-
Experience Kenya: An International Mission/Cultural Immersion Program June 28 – July 10, 2018
Program highlights
- 12 days of total cultural immersion (includes travel)
- Tour and study the Great Rift Valley and the many natural attractions
- Opportunity to live with a family in the village
- Join hands in a 2 day teacher development conference
- Join locals in refurbishing some dirt classrooms in a village primary school
- Teach, work alongside teachers, or just play ball with the kids in a primary village school
- Enjoy a three-day full package excursion into Maasai Mara/Serengeti Game Reserve during the Wildebeest migration season
Things to keep in mind:
- Passport needed
- Vaccinations and immunizations are strongly encouraged
– More information regarding this later
- You will be allowed to bring two 50 pound suitcases plus a carry on and a backpack/purse
Trip Cost: $3,500
(Covers air fare, hotel, local transport, main meals, and 3 day safari)
*Limited to 12 participants only!
For more information, contact Dr. Peter Gitau, at pgngatia@gmail.com or (859) 907-7409
Program Overview
The intent of this international program is to provide participants with opportunities for international and multi-cultural experiences through immersion in Kenya’s world-renowned culture. By placing participants in local homes for a portion of the program, and participating in a school development project in partnership with parents, this program has global intercultural competency as an expected outcome.
This program offers a comprehensive sampling of Kenyan culture and the vastness of its diversity. The program begins with pre-departure orientation sessions that will introduce participants to the nation of Kenya, its peoples, language, geography etc. in order to build some basic competencies.
Participants may depart from various international airports but will all converge in Amsterdam for the final flight to Nairobi, Kenya. Upon arrival in Nairobi, participants will experience a gradual introduction to Kenya through a guided exploration of the city and its many cultural, culinary, educational, historic and shopping attractions. We will examine shopping as a social/cultural experience by visiting Masaai market. Here, participants can purchase cultural artifacts and other items of interest as they learn how to barter and use their newly acquired local language skills. We will be sure to visit the Bomas of Kenya mostly known for its non-stop traditional entertainment, and other spots while sampling local dishes.
This next step marks the transition to the village, the beginning of the total cultural immersion program and the commencement of the service learning/mission activities. The group will spend one week in Mwichuiri village Naromoru, Central Kenya. This is an agricultural, rural community on the slopes of Mt. Kenya, about a three hour drive from Nairobi. During this week, participants will be hosted in Kenyan homes. The homes are in relative proximity and all breakfast and dinner meals will take place at the home of the host. The student will participate in the daily life of the host family as much as possible. Daily briefings will take place at the local primary school, the site of our project. This is a prime opportunity to really get to know Kenyan people, right where they live.
Our service project in the village will involve renovating and refurbishing a number of classrooms at Mwichuiri primary school. This is a village school that serves children in grades K-8 with an enrollment of about 300. The project involves an intentional partnership with local people who will work side by side with the American group. Participation in this project provides an opportunity to cement bonds of cross-cultural friendship and understanding with Kenyans as wells as the chance to give back to the community that will have hosted the group for an entire week. For those talented in teaching there will be ample opportunity to interact with students and teachers inside and outside of the classroom. Previous groups have done some renovations but more classrooms still have dirt floors, leaking and dark roofs and lack doors or windows.
We will have an opportunity to facilitate a 2-day Teacher Development conference in the local township. The conference brings in about 100-150 participants drawn from 100 county primary schools and officials from the Ministry of Education. The teachers have requested that we facilitate discussions on student motivation. Program participants who may wish to spend more time at the school instead of the conference will have the option to do so.
The program will conclude with a three-day excursion to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve, located about 5 hours from Nairobi. This is a transnational vastness that stretches into Tanzania (where it changes its name to Serengeti) and home to the ageless Maasai people. Participants will take daily guided drives into animal territory to gain an appreciation for wildlife preservation and ecological practices. This Safari is planned to coincide with the annual wildebeest migration. To further enhance cultural study, participants will have optional opportunities to visit original Maasai villages.
Tentative Schedule
| Day | Date | Activity | Notes |
| Thu | 6/28 | Departure | Please plan to be at the airport at least 2 hours ahead. Once there, just check in, drop your bags and proceed through security.
Remember to bring no more than 2 bags, 50 pounds each maximum for check in PLUS 1 carry- on bag and a personal item |
| Fri | 6/29 | Arrival
Lodge in Nairobi |
Transport from airport to hotel in Nairobi is provided. Accommodations at a well secured, comfortable facility on the outskirts of Nairobi city.
If you have not applied for and received your visa before arrival, you will need to apply for the visa at the desk on arrival. Have $50 ready. |
| Sat | 6/30 | Deconstructing the stereotype of Africa: Understanding the many faces of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.
City logistics: currency exchange, visit the Museum of Kenya; Maasai Market |
A day to rest, acclimatize, sight-seeing and take care of basic logistics. Accommodations in Nairobi |
| Sun | 7/1 | Travel to Nyeri. Start host family program | Travel by chartered bus
Host families have been pre-selected and trained. Security provided in partnership with local police |
| Mon-Wed | 7/2-4 | Service project in Naromoru | School renovation project
Host families will bring you to school by 9 am. We will be renovating some classrooms in partnership with the local community. Come prepared to do physically challenging work on the construction project or help in the classroom |
| Thur | 7/5 | Teacher Conference OR Renovations | This two-day event brings in representatives from about 100 primary schools plus government officials. We will be discussing strategies for motivating students to learn |
| Fri | 7/6 | Teachers Conference OR flexible day with host families
Scenic Drive back to Nairobi in the afternoon. |
Day 2 of the Teacher’s conference. |
| Sat | 7/7 | Safari | The team leaves early in the morning for an afternoon/lunch time arrival |
| Sun | 7/8 | Safari | All day safari adventure in Maasai Mara/Serengeti |
| Mon | 7/9 | Safari
Depart for US |
Morning game drive; depart for Nairobi to arrive by early afternoon. Depart for the US in the evening. |
| Tue | 7/10 | Arrival | You must retrieve your bags to go through Immigration, and recheck them for the final segment. Participants arrange pick up from the airport. |
Program outcomes:
This transdisciplinary program will provide participants with international, multi-cultural experiences through immersion into the full diversity of Kenya’s cultural, political, economic and religious diversity.
Specific Objectives – Participants will:
- Demonstrate an increase in cultural competence
- Enhance their understanding of important aspects of Kenyan history and geography
- Practice various aspects of leadership and team work
- Apply interdisciplinary approaches to studying issues of race and racial identity.
- Understand the interdependence of Kenyan culture with other cultures
- Develop a basic understanding and appreciation for k-12 and higher education in Kenya
- Refurbish a couple of classrooms for learners
Cost of the program
The cost for this program is $3500. This cost includes your round trip airfare, all room and board, ground transportation while in Kenya, access fees to any parks, and all safari costs (exclusive of alcoholic drinks and personal items)
Participation and contact information
The program is open to any interested participants. If you are interested, just contact me on my email at pgngatia@gmail.com
Completed AIFEE Initiatives
- Our Success Stories
- Achieving Educational Excellence Seminar: May 26-30, 2014
- 1st Annual Achieving Educational Excellence Conference
The African International Foundation for Educational Excellence (AIFEE) 