My Favorite Memory:
There have been so many great memories! That is a very difficult question to answer. I think my favorite memory in the project was when a sponsor from the United States came to Kenya with his family. They were sponsoring the construction of the new nursery building for baby class, KG1, 2 and 3. The children in the school gave many performances and danced and sang for the new guests. It was beautiful. When the kids needed a break the volunteers and the new guests would stand up and dance along to the music with the children. Of course I got up and danced with the children as well, it was so fun and I will never forget it. I truly felt at home in Kenya and realized that it is these type of experiences that we search for our whole life.
I was surprised that….
I was surprised at the conditions of the school when I got there. The kids had no supplies and all of their chairs were broken. The classrooms were small and cramped. Despite this, I was also surprised by how quickly the school has developed and changed for the better since I arrived there. There are now two completely new buildings that were not there before: the nursery building and the primary building. The school was also fenced and the kitchen space improved. I am surprised at how quickly the school has changed for the better.
The most difficult thing I experienced was….
The most difficult thing I experienced was trying to make myself useful in the school.
My best received lesson…
The most important thing I have learned over these 4 months in Mombasa is just to be open to new people, new experiences, and new opportunities. Allow people to see your love, kindness and compassion. Don’t keep it inside or be afraid of what others will think of it.
Though you have only asked for one lesson I have to mention another one because I think it is important. I now understand, better than I ever did before, that it is important to help each other, no matter what your differences, be it race, gender or background. It doesn’t matter where you are from or what you look like. We are all human beings with the same needs. It is our responsibility as fellow humans to really care for each other and come together to help those who need it.
Tip for future volunteers… (Clothing, travel, personal items, donations, sightseeing etc)
Some tips…ask your host family how much something will cost before you purchase it. When people see that you are an “mzungu”,white person, they will immediately try to over charge you. Even if it is something as simple as taking a matatu, it is always good to check the price first with your host family.
Another tip, be conservative with how much money you give out to people who you think need it. It is good to care and give a little bit of money to people who look like they need it, but watch for people asking for too much. Be conservative with your donations outside of the school (street children, beggars, friends etc.)
Don’t walk alone at night. Communicate with your host family if you are going to be out late so as not to worry them. Wear conservative clothes as to respect the local culture and to avoid unwanted attention. I would recommend visiting Hollar animal park in Mtwapa. It was definitely worth the money.
Personal Paragraph (Testimonial)
Wow, what can I say. So much has happened to me since my stay here in Mombasa. I have run through herds of cattle down red dirt roads and through the jungle, been the first white person (mzungu) to pass through a rural area near Vijuweni, danced amongst the children of the ABV program to traditional Luo music, ridden a motorcycle (piki piki) through the poorest suburb in Mombasa, crossed the border to Uganda at 1:30 in the morning and wake to children running alongside the bus with the sunrise on their faces and that is only to name a small handful. I have experienced things that people only dream of.
When I had the idea of going to Kenya to volunteer, everyone couldn’t believe it. “You want to go to Africa!” they would all say. “For 4 months?! Why would you want to do such a thing?! It is so dangerous, you have no idea what you will be facing.” Despite what people would say, I couldn’t deny this burning desire to travel, and really experience the world and the people in it. I am sure that there are plenty of people that are like me, young and old, that want to travel and volunteer, but are afraid or unsure of what to expect. I felt the same way, but despite my doubts, I did it and, as a result, have had one of the best experiences of my life.
My placement in Kenya was safe and I was well taken care of by my host family and the teachers and staff in the school, but at the same time, I was challenged mentally, emotionally and physically. Living in a strange country, with people you don’t know, away from home can be challenging, but it is those kind of experiences that we need because you don’t grow unless you are challenged. I am sure there are many people just like me that crave that adventure and the unknown. Through my placement, I was able to experience that adventure, but in a safe and practical way.
After volunteering through Abroader View, I truly feel that I have a better understanding of the world. I now know how people on the other side of the world live, act and how they view my country. Through coming to Kenya, I have learned so many things about myself. I have realized that I am capable of overcoming fears and doing things that I didn’t think I was capable of, in fact, things that I didn’t even think were possible.
I have also learned how to deeply care, and be compassionate for people who are different from you, but in the end, you realize that they aren’t so different from you after all. We may look different, talk different and come from different parts of the world, but essentially we are all human beings with the same needs. I will never forget my experience volunteering in Mombasa Kenya. It is something I will keep in my mind and my heart for the rest of my life. For those who are interested in volunteering in Africa or other parts of the world, I would absolutely recommend it. It will give you unforgettable experiences and memories that are just invaluable but it is up to you to take the first step. Make it happen.
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