I abundantly loved Argentina in and out, and so I consider myself luckier than Argentina - as if it gave to me so much more than I have yet given to it, but I hope to be giving back in the future. I hope that my reflections will provide you with a little of what you are seeking in order to make your decision for a placement. My spirit was transformed by what it met in this special country. Five months later, I still am living my days with the canopy of vivacity that formed over me in Argentina and am ever grateful I chose to explore and volunteer there.

Often, volunteers in any arena far and wide will be asked if they know when they are “making a difference.” I learned quickly what "making a difference" really is.  I worked in Bethel’s Children home in Villa Allende, which is about a half-hour outside of Cordoba City. In Bethel Children's Home (or in any care placement), that is seeing love sliding off of you and onto the children, pouring onto them what they need most and lack if volunteers from Argentina and international alike do not offer that to them.  The kids' vibrancy of love back onto you reflects that love, and that is how you can tell how much you are giving them.  Making a difference in the short term falls into that, and making a difference in the long term...that comes with making promises to the children that you won't forget them, that they aren't just a phase of your life where you were giving and then didn't look back...that you will either return to see them, or follow up on seeing how they are doing, or try to give more to the organization in some means.  This is how I feel, at least.

Not a day passes where I do not think intensely of the children I played with in my days in Villa Allende.  Their faces and giggles and even tears are present in my mind, day in and day out. I did bring Twister to them, though, after hunting it down in a toy shop in Buenos Aires.  They enjoyed that game, any toys are really heartily accepted, since they have hardly any. Also they were overjoyed by the stickers I brought and bubbles one day.  When I return to visit I plan to go with many more creative items and ideas in tow. I also sent them copies of the photos I took at Bethel.  They loved that. Really our activities were subdued but our imaginations were honed.

I spent about 4-6 hours a day at the placement, walking about the quarters and playing with whichever age group I desired, merely playing or helping with the lessons in the “jardin” (pre-school) for the youngest children in the home. Preparing the younger but school-aged children for school was also an option, as was helping in the kitchen and with meals. Anywhere you offered a hand; your offers were warmly accepted. Everyday on my walk home, I thought of how little I had actually done but of what a huge emotive exchange had passed between the children and me. It was really incredible.

Argentineans made it an easy, fell swoop to fall into connection with.  I felt as if I had known my host family for years within two weeks and did nearly everything with them, from things around the house, to social outings, to family occasions, to hiking.  I just dove in and accepted everything with curiosity and vivacity, and I sank in.  As far as bridging cultural gaps:  I didn't bridge them...I lived as an Argentinean with no frets attached and loved it dearly.  While I think my family and friends there still gleaned cultural nuances from me, I didn't impose them upon the family nor live them while I was there.  Upon coming back to the States, I actually did not come back onto the US page nearly as quickly or willingly as I did onto theirs. I actually do not plan to, either. I will never relinquish the appreciation and outlook I gleaned within the Argentinean culture.  They have a truly beautiful culture.

Currently back in the States, I am in an Anaesthesiology programme at the Emory School of Medicine in Atlanta, GA, yet much of my heart remains in Argentina. I am in close and frequent contact with my family and will continue to be so.  I have sent a few packages to both my family and to Bethel (with stuffed animals for the kids) and letters for a few of the kids at Bethel.  My host mother told me that, upon receiving my letter, one of the older girls (14) was delightedly running in circles, savouring her excitement over receiving the letter. This same girl asked me if I could come back for her birthday (which is Christmas Day), and at the time I had no idea if it would be plausible. However, upon returning home and yearning to be back in the country that had enraptured my heart, I bought a ticket for my winter vacation, and, as I told Pipi in the letter, will be with her for her birthday.

My entire window into the world has been altered, even so much as been replaced.  This whole experience was extremely profound and exciting for me.  I feel like this realization unfolded every day for me in Argentina, not in one specific moment.  It was as if every day was an "Oh WOW!” a giant breath of fresh air.  It was really amazing.  But at the same time I say this, I would not expect it of everyone.  Our lives are all different, all falling into place at different points, some years and ages more loaded with realisations and turns than those of others. And so I would tell anyone who goes on such a journey not to expect anything. Not as if you are expecting disappointment...just you are not...expecting.  I went lacking any preconceptions of what I would find, and I feel like the world was handed to me a new.  So long as you do not take your culture into the country hand in hand, you are bound to be enhanced by something there, largely or slightly.

