What inspired you to travel abroad?
As a child, I had the opportunity to travel to many countries and states with my entire family, all thanks to my grandparents. Because of this, I gained a love for travel and adventure at a young age. Therefore, when I went to college, I knew I wanted to study abroad at some point.
Both of my parents had great experiences abroad during their college years and had encouraged both my brother and me to study abroad. However, I quickly realized this would not be feasible during the normal school year as my nursing program is very fast-paced. Hence, I had to get creative to pursue this goal during my college years.
Following my junior year in my nursing program, I knew I wanted to get a nursing internship to gain experience. However, I also wanted to find an internship that would get me out of Texas, in order to see what healthcare was like elsewhere.
After traveling with my family during my childhood, I always knew I wanted to go to Africa, specifically on some sort of medical mission. As a result, I found myself looking into nursing intern programs abroad. When I found International Medical Aid, it was a perfect fit, and the rest is history.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid (IMA)?
I had always wanted to visit Africa from a young age because its culture had always drawn me in. Once I had decided on pursuing a nursing internship abroad, I looked into programs in various African countries.
Once I found IMA, I knew I had found the best program for me. I chose IMA because of the cultural, medical, and educational experiences they offer, the lengths they go to in order to keep us safe, and the communication efforts they use to answer any and all questions.
These were all promises they made before I even applied, and they held true through the entirety of my program, and even now as alumni. As I am now writing a raving review of my own, the reviews I read before applying all make so much more sense to me.
What was your favorite part about Mombasa, Kenya?
I get asked this question a lot when I am talking about my internship from this past summer, and my answer never changes. The people and the culture of the country of Kenya, specifically Mombasa, are unmatched.
From the second you step foot off the plane, people are kind to you. I remember feeling overwhelmed with the kindness I received during my time in Mombasa, and with how willing the community was to share their culture.
One moment that stood out to me was during my first week of rotations. I was in the community care clinic where many of the people spoke in Swahili to their providers. There was one patient who came in while the doctor I shadowed was getting another pen from the next room.
While I was sitting with the patient in the office, the patient wanted to know where I was from, why I was there, and asked other basic questions. Once I had told them I had only been in Kenya for 4 days, the patient gasped and asked if I was fluent in Swahili yet. When I said no, they gave me a short Swahili lesson to get through any basic conversation.
I never saw that patient again, but I did use their phrases on a daily basis and still think about them to this day. Occurrences like this happened frequently, both in and out of the hospital. The generosity of the community was incredible and remains my favorite part of my host country.
Me and Javan, aka the coolest friend I'll ever have!
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
International Medical Aid is a very competitive program, and for good reason. IMA attracts the most interesting, adventurous, and dynamic group of interns. The energy of that group was unmatched, and I made some of my favorite friends during my time with IMA. Whether we were going to the hospital for our shifts, driving for long distances to a community educational session, or exploring Mombasa during our free time, it was always an adventure.
I had never met people who were so down to go explore and make the most of every second of every day. We were always moving and taking advantage of opportunities, either IMA created for us or we created for ourselves, so I felt as though I made the most of my time in Mombasa, making memories I will never forget.
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
I will sing the praises of the local staff any and every day. They took care of everything and more for us to make us the most comfortable and focused on our internships as much as possible. If it weren’t for the program staff, I would have had so many daily tasks that would have taken up time I spent making memories.
The staff did our laundry daily. Not only would they take your laundry basket full of clothes from your room to wash and dry your clothes daily, but they would fold the clothes and place them onto your bed by the time you arrived back from your afternoon activity. They even went as far as noticing when our shoes would get dirty and wash them for us without us even asking.
The kitchen staff put the same care into their meals. We had breakfast, lunch, and dinner made for us every single day. Not only would the staff make Kenyan classics, like ugali, chapati, and beef pilau, but they would also make American classics like chicken nuggets and pancakes, as well as Asian and Italian-inspired meals.
They would always make sure there was something for everyone to eat, as they made different dishes for those with dietary restrictions. Every morning, they would make fresh eggs to order, and every meal time, they would make fresh fruit juice. If an intern fell ill, the kitchen staff would bring them a plate filled with more bland foods to help their stomach.
My favorite meal the kitchen staff made was our Fourth of July feast when they took all of the dining tables out into the yard and made a feast that resembled Thanksgiving dinner with a Kenyan flair. The best part was the dessert table with a variety of 7 or 8 different desserts, one of which was an American Flag Cake.
There was also cleaning staff assigned to each room, so you would come home to your room to see that your bed had been made and the entire room had been scrubbed clean. They would even go as far as to line up your shoes to tidy the place up when needed.
