What inspired you to go abroad?
After the pandemic, learning behind my desk was no longer enticing. From the hours of online instruction and Zoom calls with teachers, I ironically began to see the true value behind face-to-face meetings and in-person classrooms.
What I was experiencing as “learning” was not tangible and easily replicable. The scent of the air, the feeling of pens jotting down notes, taking notes rapidly, and listening to a one-time lecture. These experiences, which made learning unforgettable, were lived and felt, a feeling that being there in real life could only bring about.
My inspiration for going abroad was simply to be there, gain knowledge, and learn while engaging all my senses. The difference in environment, the new languages to learn, and the immersion in a foreign culture were factors that could never be replicated in any place and were unique to the location of my travels.
That newness opened doors for more than knowledge, but awareness, one that I have always craved. If learning is about pushing beyond my comfort zone, then staying at home was one aspect I also had to expand. Going abroad is invigorating and revitalizing, making experiences irreplaceable and life-changing.
Why did you choose International Medical Aid (IMA)?
I came across IMA through internet searches for medical internships abroad. I found their prioritization of service and scholarship through learning especially unique.
Throughout the interview process and before I even arrived, IMA was constantly reaching out to me via email to outline my program placements, what to expect, advice on booking flights, how to manage my travel visa, and other reminders to keep me on track.
With it being my first time in a program like this, their care and sincere efforts to help keep me informed and up to date were very meaningful and promising. The actual opportunities which this program had were very diverse, ranging through all the departments at the partnering hospital, and the flexibility to sign up for more departments than the ones interns are officially placed in.
I found it wonderful and very true to the purpose of the program, which was to explore different medical specialties, not to be limited to the ones that you choose preliminarily. Overall, this program encompassed a lot of opportunities in a very organized way.
What was your favorite part of Mombasa?
I have never traveled to Kenya before and did not know what to expect, but I was warmly welcomed by its kindness.
Mombasa, in particular, was a wonderful host city during my stay. I appreciate how welcoming the people were and how willing they were to introduce us to their culture and city. When at the beach or at the mall, the people were always easy to communicate with and always had smiles on their faces.
My favorite aspect had to be how close-knit Mombasa is. The city gives a family-like energy and is built on sympathetic people who are each willing to listen and hear what you have to say. Even as a foreigner, I felt at ease and at home in Mombasa.
Sunset at Masai Mara
What made your experience abroad extraordinary?
The service at the IMA residency and their trips and tours, which they offered, were truly extraordinary. I took part in the Masai Mara Safari, which they offered, which was a 3-night tour where we covered Nairobi National Park, an elephant orphanage, and the Masai Mara.
Not only seeing, but learning and being immersed in the Masai culture and understanding how we, as tourists, are in the animals' home territory was a wonderful perspective shift, which I have never felt before on other tours. It really encapsulated how different being abroad was from being at home, because at home, I would never have viewed nature this way.
This really summed up why my experience abroad was so extraordinary because it shifted my perspective in many ways, but all adding up together, allowed me to come home with a different level of gratitude and a new way of seeing things, which I could have never learned, only experienced and internalized.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
The service at the IMA residency was what really brought it all together for me. I never had to worry about my laundry, food, or room service, which really allowed me to focus on my internship and process the day’s events at the hospital. I do not eat beef, so I told the staff the day I arrived about this restriction, and whenever they would serve beef, the staff would always have an alternative for me to eat, which was so well prepared and tasted delicious.
The house cleaning staff would always clean our rooms when we were away at the hospital and take care of our laundry for our scrubs as well. Our bus drivers were top-notch and always came on time to pick us from the hospital and take us to tours, clinics, and the airport. I felt at ease and very secure whenever in the residence and never had to worry about anything with the IMA staff and their support.
What's one thing you wish you would have done differently during your time abroad?
I do wish I explored more of Mombasa instead of staying at the residence as much as I did. While the residence was great, being in the city would have probably added even more to my experience, especially since Mombasa has great nightlife and lots of events and entertainment as well.
I also wish I attended more of the tours that IMA offered weekly, but since I was usually taking up an afternoon shift or resting before a night shift, I opted out of many. It is definitely about striking a balance between outings and getting more intern hours, and I chose to prioritize the hospital experience, but I definitely do wish I had taken some time off to just be out and about, taking in more of the social aspect of being abroad, not just the educational part.
Describe what a typical day in your life abroad looked like.
I would wake up around 8 in the morning and get ready to go out for the day. I would sit for breakfast and catch up with other interns, hopping on the bus afterwards to head to the hospital.
Once at the hospital, I would put on any needed cover, such as shoe covers or hairnets, and then go check in with the doctors who were in the office that day. I would spend the next five hours doing my tasks for the department, and then I would head over to the bus to go home and eat lunch. If I had an afternoon shift that day, I would eat lunch at the hospital and head over to my second shift. Otherwise, I would be back at the residence and attend any afternoon meetings that we had going on.
If I had a night shift that night, I would sleep after the meetings, come out for dinner, and then head to the hospital for the night after packing some light snacks and coffee. If I did not have a night shift, I would either go out with friends to the mall for some shopping or dinner, and then come back to shower and get ready for the night.
Nyali Beach Camel Ride
What did you enjoy doing during your free time abroad?
