Work

At work, my direct supervisor was also the director of the Alumni and International Students Office, so I got to take part in events all over campus which made my days quite diverting. The regular workload concluded of analyzing data via Microsoft Excel and later summarizing my conclusions in a paper. Since I could complete most of the tasks independently, I was able to design my schedule freely which gave me the opportunity to take part in various trips. Besides working on data, I also got to help to supervise tests and attend classes. It gave me the chance to get to know students, professors and life at University a little bit better. As far as Kenyan spontaneity and hospitality go, I hit the jackpot. For some reason which still isn’t a hundred percent clear to me, I got to attend a five-day workshop hosted by the TIE – Programme. It focused on enabling tech innovations and entrepreneurship. I learned a lot about developing ideas and creating business opportunities.

Experience

Work and life at university were amazing. We, about ten international students, were accommodated on campus in staff quarters. The accommodation was a nice little bungalow and depending on the number of interns’ present, we shared rooms up to three people each. The house was decent. It was equipped with a small kitchen, bathroom, living area and three bedrooms. The most educational part of the housing situation was probably the fact that one had to wash his/her clothes by hand – something I never did before. Another thing worth mentioning is that there is no Wi-Fi at the house but there are designated areas around campus and most of the offices also got internet access. Since we spent most of our (weekday) evenings together - chatting and comparing avocados, we became a family. I really miss those guys.

Discover

An IAESTE internship is about much more than "just" work. At JKUAT there is this very active IAESTE group. They meet every Tuesday and plan ‘exciting’ activities like heated debates on current topics, talent shows and even an evening dedicated to Hip Hop with lots of dancing. The highlight of the IAESTE year is the annual BBQ at the interns’ (our) house where the Kenyan students arrange a classic Nyama Choma in the garden with local music, drinks and many new people. To be honest IAESTE Kenya is awesome. No matter where you went on campus or in the city, there were always people around, asking you how you’re doing and offering to show you around or just hang out. So, as you can imagine life around JKUAT hardly ever got boring. My expectations in terms of trips coming to Kenya were pretty modest. I was secretly hoping to go to the coast once or maybe even visit one of the National Parks. Boy, have I been wrong. Every single weekend was packed – sometimes even during the week. As a student at the university one gets special refunds, so visiting those Parks becomes a bit more affordable. Even for on a student’s salary. I’m just going to point out a few highlights of our trips: My experience comprised of being attacked by a baboon in the washrooms, puking right into Maasai Mara (food poisoning, what else?), paying the obligatory mzungu surcharge at the market tenfold and getting mild concussions due to speed bumps on sheer endless travels. The Kenyan way of life full on infected me - being open, spontaneous and putting heart and soul into everything you do - that's what I brought back home with me. I have never seen such a beautiful and diverse landscape and such cordial people. I fell in love with this country and sincerely hope that I’ll be going back at some point.