Because the program keeps us so busy all around Mombasa, we needed transportation. That was where the transportation team came in. They drove all the interns to and from the hospital on a daily basis, would come pick us up in the middle of the night if we needed to go to the hospital, and would drive us to all the IMA-planned events.
They would let the interns play their music on our drives, but would also show us their music when we asked. I would always sit at the front of the bus on the way to activities or hospital rotations so I could talk to whoever was driving.
In doing so, I had the opportunity to get to know each of the drivers personally. I got to know which street vendor they bought their sugar cane from, how old their children were, and what they would paint on their matatu if they drove one.
In particular, there was one driver named Javan whom I befriended early on. I turned him into a Swiftie, although he would never admit it, and he would talk to me about his kiddo and what life was like as a local in Mombasa. He even stayed overtime to make sure he was the one to drive me to the airport when I left the program, even though he had been driving all night. I will forever be grateful I got to meet him and make such a cool friend, even if he is thousands of miles away.
Finally, there were the program mentors, who were our in-country support for literally anything we needed. They would help guide us through our schedules, tell us where to be, and give us instructions on what we should be doing.
They kept the interns organized, on task, and busy. They would even go as far as to make sure we were awake in the morning if they knew we were heavy sleepers. Without them, the interns would have been so lost. Not only would the staff members work alongside us during their shifts, but they would hang out with the interns as well.
On the Fourth of July, we got to share American culture with the local staff as we created a bunch of fun activities to celebrate the Fourth abroad. The local staff stayed late to eat dinner with us, dance with us, and just get to know us. It was one of the most fun nights of my entire experience. The staff were not just staff, they were also our friends.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I had to think for a long time about this question, because there was not much I would have done differently. The only thing I could think of was that I wish I had done more night shift rotations, because those were the rotations where I learned the most.
During the day, the hospital is busy and crowded with people trying to get care for themselves or a loved one. However, during the night the hospital is quiet and extremely productive as the healthcare workers are solely focused on treating patients rather than crowd control.
Therefore, the doctors would have more time to teach us and talk with us about patient conditions and why they were receiving certain treatments. Other than wishing I had done more night shift rotations, I honestly would not have done a single thing differently while I was there.
Me with the sweetest, cuddliest baby at the hospital!
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
A typical weekday as an IMA intern began at 7 am when you woke up. Breakfast was served at 7:30 am, and the bus would take you to your hospital shift at either 8 am or 8:45 am, depending on which bus shift you were in.
While at the hospital, your tasks varied based on your internship. Because I was going into my senior year of nursing school, I was able to help the nurses under direct supervision. That’s why, my tasks included changing linens, taking vitals, doing assessments, giving medications (not opioids or blood), inserting IVs, and drawing blood. I would also provide comfort to patients who were scared, hold the hands of moms in labor, and try non-pharmacological pain management techniques we learned in school.
If I were in the pediatric ward or NICU, I might help with feeding the babies if the mother was not available. At 1:00 or 1:45, depending on when you returned to the hospital, the bus would arrive to take you back to your residence. Lunch would be ready by the time you arrived at the residence and would last until 3 pm.
Afternoon activities took place from 4 to 5 pm, give or take, depending on the activity. Afternoon activities included lectures about the healthcare system in Kenya and cultural treks to local sites like the cultural center, spice market, and community-made areas to see animals. It also included trips to places out in Mombasa, like the grocery store or gelato shop, and community outreach activities like the dental hygiene and hand washing clinics, feminine hygiene clinics, and mental health clinics.
Once back at the residence, dinner was served typically at 6 pm, and then the interns had free time after that. Depending on the day, the interns would go out into Mombasa and explore or hang out with the other interns at the residence.
During my time living in the residence, we would play games that included all of the interns, like Pictionary, team games, and a different version of hide and seek. On weeknights, curfew was at 10 pm as we had to be up the next day to go to the hospital at 7 am.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
During my time living in the residence, the group of interns was very adventurous. So, we would check out local nightlife, restaurants, dessert places, and movie theaters. If we were tired, we would hang out by the pool at the residence or in the common areas, such as the living room.
IMA has a ton of games that we would play from time to time, but the group of interns I did my internship with liked playing games involving all of the interns who wanted to join. We would play cards, Pictionary, a different version of hide-and-seek, and basic birthday party games like the fishbowl.
It was never a dull moment during our free time. My favorite memory was when all of the interns rented out a pirate ship for a farewell party for the group of interns that was leaving at the end of the week. This was no ordinary pirate ship, though. It was run by a nice restaurant in Mombasa.
