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JAMBO!
Jina langu ni (my name is) Jodie Collins, and I am the Program Director for Kenya. If TICO Registration # 50017614
you are reading this, it means that you have made the choice to embark on an amaz- Me to We Trips
ing adventure. Before you know it, your daily routine will be replaced by sights and 225 Carlton Street
sounds unique to the community you will be working with. Your mornings will start Toronto, Ontario
with a hearty breakfast prepared by talented hands. Your days will be filled with M5A 2L2
schoolbuilding, leadership training and special moments that you will remember for 416 964 8942
years to come. In the short time you are in Kenya; the people you will meet and work trips@metowe.com
with, the breathtaking landscape and the discoveries you make about yourself will
forever fill your heart.

I speak from experience. Just like you, I boarded a plane for my own Kenyan adven-
ture. Everything about the trip was a first, from the first taste of oogali, to the first
time I heard a hyena calling its pack late in the night. I participated in many of the
same activities that you will when you arrive. I learned something every day and I
couldn’t wait to share it with the people back home. I am excited for each and every
one of you. As you will have your lessons to learn, stories to share and memories
to hold close.

The largest asset you can bring with you is the desire to learn and understand.
Kenya is a country rich in history, with a unique culture. This package was created
to help answer questions that you might have, as well as to help prepare you for
your journey. The “Solidarity vs. Charity” essay included in this package highlights
the importance of humility and has proven valuable to participants in the past. As in
any new situation, it is essential to accept and repect what is different and seek to
understand and celebrate what is similar.

We still have a few months before our paths will cross in Kenya. Make sure to read
the package and direct any questions you might have to our trips team. I am looking
forward to sharing an adventure with you in Kenya.

Live, love, learn and laugh,

Sincerely,
Jodie Collins
Program Director for Kenya

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 2

HOW TO PACK
Your Backpack
Please do not bring a suitcase. All your clothes and equipment should be packed in a hiking backpack. If you are
planning on travelling again or do a lot of camping, you may choose to invest in a hiking pack from an outdoor
store. These backpacks can get quite expensive, so if you are on a budget or do not plan on doing much travelling
in the future, buy an inexpensive hiking backpack from a store such as Zellers or Target. They are slightly smaller
in size, but they will still do the trick. They cost about $20, as opposed to the minimum cost of about $100-$300 for
a high-quality hiking backpack.

You are allowed two pieces of luggage, each weighing no more than 50 lbs. If you follow the packing list, you
should not go over this weight restriction. Your first piece of luggage will be your hiking backpack. At the airport,
we will be giving you your second piece of luggage. This will be a bag containing school and health kits for the
communities.

What About Souvenirs?

A lot of us will want to bring back souvenirs that won’t necessarily fit in our hiking backpack. Since we won’t
have school and health kits to bring back with us, you will be able to bring back another 50 lbs bag with you. We
recommend that you bring an empty duffle bag in the bottom of your hiking backpack or squished into your carry-
on. You can then bring back souvenirs with you in this duffle bag.

Your Carry-On
In addition to your backpack, you should bring a small bag that stays with you on the plane. Checking luggage
is not always reliable, so your carry on should contain everything you need for one or two days just in case your
luggage gets to your destination after you do. Your carry-on should contain:

• A change of clothes (two extra pairs of underwear)

• All medications and prescriptions
• Glasses or contacts (if applicable)
• Toothbrush and essential toiletries, including feminine hygiene products for the girls
• Your journal and things to entertain you on the plane
• Photocopies of all important documents (passport, insurance card, etc.). The originals will be in your document
holder.

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 3

HOW TO PACK
Your Document Holder
It is essential that everyone has a money belt or document holder to carry all your important documents (passport,
money, immunization record, etc). Your document holder should never leave your person while in transit.

Thank you for submitting your emergency contact information, health insurance coverage information, as well as
a photocopy of your passport. Your facilitators and the Me to We Trips office will retain copies of this information
should an emergency arise. We ask that you also leave a copy of this information with your parents/guardians if
you have not done so already.

What about the Visa?

You will need a travel visa to get into Kenya. This visa will be purchased on your arrival into the country. Please
ensure you bring $25 US in small bills that are printed on or after 2000 to purhcase your visa. You can visit your
local bank to obtain small bills printed after the year 2000. Please ensure that you have two blank pages in your
passport for your Kenyan visa.

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 4

WHAT TO EXPECT
Appropriate Clothing
You will be outdoors and working hard for much of the trip, so please ensure that you bring clothing that you do
not mind getting wrecked or dirty. Many participants in the past have stopped by Goodwill or the Salvation Army
to buy work clothes.

