians and for certain categories of fellow countrymen, starting with pensioners but also young people and 'smartworkers', i.e. those who can afford to follow their work or source of income remotely.
With the arrival of winter and cold temperatures, the focus is on gas bills, for heating homes and offices. Bills that could even rise by 100 per cent, barring hoped-for remedies and negotiations by governments and blocs of nations with the despotic Russian giant.
This is why many Italians are beginning to consider a period of temporary exile (and then who knows...) from the motherland and a move to warm countries that have the characteristics to not burden their wallets, if not to allow some savings.
For those who can afford to work, such as pensioners and people with fixed incomes, the choice of the Kenyan coast is one of the most popular for several reasons: first of all, the climate, which would allow one to 'forget' the cold and the heat for a few months, even for the six months provided by the tourist visa (90 days) and its renewal. Under current Kenyan immigration law, there are no particular costs for those who decide to stay for long periods in the country, except for the payment of the online entry visa for tourism (50 euro). Renewal, if done through the Kenyan immigration portal, is also free of charge. Other African countries, on the other hand, apply quite different fees or time limitations in this regard. In order to be in order and avoid any unpleasantness with both the landlord and the local institutions, the tenant must sign a rental contract and be sure that the landlord pays taxes in the country. Otherwise, he could find himself 'out on the street' at any moment, or have his agreements changed without being able to assert himself. There have recently been cases, reported to us and also to representatives of our institutions on site, of people renting 'sight unseen' or being the victim of misunderstandings (to put it mildly). Often if the situation is not clear from the start, one can find oneself in trouble, and abroad this is never pleasant.
Moreover, Malindi and Watamu in particular are chosen for the fact that, unlike almost all other exotic destinations in the world, there is a strong Italian component, not only in terms of the community of residents, but also of holidaymakers who have been frequenting it for years and know how to get around, as well as many Kenyan citizens who know the Italian language and are used to doing business with those who come from our country. Again, the advice is to be careful.
Going to a foreign country without knowing the languages spoken there (for Kenya, especially English, which is more important than Kiswahili for relations of all kinds) is certainly a limitation and can lead to misunderstandings, misinterpretations and other problems.
Also the fact of feeling 'immediately at home', of being welcomed by a 'kind and hospitable' population and of thinking of being seen as those who bring well-being, are considerations that come naturally but are not always true. The advice of those who have lived here for many years and dispense advice based on the experiences of thousands of compatriots is not to think that you have it all figured out a few days after arriving in these places, as one should not do in any place one has never been before. In conclusion, the risk of being carried away by the enthusiasm of saving money and living a more relaxing and attractive life than the Italian winter in times of crisis, should not turn into false expectations or excessive levity.
Even the coast of Kenya, despite the appearances of splendour and an established tourist bridge with Italy, remains the region of a foreign country, with people, habits, laws and traditions very different from ours and those of the West.