Adventures in Adaptability: Learning (and Bonding) in Kenya

In July 2023, eleven strangers met for the first time in an airport hotel lobby outside JFK. Just three weeks later, they had lived a lifetime of adventures.

In this episode, we're taking you to Kenya for a three-week Global Prep program focused on wildlife conservation and Maasai culture. But as this group of U.S. students journeyed across the country, they found something more: an unexpected bond that transformed them from strangers into a tight-knit group.

We’ll hear from three participants and their Program Leader about the highs and lows of their experience. From icebreaker games in that airport hotel to navigating life with Maasai host families in a village, they'll share how shared moments- and unexpected challenges- cemented their connections. Hear how stepping outside their comfort zones allowed them to form deep friendships and gain invaluable skills that continue to impact their lives two years later. It's a  story of adaptability, discovery, and how shared adventure can truly bond strangers in just a few short weeks.

Guests:
Mikayla Rose Sierra
Ben Fiedler
Luke Benjamin
Nina Gaulin

More from AFS-USA: 🏠Host a Student | ✈️Study Abroad | 🤝Volunteer | 🏫For Educators | 📧Contact the Show

Chapters

• 5:37 First Days
• 11:31 Host Family Stay
• 18:01 Sustainability + Wildlife Conservation
• 20:52 Challenges
• 26:26 Safari
• 31:18 Where Are They Now?

Transcript

Kate M.
Hello and welcome to The AFS Exchange. I'm Kate Mulvihill. On this podcast, we share real stories from the AFS community. We're here to explore how exchange experiences change lives, one conversation at a time.

Kate M.
Hello! So, this episode of The AFS Exchange is a little different. While we always focus on intercultural experiences, today, our story centers on the bond formed by a group of US students during their three-week Global Prep program in Kenya in Summer 2023.
With the program’s focus on Wildlife Conservation and Maasai Culture. But as this small group journeyed across Kenya, they experienced so much more, quickly forging bonds that transformed them from strangers into friends. We'll explore how this unique connection, alongside the thoughtful program designed by AFS Kenya, has impacted their lives in the two years since returning home.

You'll hear from three participants- Mikayla, Luke, and Ben- as they share the highs and lows of their time in Kenya. We'll also get the perspective of Nina, their Program Leader, who watched this unique community unfold. So, how does a diverse group of strangers become so incredibly close in just a few weeks? And what kind of lasting impact does an experience like this have on their lives?

[Music]

Kate M.
Let’s meet the three students we’ll be hearing from this episode… First up, Mikayla. This trip to Kenya wasn’t her first time away from family- she spent most of her teen years at a boarding school. However… Kenya is… a bit further.

Mikayla S.   
Okay, so my name is Mikayla Rose Sierra. I am from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I attended Manal School and graduated in 2024.

Kate M.
Then there’s Ben, who is big into science- specifically, astrophysics.

Ben F.    
Yeah. So my name is Ben Fiedler. I'm a senior at the Fox Chapel Area High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Kate M.
And Luke.  While he was in Kenya, his twin sister was spending the summer studying in Oxford, England… a bit of a different experience.

Luke B.    
Hi, I'm Luke Benjamin. I'm from Phoenix, Arizona.

Kate M.
These three students- Mikayla, Ben, and Luke-  came from varied backgrounds across the U.S., from the Northeast to the Southwest, and different school experiences. Yet, despite those differences, their reasons for choosing Kenya over other program offerings that summer, like Spain or Germany, were pretty similar: a real desire for something completely new, a truly unique adventure.

Mikayla S.   
I can always go to Germany, I can always go to Spain. But this seems like the bigger challenge. And, like, definitely more of a once in a lifetime experience.

Ben F.
And I felt like Kenya was just kind of way out there, like I knew so little about Kenya and so little about Kenyan culture, but I was so eager to learn all that I could, and so it just felt so kind of new to me, and that's what really made me do. It was kind of this longing for discovery, you know,

Luke B.   
I knew I wanted to do something just completely different, like I wanted to get way out of United States and North America in general, and just do something that would completely turn my life on its head.

Mikayla S.
Everywhere I go, I feel like I know people or know something about it, but Kenya was something I never knew, and it was the fact, it was the unknown. The unknowing is what drew me in.

Kate M.
In addition to speaking with these three, I also talked to their Program Leader… who perhaps you have heard me mention at the end of each episode. She is part of the team that works on The AFS Exchange.

