A Special Place in My Heart for Kenya

In terms of in country support, IMA did a great job supporting the interns and making us feel at home… As far as safety in the program, I would say I always felt safe in the residence. Having 24/7 security and being in the nicest part of Mombasa made me feel very safe… The staff was incredibly accommodating and made sure to change anything based on our liking. I did not have dietary restrictions, but for those that did, they felt very accommodated to. In other aspects like sleeping arrangements and clothing, IMA's staff was also very willing to do anything to make us more comfortable. Food was prepared by very talented chefs who loved to engage with the interns. They took suggestions from us based on how we liked the food and what they should make next. They allowed us to come in and learn from them in our free time and Joshua would teach us anything we wanted to learn. I loved the food. It was a great mix of Kenyan food and food we are all used to in America. The impact on me is very large. I would say this was a life changing experience, so the impact to say that must be huge. I was incredibly impacted by the people of Kenya, specifically the women. In childbirth I was able to see how strong these women are and I truly admire their strength and the way they carry themselves. I was also impacted greatly by the culture. I found that there is a special place in my heart for Kenya and I find myself being home and longing for some Kenyan food or dancing or just the pace of life there. The culture in Kenya is so beautiful and so complex it is very easy to admire. As far as the impact on community, I would say the interns made a big impact every Wednesday on the kids we taught, but specifically the women's clinics. I think those days were the most important because we were able to make young girls feel like talking about their bodies is okay. I think my favorite thing, the Saturday clinics, impacted the community in a large way. Giving free health care is something that feels incredibly good to do. My heart always felt full after leaving and I always looked forward to the next one.