Kalayla | Argentina

Kalayla Hough is a UW Master’s student who studied abroad during the summer of 2012. Kayayla planned her trip to Argentina with the help of a program provider named International Studies Abroad.

Kalayla spent her summer at the University of Belgrano, which she says she would recommend to other UW students because “the teachers were very invested in the students' education and the facilities were very nice.”  The University also opened their intramural sports teams to international students, which Kayala enjoyed very much. She said, “I would advise students to get involved in an intramural sport to interact with locals.”

During her time abroad, Kalayla stayed with an Argentinean family in the Nuñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. She described the city as, “the most beautiful place I have ever been." Kalayla’s favorite memory of her study abroad experience was a day she spent introducing two of her friends to Buenos Aires.  She reflected on this day saying, “we started the day by browsing handcrafted items in the local weekend market, where we also purchased local food.  Then we took the food to a nearby park and watched the Argentines play fútbol (American soccer).  It was the perfect day.”

Kalayla says that the most challenging situation she came across during her time in Argentina was trying to stay safe during outings at night. Reflecting on this, she said, “We made a concerted effort to be smart and safe about our outings.  We always made sure to carry limited valuables and keep the items we did take with us close to our body. We also made sure that we knew what public transportation options were the closest to us and we made sure that we knew how to get home.”

Kalayla made the most of her study abroad experience and she hopes you will to. To maximize your study abroad, Kalayla says, “Enlist one or two people from your program and explore the city you live in every chance you get. Go to a new local market every day, see a new park, or eat something local that you've never tried. Try to learn as much as you can by doing and not just listening. Don't be afraid to ask questions and ALWAYS look at your experiences as different then home experiences and NEVER as better or worse."

If you’re planning to visit Argentina, or work with a program provider, please feel free to contact Kalayla at khough19@gmail.com