One weekend while in Argentina my family and I decided to go horse riding. The lovely staff at IVHQ Argentina recommended a person who would take us on a day trip and lunch was provided. for only about $100 NZ dollars this was great value and it was amazing fun! We did a couple hour loop in the morning then came back to his ranch for a traditional asado (BBQ) This was an YUM lunch and dessert was included. I had OREO CHEESECAKE!!! In the afternoon we went riding, AGAIN! We rode to a river to go swimming then rode back to the ranch and it was an amazing way to end a day. This day was all provided for us! We were picked up from the hostel at 9:30 am and dropped off at about 8 pm. We got to see beautiful scenery of the Argentinian mountains and ride well trained horses. I would recommend this to anyone going to Argentina even if they have never ridden horses before. It was my first time and I felt like a pro at the end! The man who took us riding was very friendly and has very good english. I was very happy having done this and then did a similar thing 2 days later! this was very fun and has made me love horses!

The staff in Villa Allende were extremely helpful. They provided wonderful information regarding activities and sites to visit in Argentina. The town was safe and I always felt like I could easy contact someone in my program if I needed help. It was the trip of a lifetime and an experience I will never forget.

I have volunteered with IVHQ several times and without doubt, my experience volunteering in the Cordoba program has been the most impactful and rewarding so far. I selected a placement assisting elders and being in this project coupled with the overall experience of the program thanks to the outstanding service and assistance of the program managers made this a truly unique and memorable experience.

I felt useful every day in my volunteer placement. They received me with open arms and I connected immediately with the placement staff and the beautiful individuals who live in this amazing residence for elders - most of whom have no other place to live or someone to care for them full-time. The staff treats them with such love, compassion and care for all their health and physical needs and well-being while also bringing fun activities to engage in such as reading, music and games. This residence is truly special and the family who built and created this home is simply extraordinary and filled with kindness and a calling to serve those in need. I was treated like family and felt at home every day.

The program in Cordoba is relatively new and I would like to emphasize that because since the first day, absolutely everything ran smoothly, something I have not seen in other programs that have been around for a while. We received the full attention and service of the local program staff at all times. Lichi - who runs the program was absolutely exceptional. She cared for everyone and cheched in with volunteers to ensure they were enjoying their placements and would solve any challenge that would come across for volunteers. Also, when volunteers were interested in doing sightseeing and joining local tours, she would find a way to help everyone during their planning and would go out of her way to make sure volunteers were not only enjoying their placements but also their time in Argentina. I will never forget the kindness with which I was treated by her. Jose and all the staff at the house were also extremely attentive and at the full service of volunteers.
They also cooked every day and made sure our housing arrangements were comfortable and clean. I highly recommend contacting Mabel who has a taxi service and is a wonderful person and professional. We met her through the local program staff. She cared for volunteers and would drive them and pick them up even during her off duty hours. She was always on time and felt like part of the program.

This summary can't do justice to the extraordinary experience I had during my volunteer experience in the Cordoba program. I highly recommend it as definitely the best overall volunteer experience I have ever had. Thanks for such great memories and meaningful experience of service to others.

I loved the childcare program. I got to work with amazing kids ages 0-4 and work with caring and loving staff. My jobs included playing, singing, doing arts and crafts with the kids and sometimes I would work in the kitchen or in the library. This was an experience I will never forget.

As my first volunteer abroad program (and first time traveling alone for that matter), I had no idea what to expect from this experience. I never imagined I would enjoy it as much as I did! Since the day I arrived I felt at home. To begin with, the house is very spacious and the people who run the program/house are more than helpful and friendly (Lichi, Julio, Jose, Ariel, Quique). They truly want to make sure you make the best of your experience at the placement. The other volunteers are lovely and it's so easy to make friends. I personally think that the more volunteers, the better. There was a point during my stay that there were 30+ volunteers in the house and I actually enjoyed it! It's a good way to make good friends and keep yourself busy. The city of Córdoba itself is actually about a 45-60 minute bus ride from the house in Villa Allende but I didn't mind it much. There's also plenty to do in the center of Villa Allende which is about a 15 minute walk from the house. The volunteering itself was great. Only complain I have was paying for the taxi ride to and from placement every day but if you talk to Lichi about it she'll help you out in any way she can! I volunteered with healthcare at a clinic nearby in a town called La Calera and loved it! The doctors and nurses were extremely friendly and tried to include you in as much as possible. I've heard some good things about the other placements too. Besides volunteering, there's plenty to do. As far as nightlife goes, there's always at least one boliche (club) open every night of the week. They don't get good until around 2 AM and close around 5 AM. As for activities, there's many places in the province of Córdoba to go hiking (and swimming, I'm sure... But I went during winter). If you're making the long and costy commute to Argentina, I suggest you take some time to travel either during the weekend or after your volunteering. Argentina has much to offer for any type of traveler. Plus, you'll meet tons of people at the house to make travel plans with. All in all, I had the time of my life in argentina. I would recommend it to anyone who is passionate about volunteering and traveling! Already miss the house and everyone in it.

I was hoping to improve my Spanish, get to know a new culture, help others, and see a new part of the world. I was able to do all of this while making new friends, learning about a new culture and way of life, helping others while there and finding ways to continue to help them, and feeling emerged in another part of the world.

I loved being in the Villa Allende we were close to a big city, but in a town that allowed us to get to know the people and still have a nice familiar area to go to with restaurants and parks. Our location was gorgeous with a beautiful yard, orange trees, a bonfire pit, and a sitting garden.

Volunteering in Argentina was the best thing I have ever done in my life!!! All the staff were absolutely incredible and very helpful! I met a lot of wonderful ppl and I can't wait to go back. Even if I go for a visit, I will def go back! I highly reccomend it to everyone! Argentinian people are very friendly, caring and just amazing!

Well that was an experience.

I came to Argentina to learn about the culture, improve my spanish and help out the community, I have achieved all 3 over the last 3 months.

I completed the construction project for nearly the entire time, it was great doing something with my hands. Being at a local school helped my spanish coupled with the fact the project boss couldn't speak english. Over my time we built an outdoor stage at a local school and moved on to a primary school afterwards to construct a mural.

The house itself was great, the local staff were fantastic to interact with and made the stay a great experience. The house is fairly old and the bathrooms not particularly luxurious but they did the job. There's is a great big property to explore and throw a ball around in.

We were an hour away from the city and a good 20 minute walk to the main town centre which after 3 months became a little tiring everyday to walk to and from. The town had a pretty great vibe and pretty much had everything you would need, lots of shops to explore just be prepared for the whole place to close from 1.30pm-5pm for siesta. This definitely took some getting used to.

Food was mostly decent and spanish classes were super useful in getting the lingo down pat. I did classes for about half the time which helped me drastically as it can be hard to get around with a good base of the language.

It's a great opportunity to meet people from around the world and to experience something new. While there were plenty of ups and downs I really enjoyed my time there and the experience it brought me.