Ladies: Make sure you dress conservatively. This means that shorts should be an appropriate length, and no tank-
tops or halter-tops or tight yoga pants. Long cotton skirts will keep you cool and are great for teaching.

Please be warned that often hot, sunny days are followed by cold, crisp nights. Make sure to bring warm clothes,
especially if you get cold easily.

Spending Money
You will often get a better exchange rate for U.S. money with newer bills.

We recommend that you bring U.S. cash for spending money. You will have a few chances to shop for souveniers,
and may want money for snacks in airports. $200 US has proven to be an appropriate amount of spending money
for participants in the past. You must also bring $50 US for the flying doctor’s insurance. There will be a number of
opportunities to exchange currency.

When the Weather is Cold

Be sure to be ready for all kinds of weather. The rainy season can span from mid-April to the beginning of June.
Don’t forget your rain boots and full rain gear (pants and jacket). There is nothing worse than being wet when the
weather starts to cool down at night. Don’t forget to bring warm clothes (i.e. sweatpants, sweatshirt and even a
toque for sleeping to keep your head warm).

MAASAI MARA MONTHLY CLIMATE STATISTICS

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
(Celsius) MAX 32 32 33 31 29 29 28 28 29 30 31 32
MIN 23 24 24 24 23 21 20 20 21 22 23 23
# days precipitation 5 3 7 15 19 14 14 15 12 10 9 9

NAIROBI’S MONTHLY CLIMATE STATISTICS

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
(Celsius) MAX 25 26 25 24 22 21 21 21 24 24 23 23
MIN 12 13 14 14 13 12 11 11 11 13 13 13

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 5

COMMUNICATIONS &
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Keeping in Touch
When we land, we will travel to a guest house for the night and get some much-needed sleep. The following day
you will have a chance to contact parents, guardians etc. back home by e-mail, to let them know you have arrived
safely. Parents and primary contacts will also receive a group e-mail from the trips department at that time.

Once we arrive at our final destination, there will be no access to either phones or the Internet for the rest of
the trip. We encourage participants to focus on the trip and their immediate surroundings while they are abroad,
rather than being distracted by things going on at home. Cell phones will not work, so we ask that they not be
brought on the trip for risk of loss, damage or theft.

Facilitators issue weekly reports to the trips staff in the Toronto office, so all primary contacts will receive weekly
e-mails on the group’s progress. Otherwise, no news is good news! We would be in touch with families immediately
in the event of an emergency.

In Case of Emergency
In case of emergency, a representative from Me to We Trips will contact your parents or legal guardians first, and
then the person(s) you listed as emergency contact(s) in the online registration. Please make sure these people
know that you have listed them as a contact and that they are aware that you are travelling with Me to We Trips.
If any contact information has changed, please e-mail the changes to trips@metowe.com no later than one week
prior to departure so that we have your file updated.

All facilitators have been thoroughly trained in emergency procedures. Me to We staff will carry a photocopy of
your medical forms and insurance policy, but it is always a good idea to keep copies in your carry-on and leave
additional copies with a parent or trusted friend at home.

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 6

COMMUNICATIONS &
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Emergencies at Home
Should your parent/guardian need to get a hold of you as a result of an emergency or crisis situation at home,
please have them contact the emergency phone number which is listed below. Our trips always travel with a
satellite phone for use only in emergency situations. If you need to get in touch with a participant on the trip, our
office emergency contact will get in touch with one our staff on the ground to inform them of the situation. The
facilitators would then pass along any information privately to the participant.

Please note, if an emergency at home requires a trip participant to depart early, neither Me to We nor any related
organization will not be able to issue any reimbursement for the missed day(s) of the trip. In the event that a
participant needs to depart early and deviate from the group’s itinerary, the participant and/or their parents or
guardians will be financially responsible for any alternate travel arrangements (including transportation to the
airport and new flights). If this situation were to arise, Me to We will provide full logistical support in making these
arrangements and ensure that the participant makes their way home safely.

EMERGENCY CONTACT E-mail: kate@metowe.com

Kate Likely Office phone: 416.964.8942
Director of International Trips Office fax: 416.964.2199
24 Hour Emergency Phone: 416.526.8450

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 7

SOLIDARITY VS. CHARITY
One of the most powerful experiences we can have in recognizing our position as potential change makers
is to visit a developing country. Abroad, one can recognize culture beyond popular music and sports, beyond
universal schooling, television advertising, ideals of equal opportunity, and beyond a background of achievers
and consumers. We know that only five percent of the world’s population has a lifestyle like this, but most of the
time we limit our thinking to believe that this is the way everywhere.

It may sound strange now, but volunteering is not the main reason to go abroad. Rather, volunteering is a way
to take action upon your return. The volunteering we do on our trips is absolutely amazing, but the real power is
when we come back home.

