Travel tips
All Destinations:
- Ensure you know WHAT your research plans are, WHERE you will be living and working, and WHO will be helping you in country
- Make sure your passport has at least 6 months of validity.
- Read the US State Department country specific information and travel warnings for your destination. Check visa requirements for your destination. Make sure your vaccinations are current and you have any necessary malaria prophylaxis or other medications.
- Sign up for the STEP program.
Destination: Kenya
0) travel light, bring sturdy walking shoes that can take getting wet.
1) bring one or two type G plug adapters for your electrical gadgets
2) call your credit and debit card company and inform them of your travel plans so they don't flip out when charges from Kenya are posted to your account
3) ATMs are widely available in cities and most hotels/cab drivers will take US cash.
4) bring a backup stash of US bills with issue dates after 2003 (most businesses won't take earlier-dated bills)
5) When you arrive in Nairobi you can buy a flip phone for under $20. Or, if your own phone is unlocked, you can get a sim card and a lot of minutes for under $5. There are Safaricom and Orange kiosks after the baggage claim area and the salespeople will install, register, and activate the sim card for you. You can recharge minutes instantly using a scratch card available from shops anywhere in any village.