Can you believe it!

The first half of the year is over and we are now in the second half of 2019.  So far, it has  been a fantastic year for us here at Elective Africa. We have had increased opportunities in hosting individuals and groups of students in pursuit of educational travel abroad. 

Travelling is a perfect way to break free from your normal daily routine or a hectic work schedule.
One of the key take outs that we have noted so far, is that most of our education travel abroad participants  love travelling in groups. While travelling alone has its own set of benefits, travelling in a group is a great way to experience various scenic and indigenous destinations around the world - as the old saying goes the more the merrier. 

Group travel may refer to a group of friends or classmates who decide to embark on a trip together. It may also refer individuals who have been joined together by an organisation or an event to go on a trip together.

Undertaking in electives or volunteer projects abroad gives you an opportunity to further enhance your skills, explore a differentiated health care system and travel to various tourist attraction sites - and with group travel you don’t have to do all this all alone.

Here are the benefits that come with travelling in a group while looking to do a medical elective with us.

1. A shared experience

Visiting or working  abroad in a place that is less advanced and which you have not frequented before can be both terrifying and exciting feeling altogether. The beauty of travelling in a group is that you get to experience and navigate through similar feelings and experiences together. Together you get to share in both the good and bad times while making fond memories that you can look back and smile at years from now.

2.  Instant friends 

Travelling as a group gives you a platform to socialise and bond with your friends and other participants. In this you get to meet and mingle with people from different parts of the world. This gives you a platform to interact with like-minded individuals and share ideas on common areas of interest such as medical techniques, upcoming projects and clinical interests .This in turn  enables you to widen your area of knowledge and general outlook of life. Some of the friends that you make in the course of your stay end up being your long time friends.

3. Group discounts and special considerations

One of the great advantages of group travel is that you get to cut on cost as you are eligible for special offers. This is because as a group you can share accommodation, transport, meals and even tour tickets. At Elective Africa we will be sure to give discounts for individuals travelling in a group. Special considerations may also be given such as:  one-of-a-kind safaris, tours and hotel reservations.

4. Ease of making travel arrangements

Planning for a trip can be quite a task, it can be even more hectic when one is planning for a trip overseas. When your travelling in a group the stress of organising the required itinerary, figuring out the geographical location of an area, understanding the local dialect is shared thus making the planning process more simplified. Also, it gives you a sense of security as it is very difficult for thieves to single-out an individual who is in a crowd as opposed to a loner.

5.Shared learning

Our facilitators in various placement centres in Kenya and Tanzania create an enabling environment for the learners and volunteers. They are able to work together to achieve the common objective of further enhancing their skills and getting the best out of  the medical elective. The students are able to share ideas and learn from one another.

To register for an elective or internship programs as a group and experience a life changing encounter get in touch with our placement advisors today to get started!

A Whirlwind of Exciting Opportunities

Emma White narrates on the 6 weeks she spent at the Coast Provincial General Hospital in Mombasa, Kenya. 

My 6 weeks in Mombasa were a whirlwind of exciting opportunities. As a pre-med student I got amazing mentorship that I wouldn't have gotten at home. The doctors were always willing to teach me new skills or show of rares of diseases we may not get at home. The coordinator was very friendly  and always there to help organise activities outside of the hospital. To sum up in 3 words :challenging, rewarding and memorable.

Program Undertaken: Pre-Medical Internship
Program Duration: 6 Weeks
Program Location: Mombasa, Kenya

A Wholesome Experience

Kellsie Quinn Highlights How The Healthcare Internship Experience in Mombasa, Kenya Aided  Her Learning 

Elective Africa was a great experience that aided in my learning for my future career.The hospital work was exciting offering something new everyday.The doctors and patients were very welcoming and kind. The activities that the company provided were great opportunities to learn about the country of Kenya and the culture. Overall, I would recommend this program to students and friends.

