Here are some typical questions I've been getting regarding the internship I'll be doing in Nairobi and the trip to Kenya...
So what exactly is it that you will be doing there?
In a nutshell, I'll be a part of a team that helps either Finnish businesses in matters regarding business in East Africa (and East African businesses about Finland). Maybe a Finnish company wants to know the market for some specific product. Maybe they want to look into expanding their businesses or for example take a part of their production to foreign markets. It works the other way, too, so if someone from, let's say Tanzania or the Seychelles wants to know about business opportunities in Finland, they could contact the Office I'll be working at.
Umm...*shyly, trying to think of a way to formulate the question in a manner that isn't insulting*... and do you know anything about that...?
Well, I know something. ;) This is, however, an internship, with requirements including good information retrieval skills, a background in customer service and office work (which is all I did before I started working as a substitute teacher) and excellent language skills.
Yeah, okay, I understand. But does this have to do with your studies then? You didn't study business, if I remember correctly?
Yes, it's an internship for my Master's degree in Africa studies. I'm also taking a study module in Corporate Responsibility in my Master's, so I feel that this internship will be very helpful in the future. As some of you may know, my Bachelor's degree with a major in Africa studies included minors in Leadership and Philosophy as well as studies in Environmental Politics, not forgetting the compulsory Swahili-courses, which I can perhaps try out in Nairobi. :)
Are you nervous?
Of course! I'm excited about meeting new people and learning a lot. I'm at times worried about how it all will turn out, but luckily I've been to Kenya before (which was one of the requirements of the internship) so I can prepare myself for the culture shock a bit. Mostly I'm worried I'll be lonely, because I can only see L on Skype and I'll miss my friends and family. However, L is extremely supportive and wonderful through all this. And a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
Don't go and catch the ebola, now!
Yeah, I'm pretty sure I won't. :)
The ebola-virus mainly effected West African countries like Liberia, Sierra Leone and Mali, and luckily it has been pretty well contained. If you take a look at a map of Africa, you will find Kenya in East Africa (between Somalia and Tanzania, on the coast of the Indian Ocean) and notice that these effected countries are waaaay on the other side of the continent. Were you super worried when they had that one case in Spain? No. The distance between Kenya and Liberia is almost twice as long as the distance from Finland to Spain. :)
Have you taken all your shots and anti-malaria medicine?
Yepp, I already had most of the shots from my last trip eight years ago. I have taken the necessary shots for hepatitis, tetanus (fi: jäykkäkouristus), yellow fever (fi: keltakuume) and meningococcus (fi: meningokokki eli aivokalvontulehdus). Nairobi is pretty much malaria-free due to its altitude, but I will be sleeping under a mosquito net just to be sure. If I travel outside of Nairobi, I'll take the anti-malaria medication, wear long sleeves in the evening and spray OFF all over.
Additionally I will have to be careful not to get very sick from contaminated water and the likes, as you do when you travel to foreign countries, but you know, it's bound to happen eventually... Last time I got really sick and had to go to the hospital in Nairobi, so I've already been there and I know I'll receive good care. :)
So when are you leaving and how are you flying?
I'm leaving TODAY! My KLM-flight through Amsterdam will depart from Helsinki at 6 pm, I have a one-hour lay-over there and then it takes 8h 40 min from Amsterdam to Nairobi. I'll arrive to Nairobi 7 am local time tomorrow morning! My landlady and a driver will pick me up at the airport (sweeeet).
You said local time... What's the time difference?
It's +1h from Finland. When Finland switches to summer time, there will be no difference in time.
And what's the weather like now?
+28 degrees Celsius and sunny. :)
What currency do they have in Kenya?
The Kenyan shilling, KES. In Nairobi they call it a bob. 100 KES = 1,03 €.
Well, what about...?
Don't worry, I'll write a "Kenya in a nutshell"-information text later. :) Now I have to hit the shower. Mamma is coming over for a cup of coffee and we'll have some berliininmunkki before heading to the airport with her and L.
How are you feeling?
I cried a lot yesterday, because I miss L tremendously already, but I am getting a bit excited now. It'll be fine.
I love you and I miss you already.
See you in August!
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