Leaning native language create bond of identity Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to study abroad with School for International Training (SIT). I had a wonderful hand on laboratory experiences with Kenya Medical Research Institute and Center for Disease Control (KEMRI/CDC). The internship centre had provided effective facilities to study the prevalence of Tuberculosis and HIV in Western Kenya. If you desire hands-on educational experiences and research projects, SIT Study Abroad is one of the best programs to pursue.

On-site administration of your program

SIT Kenya program offers diverse internship opportunities for students to choose from. Each of them offers student practical learning experiences. The administration is supportive of the students' desires and ensures that students achieve their internship objectives as planned.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I am glad I was living with a host family. Such a housing arrangement has given me opportunities to get immerse into understanding how different cultural practices were influencing public health in the tropics. I had a room to myself, and I was secured. My host mum constantly checked on me and ensured that I was safe. She also ensured that all the windows and doors were closed to prevent mosquitoes from entering the rooms. I missed my host mum and host siblings!

Living with a host family has given me the best opportunity to eat Kenyan traditional cuisines. My host mum mostly prepared what I wanted to eat. My favourite was mostly Chapati (flat Kenyan tortilla type bread) with beef stew. I also love eating small sardine-like fish (Omena in Luo, Dagga in Kiswahili) with Ugali (traditional corn-like food prepared from maize flour) and sukumawiki (a type of collard greens mostly confused with kale). Host family stay has given me the best taste of Kenyan delicacies.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Through the SIT home-stay program, I had a wonderful opportunity to interact with the Luo community in Kisumu, Kenya. Since I am an African American, the community thought I was a Luo at first sight. They mostly greeted me in Luo and Kishwahili. I quickly learned to greet in both Luo and Kiswahili. I noticed that learning to speak the native languages was my best tool for cultural integration. I deeply bonded with my host family and the community. Even in my internship place, whenever I spoke in Luo or Kishwahili, everybody around laughed and wanted to engage in more conversation. I have learned that my passion for learning the native language is an active doorway to the heart of the culture.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

SIT study abroad and Birmingham-Southern College had health insurance coverage for me while studying abroad. I am so thankful for the privilege. SIT administration in Kenya adviced the students that there were efficient hospitals in Kisumu that were accessible through our health insurance coverage in case we needed to. Kenya has health insurance coverage for the citizens, but based on my observation in Kisumu town, few were enrolled due to financial situations. My host family told me that most patients have access to Over-the-counter drugs because they were convenient and accessible since most hospitals were overcrowded and lack some of the drugs. Prevalent health issues included malnutrition, malaria, typhoid, Tuberculosis, and HIV. I had vaccinations for typhoid, Hepatitis B, yellow fever; and preventive drugs for malaria. I also got plenty of mosquito repellants.

Kisumu county is a safe and friendly county. I did not experience any safety-related incidents during my internship program. During the day, my friends and I would walk the streets to explore the city and practice our Kiswahili in the market. We mostly felt safe. However, my host family confided in me that sometime political tensions might arise in the city during a presidential election period. My advice for future students is not to walk the streets alone, and never try to navigate the city at night. Also, it is safer not to carry lots of money in your purse whenever you want to go buy things in the markets or eat in the restaurants. Money can draw attention to your self, and you might not want that. It can also be safer to take public transportation in a group to avoid harassment, especially to female students. Tuk-tuk (a mechanized three-wheeled taxi ) was our best option to navigate the city because it can carry about 3-4 passengers. Dressing can say a lot about any visitor, so dress decently to avoid misconceptions.

SIT internship program in Kenya provides head-on research and learning opportunities. While working in the TB and HIV labs, I have learned that SIT Kenya desires students to gain knowledge on how research projects can influence public health policy from grass-root level to national levels. I would love to be part of such interdisciplinary studies. While living with my host family, I was able to identify some of the influence of public health policies in influencing community lifestyles. For example, my host family never shared sharp razors for cutting nails because they were educated that sharing sharp razors is one of the ways in which a person can acquire HIV. I am thankful SIT Kenya has integrative learning opportunities for students.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The Kiswahili teachers encouraged social interactions with the native Kiswahili speakers in the course of their teaching. They encouraged the students to use Kiswahili in the market, with host families, as well as during our internship. I am thankful for the different learning avenues the teachers availed to aid the process of learning Kishwahili.

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• Host Family

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• Host Family

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• Americans

• The hand on lab projects and learning Kiswahili language were great inspiration during the program.
• The stay with host family has given me an opportunity for cultural immersion
• I love the visit to the traditional herbalist. It has taught me to integrate how traditional worldview concerning public health can work hand in hand with the modern public health policies

• I would love to see more time devoted to exposures to traditional herbalists to understand how such practice supplement and create challenges in implementing modern public health policies.
• I also would like the program to be extended to 8 weeks instead of 7. One extra week can help in rounding up internship projects for effective presentation.
• Students should be availed the different internship opportunities early enough so that they are mentally prepared.