Argentina

Volunteering in Cordoba, Argentina through Projects Abroad was an amazing experience! I specifically chose to go to Argentina because I had prior interest in Spanish and South American culture. Growing up as a huge football fan, I idolized Messi and was immediately drawn to Argentina when I found that they had the placement I wanted. My project was a two week high school special for medicine and spanish. By being in a high school special, my parents were reassured that I would be safe at all times, and I was also relieved that I would be with others since I came to Argentina knowing very little Spanish. Projects Abroad staff was amazing, and all of my questions before and during my trip were answered promptly.
I was picked up at the hospital and taken to my host family. Even with my minimal spanish knowledge, I was comfortable and became friends with my fellow volunteers. The doctors I shadowed were kind, and I learned a lot during my time there. Also, we did many outside activities such as salsa dancing and shopping at the flea market that made me connect to local Argentinian culture. I found my trip to be meaningful and still one of the greatest things I’ve done.
Volunteering abroad teaches you the differences between American culture and other cultures. Even in hospitals, I can now appreciate the advances the United States has compared to developing countries, and I will take this knowledge with me as I continue into college and further studies. Everyone that entered with an open mind succeeded in Argentina. Overall, I would definitely recommend volunteering through Projects Abroad. While it was expensive, I felt that the experience was meaningful and worth the money. Time really flew by but I loved every day I spent there.

I spent a month in Córdoba, Argentina volunteering in Project Abroad's Law and Human Rights program, and it was the most amazing experience of my life thus far! I had always wanted to travel abroad while at university, but my class and extra-curricular schedule did not make it possible. Spending a summer with Projects Abroad (PA) was a great alternative. The Law and Human Rights program gives you great exposure to human rights at the grass roots level; as someone studying Latin American politics, I learned so much about Argentinian political history, current Argentinian government policies, and NGOs beyond what I could ever learn in the classroom. Furthermore, living and working Argentina really helped me to improve my Spanish.

My host family was so kind and caring, and you learn a lot more about the country and the language living with a Córdobesa family. My home was comfortable and safe, and my host family was experienced with hosting volunteers from all over the world. The program directors at PA went above and beyond to make sure I was safe and knowledgable about how to get around and what was expected of me. Weekly volunteer social events help you to make friends, learn about the city, and experience Argentinian culture in a non-touristy way. With your weekends free, you also have plenty of time to explore on your own or with other volunteers. I felt like my 4 weeks abroad flew by because it was packed with so many amazing experiences. It's also awesome that PA volunteers are from all over the world; I got to make friends from so many different countries which really added to the cultural experience.

Yes, PA can be pricey, but I believe that my money was well spent. I felt I got a priceless experience in return for the program costs, and I felt well taken care of the entire time I was in Argentina!

My experience in Córdoba, Argentina as a medical intern facilitated my development as both a student-scholar and overall human being. Being independent in an unfamiliar city, speaking a different language throughout each day, and immersing myself in a uniquely beautiful culture pushed me out of my comfort zone in the best ways possible. My summer internship allowed me to obtain a better understanding of South America, different healthcare systems, and who I want to be in the future, and it changed the way I look at my life and the lives of others.

I specifically chose to work with Projects Abroad because of their holistic approach in aiding developing countries with projects in various fields of work. Throughout my internship with Projects Abroad, all of the coordinators and volunteers were kind, welcoming, and supportive. Everyone working at the Córdoba location is passionate about the community, making a difference, and embracing the incredible opportunities that Argentina has to offer. For a majority of my work, I shadowed physicians and residents at the Hospital Universitario de Maternidad y Neonatología, a public hospital in the center of the city that serves expecting mothers and infants. A typical day in the hospital consisted of shadowing live births, cesarean sections, hysterectomies, mastectomies, and other surgical procedures. As an additional part of my Projects Abroad medical internship, I participated in outreach work in economically disadvantaged areas of the city, and I was also able to take part in some of the human rights activities that supported the homeless community in the city. There were also monthly community service projects in which Projects Abroad partners with another local organization to help the city of Córdoba and its people in some way.

My accommodations and the relationships I formed while in Argentina were absolutely unforgettable. As soon as I arrived, I was warmly welcomed by my host mom, Maria Elena, and some of my housemates. I lived in a quaint, three-story complex in the center of the city that offered everything I could possibly need. Because each volunteer had a different start and end date, I had various housemates from all over the world throughout my internship. For most of my meals, I ate at home with my host mom and housemates, eating delicious, freshly-cooked Argentine cuisine and discussing each of our unique experiences from that day. As I usually did not work on weekends, I fortunately had time to travel around Córdoba and to other provinces of Argentina to obtain a more holistic view of the country. Having the opportunity to see different parts of Argentina was integral to my understanding of the country, and these experiences taught me that each province has its own distinct accent, life, and culture that are well-worth appreciating and embracing. Reflecting on my trip as a whole, I am so grateful for my summer internship and have become a much more independent, open-minded, and self-aware human being, and I feel so fortunate to have had this opportunity.

