Exploring students’ perceptions of Kenya during a study abroad programme

This article explores perceptions of Kenya formed by students attending the study-abroad programme Semester at Sea (SAS). During the four-month study-abroad programme, students study for one semester on board ship and visit up to 15 countries during their journey, amongst them Kenya. The SAS programme aims to develop intercultural awareness, cultural learning, and intercultural competences through its academic curriculum, experiences of diversity on board and the land visits to different countries. The exploration of perceptions of study abroad participants builds the theoretical basis for this research. The article accordingly responds to the question of what pre- and post-port perception participants have regarding Kenya and Kenyan cultural aspects. Qualitative findings are presented from a sample of 23 US, German and Mexican students who participated in a study excursion to Kenya during the Fall 2022 voyage. Data were collected through self-written subjective reflective essays about the students’ experiences pre- and post the Kenya visit. Findings show that the excursion changed the students’ views of Kenya, Kenyans and Kenyan cultures and society and that the visit to Kenya stimulated reflections on cultures and identities However, findings also show that the experiences reflected superficial country and cultural learning experiences rather than in-depth cultural understanding.