When I saw a catalogue with IAESTE offers in February 2013, an entry that immediately attracted my attention was an internship at Department of Mechatronics at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Juja, Kenya. It took me a while to think over all the advantages and disadvantages of my potential trip to very exotic Africa. I had been worrying about problems with potable water, malaria, tropical diseases and high levels of crime. However, having consulted a few friends who had visited Kenya and reassured me that Kenya is a beautiful place with wonderful people, I put the JKUAT internship on the top of my application list when the IAESTE deadline was approaching. I expected a great adventure and an unforgettable experience. I was extremely happy when I heard back from IAESTE UK that my application had been accepted.
I arrived in Nairobi on a cloudy Sunday afternoon in July and was picked at the airport by JKUAT administrator of Alumni and International Student Office (ALISO). My first impressions about the country and university were very good. I was sitting in a nice car, chatting with friendly people and listening to all the crucial information about my stay in Juja and internship. After all, my work was going to start on the following day.
After an hour-long drive we reached Juja and I was welcomed at the house where I was going to live for next 8 weeks. The house was fitted with everything one needs and the standard was even slightly higher than I had expected. Soon after my arrival I met my two housemates – German students, who were also doing internships at JKUAT, and Denis – a JKUAT IAESTE Committee member, who quickly became my good friend and Swahili tutor.
On the way to a local cafeteria, where we all were going to have supper, I was taught first simple phrases, which I could use to buy fruit or greet my supervisors at work on the next day. Being very motivated to adapt to the Kenyan culture, I ordered “ugali na nyama na sukuma” and ate it just with hands.
The day after my arrival in Kenya I was introduced to all the ALISO staff, as well as all the people in my department and workshops. I also received a JKUAT ID card, which I was very proud of. In terms of my project, I was informed that the machine I was supposed to be working on was not ready yet and I would be given an other task. Instead of working on an electrical discharge machine, I was going to perform a study on the application of a medium-power CNC CO2 laser for manufacturing printed circuit boards. I needed to read some papers and books to learn more about it before I would start the work. I also had a very good contact with the staff at the department and I was offered a lot of help, guidance and patience from them.
Coming to Kenya just for the internship would be pointless. Countless attractions, unique national parks and reserves, as well as astonishing wildlife have a worldwide fame. One simply has to travel around and see as much as possible. To my greatest luck, on my first weekend in Africa I joined the other “wazungu” – IAESTE interns on a trip to Maasai Mara. We visited a Maasai village and learned about the original Maasai culture to continue with a later game drive in the reserve. Watching the famous wildebeest migration and trying to spot the Big Five in the red rays of a setting sun was one of the most amazing moments in my life.
Our plan for the next weekend was very promising too – Mombasa and the coast of the Indian Ocean seemed to be a paradise. The city did not disappoint us at all. Sandy white beaches, azure ocean waters and coconut palms hanging above our heads were unbelievable. We took an advantage of the stunning scenery and relaxed on the beach for a longer while. Later, we visited the old town to have a tour around Fort Jesus and learn about its vibrant history.
As the time was passing, more and more IAESTE interns were coming to Juja. We enjoyed our companion and started to feel like a big IAESTE family. We were travelling together a lot and had very pleasant weekend trips to Nairobi or Great Rift Valley and Naivasha.
To tell our hosts something more about us, our cities and countries, we were making presentations on JKUAT IAESTE club meetings. The majority of them regarded Germany, but two were about the United Kingdom. Although, I am a student of University of Southampton in England, I originally come from Gdansk, Poland, hence I had the privilege to share experience from the two, relatively different countries. However, it was stories and pictures of snowy European winters, which were giving most thrills to the audience.
We were experiencing Kenyan hospitality all the time. One of its very many examples is a very memorable trip organised by JKUAT ALISO to Nakuru National Park. The less popular, but definitely more picturesque, way we took to Nakuru was almost as impressive as the park itself. We travelled through gentle hills covered with lively-green fields of tea bushes, then traversed the Great Rift Valley to eventually arrive in Nakuru. The park deeply amazed us and we were especially surprised by the diversity of the landscapes and wildlife we saw there.
Choosing Kenya as an IAESTE destination was undoubtedly a good decision. Kenyan nature is unique on a world-scale and I am sure I will come back to Africa one day. The stay in Juja was a life-changing experience. The African hospitality, which we encountered was genuinely moving and was a great lesson for us showing how people should coexist in a society, which is often forgotten in Europe. I am really grateful to JKUAT and all who made this exchange a wonderful time.
Aleksander Spychala
University of Southampton
JKUAT Mechatronic Engineering Department 