Nina G.   
My name is Nina Gaulin. I work on the AFS USA Marketing Team as the Creative Content Coordinator, and I volunteered to lead a Global Prep trip to Kenya in 2023.

Kate M.
Before we get started, let’s hear a bit more about this program. Throughout this episode, we’ll be following the group along through their time in Kenya. As Nina explains, this Global Prep program was crafted with specific intentions in mind…

Nina G.    
I think specifically with Global Prep the focus is sustainability. Specifically, like the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which are pretty varied, but all kind of centered around making the world a better place.
And this program specifically, I think was something that these students wouldn't have otherwise had an opportunity to learn much about, especially in the US, wildlife conservation is something that isn't necessarily a primary focus for a lot of people here.
Another important component of this program was also learning about indigenous culture, specifically the Maasai people in Kenya. And we had quite a few students on our trip who had never even left the country, and they not only got to do that, but they got to experience indigenous culture in another country, which is a really unique experience. And we had a couple students who are indigenous in the US, and they had the opportunity to sort of compare their culture with an indigenous culture in another country.
So I think the goal, like aligning with working with the Maasai people and living with them as host families, was really to just experience a completely different way of life that we wouldn't have otherwise been exposed to.

Kate M.
Okay, so now that we know a bit more about what these participants will be getting into, let’s get started…

[Music]

Kate M.
So, it was the night before their flight, and this group of teenagers gathered together in an airport hotel outside JFK. There's an initial mix of excitement and maybe a little bit of awkwardness. Nobody knows each other yet. It's a clean slate.

Nina G.
You're with this group, and you're about to go on this, you know, crazy journey abroad, and everyone's just like in a hotel lobby eating, you know, Qdoba or SmashBurger or whatever it was that we ate. So it's, it's just funny that that's like the first way that they meet and they're going on this really cool journey together.

Kate M.
But what happens on that first night, and those crucial early days, often sets the tone for everything that follows. Mikayla quickly emerged as a natural connector, and she knew just how to break the ice.

Mikayla S.
So we first landed, you know, in New York, everyone's kind of tired, groggy from their flights. And we were, we had just ordered dinner, so we're standing in this awkward circle. And so we had about a quarter of the people there. So I was like, Okay, guys, my name is Mikayla. Like, I'm from New Mexico. These are the sports I play. Because what I've learned is, who doesn't like talking about themselves. So if I can get each and everyone to talk about themselves, we're going to get this ball moving.
And then as people started to join I was like, Wait, let's make this a game. So I went into, let's guess who, what sport everybody plays, because then it's an interactive introduction, and not just “Oh, my name is Mikayla, and I play volleyball and track.”

Kate M.
As the group got larger, and their guesses about sports ran out, Mikayla needed to move on to another activity. What's another way to get to know each other while waiting for food in a hotel lobby by the airport? Perhaps an easy-to-learn, occasionally frantic, card game.

MIkayla S.
Hey guys, we should play spoons, and they were all ready to jump on board. And after playing the game of spoons, that card game, you get pretty close and pretty familiar with each other awfully quickly.

Nina G.
It was fun to see the different ways that they connect and and just how excited they were just to meet new people, which they don't get as much of an opportunity to do as we do so,

Kate M.
That evening in the hotel lobby, breaking the ice through interactive introductions and card games, was a good start to forming this cohesive group. Then the group headed to bed, got just a couple hours of sleep, and then… two long flights.

From New York City, to Dubai, to Nairobi.

[Music]

Kate M.
The plane touched down in Nairobi, and as the students stepped off, a wave of newness hit them. The air felt different, the sounds of the bustling airport were vibrant, and the sights were a world away from what they knew. This was Kenya, and their incredible journey was officially underway.

Shortly after their arrival, the group settled in at the Savelberg Retreat Center, where they were provided with a valuable orientation from the staff at AFS Kenya.
The staff from AFS Kenya covered topics of safety, health and hygiene, intercultural learning, as well as some basic Swahili phrases. The staff also introduced the American students to some of their Kenyan peers who would be joining them on and off during their stay.

Nina G.
They had been doing this program for a long time, they had had a lot of students coming through, and they were just so passionate about making sure the students were getting the most out of this experience.

Kate M.
Some of these peers? They had studied abroad in the U.S. through the YES Program, a scholarship program sponsored by the U.S Department of State. This was helpful for the participants, as even though they were bonding as a group of Americans, they were still in an unfamiliar place, so meeting people who had something in common with them- having spent time in the US- was a benefit throughout the course of the program. This mutual exchange was also great for the Kenyan peers, as they were able to continue their cultural exchange experience, years later.

