Premiered on 16 Mar 2026 Kisses From Kenya

EPISODE 7: Celebrations & Complications

Christmas trees in 35-degree heat. Eggnog at the Equator. A goat that knows exactly what season it is. Vuyanzi and Brendan dig into what the holidays actually look like when you're far from where you started - the homesickness, the relief, the reinvention, and the complicated joy of celebrating queer identity abroad during the season when everyone assumes you're going home.

In this episode:

• Whose America Is It Anyway? - holiday travel chaos, Christmas starting in October, and inflation shrinking family gatherings
• Deep Dive: Vuyanzi on navigating homesickness and building new rituals in Kenya; Brendan on the complicated reality of queer holidays abroad - the escape, the loneliness, and finding chosen family in Nairobi
• Lost in Translation - Kenyanisms that once confused everything and now feel completely natural
• Queer & Black Joy - community potlucks, chosen-family dinners, and new traditions that actually fit

Democrats Abroad Kenya | Queer expat Africa | Black diaspora holidays | Christmas in Kenya | American abroad | Chosen family | LGBTQ Africa | Nairobi expat community | Holidays abroad

Wherever you're spending the season, you're not alone in finding it complicated. Kisses from Kenya is the podcast for Americans living abroad who haven't stopped paying attention. Subscribe and find your people.

#KissesFromKenya #DemocratsAbroad #HolidaysAbroad #ChosenFamily #QueerJoy #BlackDiaspora #ChristmasInKenya #ExpatsOfNairobi #LGBTQAbroad

Support the show

About the show Kisses from Kenya is a social and cultural podcast produced by Democrats Abroad Kenya. It explores personal stories about race, queerness, culture, politics, and the experience of being American in Nairobi. The views expressed on this podcast do not represent the official positions of Democrats Abroad Kenya, Democrats Abroad global, or the Democratic Party.

Listen, subscribe, and share If you enjoy conversations about language, identity, diaspora, and culture clash, subscribe for new episodes on a weekly(ish) schedule! You can find us on Youtube at ‪@KissesfromKenya and on all Podcast Platforms.

Follow Democrats Abroad Kenya on Instagram, Facebook, or on the DA website!

Contact us Share your stories, questions, or comments at: kissesfromkenyapodcast@gmail.com