Program Undertaken: Pre-Physician Internship
Program Duration: 4 Weeks
Program Location: Mombasa, Kenya

A Truly Unforgettable Experience

Grace Fjermedal from University of Notre Dame Tells Us of What Made Her Pre-Med Internship in Mombasa, Kenya a Unique Adventure 

I had an outstanding and truly unforgettable experience working at Coast provincial hospital in Mombasa with Elective Africa. Immediately when i arrived at Mombasa Airport after thirty hours of traveling, i was met with cheerful waves and smiles of Benard, Carol and Kellsie, our driver supervisor and the other student in the program respectively. While the transition from living in America to Kenya would have been very difficult, i felt extremely comfortable and grew very close to my friend on the program. Likewise our supervisor Carol is very kind, helpful, supportive and communicative ensuring that we always arrive safely at the hospital, were comfortable in our residence and safely explored all that Mombasa has to offer. In addition, Ann our chef is so kind and she prepared three delicious meals for us each day. In regards to my experience at the hospital, I feel i have learnt a huge amount over the past 3 weeks in pediatrics, surgery emergency and obs and gyn and gained invaluable clinical exposure as a premed student. Each of the doctors i worked with shared their unique style and techniques with me and I was able to try basic skills such as drawing blood or taking vitals as well as having meaningful interactions with patients. Overall, I cant thank Elective Africa enough for this once in a lifetime journey in Kenya..
  
Program Undertaken: Premedical Internships Abroad
Program Duration: 3 Weeks
Program Location: Mombasa, Kenya

For a person staying or working abroad, one of the challenges that they face is how to keep fit. It always happens that most people abandon their routinely workout schedule because of how tight their schedule has become. Hence, it’s hard to engage in activities that will help release the tension that your body has been accumulating and also burn of a few sweats here and there. 

To avoid being overloaded we offer our healthcare participants the chance to engage in physical exercises during the course of their medical internship. Our placement destination centres are unique in that they offer you the opportunity to engage in gear-free physical training exercises after work hours and during the weekends. The following are the common outdoor activities that serve as fitness activities in our various destination placements include:

1) Cycling city tour

In our placement centre in Mombasa, the climate and the terrain allows for our healthcare participants to go cycling within the environs of Mombasa Town which is an island. As you cycle through the remote areas of the coastal town, you will cover villages, rivers, beaches, bridges and other interesting landmarks.  

2) Jogging/running

In any of our placement centre, the environment caters  interests  for people who love jogging during anytime of the day or week. For instance in our placement destination in Migori, Kenya  the hilly landscape is advantageous for people who love jogging. Because of how excitingly challenging the terrain is you will feel a sense of personal achievement upon completion of your daily or weekly runs. In placement centres such as Arusha, Tanzania our healthcare participants have the opportunity to jog as well. Arusha is located below Mt. Meru serving an ideal place for participants who would love to experience high altitude running.

3) Snorkelling and Scuba Diving

One of the joys of undertaking a healthcare internship in Mombasa, Kenya is the endless marine activities that happen along the beaches. The availability of adventurous activities creates a good environment for you to engage in physical exercises. 
At the coastal town you have the opportunity to go kayaking, swimming, scuba and snorkelling.  The delightful scenes of the mangroves, sea grass beds, coral reefs and sandy beaches makes it fascinating to do all of these physical outdoor activities.
 
4) Trekking & Hiking

Hiking and trekking in East Africa is one of the most popular outdoor activities. There are many hiking trails ranging from arduous mountain hikes to ‘walk in the park’ nature trails. During the weekends, when you are free from clinical rotations we can organise treks for you to undertake. At any of our placement centre that you opt into trekking and hiking opportunities. The nature of the treks vary depending on the location; high altitude areas offer different experience compared to lowland areas.

To learn more about our healthcare internships abroad and fun activities; reach out to us at info@electiveafrica.com

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Wisdom is better than strength ~ Kenyan Proverb