So, the first few days were a whirlwind. After the orientation, the group traveled south from Nairobi to the Kitengela area. They were constantly on the move, taking in everything together. With the theme of this Global Prep program being Wildlife Conservation and Maasai Culture, the group engaged in community service at the Maasai Children Centre and they stayed at The Wildlife Foundation, an organization focused on protecting wildlife areas.

All while learning about Kenya and trying to take it all in, in moments of shared vulnerability, the group really got to know each other. They clicked, fast. And talking about not-so serious things helped open the door to feeling more comfortable. 

Luke B.   
We gave our first impressions of each other, like everyone went around, and everyone would give their first impression of me. And then I thought it was really funny, how off our first impressions were.

Mikayla S.   
I think we thought he was a high school jock, if I can remember properly. Oh, I'm pretty and I'm athletic.

Luke B.
This frat guy who was really in his own head.

Mikayla S.   
Oh, he's gonna be a jerk. He's probably stuck up, like, he's smug. And then, yeah, no, he turned into, like, being super kind and courteous. It was really funny, yeah.

Luke B.
But I think conversations like that was what got us really close right away, just like completely dropping all the barriers, just having a fully open conversation like that was what got us close, and we were laughing the entire time and and stuff like that is what I really remember from the trip, those moments with my AFS friends.

Mikayla S.
And then it also manifested into asking each other deep questions. And it just kept getting stronger after that, because I think we hit the ground running, especially because in my brain, I was like, we only have two weeks, and these are either going to be like, Oh, I barely know so and so, or they're going to be like, no, we're going to cry when we leave each other, which we did.

Nina G.
It was something I didn't really consider that they would bond so quickly, but I could just tell they all were getting really excited about getting to know each other.

Kate M.
That shared experience of realizing just how fast connections can form really cemented something special within the group. It showed them that being open, even with people you've just met, can lead to real bonds. And those first impressions? Yeah, they can be misleading- a lesson that applies not just to each other, but also to discovering a new place.

[Nature sounds]

Kate M.

So, after an intense first few days of discovering Kenya, the program introduced a new layer of immersion. For two nights, the students each went to stay with host families from the Maasai tribe in the Kitengela area. This was a chance for a deeper, more individual cultural dive. While it might have felt a little daunting for the group to be split up, stepping into completely unfamiliar homes, these participants were ready to learn. As we shared earlier, many were drawn to this Kenya program precisely because they knew so little about the place. A few days in, they were now gaining another layer of understanding. These homestays offered a rare glimpse into a culture deeply connected to its traditions, far removed from many modern conveniences.

The Maasai are an East African ethnic group, known for their distinctive cultural traditions, semi-nomadic lifestyle, and close relationship with their cattle, which are central to their way of life. Living primarily in southern Kenya and northern Tanzania, they have largely maintained their traditional customs in the 21st century. For the students, stepping into a Maasai home offered a genuine look into a life very different from their own.

Luke B.
So everyone in our group kind of went to a different village and stayed with the Maasai tribe.

Mikayla S.
But they are one of the most like conserved tribes, which means, like, technology is limited, and they're very, like, deep into their like, cultural ways.

Luke B.
We used the pit latrine. So that was a whole experience.

Kate M.
But beyond these initial stark differences, the real learning and cultural exchanges happened quickly through shared daily life, especially over a meal. It's truly a time to observe, be curious, and ask questions, as Ben observed, around a campfire.

[Campfire sounds]

Ben F.    
We were all huddled around a campfire, and we were cooking some food. And it took me a little bit to realize, but they were cooking a goat head. We like, oh, we ate the ears. It was, it was better than you think. But one thing that I thought was kind of a crazy thing to me, was the person who was cooking it, who was a Kenyan local, he was able to just, like, pick the pick up the goat from the fire, and, like, touch and move around the poles, like, while it was, you know, still on fire, which, that's quite the tolerance you have to build up over time. And I was like, how is he able to do that? Like, does he have some like, condition or something? They were like, no, he's just been doing that for a really long time.

Kate M.
Beyond meals, students learned about the profound cultural importance of Maasai beaded jewelry. The artistry, with its intricate designs and vibrant colors, tells stories of age, social status, and personal expression.

Luke B.
I thought it was cool how intricate some of the jewelry that the woman would make there. They were so generous. They even gave me a few pieces to bring back home to my family. But I thought it was cool how they were so good with their hands and good at creating, like necklaces or earrings and stuff like that.

