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Location
  • Kenya
Length
1 - 2 weeks
Program Categories
Cultural Immersion Study Abroad
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding
Health & Safety
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Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Timeframe
Summer
Housing
Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Starting Price
2000
Oct 25, 2021
Jun 15, 2018
Wish List
7 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

This two-week summer program is designed for students who want to get a flavor of Kenya by immersing themselves directly into the local culture. With a focus on Wildlife Conservation, you will have the opportunity to understand the issues, hear from leaders on how to innovate, and experience wildlife firsthand. Participate in a unique leadership-training course alongside cultural exploration activities. You will live with a host family for the duration of Global Prep in Kenya. By spending time with your family in the evenings and on weekends, you will have the opportunity to further improve your language learning and learn about local cultures. This immersion offers a unique way to skyrocket your learning by placing it in immediate context. Your learning will not be limited to books, but rather will be a part of every aspect of your life throughout your two weeks in Kenya.

This program is currently not being promoted on Go Overseas by its provider. Check with AFS-USA for the most up-to-date information regarding the status of this program.

Video and Photos

Bracelets made in Kenya
Members of the Maasai tribe
Kenyan children

Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

AFS-USA is committed to providing international and intercultural learning experiences to individuals from diverse backgrounds and communities, including mixed heritage, foreign nationalities, and all socio-economic levels.
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LGBTQIA+ Support

AFS-USA welcomes members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and actively encourages and supports their participation in all types of AFS opportunities, including studying abroad, volunteering, and hosting exchange students.
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Accessibility Support

AFS-USA is committed to practicing and promoting accessibility and inclusion.
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Program Highlights

  • Explore national parks and visit wildlife reservations
  • Tour bustling urban centers such as downtown Nairobi
  • Stay with a host family for a few days and experience warm Kenyan hospitality
  • Meet with members of the semi-nomadic Maasai tribe
  • Visit an orphanage and join in fun, cultural activities with local children

Program Reviews

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Jeff
25
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

AFS Global Prep- Not just a trip to Africa

Jun 15, 2018

I applied for the AFS Global Prep Kenya Trip the moment I first heard about it. I knew it would be a great experience but little did I know how much it would really change my life.

This is not just a fun summer trip where you see animals on safari. No, it is so much more than that. This program immerges you into the Kenyan culture, introduces a new and completely unfamiliar world, and shows you the wilds of Africa all at the same time. It’s not just about feeding giraffes or petting baby elephants, it’s about learning the real ness of animal conservation in Africa today. This program showed me the realities of threatened species and the conservation efforts that are helping to save them. This program lets you interact and meet conservationalists from around the world who dedicate themselves to saving the world’s most iconic species. Aside from the animals, living with a host family in a country like Kenya is something I will cherish forever. It allowed me to truly understand the Kenyan way of life. I made some incredible friends that I consider to be my family members. We still keep in close touch even after two years apart.

Going back isn’t just a ‘maybe,’ it’s a 100 percent certainty. I am determined and hopeful that I can one day return to Kenya and reunite with my new friends and family. I highly recommend this program to anyone who has wanderlust, anyone who wants to experience an entirely new culture, and anyone who wants to change the way they see the world.

What would you improve about this program?
Although two weeks was amazing, I wish it was much longer!
50 people found this review helpful.
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AFS Kenya Global Prep- Jeff Hyer
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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Jeff Hyer

Program
AFS Global Prep Program in Kenya - Wildlife Conservation Focus
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Why did you choose this program?

I always dreamed of going to Africa. With a passion for animal conservation that started at a very young age, I started to do some research for a summer program involving travel, wildlife conservation, and cultural immersion. Experiencing the wilds of Africa at my young age seemed far out of reach until I discovered the AFS Global Prep Kenya trip. I sprung on the opportunity, applied, was accepted, and immediately started packing my suitcase!

What did your program provider assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

The program is run by AFS-USA. This organization had several representatives at my high school. Traveling to Africa can be a bit more challenging to prepare for compared to other places in the world, but AFS walks you through the steps. They organize what is required of you before your adventure. Receiving a visa in advanced, getting required vaccinations, and the program itinerary are all steps they walk you through.

The program starts at JFK airport, so students who don't live in NYC have to organize their own flights to this airport on the program start date.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

You are going to experience an entirely new world. Things you notice might not be what you're used to. Just know that whatever you see is not right, not wrong; it’s just different. You will adapt to the lifestyle quickly as long as you have a positive and excitable attitude. Experiencing this new place and way of life will benefit you forever.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

This program is two weeks in length. Four nights of this duration are with a host family that will invite you into the ultimate cultural immersion.

Most of the days are spent waking up at a hostel or hotel with the AFS group and embarking to new places around Kenya. One day it might be feeding giraffes at the Giraffe Centre, or seeing baby elephants at David Sheldrick's Elephant Orphanage. Another might be spent driving through the spectacular Maasai Mara National Reserve. Each day is new, exciting, and amazing in every way!

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I suppose my biggest fear for this trip was spending four days and nights with a completely unfamiliar family on the other side of the world. You know their names and short bios before your stay, but you don't really know what you're getting into.

In the end, it was spectacular. I had a great experience bonding with my new family. Each household is different with a wide variety of characters living within it! The other students on the trip agree that this ended up being one of the best parts of the trip. I truly got to understand the way of life in East Africa, and I can't wait to reunite with my family one day!

How was it like travelling to Africa?

Africa might feel like a world away. It might seem like it's impossible to travel to and go on a real life safari but let me tell you, it is very much so possible. Once you arrive and feel the African sun, it becomes a reality that you – YES, YOU – are living the African travel dream!

I am forever grateful for the AFS Global Prep Kenya trip for introducing me to this new world and sparking my new found love for East Africa. I most definitely plan to return to this place and reunite with my new friends and family. I got to see animal conservation on a real world level and live my travel dream! So can you.

Location

Location:
Kenya
Currency:
Kenyan Shilling
Weather:
Jan-Mar
79 F / 54 F
Apr-Jun
75 F / 52 F
Jul-Sep
75 F / 50 F
Oct-Dec
77 F / 55 F
Airports:
Jomo Kenyatta International
( NBO )
Moi International
( MBA )

Kenya is a middle income country, which often comes to a shock to tourists who expect to see a wildly impoverished and unruly country. Following their Independence from British colonial rule, many Kenyans started seeking business ventures alongside the growing tourism, which is even more present today. From the incredible wildlife on land and underwater, you will have a lot of activities that show you the natural beauty of Kenya.

About AFS-USA

AFS-USA (formerly the American Field Service), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a leader in intercultural learning and offers international exchange programs in more than 40 countries around the world through independent, nonprofit AFS Organizations, each with a network of volunteers, a professionally staffed office, and headed up by a...

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