Learning Swahili, Culture, and Community: Trinity's Study Abroad Experience in Kenya
By Trinity Thiirah, Undergraduate Student
Howard University Fulbright-Hays Swahili Group Project Abroad in Kenya - Summer 2025
My experience studying abroad in Kenya was amazing. During my 8-week stay, I experienced the cities of Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kilifi. I had classes where I learned Swahili in Nairobi and Kilifi, and we went to Mombasa to see Fort Jesus. Additionally, I experienced homestays in Nairobi and Mombasa, where I interacted with families and talked about life lived in Kenya. We also visited elementary and high schools in Kenya to bond with the students, which was a special experience as well. Apart from my studies, I enjoyed experiencing the environment—going to the beach, taking boat rides, watching the sunrise and sunset, seeing what kinds of foods and goods Kenyans like to buy at local stores and markets, and interacting and bonding with Kenyans.
We started our journey in Nairobi, where Swahili classes began. The class structure in Nairobi was orally based to complement the class material, so I learned a lot of valuable colloquial speech. My teacher taught us about euphemisms in Swahili, their traditional meanings, and how they are commonly used in everyday speech. This lesson was very inspiring to me and led me to my research project topic for my study abroad trip. We learned a lot about the different ethnic groups in Kenya and about the structures of government, covering many grammatical bases in the process. We also had lectures where we learned about Kenyan history in Swahili. In Nairobi, we went to the Nairobi National Museum to see the culture of the Maasai and others, and we saw many animals. We also visited the market and bought jewelry, clothes, and shoes. I liked being in the city because there were many buildings and a lot to see. We met students from Nairobi University as well and conversed with them to improve our speaking skills. Our speaking partners helped us expand on our Swahili lessons, and we talked about life as students. I found that our lives and experiences were very similar, which made it easy for us to get along. Additionally, our first homestay experience was in Nairobi. Our host family was very welcoming and kind. I enjoyed spending time with them that weekend, and the food they cooked was very delicious. We went on walks around the neighborhood and got to see our friends who stayed with another host family in the same area.
After three weeks, we said goodbye to Nairobi and our conversation partners from the university and took a train to Mombasa for one night. In Mombasa, we went on a safari, which was part of the hotel resort where we stayed. The safari was amazing. We saw many elephants, as well as giraffes, rhinos, birds, and—most impressively—lions. It was fun to travel in a vehicle with an open top and see all the animals. The resort in Mombasa was beautiful. The architecture was very open, and we could see elephants and sometimes giraffes in the distance. The stars that night were beautiful, and since it was our only night at the resort, many of us stayed up late watching them. Until that point, I had never seen so many stars that bright. It was a great experience for everyone.
We spent the bulk of the trip in Kilifi. I liked Kilifi the most because it was on the coast and in the countryside. It was warmer and more relaxed. My Swahili lessons continued, and we were placed into smaller, more focused classes. We learned more about Kenyan culture, including Swahili culture, the roles of the government and chiefs, current events in Kenya, traditional clothing and dress, and the importance of women and family within society, among many other topics. I enjoyed the food we were served, and the snacks at daily tea time—such as samosas, bagia, and cookies—were really delicious. Along with enjoying the coastal environment, I liked exploring the area, including going to the beach and taking a tuk-tuk to the market. We had new conversation partners as well, and I enjoyed talking with them about Kenya and other experiences and exploring the area together. One very special moment was when everyone on the trip took a boat ride to see the sunset. The sunset was beautiful, and some people even jumped into the sea to swim.
It was nice to see everyone having fun and to take many pictures. Our second homestay experience was in Kilifi. We had new host families, and I had a very positive experience there as well. It was nice interacting with our host mom and her sister, and on the second evening, they took us to a Swahili wedding. There was a lot of music and dancing, and when the bride arrived, she looked beautiful. Her dress was huge, and she was covered in traditional henna from her shoulders down to her hands. There was also a lot of delicious food served, making the homestay experience very special.
Visiting schools in Kenya was another great experience. We went to elementary schools in Nairobi and visited elementary and high schools in Kilifi. The students were very happy to have us as visitors and enjoyed chatting with us about life in Kenya and their school experiences. We talked with high school students about university and also played games and danced with the younger students. They liked teaching us games, and we went outside for activities together. It was wonderful to experience this important cultural exchange.
Overall, I experienced many meaningful things during my study abroad trip to Kenya. I learned and experienced a great deal of the culture. I enjoyed learning about ethnic groups in Kenya beyond my own and seeing how people interact with one another. Kenyans were very welcoming and happy to have us as visitors in their country. Additionally, my Swahili language skills grew significantly. I learned a lot of Swahili through class, reading children’s books, and speaking with locals. I am very grateful for this opportunity and for everything I was able to see and learn during this trip.