Kate M.
This spirit of cultural exchange often went both ways, fostering memorable connections through the giving of gifts and the sharing of skills, as Mikayla experienced.

Mikayla S.    
I brought gifts and like, chocolate and things like that, to share with them. And in return, it was gifted to me... I wasn't expecting anything, but it was gifted to me tenfold, like I returned back with so many different jewelry.
They braided my hair. And I taught them how to make a friendship bracelet, like the chevron ones. And I taught my host sister, and then her friend how to make that. And then I finished a bracelet and gave it to my host brother, and it was so sweet because then he gave me, like, one of his T shirts. And it was just a sweet moment of like, whatever you gave you weren't expecting anything, but they made sure that you were, like, appreciated. And that was like, a big moment of, like, just sharing our little cultures and hobbies that way.

Kate M.
It truly came down to trust—trust forged through cultural exchange, whether it was around a fire cooking goat, sharing crafts, or exploring the savannah. Growing up in Arizona, Luke was used to being in nature, but even he found himself a little hesitant when navigating unfamiliar ground with his host siblings.

Luke B.    
I thought we were going on a hike, and then we kind of just kept on walking and walking into, like, the savannah there. I was a little bit nervous, but they'd like they knew what they were doing, and we were with one of the adults as well. So I kind of just trusted them, because they were pretty knowledgeable of everything. So it was pretty easy to kind of adapt to it. But for a second, I was like, Whoa. Where are we going?

Kate M.
However brief, experiences like these, staying with a host family, offered something far more profound than just sightseeing.

Mikayla S.   
But it was the fact that staying with my host family, even if it was just for those few nights, and learning about the culture and like them accepting us and like dressing us like how they would for their traditional dances. It was definitely like a nice moment that you couldn't get just coming and doing the safaris.

Kate M.
And as Program Leader Nina observed, the students' enthusiasm and adaptability throughout this two day stay was truly remarkable.

Nina G.    
Everybody just had these great stories to tell about their host family. Some of them learned how to cook certain things. Some of them were with host families that had farm animals, like my host family had cows and it was cool just to hear about everybody's individual experiences and the different foods they tried and things they learned from their host siblings. Everyone was buzzing with excitement in the morning.

And I was really proud of the students, because this was a very, very high intensity experience. They were doing so much all day.
They didn't just get to go back to a dorm at the end of the day and relax and be with their fellow students. They were going home and spending time with their host family and learning about their culture and sharing their own traditions. And I was just so proud that they kept up such a strong level of energy, and they stayed really immersed in the experience the whole time.

Kate M.
Mikayla summed up this whole experience pretty well.

Mikayla S.
It wasn't tourism. It was deep, like education and knowledge. 

[Music]

Kate M.
Coming back together after those individual host family stays really solidified their bond, with the sharing of experiences from each of their host families providing an opportunity for each member of the group to get a more well-rounded idea of what life with a Maasai family was like.
They then left the Kitengela area, journeying through new regions of Kenya. They explored innovation in Nairobi, learning about green projects such as wind turbines and solar panels. 

From there, their travels took them to Naivasha, located on the banks of an enormous lake that’s famous for its hippo population. Its attractions include the famous Hell’s Gate National Park, which served as one of the inspirations for the locations in The Lion King.
A core idea woven throughout this program was the nuanced, often challenging, concept of sustainability– the 'push and pull' of finding solutions that truly work for both people and the environment.

One example, shared by Luke and Nina, was about Lion Lights. For generations, the Maasai people faced a difficult reality: lions, essential to the ecosystem and the tourism industry, were also attacking their vital livestock herds. This created a direct, painful conflict between wildlife protection and the Maasai's livelihood   Until in the early 2000s, a Maasai teenager named Richard Turere invented a solution, which he called Lion Lights.

Luke B.
They have these cool lion lights that go on and like are motion sensored, and they realize that the lions are kind of scared of these lights, so when they see them, they go away. And then that ended up being a great way to preserve their animals that they have in their villages. 

Kate M. 
Yes, a simple, motion-activated light system. When lions approached the herds at night, these bright lights would flash on, effectively deterring the predators without harming them.

Nina G.   
It's an invention that was really important for our students to learn about. Because something that the staff was talking a lot about was this harmony that exists between the animals on the land, the Maasai people, and the tourists that come to visit. That balance between those three entities is so important because each one depends on the other. The wildlife depends on tourism, because without tourism, there aren't funds to preserve the wildlife. But at the same time, the people that live on the land need to be protected from the animals and need their livelihood protected. It's kind of this ecosystem that has to exist between these three entities. And we learned a lot about that delicate balance and how important it is for Kenya in general, to protect that balance.

