Projects Abroad in Argentina

  Argentina

• Cordoba: 
Cordoba

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks, 3-6 months and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: All Year Round (you set the start and end date)

Description: Argentina is an amazing place to volunteer or intern abroad. Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, the second largest country in South America and a place of extremes. Youll be amazed by the breathtaking scenery and great diversity in its landscapes. Theres much to explore, ranging from its extensive Atlantic coastline through to glaciers, Andean mountains and the vast Pampas.

Argentina combines South American traditions with strong European influences. Its an elegant country that is rich in natural, cultural and sporting resources and has a well-educated population. Unfortunately, in the late 20th century Argentina suffered high inflation rates and severe debt problems. However, the country is steadily climbing the hill back from depression, and its economy is finally getting back on track.

Our projects are available for anyone interested in volunteering in the developing world, including those on a college summer break, gap year, career break or volunteer vacation.
Volunteering on a Placement Overseas in Argentina

Projects Abroad has several opportunities for volunteering abroad in Argentina. Our projects are based in and around the town of Unquillo in the province of Cordoba. We have placements in the fields of Teaching, Care, Medicine, Journalism and Spanish.

Youll be living with a local host family in Unquillo which will give you a good insight into Argentine life and culture. Located 25 km from Cordoba Argentinas second-largest city Unquillo is a vibrant town nestling in an attractive region. Its also the home of tennis player David Nalbandian, and many famous polo players and artists.

Here's a list of the projects you can take part in:

Care Work - You will begin your placement working in the main children's home, where the younger (ages 0-5) children are mostly housed. There you will help out with homework, design and give workshops on arts and crafts. You will also be responsible for teaching basic skills (for example, painting, sports or even hygiene and grooming tips) and caring for the physical health of the children - some of whom have chronic illnesses or disabilities.

After your initial period, you can join a rotation of volunteers that work in the community houses each of which are run by Argentinian women who have volunteered to work in decentralized "homes" with a group of children. Here, the volunteers work with the foster parents to give them a bit of a break from caring for the orphans all of the time. Often, this involves house-cleaning, playing sports and helping with homework.

Teaching - You will teach English as a foreign language alongside a certified Argentinean teacher. The focus of your work will be on class dynamics: integrating the interests of your students with the lesson plans of the teachers. Often, you will need to invent games and activities to help the students practice certain points of grammar. The more creative you are with this, the more effective you will be.

You will generally teach 3-5 classes each day, for 45 minutes each, Monday through Friday. While this might not sound like a lot, when you consider the extra time you will spend creating lesson plans, it is actually a considerable workload. But don't worry, you will have the weekends to relax and do a bit of tourism.

Please note: Although we recommend you join us during the school year if possible, if you volunteer during the long summer vacation (January - March) you'll help at summer schools and spend some time on local community projects.

Medicine - Our medical program in Argentina requires a high school level of Spanish comprehension. If you are unsure as to whether your Spanish is at an appropriate level, please give us a call. Many volunteers who lack confidence in their Spanish language skills join a teaching or care project before ending up in their medical program, giving them an opportunity to brush up their language skills before the medical part of their placement.

While at your placement, you will have the opportunity to observe doctors in practice: accompany them on their rounds, sit in on consultations and observe surgical procedures. In time, you may also be able to take a more hands-on role, helping doctors and nurses on their rounds. You will normally be expected to work with doctors between 6 and 8 hours a day, Monday through Friday. However, you may find that particularly interesting procedures take place outside of your normal hours. In these cases you should discuss the best times to be at the hospital with your placement supervisor.

Volunteers we need at least an intermediate knowledge of Spanish to participate.

Learn Spanish - Come join a project dedicated to learning and improving your Spanish! Immerse yourself in the fourth most spoken language in the world (392 million speakers to be exact) and a fascinating culture on one of our Spanish language placements in Argentina. Spanish is one of the most important languages - as the most studied second language of English speakers and only one of six languages used in the United Nations, you're bound to need it as our world is growing smaller.

With 60 hours of instruction per month and also accommodation with a local family, you'll learn quickly and can practice what you've learned with your host family each day! Lessons are one on one with a tutor and are tailored to your ability. Whether you are a complete beginner or have been learning Spanish for a number of years, being surrounded by the language every day will help your skills progress in leaps and bounds. After your lessons you will, of course, have plenty of time to complete your homework and explore the area with other volunteers.

Journalism - Volunteers participating on a print journalism project in Argentina work on the magazine Huellas (Footsteps). This is a monthly magazine that accompanies the Sunday edition of a local newspaper; La Voz Del Interior. This paper is distributed throughout the Sierras Chicas, from Salsipuedes to Agua de Oro, La Granja and its five districts. It is also distributed in Cordoba itself by the Tourist Agency and in Buenos Aires from Cordoba House, so your work will reach a huge potential audience.

Working alongside the small family team of local journalists, you will be given a range of responsibilities; everything from researching stories and interviewing people to writing articles and editing. You can also learn about, and help to design, basic page layouts and get involved in various aspects of producing the publication. The newspaper is also contributed to by local residents, so you could get involved with editing, proofreading or even translating articles written by the locals, if your Spanish is up to it!

Volunteers will need intermediate Spanish to make the most of this project.

Also, for high school students between the ages of 16 and 19 we offer the chance to take part in a two-week summer specials on our interesting medical placement.

Highlights: With 4989km of coastline bordering the South Atlantic Ocean, and land boundaries with 5 countries adding up to 9665km, Argentina is the second largest country in South America after Brazil, and the eighth largest country in the world. The majority of the country enjoys a temperate climate except the arid southeast and the sub-Antarctic southwest. Some areas are subject to earthquakes, violent windstorms and heavy flooding. Argentina is a land of geographical diversity, possessing some of the world's tallest mountains, expansive deserts and impressive waterfalls.

For your accommodation, you'll live with a Spanish speaking host-family, which is a great environment for developing and improving your language skills. All the families involved are extremely supportive of the projects carried out by Projects Abroad and are eager to experience an intercultural exchange and learn about the lives of volunteers.

Argentina offers numerous excellent locations for trekking, climbing, skiing and horse-riding. When you've finished your placement, you can visit the Iguazu Falls, stay on a ranch in the Pampas, or head to Valdes to spot whales, penguins and sea lions.

In addition, this project offers the opportunity to become fully immersed in the culture in a manner which even the most hardened of backpackers could never hope to do.

Qualifications: None.

Cost in US$: From US$ 1,595 up

Experience Required: no

Typical Volunteer: Open-minded with a desire to travel.

Age Range: 16-80

This Program is open to World Wide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals

Participants Travel to Argentina Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Letters of Reference
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network
• Exit DebriefingAbroad
• Re-Entry Debriefing at Home

Projects Abroad's Mission Statement: As part of the global economy, Projects Abroad helps create local employment wherever we send volunteers. Employing local staff overseas and using their talents and knowledge is important to us. This local knowledge and support enables the organization to channel the skills of the volunteers from more affluent countries to regions around the world where they are needed. Volunteers also learn from their placements and the people they meet, and they gain experience in a chosen field. In the 21st century, we believe this mutual respect is what cultural exchange is all about.

Year Founded: 1992