Teaching in a foreign country is often painted as a dream for many Kenyans—good pay, exposure, and a chance to live in a new culture.
But as exciting as it sounds, adapting to a new education system comes with unexpected hurdles.
Language, accents, classroom dynamics, and cultural differences can turn what seems like a smooth transition into a comedy of errors—or worse, a career-ending experience.
Nafula Sharleen, a US-based Kenyan businesswoman and former teacher, recently shared a hilarious yet cautionary tale of her compatriot, Wepukhulu, a high school teacher from Mwibale High School.
According to Nafula, Wepukhulu won the DV Lottery and moved to Utah, USA, hoping to continue his teaching career.
“First day in class, he tries to greet the students: ‘kut moningi stutents?’—and the classroom goes silent. Blank stares everywhere,” Nafula recounted, laughing.
“Then he says, ‘I am Mr. Wepukhulu, I will pi diching you piolochi’… and the kids start mumbling and laughing uncontrollably!”
Wepukhulu’s struggle escalated quickly. Nafula described him trying to regain control: “Quiet glass! Piolochi iz te stati of lifing okanisimusi.”
Instead of respect, the classroom erupted in laughter. A student from the back shouts, “Dude, say what now?”—throwing Wepukhulu completely off guard. Attempts to correct names or instructions only worsened the situation.
“Page corrected him: ‘My name is Page, not Pache.’ Wepukhulu was standing there, confused that a 9th grader was talking back!” Nafula said.
The final blow came when another student, Alexis, screamed, “We can’t understand you, sir!” and a third chimed in, “DUDE, JUST GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY!”
The story ended with a twist. Wepukhulu, frustrated and humiliated, quit teaching.
“That’s how racism and language barriers drove him out of the teaching profession,” Nafula said.
He eventually found a new path working in a nursing home, far from the high school classroom. “Pick your careers wisely, guys,” she advised.
Nafula also shared her own experience, revealing that despite having a Masters of Arts in Education from a US university, she left teaching due to cultural challenges and anger management issues among students.
She now thrives professionally in healthcare, proving that sometimes survival and success require flexibility and reinvention.