E85: Nella Gatumo on building a life away from everything familiar

Hello, I'd really like to grow this email list. If you enjoy this newsletter, it would mean the world to Jola and I if you encouraged one friend/fellow immigrant/colleague to subscribe…Very likely, the the only thing you will get in return is warm fuzzy feelings, and if I can attribute it to you, I’d personally send you a thank you email.

Join us as we explore the bitter-sweet world of the immigrant.

In this episode, I’m speaking with Nella Gatumo, a lawyer who moved from Nairobi, Kenya to London, England for work.

One of the hardest things to rebuild as an immigrant is that invisible support system that you always took for granted. The brother you could call when things were topsy-turvy, the comfort of knowing what your colleague meant when they used a turn-of-phrase, the door that was always open with your Mom's smile waiting for you once you walked past the curtains.

This need to adapt and integrate means you suddenly find yourself second-guessing every interaction, every word you say, and everything you do. And through it all, life continues relentlessly back home.

As Nella puts it, “Life actually moves on. It doesn't stop from where you left it. People grow up. People die. People change.”

In this conversation, Nella and I explore the persistent duality we immigrants inhabit. We also chat about:

* Weighing the emotional costs of moving against career gains

* Making friends in London

* The famous British communication style

* Missing important milestones back home

* The emotional labor of maintaining meaningful connections with family from thousands of miles away, and a ton of other good stuff.

Official Links

👋🏽 Follow Nella on LinkedIn

👋🏽 Follow Nella on X

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