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Thick jungle, red dirt radiating under blistering sun, bright tribal colours and warm expressions. Hunger and civil war. This is what comes to many peoples minds when you present the question: what do you think about Africa. Ask an economist and the answer changes into “economic growth, young population, China, agriculture”. Despite generally poor news coverage, Africa is raising awareness and interest also in the world of business and finance. General perceptions are however still behind the current status how far past years development has really taken the continent. 
One of the corner stones of the MIB programme is the opportunity to expand ones perspective with regional studies, focusing either to Asia, Latin America or Africa during the third semester. The scope is modest but intense. Don’t expect to become a full-grown specialist, but do expect to have a memorable experience build around academic classes and the most intriguing part – the excursion.
As our group picked Africa, our excursion headed out to Nairobi, Kenya. Prior studies had prepared the group with some academic basic information about the economics, culture and business environment of the country and its surrounding region. Some members had previous experiences, rest were equipped with more or less general knowledge. Frankfurt School staff in both Frankfurt and Nairobi had planned our programme in cooperation with our partner university USIU Nairobi, so the schedule was set before we took off. 
The excursion it self was an information mega-load. The timetable included usually one or two company visit, presentation or academic classes per day, and a lot of transportation time. Intense and though, but also extremely rewarding and eye-opening. Although rough, the amazing content compensated for all the possible suffering and weary eyes. We met a vast selection of companies from different industries such as Bitco (vegetable oils and other consumer goods), Nairobi Securities Exchange (financial services), Kenya Railway Company (logistics and urban social projects), and East African Brewery Limited (well, beer, and other refreshments). Business owners and managers seemed keen on expansions, export, and investment, and you could feel the urge to trade and wealth creation vibrating in the air. 
For the short experience we had, doing business in Kenya seemed to have loads of special characteristics, in the same way as all other markets have their own. Mastering these characteristics will take years of practical experience, so unless relocating your self to Kenya is an appealing option, it’s safer to use a trustworthy local agent. As an example, corruption is a major issue in Kenya as are also local tribal traditions, and these – negative and positive – aspects may cause culture shocks and misunderstandings for unprepared and unseasoned business representatives. It is noteworthy to realize Kenya is a leading technology and trade hub to East Africa, so Nairobi appeared to us as a good starting point for Africa expansion.
As an extra argument, a practical aspect in favour of Africa is also the similarity of time zones with Europe. Doing business – yet alone having social life – with +/-3 hour difference is already challenging, but try to expand that to five or six, or more. Ones target market versus physical location determines a lot how one structures days, and hence, life. Time to make a move into Africa is not only in the horizon, it has already started. 
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