The steps towards planning a study abroad trip can seem fairly straightforward at first: getting documents ready, packing, buying plane tickets, and all that seemingly-easy-yet-horribly-stressful stuff.

While life in East Africa is considerably cheaper than in North America or Europe, many travellers find it becomes easy to change their normal spending habits to take advantage of low prices, and go over their budget as a result. Cheaper food can translate to more frequent meals out, affordable transport may overtake your usual walking habits, and being in an exciting and beautiful new region encourages travel opportunities that can collectively take a hit on your bank account. If you are a budget conscious traveller, here are some helpful tips on how to travel East Africa on a budget!

We’re all familiar with the concept of culture shock. In the face of the unfamiliar, our pre-disposed values, perceptions, and ways of life are challenged. How we choose to deal with the uncomfortable feelings of culture shock can inherently change the way we view the world. But for those of us who go beyond the surface of travel, and involve ourselves deeply in a new and unfamiliar place, there inevitably comes the day when we return home.

 Alright, so you’ve landed that dream internship abroad that you’ve been wanting for ages. You’ve told all your friends, family, and strangers sitting next to you on the bus. That initial excitement is starting to wear off, and is slowly being replaced by a slight panic. Now what?

Is there anything better than a delicious meal? If you're a self-proclaimed foodie, the answer is probably somewhere along the "no" spectrum.

Ecuador has come to be known as the “mini South America”, a fitting name due to its extremely diverse and vibrant geography. Ecuador has everything an eager traveler could as for: the mountain ranges in the Andes, the highlands, the Amazon, and the beautiful beaches on the coast. There is never a shortage of things to do or places to see. The abundance of activities and sights to see in Ecuador's capital city can sometimes feel overwhelming, so we’ve put together a guide to the best excursions in Quito. 

Taking students abroad is a lot of work. You have to become the temporary parents and guardians of hormone crazed teenagers in a foreign country, and essentially  keep them alive and happy for the duration of the trip. After adding in pressure from school boards and parents as well as all the fundraising you have to do, I don't blame any of you for being hesitant to take on the responsibility.

‘When you travel away from a place where you have spent many years of your life, you leave behind a negative space, an empty contour of the person who left. When you return from your travels, you expect- and are expected- to occupy that same space again, but it never quite fits you, because you’ve changed. It’s not only uncomfortable for you but mildly disconcerting to those who know you well.’

Kampala is the bustling capital city of Uganda, situated on Lake Victoria and spread out across rolling green hillsides. From the chaotic city centre, bursting with people, noise and movement, to the lush garden suburbs in the hills, Kampala has a diversity of activities and sites to offer. 

Having run the Semester in Development program in Uganda for the past four years, here are our recommendations for the top 10 things to do in Kampala.

Kampala is a lively city offering great food, dance-inducing live music, and an explosion of cultural events and festivals. But for the times you just need to escape the city, the rest of Uganda will not disappoint. With plenty of incredible options to satisfy your craving for nature and adventure, the ‘Pearl of Africa’ has a lot to offer. Here are some fun weekend adventures in Uganda to escape the city!