Kate M.
These insights into sustainability- a core part of their program's Wildlife Conservation focus-  were incredibly impactful. But as the students also discovered, any real adventure throws curveballs.
So, throughout their entire time in Kenya, many in the group faced … a challenge. Food poisoning. It wasn't tied to one specific place or meal, but it was a persistent battle. But, in a strange way, this physical hurdle kinda helped bring them together.

Luke B.
A few days into my trip, I got pretty sick, so that was, of course, not a great challenge to get through. But I kind of just tried to take it in stride. I didn't want it to completely ruin my trip. So we went to the doctor, got some meds, and I was able to get over it within a few days.

Kate M.
What started as an individual challenge for Luke, quickly had a bit of a domino effect…

Luke B.   
And then after I was starting to feel better, I forget who got it first, but two, one person got it, and then, like another two or three people got it.

Ben F. 
So that was obviously, you know, a bit rough to do with that. But AFS took, took pretty good care of me.

Luke B.
We were able to lean on each other and kind of help each other out. I was able to give my best advice after going through it.
So I think us all having that shared experience got us really close for sure, and we were able to just be all in the same boat together, getting through it.

Kate M.
Fortunately though, for Ben and Luke, what stuck with them about the trip was so much more than this. It wasn't a major plot point that defined their entire experience.

Ben F.
And I, whenever I returned, people were like, so scared. They were like, people would ask me, like, first about how I was, you know, in terms of my health, before how the trip was. But I would just tell them all, like, in reality, when I thought back on the trip, the food poisoning is like, kind of the last thing that I remember. I still was able to enjoy so much, and I still was able to see so much that it doesn't even stick in my memory.

Luke B.
But the thing I'm really happy about, at least, is when I look back on my time in Kenya, that's not the first thing I think of. I think of all the happy times I had, all the fun I had in Kenya, and then maybe I'll get to when I was sick.

Kate M.
This shared experience, albeit unfortunate, highlighted how quickly this group of strangers had gotten close. And yeah, it really brought home the realities of travel- it’s not always so glamorous.

Nina G.    
I think it did give them the opportunity to support each other and be there for each other and understand the reality of traveling and of being abroad is that you're not always going to feel great. You might get sick. And I think it was a huge lesson for these students in adaptability and just facing your fears, being far from home and being uncomfortable, and you could tell they were really leaning on each other and trusting each other to, I don't know, just make a make a safe space to not feel great together, so.

Kate M.
And as Luke and Ben said, this food poisoning situation didn’t define their program. So, let’s not let it define this story. Even through moments of exhaustion on long car rides, the fact that they were tackling it all together seemed to make it more manageable.

Luke B. 
I remember thinking like one of those first, like, car trips or something over to the Maasai tribe, which was earlier on the trip felt so long, but we had another, like, two, two or three hour trip, and it like, went by so fast because we were just laughing and joking and talking, and it was crazy to see the difference there.

Kate M.
These were days filled with incredible sights, profound learning, and long car rides. But after such a whirlwind of activities, the evenings became crucial. That's when the group's internal dynamic truly shone. They knew when to take breaks, recognized their own limits, and perhaps most importantly, they created spaces for each other to decompress and connect on a deeper level.

Mikayla S.
One of my big like, initiating moves was every night, majority of the time, we'd ask, like, who's hosting? And I would always volunteer, and whoever my roommate was, whoever I. My roommate was because he kept switching, I dragged them along with me, and about halfway through the trip, I was like, All right, guys who's hosting, and they, like, all looked at me like, Okay, Mikayla, we already know that you're going to be hosting. Like, we don't need to be asking that question anymore.
And I think that just built an even, even deeper sense community, that although we might have been separated or, like, not seen each other that day, like, at the end of the day, who's hosting, we're all packed into the room, whether it's the size of this one or smaller, or even just in a lounge, like we would all like, decompress and talk.

Kate M.
These informal gatherings weren't just downtime; they were the glue that held the community together. They were so engaged with each other, so present in their shared adventure, that the pull of connecting with friends back home through their phones naturally lessened. This was a clear testament to the strength of the new bonds they were forming.

Nina G.
They're excited to be together, they're excited to spend time together,  they just really, they just really enjoy talking and chatting. And I remember what it's like to be that age, I get it. 

