What inspired you to travel abroad?
I love to travel whenever I can, and going abroad allows me to immerse myself within another culture and expand my view of the world. I was supposed to study abroad as part of my scholarship at Texas A&M, but the onset of COVID prevented me from being able to fit a study abroad opportunity into my course load.
When I was searching around for internship opportunities for the summer, I found International Medical Aid and their internships abroad. From the moment I read their mission statement, I knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid?
As a pre-med student, I wanted to find an internship opportunity that would allow me to learn the ins and outs of medicine. When I found International Medical Aid's website, I was very intrigued. Being able to observe different medical fields in an environment that lacks many of the resources that you would find in the United States sounded like a great opportunity for me to experience medicine at its most basic. Along with being able to travel to another country, it sounded like the perfect opportunity for me.
What was your favorite part about Kenya?
It's hard to pick just one favorite thing about Kenya. I could go on and on about the Kenyan cuisine, or the beautiful countryside views, or the hustle and bustle of the public sectors. If I had to choose just one thing to rave about in Kenya, though, it would be the people.
From the moment I set foot in Mombasa to the moment I departed, I always felt welcome. I can't say enough about how kind the people of Kenya are, and how truly special the country as a whole is. The impact that the people of Kenya made on me is something that I still hold in my heart to this day.
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
From the stunning beaches of Mombasa to the breathtaking views of Marafa-Hell's Kitchen, one of the most extraordinary parts of my journey was the natural beauty that Kenya holds. Another valuable aspect of my journey was being able to dive into the culture of Kenya. Whether it was Fort Jesus, Haller Park, or the Gedi Ruins, being able to learn the history of the people of Kenya broadened my horizons and made me appreciate the world for what it is.
The most extraordinary aspect of my trip to Kenya has to be the knowledge I gained from my time interning at the hospital. The sheer amount of cases that I hadn't been exposed to previously allowed me to gain valuable insight into how different diseases need to be approached.
In the canyon
How did the local program staff support you throughout your program?
The local staff made me feel at home throughout my entire stay in Kenya. My program mentors always made sure to keep me up to date about what was going on, always made sure I was feeling alright and comfortable, and always responded to any inquiries I had during my stay.
The kitchen staff did an excellent job of making food that was culturally significant to Kenya, allowing me to further delve into the culture myself. The cleaning staff were always very friendly, making sure I was feeling healthy while keeping my room tidy. The transportation staff included some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life, and I'm glad to call them my friends.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I wish I would have gone outside of the residence and explored the city of Mombasa more. My days in the hospital always left me feeling tired, so I would spend my free time resting and hanging out with the other interns.
Looking back, I wish I would have taken a couple more days to go out into the city and learn more about Kenya. I wish I would have talked to more people and learned about their lifestyle. While my experiences in Kenya were invaluable, they could have been even more so had I taken the time to explore.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I would wake up early in the morning to shower and get ready for my day at the hospital. After grabbing a quick breakfast, I would get on the bus and ride for about 25 minutes to Coast General Teaching and Referral Hospital. At the hospital, I would spend 4-5 hours shadowing medical professionals in fields ranging from Radiology to Pediatrics to Surgery.
After this time, the interns would ride back to the residence where we would grab lunch. After lunch, we discussed our days in our respective rotations, talking about specific cases we were able to observe. Some days, we would take a cultural trek after this time. These cultural treks allowed us to learn more about the history of Kenya and how this history affects the people of Kenya today. We would return to the residence after these treks and have free time to either relax or go into the city of Mombasa.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time abroad?
Some of my fondest memories of Kenya are going out into the city of Mombasa with the other interns. Some days we would go to a local soccer field and play with the locals. Other days we would go to the beach, taking time to appreciate the innate beauty of the Indian Ocean.
My favorite free time activities were the weekend trips to Diani beach, where some of the other interns and I would go on a hike and then relax in the sand. It was these days that allowed me to take time and reflect on how fortunate I was to be there in that place and time.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
International Medical Aid provided apartment-style hotel accommodations with a dedicated security staff. What I liked best about this type of accommodation was the community-style living that it provided. I was able to get to know the other interns relatively quickly, and being able to spend time with them throughout the day was a highlight of my trip.
There was always something going on at the residence, and I never felt as though there was nothing to do. Whenever I wanted to do something out in the city, the other interns were always right there to ask to join me.
Weekend Clinic
What is one thing every future participant should know about the Pre-Med/Health Fellowship before their program begins?
I would say to take your time in learning about the different aspects of Kenya, and don't be afraid to talk to others early on. What truly makes a trip abroad special is the people you spend your time with. Whether it's the people of Kenya or the other interns in the program, make sure you get to know who you're spending your time with early on. It's something I wish I had done earlier, and once I became friends with the people around me, my experience became truly special.
Would you recommend International Medical Aid to others? Why?
I would absolutely recommend International Medical Aid to others. For those looking for an experience to gain some valuable insight in a variety of different medical fields while also immersing yourself within another culture, International Medical Aid is definitely the program to choose.
Speaking from experience, the total package that International Medical Aid offers in comparison to similar programs is far and away the best option. With a dedicated cooking and cleaning staff, a dedicated security team, and helpful and insightful program mentors, International Medical Aid offers the most valuable experience possible.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
I think the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is discovering things about yourself and about the world that you didn't know before. When you stay in the same place for too long and you don't have challenging experiences, I find that you become complacent in your lifestyle and your viewpoints on life. Traveling abroad helps to break you out of your shell of comfort, providing experiences that will leave a lasting impact on you in the long-run. It was only when I left Kenya that I knew how valuable my experience truly was.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
My time in Kenya has left a large imprint on my views of the world and life itself. I've learned to truly appreciate the opportunities I've been given in this life, as there are many others out there that have been dealt worse hands.
I've learned how much communication is important both socially and in the field of medicine, and my time in Kenya has allowed me to see how I can improve in that area. Most of all, my time in Kenya further sparked my passion for medicine, and now I'm 100% sure that medicine is something I want to practice for the rest of my life.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is not only encompassed by the experiences and lessons you take back home, but also the impact you leave on the people and the country you visited. Meaningful travel isn't going to a foreign country just to go there, but to experience all it has to offer.
What good does traveling do if you can't recall your experiences and feel a sense of true happiness and gratitude? I like to think my time in Kenya not only impacted me greatly, but allowed me to provide some semblance of an impact on the people that call Kenya home.
