GRIP Tips: Power Up Gambia
GRIP: Power Up Gambia
Madison Shelton, one of the Global Research and Internship Correspondents, shares her experience abroad during Summer 2025. Follow along with the group of correspondents on our blog and look out for their images on the @pennabroad Instagram feed.
Hi everyone! It’s Maddie here checking in from The Gambia! I have spent a considerable amount of time in what is known as the smiling coast of Africa, and I can attest that the nickname is true— the people here truly are some of the friendliest and kindest people you will ever meet. I wanted to drop in and give some tips that I have found to be useful for anyone considering coming to The Gambia with Power Up Gambia, or anyone considering doing a GRIP internship in general. This has been one of the best and most life changing experiences of my life, and while working here is not for everyone, I have grown and learned so much about myself that I would do it again in a heartbeat.
1. Do research on the country’s customs
Depending on where your internship will take you, there will certainly be differences in culture and customs from your dorm life in Philadelphia. This was the first time that I had lived in a primarily Muslim country and I wanted to do my best to respect the tradition and community that I would be entering. Even small differences like not locking your door when you are home so that friends can visit was helpful to learn during our time here as well as larger differences like making sure that as a female, my clothing was appropriate and did not disrespect the unspoken cultural norms.
2. Come into the experience with little to no expectations
When entering an international internship experience, it was helpful for me to let go of preconceived notions that you may have about what work you will be doing specifically, how you will be living, what the people will be like, and many other factors. This was because there are so many unknowns that go into working abroad and, as an intern, we are stepping into a space as an outsider hoping to help and learn. If you have significant expectations as to how something will go, then it is easier to be disappointed or frustrated when ‘progress’ about the internship experience does not go as planned or you have a harder time adjusting. It is important to give yourself grace because not only are you adjusting to a new country, but you are also challenging yourself with a new job.
3. Find a balance between fun and sustainable work
As an intern, balancing fun and work is one of the hardest things that I found in my first few weeks here. It is important to respect the time that you commit to your employer, but you are also dropped in an exciting new place and want to travel to surrounding areas, try new things, and interact with the people around you. In Bwiam, where we are staying, it is difficult to get around without speaking the local languages, so the CEO of the hospital actually spent several of his afternoons taking us to local hotspots where we might want to spend the weekends or afternoons. My biggest advice here is to be patient and not rush to do everything at once— your internship has you placed for at least 8 weeks, so you should have plenty of time to do everything you want to!
4. Explore!
The best experiences that I have had in Bwiam were the ones where my co-interns and I spent a free afternoon to go explore and soak up the surrounding areas. In the villages around the hospital, the children spend their afternoons playing soccer, selling goods, or simply hanging out. The children of The Gambia are one of the best parts of our time here— they never hesitate to yell out “Toubab we love you!” and give us a hug. The unparalleled joy of bringing them something so small as bubbles and having an afternoon full of fun is something I will never forget. On another walk, we found a chicken’s laying spot and got free eggs for a couple of weeks before the chicken moved on to another spot.
5. Pack wisely!
Before leaving, I got various packing advice ranging from “just bring one suitcase” to “bring a suitcase of your favorite snacks” to “don’t bring anything you don’t use in the U.S.” My personal advice is to pack less clothes than you think you need, more over the counter medicine than you think you need, and all of the comfort items you can think of. As someone who has a rather sensitive stomach, bringing over the counter medicine has been a lifesaver and I have been utilizing the mini pharmacy of products that I never touched before coming here. As for comfort items, I brought my favorite stuffed animal, snacks that I knew I would miss and wouldn’t be able to get here, and pictures of my loved ones.
6. Listen and learn from the experiences of those around you
My GRIP experience was based around improving hospital care in rural parts of The Gambia. As someone coming from the West, the most important factor to consider when suggesting improvements or creating proposals for fundraisers is to take the time to understand the root cause of a problem and barriers that prevent potential solutions from being successful. While I may have learned different approaches to improving care in my classes and ways in which these problems affect certain communities, I lack the experience that the people here do, so the best thing I can do is listen and collaborate in order to push for positive changes.
7. Budget loosely beforehand— and have a plan to get more funds if you need them!
Having a budget before the trip can give you peace of mind that you won’t run into any problems while abroad. However, it’s often hard to budget when you have never been to a place and are going somewhere for an extended period of time. Therefore, I would suggest not worrying too much about the exact details before you get there and if you are worried, maybe plan the budget after a couple of weeks. Additionally, do some light research on the country, its preferred method of payments (The Gambia only takes cash) and the best way to take money out there given different exchange rates.
8. Embrace any discomfort
Some differences might be striking or uncomfortable. For example, learning to live with an unexpected roommate A.K.A. the baby lizard in my room was a big surprise. At the advice of one of my good friends though, he’s just a little guy and I should let him be and the lizard and I have become quite good friends. My tip is that if you end up getting a bout of traveler’s diarrhea or you have some unexpected guests in your room, laugh it off because it’s all part of the experience.
9. Schedule contact with loved ones
To avoid homesickness while abroad, I suggest setting up a schedule with your family, friends, significant others, and whoever else you are close with. Having time to chat can be helpful to maintain strong ties to what is going on at home, and prevent you from feeling isolated in a new country. Especially when you are not so busy with work or a new adventure, homesickness can sneak up on you- even if you are a seasoned traveler or self proclaimed independent. Plus your mom misses you.
10. If you have any hesitation on applying- just apply!
Traveling to West Africa has always been a dream of mine since learning about the rich culture in middle school French class. Interning with Power Up Gambia seemed like a perfect experience for me as I was searching for an experience abroad, wanting to do impactful work in the public health sector and having always wanted to go to West Africa. However, I had significant medical setbacks in the previous year and I was not sure if I would be well enough to go. Despite the hesitation, I applied because it was a dream opportunity. I communicated with my doctors, got a clean bill of health, and was thankfully able to go. If I let a small amount of hesitation prevent me from applying because I was not sure where I would be six months from the time that I applied, I might not know the sweet taste of wonjo juice or have gotten my Gambian name ‘Fatou.’
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