Forever Thankful

Before coming to Kenya through Elective Africa, I was unsure of what exactly to expect. I had never left the country before and I was very nervous to do so all on my own. However, upon arriving Mombasa, I was pleased with how helpful and sweet my advisors and caretakers were. This program has allowed me to meet some amazing new people from all different walks of life, whether it was my roommates, the doctors in the hospital, my program advisors or even the people I met on the Safari.

I saw so many incredible things that I never in my life would have encountered in an American Hospital. Some of it was sickening and heart wrenching while at other times it was jaw-dropping and awe-striking but nonetheless it only solidified my passion for medicine and showed me that this is the only career I can see myself having. I really enjoyed this program for helping me to see how different the facilities are from those at home. While it was very shocking to see at first, it's very admirable that these men and women work with what they have to provide care to the local community. This program also gave me an inside look at surgeries and my first theatre procedure which is something I will forever be thankful for.

I was also very happy to get to know this culture through the excellent Kenyan cuisine. I learned many new recipes and tried more new foods than I ever have, probably in my entire lifetime.  

This is an experience I will forever cherish and hold onto in my heart and will gladly recommend to anyone considering travelling to Africa. Thank you, everyone, at Elective Africa for allowing me to be part of this amazing program.

Brooke Rhinesmith

Syracuse University