The Dating Game

John Njoroge

By Megan Malugani

Globetrotter John Njoroge (pronounced Jarojee) was born in Nairobi, Kenya, attended school in London, and moved to the United States nine years ago. “I’d always wanted to experience the States,” says the good-natured John. “I know it sounds strange since I grew up in Kenya, but my dad was a huge country music fan and my mom was into the Motown sound. That gave me a romantic view of America. I thought it was all swing and cowboys,” he says. John found that wasn’t exactly the case when he spent his first several years in the U.S. in Boston and Miami, working for Enterprise Rent-A-Car. He finally ended up in Rochester five years ago (“the smallest town I have ever lived in”) and made a career change. Only recently did he take a road trip that validated his earliest expectations of the States. “I drove to the Badlands in South Dakota two months ago, and that was what my picture of America was growing up.”

Bio Box: John Njoroge

Age: 30. (“I’m still in denial. As far as I’m concerned I’m 27 with three years of experience,” John says.)

Occupation: Account executive for the Rochester Post-Bulletin.

Languages He Speaks: English (with a touch of a British accent), Swahili (a mix of Arab and African languages), and Kikuyu (his indigenous African language).

Family: John’s mom is in England getting her master’s degree and his dad is back in Kenya tending the family farm. His younger brother attends Winona State University, and one of his cousins, a Mayo Clinic employee, also lives in Rochester. “We get together once in awhile and have Kenya nights. We play Kenyan music and speak anything but English.”

Interests Outside Of Work: Traveling (including frequent weekend getaways to Chicago, Wisconsin Dells, and friends’ cabins). Playing pool. Playing basketball. Playing and watching soccer on TV (when the World Cup is on John gets up at 2 a.m. to watch the matches). Cooking meals that mix ingredients from the three continents on which he’s lived. Keeping up on world events by watching the BBC and reading
publications like The Week.

On The Rochester Dating Scene: “It’s nonexistent, or at least tough. A lot of people come to Rochester for career reasons and are very focused on what they’re here for and then plan to move. It’s complicated.”

Favorite Hangouts: Redwood Room, Whiskey Bones, Kathy’s, Whistle Binkies South, Gilligan’s. “I go everywhere depending on my mood.”

Favorite Area Date Idea: Horseback riding in Winona.
Best Rochester date under $20: Renting a canoe or paddleboat at Silver Lake and cruising the water for an hour. “It’s a good time, plus you get a workout.”

Winter Dating: John is learning to tolerate Minnesota winters, but bone-chilling temperatures are still a challenge. “A good winter date would mean checking out what came in from Netflix and ordering a pizza,” John says. The date could get pretty hot—literally. “I have my house set at 80, plus I use the fireplace. My energy bills over the winter are ridiculous.”