When I found out I’d be spending the summer in Kenya, I was beyond excited. I had never set foot on the African continent before, and to be honest, I didn’t know much about Kenya other than the way it’s usually portrayed in Western media. At first, I imagined I’d travel across different parts of Africa to get a broader sense of the continent. But once I arrived, I quickly realized that even three months wouldn’t be enough to fully experience just Kenya — let alone East Africa. Kenya is so rich and varied: in its languages, cultures, landscapes, and people. In this blog, I want to share a few moments and photos that, to me, capture a small piece of what makes Kenya such a unique and beautiful place.
In my first week, I was welcomed by two Kenyan law students from Kenyatta University who worked with the organization hosting my internship. My new friends, Simon and Hamisi, went above and beyond to introduce me to Nairobi. They welcomed me into their homes, showed me around the city, and helped me adjust to Kenyan culture. It’s rare to form such genuine friendships so quickly, but within days I felt at home. One of my first lessons in Kenya was that its people are incredibly kind, lively, and easy to connect with.
After Nairobi, I moved to Kianyaga in the Central Region, where I began my internship. This region, nestled on the slopes of Mount Kenya—the second-highest peak in Africa—is Kenya’s agricultural heartland. Over the course of three months, I hiked through lush landscapes, swam beneath waterfalls, and even rode on the back of a motorbike through the forest to meet with our clinic’s clients. I also had the chance to learn about the Kikuyu people, who are Indigenous to the Central Region. The Kikuyu have their own language that remains widely spoken, a body of customary legal principles protected under the Kenyan Constitution, and a proud history as leaders in the struggle for independence.
Midway through the summer, I traveled to Mombasa on Kenya’s eastern coast. Historically a vital trade hub of the Indian Ocean, Mombasa has always been a crossroads of cultures, and its diversity is visible everywhere. On a personal note, my father’s grandparents immigrated from India to Mombasa in the late 19th century to work on the British-built railway system, so the city carried special significance for me. During my visit, I toured Fort Jesus, a 16th-century fortress that over the centuries was controlled by the Portuguese, Omani Arabs, the British, and the Swahili people. This landmark was a reminder of the layers of history embedded in the city.
Towards the end of my internship, I visited the Masai Mara, a world-famous reserve in southwestern Kenya. It was truly a breathtaking experience! I saw the ‘Big 5’ animals in Kenya (lion, giraffe, cheetah, rhino, and elephant) and had a chance to meet with the Masai community, who have preserved their way of life in the region after living there for hundreds of years. I was also lucky enough to visit Kenya during the Great Migration, which is were wildebeest migrate from the Serengeti in Tanzania across the Mara river into Kenya!
After three months in Kenya, I realized that I had barely scratched the surface of this country. It was truly a transformative experience and I hope to return in the near future.