Whitney | Jamaica

Whitney is a senior UW student who travelled to Jamaica in the spring of 2013. Whitney organized her trip with the help of a volunteer service named Amizade. She says that Amizade was very helpful and she would recommend the company to other UW students.

During her time in Jamaica, Whitney lived with a host family, which was great because she “was able to completely immerse in the Jamaican culture and visit the beaches that the locals frequent.”  She said that developing a relationship with her host family was the best experience of her trip because, “they readily welcomed me into their house, shared their knowledge, cooked amazing meals, and much more.”

While in Jamaica, Whitney taught courses at a local high school. As a Wyoming substitute teacher, she enjoyed the opportunity to compare U.S. and Jamaican education systems. According to Whitney, one of the greatest differences was the class sizes; “Jamaica averages 30-40 students per class, while the Wyoming classes I have taught only have 20 students."          

The greatest challenge that Whitney encountered during her trip was dealing with local security. She was able to solve this problem by, “taking one of our local volunteer guides with us when we walked up and down the beaches.”

Whitney says that the memories from her time in Jamaica will “last forever,” and that “given the opportunity [she] would definitely go on the trip again.”

If you’re planning to travel to Jamaica, or work with a program provider, please feel free to contact Whitney at wbalzan@uwyo.edu. 

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

Katelyn | Australia

Katelyn Means is a UW junior who traveled abroad during the spring of her sophomore year. Katelyn was a study abroad student at the University of Queensland in Australia! Because UW does not have an exchange agreement with The University of Queensland, Katelyn worked with a Program Provider, AustraLearn, to set up her study abroad.

Katelyn enjoyed the University of Queensland’s “beautiful campus,” and described her courses as “challenging but manageable.” Because of the vast array of class options when studying abroad, Katelyn recommends that you “figure out your class schedule before you go.” During her time in Australia Katelyn lived in Urbanest Student Housing Accommodation, which she suggests to other UW study abroad students!

One of Katelyn’s best memories from her semester abroad is spring break. During the break she I traveled to New Zealand and toured the South Island with a tour company called TopDeck. During the trip she met “some amazing people” and saw a lot of sights she could have never found on her own. She also went skydiving, which was the icing on the cake of her trip!

Katelyn’s biggest challenge during her study abroad semester was the homesickness that she experienced during her first month in Australia. However, she says that her homesickness was “small in the grand scheme of things.”  When asked how she dealt with the homesickness, Katelyn said, “I would either talk to my other study abroad friends or call my mom! Home is only a phone call away!”       
    

Katelyn provides the following advice to UW students preparing to study abroad: “Make an effort to connect with the locals.  A lot of study abroad programs have you teamed up with Americans when you get there. It is great to have these friends and to relate to and hangout with, but also make sure you make an effort to get to know the locals, so you can truly experience the culture and what the country your visiting is really about!”          

If you are planning to travel to work with a Program Provider or to travel to Australia please feel free to contact Katelyn at kmeans@uwyo.edu. 

Christian | Costa Rica

Christian Bopp is a junior at UW who travelled to Costa Rica in the spring of his sophomore year. Christian was a study abroad student at Veritas University in San Jose, Costa Rica. Christian loved Veritas and said that, “the faculty and students were awesome.” He was also very impressed with the University’s extracurricular activities and academically-oriented outdoor excursions.

To set-up his study abroad experience, Christian worked with a program provider called International Studies Abroad (ISA). ISA has a partnership with UW and regularly serves UW students in planning their study abroad trips. ISA helped Christian set-up his studies and also matched him with his Costa-Rican host family. ISA also coordinates local weekend trips for study abroad students.

Christian took part in many short trips around Costa Rica and thinks that this travel is an important part of any study abroad experience. About this he says, “I would advise students to make traveling and experiencing the local culture a priority (in addition to classes).” Christian traveled frequently, including many surfing expeditions and a trip to LasIslas de Ometepe in Nicaragua to hike Volcanoes. His favorite memory from his travels is “body surfing in the waves with my family at the Parque Nacional deManuel Antonio.”

However, Christian did encounter some challenges during this semester abroad. In fact, he experienced some safety concerns during his time in Costa Rica. He recounts the experience as follows, “I was robbed along with some other gringos in a park at night near where I lived…  I would advise people in this situation to remain calm and do whatever necessary to make sure you and your friends are safe.  I remained calm and no one was hurt.”

Despite this frightening situation, Christian recommends that all students travel. He says, “Traveling is one of the most eye opening things a person can do and is most beneficial when young!  GO TRAVEL!”

If you’re interested in travelling to Costa Rica, or working with a program provider to set up a study abroad, feel free to contact Christian at  cbopp@uwyo.edu! 

Breanna | Chile

Breanna is a senior UW student who traveled to Chile during the 2011-12 academic year. Breanna was a study abroad student at Chile PontificalUniversity of Valparaiso, Chile . Because UW did not have an exchange program in Chile, Breanna worked with a program provider to set up the trip; Breanna said she would recommend this to other students. She lived with I lived with a “huge family” that included  a mom, dad, two older brothers, and a younger sister and brother. Breanna had a great time with her host family and recommends home stays to other UW students.  

Breanna enjoyed being a student in Valparaiso, Chile! She said there were, “tons of activities to get involved in” at Chile Pontifical University. And, she was surprised by the supportive teachers and commented that, “the teachers were super interested in the students!”   

   

Breanna loved life in Valparaiso, and advises all UW students to “pick a city that appears more interesting to you than a country.” This is because, according to Breanna, you will  “actually be staying in the city more that you realized.”              

Her favorite memory from her time abroad was “trekking through Torres del Paine.”  During which Breanna made her first trip to Patagonia. She says, “the views were unforgettable.” Breanna recommends that other UW students who visit Valparaiso check out the artistic community and visit the Cerros.

The greatest challenge that Breanna faced during her trip was dealing with the bus system. Because bus systems are unfamiliar to many Wyoming students, Breanna says to “ride the bus a lot, get lost, and keep an open mind.” She also suggests giving yourself extra time when traveling by bus.

Breanna describes her study abroad experience as “the best choice I have ever made in my life.” Without it she says “I would never have gained this confidence and new perspective on life.”

If you’re interested in going to Chile, working with a Program Provider, or having a home stay, feel free to contact Breanna at bricha15@uwyo.edu.