During my time at Projects abroad, I had the opportunity to both participate in the medical project, and partially the human rights project. This was not my first time going abroad, however if it had been, I would have found the support staff of projects abroad to be more than sufficient. One of the nicest things to have when traveling is someone to meet and guide you from the airport. Projects abroad staff was there from the beginning at the airport and helped to get me comfortable with the city of Cordoba. While I interacted with my mentor during the medical project every day, it was rare to actually coordinate something during my six weeks with the medical staff at projects abroad. This was probably due to being the only medical volunteer for around 4 weeks. My normal day consisted of waking up around 7 and being by the bus stop around 730. Arriving at the hospital around 830, I would then observe 2-3 operations, and ask questions whenever I liked. Afterwards I would go home where my family would have lunch ready for me. During the night, I would then be free to do as I like. Often that would be going on to participate in the human rights project, where we would interact with homeless populations. This was often one of my favorite times because it meant I was able to interact with the local population in a new way. The projects abroad staff with the human rights project were extremely active with the activities. This actually was one of my favorite parts of my time in Argentina. Other volunteers were interesting to interact with as they brought many other perspectives, cultures, and languages to the table. The time spent with them felt much like the time on my exchange. The culture of argentina was also interesting to interact with as an American, and I learned a lot about how to be more relaxed with my time. It was also an adaptation to become accustomed the food or Argentina, which is very different to that in the US. Overall, it was a great experience, and I learned a lot about my future career, and own culture during my time with Projects abroad

My experience in Argentina was fantastic! I spent in a month in Cordoba, Argentina doing a Law & Human Rights Special with Projects Abroad. Myself along with several other volunteers got to work with both an NGO that works with homeless people to allow them to have the chance to express themselves creatively and at a residential care center for teenage boys. Both of these were really interesting projects, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with both of them.
In addition, another aspect of our project was learning more about human rights, particularly in Argentina. We learned a lot about the dictatorship period in Argentina, and we got to visit two detention centers. This was also a really important part of the trip to me, and I am so glad that I got this opportunity.

In addition to our work, we also had daily Spanish lessons as well as a true immersion experience living with a host family.

Our month, however, was not just work. While I felt that we did a lot of work and I really enjoyed it, we also had time to do some exploring around Cordoba, visiting the home of Che Guevara, a German village and going on several beautiful hikes, among other activities. In addition, we also had lots of opportunities to get to know our fellow volunteers, through activities such as a bowling night as a a class where we learned to cook empanadas from a local and several dance lessons.

All in all, I would strongly recommend this program to anyone who is considering it.

Do not choose Ailola. Once you pay they take all the money out of you and you are left alone in a mediocre student setting. I did not feel great. I am sorry to have chosen this school. All my friends were to El Pasaje de la Española and they had a fantastic experience. This school seems to be run by a German who does not like Argentina. It is just a question of making money...

Fantastic school in a great location. Relaxed but professional atmosphere with lovely staff and engaging teachers. Classes are varied and interesting, as are the extracurricular activities offered each week. I've only been here two weeks and have already felt my Spanish improve a great deal! Such a handy location too, right in the centre near a Subte stop which is great for exploring after class. Definitely woth a visit, and great if you want to gain more than just a touristic perspective of Buenos Aires!

I was a medical volunteer for projects abroad in Cordoba, Argentina for 2 weeks. The host family I housed with was very warm and welcoming from the very first night. My accommodations were very comfortable and pleasing and my host mom encouraged me to clean my living area while helping me clean it at the same time. Most of the time in the first two days was taken up by being introduced to the Projects Abroad staff and touring the city. The staff was very helpful and treated all of us as if we were their little brothers/sisters. After the first 2 days of meeting everyone and becoming familiar with the environment, the volunteer work began.

Work consisted of waking up very early in the morning. One of the staff would pick my group up and take them to the hospital we were assigned to. At the hospitals, I witnessed multiple surgeries and shadowed many doctors. The staff member would walk around with us to make sure communication was efficient (everyone spoke spanish, no english). The key to being involved in the hospitals would be to simply ask the doctors to see a surgery. All of the doctors and nurses were very respectful and they all made an effort to teach us their practices. Work was every morning from about 6 am until 12 pm, and then we went back home to a delicious home-cooked meal, and then we had 2 hours of spanish lessons, and then the evening consisted of group activity.

Group activities included soccer, tango dancing, and restaurants. On weekends we went on day trips to the mountains to go ziplining and other tourist attractions. My housemates instantly became my family and I still talk to them currently. Overall, the experience is phenomenal and it will open your eyes to a wonderful culture and way of life. 10/10 would recommend.

I took a private intensive wine course for 6 days (3 hours per day, totaling 18 hours) with “Mente Argentina.” The Resident Director, David Rosenfeld, was very helpful in arranging the program for me with many options in order to fit my schedule. The course itself took place at an EAV wine school, which is one of the three wine schools in Buenos Aires approved by the Sommelier Association International. The instructor, George Bourdieu, is a very knowledgeable sommelier who is not only passionate about wines, but also about teaching. As such, I enjoyed his course very much, which was very well organized and well delivered. I learned a lot from him despite the short duration of the course. For example, I learned how to distinguish the smells and the tastes of various wines, the wine production processes, the wine regions in Argentina, the main characteristics of various grapes (both for red and white wines), the defects of wines, and the systematic approach to wine tasting. I’d like to recommend this wine course to those who are interested in learning about wines!