please share any thoughts that may help next year's students, or that you simply think are valuable for us to know about your travel, your project, and the entire experience. It's anonymous!
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wish we'd brought more gifts for children
Agreed - wish we brought more gifts in general - MIT tee shirts, Bosox hats...
we were surprised at how many requests for money we got--even from people associated with the host organization. be prepared to respond to such requests.
comfortable shoes--lots of muddy or rocky paths!
skirt for women--more often than not women dress modestly and in skirts
SIM cards: buy at the airport upon arrival (ask as soon as you exit customs).
Get the market leader brand, it makes a big difference in some countries (e.g. easy to transfer minutes and money in Kenya if you're on Safaricom).
When you first arrive buy the largest possible voucher for mobile minutes: the per-minute charge is much, much lower if you buy larger denominations
shake hands, err on the side of being more formal in your greeting
take time to say hello, ask how people are, etc
esp. in rural Africa: know that you'll be in a poor community--consider running a clothes drive or similar before you leave to bring along things you can give to the community
books, magazines also make great gifts
mini soap bars come in handy
Bring lots of cash is an understatement. Travellers checks often come with a 10% commission, ATMs have 5% fees.. cash is king, especially in Tanzania where they don't even want Tanzanian shillings! Make sure you have a buffer of cash (a couple hundred) for the flight home. You never know where you may get stuck.
Don't be afraid to try public transportation or to bargain. It can be frustrating but a lot of fun!
Make sure to take advantage of the MIT name. We were able to get many meetings with high officials by just saying we were MIT students interested in learning.
Get information specifically on the country you are going to in terms of culture and what to expect. People tend to give you advice on 'Africa' after having visited only one country, which can be misleading. The regions are all very different.