During my free time, I would usually go to the beach or go out for food with other interns. The group I hung out with usually went to the beach, where they had a small flea market and other activities, such as jet skiing. I really enjoyed the scenery, taking a seat by the beach to read or rest with other interns. It was a great way to cool down and just talk about our days and lives, and it definitely bonded us closer together.
When not at the beach, I usually go to the nearby Promenade Mall. There were tons of restaurants and shopping places there, and the most visited dinner spot I went to was CJs. I went shopping for clothes, merchandise, and bracelets here, which is something I enjoy doing whenever I am abroad, so it was great that such a place was so easily accessible here.
What type of accommodation did you have? What did you like best about it?
My accommodation was a room in a residence. It had one bunk bed and one regular bed with a large closet and bathroom. My room was very home-like and cozy, which made it easy for me to get closer to my roommates since we were not very spread out. I liked how big our closet space was since we had lots of room for everyone to put their items, especially with three roommates, which could get crowded at times.
There were also large windows that the staff opened to let fresh air in, and the air conditioning and fan were very accessible and easy to use as well. My room also shared a wall with the residence kitchen, which made it very easy to get food in the morning and snacks during the night since we were close to the fridge.
We also had mosquito nets surrounding our beds, with one large net covering the bunk bed and one large net covering the single bed. Both were very easy to use and definitely kept flies out during the night. The beds themselves were very comfortable, and the sheets were always clean and provided good coverage. I liked the mosquito nets the best because I thought they were a very easy way to cover for the nights when I ran out of my own mosquito repellent, and when needing extra reinforcement in general.
What is one thing every future participant should know about your program before their program begins?
Every future participant should know that this program is very surreal and definitely exposes you to a lot of topics and aspects of life that you would not come to terms with so closely at home. Some aspects of the hospital reveal a lot about the everyday life in Mombasa for certain people, and processing that can be difficult, especially if you have not been exposed to it back at home.
Before being part of this wonderful organization, every participant should be interested and be ready for a full immersion in the medical world, taking each experience with gratitude and medically, for the most part, but still understanding that economic and cultural differences will be present and should be accounted for as a large part of the program experience.
This program is not only about interning at a hospital, but it is life-changing in many other ways.
Would you recommend Global Health & Pre-Medicine Internships? Why?
I would definitely recommend this program to others because of how unique it is in what it teaches and allows you to experience. IMA opened my eyes in ways that simply reading the news online or watching videos could not achieve.
My perspective broadened in so many ways, which I am so grateful for, but are also so unique to the experiences I had within the program and the host city. Put together, IMA is such a special opportunity to expand your horizons and become more culturally and socially aware under the comfort of a wonderful staff and surveillance.
There is nothing to worry about in terms of safety and security, and the staff is very informative and thorough, so you’ll never be left with doubt or without reassurance. If interested in going abroad, this is a great program to stick with.
Cheetah at Masai Mara
What do you feel the biggest benefit of traveling abroad is?
At home, the same culture and way of life continue throughout each day. When traveling abroad, that foundation changes.
Becoming part of something that lays the basis for the entire day, but it is completely different from home, is special and a vulnerable moment that truly opens your eyes to much more than staying in your home city does. You taste new flavors, hear new music, and wear different clothes. You learn new mannerisms and greetings which become customary after practice.
Traveling abroad changes you from your morning habits to your most basic thoughts, making you confront a lot of truths you hold for yourself. The lived experiences that come with these programs are irreplaceable, one-of-a-kind, and truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Now that you're home, how has your time abroad impacted your life?
After being abroad and coming home, I have started to listen more rather than talk. Being abroad not only exposed me to Kenyan culture, which I was learning about, but also to a new set of interns from all across the world. They each have such diverse perspectives and meaningful stories that illustrate their journey to where they stand now, and I am so grateful to have listened to and understood them as people, not just interns.
At home, I smile at more people, wave to more people, and give fistbumps and high fives more often than I did before because I realized how important it was to show, not just tell, others that you have their back. In the hospital, after long procedures, doctors would laugh, high-five, and sing along to music together.
The community built in such rooms is unique to what the group just experienced, and I think that is such a beautiful place to be and to share with others. I would definitely say being abroad has strengthened my sense of community and collaboration with people back at home, and I have never felt more grateful to see such a connection more clearly.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Travel becomes meaningful when you allow yourself to experience learning. Not learning in the traditional, textbook sense, but learning from your day-to-day events, actions, and happenings.
Romanticizing the newness of your situations, taking pictures and documenting short stories throughout your day, it all lies in how much you are willing to change your perspective. By doing these small actions and looking forward to the next hour, you are subconsciously calling yourself out for doing and experiencing something new, which adds to the thrill and joy of not being the same.
Learning moves you forward, from one point to another, and by shifting your perspective and allowing yourself to immerse into your daily actions and call attention to what is different and how you can take this back to your own life, aligning these merging themes allows you to learn while simply just being yourself, just in a different place.
I think travel reveals a lot about oneself and allows you to see how you think and behave on a much deeper level. The beauty for me lies in the fact that travel is foreign and hard to predict, but that is what makes the learning stick because the experiences are not scripted and meant to be memorized—they’re meant to be lived and made in the moment by yourself.
