A once in a lifetime experience

My experience in Kenya is one I will certainly never forget. From the outstanding staff, to making friends from all over the world; seeing elephants and giraffes, to helping improve the living conditions for less fortunate people, this experience opened my eyes to a whole new world. During my four weeks in Kenya, I stayed at a beautiful home with a welcoming family. The kids in the house kept me on my toes, and the adults provided authentic Kenyan meals.

When I wasn't at home, I was spending an average of 6 hours a day at a school called The Fountains. There, I was working alongside a teacher to help 2-4 year olds learn English. This, being my first real experience as a teacher, helped me to build up my confidence being in front of a class. I learned how different schools work in Africa, and was able to give suggestions based on what I have learned in college as an Education major.

To be honest, I was quite nervous going into this experience. I have never really left the country before, so this was a big step for me. My mother was even more worried, but those nerves got put to rest when I told her how outstanding the staff was. There are four main coordinators in Nanyuki, Kenya, and they all exceeded my expectations. This experience wouldn't have been nearly as great without their hard work, dedication, kindness, and perseverance. They were constantly catering to our needs, and making sure we had the best experience possible. They organized medical outreaches, a day to teach a kindergarden in the slums how to properly wash their hands and brush their teeth, a soccer day with an orphanage, a renovation day, and much more. We even ended up getting so close that all of the volunteers and volunteer coordinators went to dinner before we all had to leave. Overall, I would highly reccommend this experience, and push for you to choose Kenya as your destination!