The Kenya Internship is an Amazing Experience Worthwhile for Anyone Past Review
By Keenan W (Special Education, Western Washington University) for
Western Washington University: Traveling - International Service Learning, Kenya
Everything I said above. Yes, highly worth it. Needs to be more organized and address safety issues more adequately. This only the second year the program has been operating, so I hope it will continue and improve in the years to come.
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 1 month - 6 months |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The workload was appropriate in challenge, as was the grading system. Teaching methods were less than adequate at times, there were many times I did not feel prepared or supported enough by my professors. Educational experiences were very different than those I've had at WWU, and were highly valuable. It was one of the best learning experiences I've ever had. The student teaching experience was so valuable in showing me what I was capable of doing as a teacher in such a different social and cultural environment. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Overall the program faculty were fairly well organized and provided support services for the students to the best of their ability considering the limitations of the social, cultural, and physical environment. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I was satisfied. We were well taken care of and the accommodations were great. |
| * Food: |
The food took some getting used to, but I loved it by the time we left. No complaints. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Amazing cultural events and experiences. Highly educational and eyeopening. I gained a much better understanding of the living situations in developing countries and differing cultural norms and customs. This type of program is very important for this reason, and is the same reason why I hope it continues. Teaching in the schools was unbelievably valuable. Collaborating with the local teachers, planning for lessons with very limited materials, and teaching in culturally relevant and appropriate ways were all things that made the experience amazing and invaluable. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The nature of Kenya's social norms, infrastructure, and natural environment pose risks to safety that I felt should have been addressed more adequately and planned for before arriving we arrived in our host country. There are a lot of risks a student takes when participating in a program such as this, and they need to be well educated about the risks before hand. |
| 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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Language
| If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition? |
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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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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Get educated about the lifestyle, cultural norms, natural environment, populated infrastructure, and health and safety risks before deciding if you really want to go. This is an experience that will push you out of your comfort zone, so be prepared to be VERY stressed at times. Be as conscious as possible of differing cultural norms as well, what seems obvious or harmless to you may be considered an insult or mistake by someone from such a different culture. I encourage you to go all the same, but get mentally prepared for the experience. |