[Car engine revving, birds]

Kate M.
One of their last stops was the iconic Maasai Mara National Reserve. This was a highlight for many, offering the chance to witness Kenya's incredible wildlife firsthand. The goal for many on this safari was to see the famous 'Big Five' – lions, elephants, rhinos, buffalo, and leopards.

Mikayla S.
My favorite animal is a lion. It's been like that for years, and I was really excited that I got to not only see one, but an entire, like, pride of lions on the safari.

Kate M.
Beyond the thrill of spotting these creatures, this safari highlighted something else profound: their detachment from technology. This whole experience was really an opportunity for them to be fully present. Out on the reserve, there wasn't much they could do with their phones besides take photos. But this wasn't a hindrance; it was a gift.

Nina G.    
I really think the nature of the program allowed them to put their phones down and really take in every moment as much as possible... I think they really did a great job of taking advantage of that and of bonding together. I think that's why they formed such strong friendships.

Kate M.
This ability to form such deep connections, to navigate both the highs and the lows, wasn't just about luck or beautiful scenery or the lack of cell service. It came down to something foundational: the preparation provided by AFS, equipping them with a mindset crucial for embracing new experiences and each other.

Ben F.   
Part of that is also AFS. They kind of teach you how to, like, suspend your you know notions, how to kind of be more open. And that's something that I think you can only kind of gain with experience. But yeah, I absolutely had to kind of suspend all that and kind of come into it with an open mind.

Kate M.
That mindset– the willingness to suspend preconceived notions and embrace the unfamiliar– was a vital tool for each individual. And as a group, this openness allowed everyone to navigate a completely new culture with curiosity and resilience.

Kate M.
As their journey in Kenya neared its end, the students returned to Nairobi for their final days. They got to reconnect with the YES Alumni.

Nina G.
So I'm really grateful to the Kenya staff for how they structured it. I think everything they do for that Global Prep program is perfect, just the different experiences that the students are offered and how enriching it is, not only for the students from the US, but for the Kenyan students as well, because they get to because they get to continue that, that spirit of intercultural exchange that they had when they were living in the US.

Kate M.
The group engaged in more community service, alongside their Kenyan peers, like a tree planting activity, and had time for last-minute souvenir shopping, a visit to the Giraffe Centre, and a powerful farewell event at Bomas of Kenya, a cultural village showcasing Kenya's diverse ethnic groups.
These final moments weren't just about closure. They were about solidifying the profound impact this brief, intense journey had on each of them.

After a final few days in Nairobi, the participants said goodbye to the AFS Kenya staff, the YES alumni. But the hardest goodbye was going to be to each other.

Mikayla S.
The best way I could describe our group was we became like siblings. We were bickering. Like, sometimes we were like, you're being annoying right now. Um, but like, at the end of the day, like it was so hard to leave each other. Like I remember crying in the airport and like, I look back at our photos and I'm like, we were just a little snippet in everybody's story, but the game of spoons and a two week journey to Kenya. Like, just, we'll have those memories to tell our kids.

Luke B. 
Yeah, it was great. I think that's what, what also made the trip was having such a close group of friends by the end of it.

Ben F.   
But I think not only just be able to go to those places, but also to go to those places, you know, with a group of you know other people, other you know thinkers, other people who are as like courageous as me, to be like, hey, I want to go to Kenya. I think was really cool.

Nina G.
Like these students cared about each other so much I didn't sense any there was no animosity, there was no bullying. There was like, no one that was really like the odd one out, like everybody really bonded very well. And that was a huge relief for me, because that was one of my biggest concerns, was that they're not going to bond with each other, they're not going to talk it's it's going to be like awkward moments a lot of the time, and none of that was true, like, my expectations were totally incorrect in that regard. So I'm just really glad that they formed such strong friendships, hopefully friendships that they have for the rest of their life.

Kate M.
Imagine this is like, the epilogue you see before the credits in a movie. Now, two years later- what impact did this program in Kenya have on these three students? And where are they now? 

[Music]

Kate M.
The following summer, Ben did another AFS program- the Global STEM Academy.
 
Ben F.
I went to China on a scholarship from AFS. I kind of geek out over a little bit like this, the whole thing of like, the tech, the futuristic aspect of it, I think was really cool. It kind of inspired me a little bit. But the main reason for it was just so that I could go somewhere that I'd never really been before. In terms of, I didn't really know anything about the culture, it was very unique, very new to me.

Kate M.
Now, as he prepares to go to Texas A&M University in the fall, Ben is allowing his global outlook to influence his academic and career aspirations.

