Academic Semester Abroad in Buenos Aires – Mente Argentina

I participated in Mente Argentina's program for three weeks in August and had a really positive experience. I was primarily interested in improving my Spanish, and Mente Argentina helped coordinate my enrollment at a local language school while also providing housing and opportunities to experience the city outside the classroom.

One of the best parts of the program was the variety of cultural activities. We visited museums, shared meals at local restaurants, and explored different neighborhoods, which made it easier to get familiar with Buenos Aires and meet other participants. A particular highlight was attending a River Plate soccer game. Mente Argentina handled the tickets and transportation, making the experience really convenient. I also appreciated that a membership to a local gym was included in the program fee.

Our apartment was located in Palermo Soho, which was a fantastic home base. The neighborhood has so much to offer, including great restaurants, cafés, shops, and nightlife, with plenty within walking distance. The Mente Argentina staff were also consistently friendly, accessible, and responsive to our needs, particularly when we had questions or requests regarding the apartment.

I would recommend Mente Argentina to anyone interested in studying Spanish in Buenos Aires, especially if you're looking for a program that helps with the logistics of living abroad while giving you opportunities to explore the city and its culture.

Spending two months in Buenos Aires through Mente Argentina was an amazing experience. The program made it easy to settle into a new city, and the staff were always friendly, responsive, and supportive. The accommodation was excellent, and I met fantastic people from all over the world who quickly became friends. Thanks to Mente, I was able to experience the culture, improve my Spanish, and make memories that I’ll carry with me for years. I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for an immersive experience in Argentina.

As soon as I walked through the doors at Mente I was greeted not only by the friendly faces of Milagros and Fede but also by a community of people who welcomed me into the culture and the hospitality of Argentina. The people I met through Mente would also go on to be the same people who I would make the most lasting memories of Argentina with. Through daily classes and the events, Mente also always gave me a collaborative space to conversate in spanish with people who were also hungry to learn. I highly recommend joining the Mente experience if you find yourself in BA!

I completed the wine course with Mente and found it to be an incredibly rewarding experience. Not only was I able to significantly broaden my wine knowledge and deepen my understanding of viticulture, wine production, and tasting techniques, but I also had the opportunity to enjoy a truly immersive experience in Argentina's wine region. Mente ensures that every aspect of the program is well organized and thoughtfully planned. From providing all the necessary supplies and resources to offering continuous support throughout the course, their team is always available and ready to assist. Their attention to detail, professionalism, and genuine care for participants made the experience both educational and enjoyable. I would highly recommend Mente to anyone looking to expand their wine expertise while experiencing the culture, hospitality, and beauty of Argentina.

I came to Argentina with Mente Argentina for the first time and it was a really good experience ! It’s perfect if you want to make friends and contacts really quickly, the atmosphere is warm, people are really nice and the activities are amazing !

I did the barman program during 1 month and it was really resourceful but I ended up staying in Argentina longer using Mente Argentina's apartment. Even if I was technically not with Mente anymore, I kept really good friendships from Mente Argentina as I was in the shared apartment option. The apartment has everything you need to make your stay comfortable, it was also close to marketplaces, bars etc. This option is also really good if you want to make friends fast !

I recommend entirely !

Nous avons vécu une excellente expérience de stage grâce à l’association Mente Argentina. Ils nous ont accompagnés à chaque étape de notre projet : organisation du voyage, aide pour trouver un hôpital afin d’effectuer notre stage infirmier, et soutien tout au long de notre séjour.

En plus de l’aspect professionnel, l’association a également organisé plusieurs repas dans différents restaurants de Buenos Aires, ce qui nous a permis de découvrir la culture locale et de rencontrer des habitants.

Grâce à leur professionnalisme, leur disponibilité et leur bienveillance, notre expérience a été à la fois enrichissante sur le plan professionnel et humain. Nous recommandons vivement Mente Argentina à toute personne souhaitant réaliser un stage à l’étranger en toute sérénité.

In English:
We had an excellent internship experience thanks to the Mente Argentina association. They supported us at every stage of our project: organizing our trip, helping us find a hospital for our nursing internship, and providing support throughout our stay.

In addition to the professional aspect, the association also organized several meals in different Buenos Aires restaurants, which allowed us to discover the local culture and meet residents.

Thanks to their professionalism, availability, and kindness, our experience was enriching both professionally and personally. We highly recommend Mente Argentina to anyone wishing to complete an internship abroad with complete peace of mind.

I traveled to Argentina through Mente’s study abroad program and had the best time ever! During my 3 months staying in Buenos Aires, I met a ton of new friends, gained valuable cultural experiences, and had the opportunity to immerse myself in a different part of the world.

My program package consisted of housing, group activities, and VOS Buenos Aires, a Spanish language learning school. While I did arrive in Argentina after taking Spanish classes all throughout school, my Spanish speaking skills improved exponentially after taking classes at VOS. I can confidently say that VOS was my favorite part of the Mente program! I would spend each weekday learning and growing with some of my closest friends, as well as spending evenings and weekends getting together for an asado or ice cream. I do recommend having at least some Spanish speaking capabilities before arriving, and I believe that I was able to do much more during my time there because of that.

With regards to my housing, I was initially living with an Argentinian host mom in a homestay, yet I ended up moving to a shared apartment after the first month or so. There were multiple reasons why I decided to move, and while the Mente coordinators were totally supportive of my decision, some communication issues did eventually contribute to the difficult situation. However, after moving into the shared apartment with other Mente students, I immediately felt that I had more freedom and control over how I spent my time. That isn’t to say that all Mente homestay’s are unsuitable for everyone, but just in my case there were some complications. After I moved in to the apartment, me and my roommates outfitted it with various items such as cooking equipment, toiletries, and some furniture. In addition to that, Mente had the apartment cleaned weekly and were also very gracious whenever we needed any help with anything.

The group activities were definitely the main thing that Mente provided. We would eat lunch at historic restaurants, go on museum tours, and walk around in beautiful open air markets. There was also so much more that just those examples, and I’d say that there was normally at least 1 or 2 activities each week. Something that was a little difficult was that the activities were usually announced the day before they were scheduled, so it was sometimes hard to plan things ahead of time. I would also say that the majority of the things that I filled my time with were things not associated with Mente, such as traveling to Córdoba and Montevideo, playing on a club ultimate frisbee team, or going to a River Plate game, all of which were a ton of fun as well. If you have any questions about what to do, what to see, or where to go, I’m more than happy to give some suggestions!

I think my main takeaway for anyone reading this review is that if you’re on the fence about whether or not to take this trip, do it! While traveling abroad isn’t always the easiest thing to do, that’s what makes the experience so special and unique. While I do think that Mente has some areas that could use improvement, such as setting you up with a stable phone plan or being more proactive about planning, I can’t picture myself not taking this trip. While challenging situations did show up, the Mente coordinators were always there to help and support me. The city may seem daunting when you first show up, but after some time you’ll become accustomed and ready to take advantage of the amazing opportunity. I definitely would not be the person I am right now without my time in Buenos Aires!

I had a great time in Buenos Aires. My stay was organized by Mente Argentina extremely well, I felt well taken care of so far from home. There were ample classes in the neighborhood that I was allowed to join via Mente Argentina, and they put much effort into organizing social events for the entirety of the school, for cultural immersion and mingling with people from all over the places and all (cultural) walks of life that made them join the school. Short term and long term I would both recommend.