Mente Argentina Study Abroad Programs

chose Mente after a lot of internet research, but really, one feels very nervous when they are spending a good chunk of money and then just hoping beyond hope that you have chosen the best overseas study program. What a relief it was to be hosted in Buenos Aires by the professional, fun and kind staff at Mente. They know what they are doing and they took care of everything I needed. My apartment was awesome and in a great (and safe!) part of town only a few blocks from the Mente head office. I stopped in for one thing or another and even though the advisors would be busy working, they always had time to help me and really make me feel at home. It gave me great comfort to learn that I could rely on them. From getting me a toaster to a toilet plunger, a blender and helping me book my weekend excursions and even helping me with my Spanish homework – the staff at Mente are tireless. The anxiety I had about being in a big city with beginner Spanish skills melted away the first couple of days when I knew I would be able to count on my new friends at Mente. The outings they plan for the group are so fun (and included in your fee!!), the University Spanish course I took was in a nice school and I was pleased with the whole experience. (I just received my official transcript from the University of BA) and the teachers and staff were just simply nice, accommodating, helpful and lovely. For one month I experienced the best of Argentina and because everything went off without a hitch, it will remain one of the best experiences of my entire lifetime.
Susan Chalmers
Social Studies/Spanish Teacher, Canada

I participated in their intensive Spanish and tango programs on a 3 week visit to Buenos Aires. Mente made the experience phenomenal! From the time that I signed up for the program to when I left Buenos Aires, I had all the support I could need from maps, sim card, help with navigating Buenos Aires and more. I was very happy with my host family that they matched, and the Spanish and Tango courses that they organized.
They also organized many group activities ranging from museum visits, picnics, day trips outside of BA, concerts, football games and great lunches which helped me meet not only other travelers but also locals. I had an amazing experience with my host family, learned a lot of Spanish, got to try many cultural Argentinian activities and explore Buenos Aires all in 3 weeks. Highly recommend Mente Argentina for solo travelers and those seeking a full immersion program and want to experience all that Buenos Aires has to offer!

My time with Mente was an all-around great experience. Not only did Mente help coordinate an amazing homestay and Spanish immersion program, but they also organized constant group activities so participants could get to know each other while exploring some of the best spots in Buenos Aires.

They took care of all the little things like providing me with a local SIM and SUBTE card, and Mente even let me store some bags in their office while I went backpacking throughout other parts of South America.

I learned a ton of Spanish, felt comfortable throughout my entire stay, and met interesting people from all around the world. Highly recommend to anyone considering an immersion program.

I did a 4-week Wine Program with Mente Argentina in July 2019 which I would highly recommend. The wine school was excellent and I learnt so much in a very short space of time. The program schedule fit me perfectly – I had plenty of free time to explore the city during the day and the fact that you are able to choose the duration of the program yourself to fit your needs/requirements was one of the main reasons I chose Mente.

I was very pleased with the level of communication I received from the Program Advisors, both prior to my trip and during my time in Buenos Aires. Nothing was too much trouble and they were always available to answer any questions. They regularly arranged meet-ups and events where you got to meet other Mente participants, converse in your native language and experience the local culture. This was a big plus, especially as a solo traveller on a completely foreign continent.

Although Mente’s programs seem to be aimed at students I was very impressed to see people of different ages from all walks of life, all of whom came to Buenos Aires to have their own unique experience.

(I arranged my own accommodation via Airbnb so cannot comment on housing.)

All in all, highly recommended. I definitely got what I came for and would happily return.

My experience with Mente was fantastic! Traveling through Mente made it easy to get connected to a language school and to learn about all the cultural experiences Argentina has to offer. I highly suggest living with an Argentinian family and taking advantage of all the cultural events Mente offers (like Tango classes!). Living with a host family made all the difference with my language learning and my ability to make Argentinian friends. While I mostly branched out and did my own thing while I was there it was nice to have a solid contact in the city if I needed anything and a group of people to hang out with once a week. Mente does a great job of allowing you to make the experience your own. I also appreciated that many of the other people in Mente were from all over the world so I was really able to leave my home country behind for a couple months.

Mente was is a program that I experienced as having high highs and low lows. From my 3 month stay in Argentina, I absolutely loved the housing. I was staying in the nicest part of the city on the top floor with two balconies and a full kitchen and a gas stove. The housing was absolutely perfect and I have no complaints on that front. Another thing I enjoyed was the support that the staff provided. They were friendly and helpful. However, the internship aspect of this program is SUSPECT. If you are trying to do anything medical STAY AWAY, this is not the program for you. I was told that I would be able to "shadow resident staff" and that I would "take part in direct interviews, educational and recovery counseling". Unfortunately, this was far from the truth. This seemed to be a commonality between many of the interns that I talked to, particularly in medical fields but also throughout other disciplines. I would recommend this program if you are looking to have a good time in Argentina with a menial day job to practice your Spanish. However, I could not honestly recommend this program if you are looking for a meaningful internship experience.

Mente did a great job coordinating and organizing my stay in Argentina. This was my first time in South America and Mente made sure that everything was right. The staff was always reachable and was very supportive to make it the best experience possible for all members to intern, attend school and/ or live in Buenos Aires. Events and activities were always available for everyone to attend, which was a great way to make new friends.

I was very happy with my living arrangement. I had a single room with a very open apartment that I shared with a few housemates. Occasionally, we would eat together and host gatherings for all our friends. The residence was in the Palermo neighborhood, therefore, there was always something good to eat around the corner!

Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone interested in traveling to Argentina!

It was an overwhelming experience in Buenos Aires, which was made possible thanks to the great work of Mente Argentina. Their housing is great. The accomodations are completely up to western standards and even a cleaning service is provided. Also, their events are super nice, multiple times per week and usually for free! They are located in nice neighborhoods, such as Recoleta or Palermo. The support is great and you feel, that Mentes employees really care about you. Whilst my time in Buenos Aires, there were appr. 50 other people in town with Mente Argentina from all over the world. Furthermore, Marcelo and his team are very generous when it comes to purchases for the apartment. E.g.: We asked for a blender and at the next day, we had one!

Thank you so much for the amazing time Mente.