International Studies & Programs

Fellow students eased culture shock in Kenya

As the group became closer, we were able to adventure out into the city and have some of the most profound and memorable experiences of my college career. We worked with a Nairobi artist’s collective, photographed young entrepreneurs, and traveled out of the city on safari. With each new experience, I felt more of my anxiety melt away, and I was able to feel more comfortable joining a globalized society.

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Published: Wednesday, 08 Jun 2022 Author: Danielle James

Daneille standing by elephants in KenyaI am a recently graduated Michigan State journalism student with a full-time job offer waiting for me at home. And like many young people, especially young reporters, I sometimes assume I hold all the answers. In this case, that assumption ended about a month ago, when I had one remaining course, a two-week photojournalism study abroad in Kenya, before I was able to graduate. I believed I had my future set-in stone, the people I cared about all picked out, and my degree practically mailed already. And as is most always the case, I was wrong. Instead, I arrived in May to a foreign country on a different continent and felt completely overwhelmed.

Culture shock is something I read about in the pre-departure pamphlets but have never actually experienced, even when traveling abroad previously. Experiencing it for the first time in a place I had never been, with a group of people I barely knew, was intense. But luckily for me, this group of near perfect strangers ended up being one of the kindest and most inclusive cohorts I have ever had the pleasure of joining. The sustained dialogue we practiced every day opened me up to entirely new sets of experiences, as well as allowing me to share my own life story.Students taking photo from Jeep on a safari in Kenya

As the group became closer, we were able to adventure out into the city and have some of the most profound and memorable experiences of my college career. We worked with a Nairobi artist’s collective, photographed young entrepreneurs, and traveled out of the city on safari. With each new experience, I felt more of my anxiety melt away, and I was able to feel more comfortable joining a globalized society. I was also able to identify all the similarities that our culture shares with Kenya’s, as well as appreciating the differences.Student feeding giraffe in Kenya

Now, I am happy to admit that my future is not set in stone. I have an entirely new group of friends and aspirations to continue with photojournalism after I graduate, although my degree is still (hopefully) on its way soon. Most importantly, I have a renewed interest in traveling the world, and I plan to continue exploring other cultures, even if they can initially be much different than my own.

Name: Danielle James
Status: Senior
Major: Journalism; Minor: Media Photography
Hometown: Hemlock, Michigan
Program: Visual Storytelling in Kenya