While on this pirate ship, we were served a fancy four-course meal and danced to live music played on board. It was one of the most fun nights we had during our time at IMA, and I was so glad I got to share it with all the interns who were there that week.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
The residence was extremely nice. It was a gated residence within a gated community in one of the safest neighborhoods in Mombasa. It had communal dining and living room areas and a pool for the interns to hang out. The property itself was beautiful with well-kept landscaping and grassy areas.
There were two main houses on the property, as well as a smaller structure that had the office in it, on site in case we had any questions or concerns for the staff. The rooms were very nice and clean, shared among 2-5 roommates.
There were different room layouts, so some rooms had their own living room area and kitchenette with a fridge, whereas others just had the bedroom and attached bathroom. Each room has a bathroom attached to the bedroom. All of the bathrooms have a nice shower or a bathtub/shower combo.
The beds are either queen, twin, or bunk beds, and all have mosquito nets hung above them. There is air conditioning that is controlled by each room at night, but mainly the windows in the rooms stay open so wind can pass through and naturally cool the room down. Otherwise, there are fans in the rooms.
My favorite part about the residence was the pool. We used the pool almost every night, and it was a great place just to sit, talk, relax, and cool off after a busy day. Some of my favorite memories were made at the pool with my friends.
What I liked best about the residence was the community aspect to it. I felt like it was set up for interns to hang out and make memories, while also feeling comfortable and safe.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
You will be very busy the entirety of your internship. The program has lots of activities scheduled for you to do, and even in your free time, there is so much to do that you should take advantage of. The best memories I made were from the random activities I said “yes” to.
Even if you are tired, I would recommend going on the optional cultural treks provided by IMA, planning fun intern events, and participating in whatever activity the interns come up with to pass their free time at night. If you take advantage of every opportunity offered to you, the program will be exponentially more memorable as you will have so many memories to look back on.
Though IMA sets you up for success in your internship, providing you with not only educational and cultural experiences, there are also moments where you should take the opportunity to create your own opportunities during your free time to make the experience personalized to you. That’s what will make this program even more extraordinary than it already is.
Smiling with some of the best fellow interns—grateful for the friendships and memories we made during the program
Would you recommend International Medical Aid (IMA) to others? Why?
Absolutely, and I already have. I have prospective interns reach out to me on a weekly basis via email, phone, text, and Instagram DMs. I respond to all of them and answer any questions they may have that I am qualified to answer. The main thing I get asked is, “Is it worth it?” My answer to that question is yes, 110%.
My experience with International Medical Aid was life-changing, and I miss it every day. During my time with IMA, I gained a new perspective on healthcare, both abroad and in the United States, formed memories for a lifetime through new experiences, and made some of the best new friends.
It only strengthened my sense of adventure, and I never wanted to leave. In fact, I was on the phone with my dad 3 hours before my flight, begging to change it to a later flight to have just one more day at IMA.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
There are so many benefits of traveling abroad, from the new experiences, experiencing a new culture, trying new foods and activities, meeting new people, and learning. However, I think the biggest benefit of traveling abroad for me was learning and experiencing a new culture with my new friends while we worked alongside each other, helping the community.
In doing this, I really began to appreciate life for what it is and fully immerse myself in my internship.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
This internship has impacted my life in so many ways to count. After coming back home, I realized my sense of adventure had been heightened, and I began to pursue my next adventure because of it.
I gained a new perspective on healthcare and the way we do things in the United States after interning in a hospital with an extreme need for workers and resources. I gained experience in truly listening to patients and understanding what they needed from me as a nurse intern.
I also better appreciate the impact even small acts of kindness can have on those in need and those working to help the community alongside me. I realized the true meaning of teamwork and friendship when working with the other interns.
My internship with IMA truly opened my eyes to the world, providing me with a new way of interpreting life as it comes at me. And for that, I will forever be grateful.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
To me, meaningful travel means going to a place with the intention of contributing goodness to it. Whether that means going on a medical internship and performing CPR on a patient who is coding, or being kind to a stranger in a local marketplace on a family vacation.
Traveling meaningfully, whether that be to the next town over or across the world, means going and helping others where you see a need. It means experiencing a new culture and sharing it with those back home to raise cultural humility in each community you encounter.
It means learning as you go and finding a way around the roadblocks of your destination. I think any travel can be meaningful if approached in this manner. I am so lucky that I got to experience travel that went beyond the definition of meaningful through my internship at International Medical Aid.
