I woke up for the last time in Mombasa at around 8am. A few
students were packing to leave at around 9am, and most of the rest were getting
ready to leave for the hospital. By 9:30am, I was the last one left at the
compound.
I took my last cold shower and packed my belongings. Most of
my colleagues returned from the hospital around 2pm, so I had time to say my
goodbyes and take last-minute pictures with everyone. By 2:30pm, it was time to
go, so I loaded my luggage into the van and took the ride to the airport. I flew
from Mombasa to Nairobi, to Amsterdam, to Atlanta, and finally, to
Jacksonville. After two days of travel, my journey in Kenya was officially finished.
Throwing stars and venus fly traps are prohibited in the Nairobi airport? Oops...
Conclusion
Over the course of the month, I have learned and experienced far more
than I can possibly describe with words and pictures. My exposure to a new
language, a new culture, a new work environment, and a new ecosystem was
overwhelming, but fascinating to explore. Culturally, I have learned about how
Kenyans live in day to day life, the kind of food they eat, what kind of
hardships they face, and what activities they enjoy. Medically, I have learned
the basics of how to suture, change dressings, insert cannulas, change IV
fluids, inject lidocaine, take blood pressure, and administer HIV tests. In a
matter of weeks, I have made a number of international friendships I intend to
keep up with, and we joked that in 10 years we would all meet up again (or was
it a joke?). Ultimately, my trip to Kenya was one of the best experiences in my
life so far, and it’s one I will never forget.
The Elective Africa group!
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