Ben F.
And now looking towards the future, I'm thinking of majoring in college in astrophysics, and hoping to go into a career, either in some sort of research or maybe even something international, like, you know, traveling abroad.

Kate M.
Ben sees how working with people globally, is a natural next step from all the intercultural connections in Kenya and China that he started building with AFS.

Ben F.   
In order to do observations, like, nobody's putting a telescope in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, you know, like the the leading telescope locations that we have are in South America. They're in the Canary Islands. They're in Hawaii.

Because the fact is, when you're dealing with problems, they're like, you know, a universe of scale. You need a lot of different minds, and you need a lot of different thinkers, and they come from across the world. And so definitely, like, you know, going to fly out to meet with people would be a large part of that job. And that's something that I'd be really excited for.

Kate M.
Beyond just his career dreams, Ben feels like he picked up some invaluable skills for any future travel, changing how he approaches experiencing the world.

Ben F.   
And I feel like, also the other part of it is like, you know, anywhere that I do go, even if it's not for, you know, work or for studying or anything like that, even if I'm just, like, vacationing, I feel like I've gained so many skills of, how do I adapt to a culture? But also, how do I immerse myself in a culture? AFS is very big on that.

I think that's the reason you stay with the host family. And that's the reason you, you, you know, stay so often with like, these other I mean, in China, we were always with another Chinese student, just so you can get, like, an idea of, like, what local culture is there. And I feel like in the future, whenever I travel, it won't just be, you know, a vacation, it'll also be some part of like learning, and I think that's something that I definitely aspire for in my future travels. So that's, I'm very thankful that AFS gave me those skills.

Kate M.
For Ben, that itch to explore and truly connect with other cultures is now just a permanent part of who he is.

Ben F.   
AFS has definitely left an impression on my heart. The desire to see the world and to experience new cultures is 100% set in me, and it is not going away.

Kate M.
For Luke, who is heading to Yale in the fall, the trip significantly sharpened his independence and adaptability, skills he recognizes as invaluable for his next chapter.

Luke B.   
For sure, I mean, coming back, I just I felt like even my parents said they could kind of just see I was a little bit more independent about everything. Because I feel like this trip at times we were in a group, but also at times, you had to be really independent and be on your be on your own and be with your own thoughts and work out problems all on your own, with out the support of family or friends.

Even if I didn't notice it right away. I'm kind of seeing the long term benefits, especially as I gear up for college and stuff like that. I can kind of see how I've grown as an individual.

Then also, I'd say on the flip side, I was able to make friends with, I think it was 12 or so people from we had one from New York, some from St Louis, some from Rhode Island, New Mexico, all over the country. I feel like we got on extremely well, like right away. And I was a little bit worried about that, getting to know 12 people that I had never seen before in Kenya. So, like, a bunch of different things moving, but think I also grew as, like a person with other people. So both those fields, I feel like I could, I could see growth.

Kate M.
And if he chooses to study abroad again in college, Luke knows he'll be ahead of the curve.

Luke B.   
Especially if I choose to study abroad for a semester. I'll be like, Oh, I've done this before. I'll have some experience over a lot of other people that may not and I could help them out and say, like, Oh, this is what I did. I did a 40 hour trip to Kenya. I know a little bit about travel internationally.

Kate M.
Beyond his immediate plans, Luke sees the skills honed in Kenya as broadly applicable, helping him navigate new social and cultural environments with confidence.

Luke B.   
I think it's maybe not directly from Kenya, but it's skills and things I've learned from Kenya that I can kind of apply to a bunch of different areas of my life. So for example, at our school, we do a lot of work with underprivileged communities in the southwest and a lot of migrant families. So it's it, maybe, if it's with a group of people like that that I'm not, although that familiar with, I'm very comfortable with jumping in and getting to know them and know about their culture, similar to how I did it with Kenya.
And same thing goes for making new friends with people. I don't really know whether it's at at school or at a camp over the summer, stuff like that. So just like skills that I can apply that I learned in Kenya, I'm seeing every single day, for sure.

Kate M.
And for Mikayla, now having just finished her freshman year at American University in D.C., the community-building skills she practiced in Kenya proved helpful as she navigated college life. She even describes her transition to D.C. as 'Kenya 2.0'.

Mikayla S.   
It's definitely kind of like Kenya 2.0 because I knew nothing about here. Nothing about transit. New Mexico is a driving state. I take the transit everywhere and yeah, finding all these different people from all over.
And it's just like, that diversity in states is so funny to me. Like, yeah, we're one country, but we're all so different.

