Past Review
By Carolyn A (Biology, General., The College of William and Mary) for
University of Minnesota - MSID: International Development in Kenya
The best part of this program is that it really allows you to fall in love with the local people. Some of the Kenyans I met in this program are now among my closest friends. I now plan to move back to Kenya and work there for several years after I graduate.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | University of Nazarine |
| The term and year this program took place: | Spring 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
A lot of writing was required but the grading was extremely easy. Most of my teachers were really engaging and passionate about their subjects |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I lived in homestays with two different Kenyan families. For a wide variety of experience the program puts you with a host family in Nairobi for the first half and with a family in a rural town for the second half. I loved both of my families and I am still in touch with them. |
| * Food: |
Kenyan food took some getting used to since it can be very repetitive but overall I really liked it. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I did not feel safe at all at the start of the program but I got more confident as time went on. I was placed with a family in Kibera right on the edge of a massive slum. It was never safe to walk at night but I really loved walking around the area during the day. It was much more interesting and rewarding than living in a rich neighborhood. I needed a lot of vaccines for this study abroad as well as malaria prophylaxis. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?
(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost) |
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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | Everything in Kenya is much cheaper than in the United States. Try to get a feeling for how much things cost before you start bargaining for your souvenirs. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
| Language acquisition improvement? |
I dreaded learning Swahili but now I absolutely love it. I tried to use it whenever I could though it was usually not necessary. In my home stays it was very helpful because I had some family members who were not comfortable with English. |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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