Our presence in the country allows us an insight further than the direct benefits of volunteering and is powerful
beyond the immediate effects of the volunteering we will do there. Instead, we are able to be a part of a world-
wide movement. We can question the root causes of the issues we will be making direct eye contact with and
take action on these root issues.

On our trip we will be exploring some of the causes of the poverty we will see. Ask one another! Ask the facilitators!
This way, we learn about how we can continue to make a difference.

Our volunteer work is important, but it’s only a small part of the picture. It’s easy to see the challenges facing
the communities we work in, but we need to remember that in our globalized world, our lives and choices are
connected to those of the people we meet. Our interactions don’t end when we step on the plane to go home.
Rather, that is when that we can truly begin making a difference, armed with a new perspective and understanding
of our role in our global community. In the words of Aboriginal activist Lila Watson, “If you have come to help
me, you can go home again. But if you see my struggle as part of your own survival, then perhaps we can work
together.”

You’ll see a lot of things when you’re abroad that you don’t see back home, but you’ll also see a lot of things that
are the same. Problems like poverty, hunger, debt and disease happen all over the world, even in rich countries. At
the same time, people from every culture have a lot of the same values. Things like family, education and human
rights are important to everyone, no matter where they come from. There are six billion people on this planet, and
everyone has a part to play in creating the world that we all want to see.

There are two parts to this trip. Volunteering means learning about a new culture and making sustainable change
in partnership with the community. Leadership is just as important, because our true world-changing abilities
emerge when we take our experiences home with us.

We’re not travelling to give handouts or to change the ways of others. We’re travelling to learn and share with
a group of incredible people. If you remember that, you’ll end up getting far more than you could possibly give.

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 8

SWAHILI LESSON
Swahili is the language spoken in East Africa. Learning a little bit before you leave will make it easier to
communicate with the people you meet when you get to Kenya, so study hard!

Pronunciation Basics
Swahili is phonetic, so it is pretty easy to pronounce. Jambo! Hi!
The vowels sound like this: Habari yako? How are you?
Mzuri/si mbaya Good/not bad
A “ah” Na wewe? And you?
E “ay” Asante sana Thank you very much
Habari ya asubuhi? How is the morning?
I “ee”
Kwa heri Good bye
O “oh” Sawa OK
U “oo” Tafadhali Please
Try practicing the vowels as you count in Swahili! Pole I’m sorry/ Excuse me
Choo kiko wapi? Where is the bathroom?
Moja 1 Hii ni pesa ngapi? How much does this cost?
Jina lako ni nani? What is your name?
Mbili 2 Una ndugu wangapi? How many brothers and sisters do you have?
Tatu 3 Nyumba yako iko mbali? Is your home far?
Nne 4 Chakulah ni tamu! This food is good!
Unamiaka ngapi? How old are you?
Tano 5 Nina miaka ____. I am ____ (years old).
Sita 6 Ninaenda... I am going to...
Saba 7 Ninataka... I want to...
Leo Today
Nane 8 Kesho Tomorrow
Tisa 9 Mama Mom
Kumi 10 Baba Dad
Ishirini 20 Ndugu/Kaka Brother/sister
Mia 100 Here are some useful nouns:
Ngombe Cow
Mbuzi Goat
Simba Lion
Twiga Giraffe
Ndovu Elephant
Shule School
Nyumbani Home
Soco Market
Duka Store
Kijiji Village
Watu People
Maji Water
Chakulah Food
Rafiki Friend
Mapenzi Love
Mboga Vegetables
Kitabu Book
Kazi Work

Keep practicing and you’ll be speaking Swahili in no time!

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 9

PRE TRIP RESOURCES AND
READING SUGGESTIONS
Books
• The Worlds of a Maasai Warrior: An Autobiography by Tepilit Ole Saitoti
• I Dreamed of Africa by Kiku Gallman
• My Maasai Life by Robin Wiszowaty

Movies
• I Dreamed of Africa. Directed by Hugh Hudson. 2000.
• Out of Africa. Directed by Sydney Pollack. 1985.

Statistics
World Bank Statistics http://www.worldbank.org

Helpful Links
• Global Voices http://www.thestar.com/news/globalvoices

Donors and International Institutions

• World Bank http://www.worldbank.org/
• International Monetary Fund http://www.imf.org/external/country/

The above resources are provided solely for participants who wish to do independent research prior to their trip. Me to We does not
necessarily endorse any of the organizations or content listed.

Follow us on Twitter! http://twitter.com/realmetowe

Find us on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/metowe
Youtube us! http://www.youtube.com/metowe

KENYA PRE-DEPARTURE PACKAGE 10