Kate M.
At American, Mikayla’s been proactively building her own community, applying the same inclusive spirit she had in Kenya.

Mikayla S.   
Since I had no friends when I started here, it was working my way up once again. But it started with one person. Me meeting her at like a church convention, and then asking her to go to the gym, and then inviting more people. And before I knew it, we had this community.
Like everybody wants to be included. And I feel like if we just take that and carry it through our life, like we'll be much nicer people like, oh, I don't know if they're going to want to come. Like, no. Like, everybody wants to be included. And I think the moment we forget that is when people's feelings get hurt. So no matter what we do, everybody's invited.
No one wants to feel like they're not wanted. So I think that has like definitely carried and show and like, draw a whole new light in college now.

Kate M.
Perhaps most profoundly, Kenya helped Mikayla overcome a fear that she wasn't quite good enough, instilling a newfound confidence in her own place at any table.

Mikayla S.   
I come from, you know, New Mexico, although we're a big state, we're not big in population. And I went to a private school, and I always hear the, oh, a big fish and a small in a small bowl. And I think that's discrediting to a lot of people who, like, were, like, achieved many things, whether it was a big or a small school, um, but it put this fear in me that, okay, maybe I wasn't all that my achievements were, you know. Maybe I were slightly diluted because my pond wasn't as big as the next person's, and I started to believe it.

And then when I got into AFS Kenya, everybody in my group was incredibly smart.
Evan, he and Ben would talk about these deep, like concepts of economics and science. And Deysha, she's currently at Yale.
And all these people are so smart. And I was like, wow. Like, I was able to manage a seat at this table, even though, in the moment, it's like, wow. Like, all of them come from such successful backgrounds and successful futures. It made me realize, like, okay, like, I might come from a small pool, but right now, like, I have a seat with all of these amazing, smart, intelligent, kind people.
 
And it just was a reminder to college of like, yeah, small pond, big fish. But like you always deserve it, a seat at a table if you work for it. And I think Kenya really helped me, and like all these amazing people, helped me to believe in myself even more, because you are who you surround yourself with.

Kate M.
And her best advice, a direct reflection of her journey from Kenya to college?

Mikayla S.
And then my last little, my best advice to someone is that someone has to be that leader, make it you.

Kate M.
In just three intense weeks, and I have used the word “intense” many times in this episode, this small group of strangers from across the U.S. embarked on a journey that not only taught them a ton about a place they barely knew- Kenya- but also forged some incredible friendships. They navigated new cultures, learned about the Maasai tribe and sustainability, and overcame challenges together.

Those shared experiences really planted seeds of independence, empathy, and a lifelong desire for global connection. Ultimately, the bonds they forged prove that even a brief, immersive experience can truly impact your life.

It's really important to share that a number of the students on this program were scholarship recipients. And their presence on the trip didn't just benefit them or the group; it benefited everyone they met abroad. It was a chance to show yet another face of what it means to be an American.

Nina G.   
These students wouldn't have otherwise had the opportunity to go on these trips. And I think it was really important for our group to have so much representation and have students from all around the US, from different backgrounds, to not only give them the opportunity to experience this, but also for people in Kenya to meet and experience so many different kinds of people from the US.

Kate M.
AFS-USA’s Global Citizen Scholarships & Aid (GCSA) program automatically considers ALL applicants for scholarships as part of the application process. This simplified approach makes our study abroad programs more accessible and affordable for high school students. Find out more about AFS scholarships at afsusa.org/scholarships. You can also check out some of the other episodes where I’ve spoken with scholarship recipients. Like in Season 3, Trip of a Lifetime, where I speak with 3 students who participated in the Global Prep Spain program. And, uh, I happened to be their program leader for that one. So I’m kinda biased. It’s a great episode.

Thank you for joining us on this exploration of community and connection. A huge  thank you to Mikayla, Luke, Ben, and Nina, for sharing their story. Oh, and one last thing from Mikayla…

Mikayla S.   
Hi guys, if you're listening. So my next question is, when's the reunion?

[Music]

Kate M.
Thank you for listening to The AFS Exchange! We have a lot of exciting stories coming up for this 5th season, including many more interviews with hosted students, host families, volunteers and returnees. We'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode! Send a message to podcast@afsusa.org. Also please rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and be sure to subscribe. To learn more about AFS-USA and international exchange, visit afsusa.org. 
  
This podcast was created by Kate Mulvihill. Social media by Julie Ball and Nina Gaulin. Special thanks to Parker Allen.