With best wishes to all who step out of their current selves to see if there is much more to them waiting in another country...

I remember being on that plane to Cordoba, my head a bewildering mix of thoughts about what was waiting ahead of me. The idea I had of Argentina wasn't much clearer than a cloudy day, all I knew was that the Latinos were festive; their economy was tricky and they were known for their steak.

But it didn't take long for me to be welcomed by La Familia Valero with mate (a national drink) and criollos and discover the Argentinean culture for myself. From day one I was known as 'Leo' and became the big sister of the three children. 'Esta casa mi hijita es tu casa' are the first words I remember understanding despite the language barrier. Argentinean Spanish is unique - a lot of slang and they drop letters and speak quickly with a distinct accent making it a real challenge for newcomers, but it was soon overcome with the help of my family. I lived in Mendiolaza golf, a quiet neighborhood a few km outside of Villa Allende. I have to say I was blessed with the fact that I had a pool at home - which meant my house soon became a reunion central for the other volunteers.

My second day in Argentina, eager to start working, I went to my school to meet the kids and the environment I was going to teach in. I was the first volunteer to work in that school, so a tall blonde strolling from one classroom to another was an unusual sight for all those Argentinean kids. By break time I had kids hanging from every side of me, their eyes sparkling with curiosity and with a smile to their ears. I had never felt so welcome. Maryland school is a bilingual school for kids from kinder garden to 16 year olds. I taught the older ones, which made my job much easier considering that their level of English was already quite advanced.

I worked there every afternoon from 1.00 pm to 4.30 pm, giving conversation classes and helping out with English exams. It was great because through teaching them English I was also able to give them a little taste of European culture, as there was a lot of standing in front of the classroom talking about my country and myself required from my part.

I also worked in the local school of Villa Allende in the morning, which was a totally different experience. There the kids where younger, came from much more deprived backgrounds, and the resources in the classroom were scarce. The level of English I taught was basic because it was the first time English was introduced in the school. It was great to be able to open the kids' eyes to the world outside their community. I worked there from 8 am to 12 am, and usually after meeting my host mum for a quick lunch in town, we would rush to Maryland school together. In developing the patience, determination, and diligence required to work with these children, I found myself growing and my perspective on life changing.

In between all this working I still had a lot of time to myself; this is where my story about the other volunteers comes in. My stay in Argentina has strongly been affected by the people I met along my journey. I was there for five months, so was able to see many faces come and go, meeting some of the most extraordinary people I know. Together we went out a lot in the streets of Cordoba city- endlessly exploring its hidden gems, side streets, tucked away cafes and restaurants while meeting the locals who showed us how to party the Argentinean way.

Towards the end of my stay, when I became much more comfortable with my Spanish and with the fact that I now lived in Argentina, I spent a lot of my time with my Argentinean friends. In between asados, tennis matches, trips to Carlos Paz and enjoying the sun by the pool, I began to get a real insight to the Argentinean culture. And then, after trips to Iguazu, Tucuman, Mendoza, Bariloche and Patagonia it was hard not to be infected by love for the place. Cordoba is a great base to travel from because of its perfect location, right in the middle of the country. This meant a lot of week end trips had to be done. The bus soon became our new best friend, and often we spent more time on it than our actual destination. But those 'cama' beds that are fully inclinable are not uncomfortable.

Traveling in Argentina will surprise you at every turn - the diversity of the climate and terrain, the cities and the landscapes, and the people you meet all give Argentina its unique personality. A personality that made my stay in Argentina an unforgettable experience. But never had I imagined the extent to which this experience would have on my life. Leaving the country in July was a hard time for me. It was like leaving home all over again. I had created my own little world there with the help of my host family and new friends. A little world that taught me a lot about myself and my life. I left full of hope for the community, a passion for traveling and dreams for my future, with finally a clear goal of where I was going. But also with the most wonderful memories of six months abroad in my head.

When I first arrived in Argentina, I remember being a little overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by excitement, by friendly faces, by meat, and by my own self-doubt about my ability to work in a hospital where my work will depend on my Spanish skills. I was a nineteen year-old student from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I had chosen the Totally Argentina programme in Argentina because I wanted to experience medicine in a metropolitan hospital while practicing my Spanish. By the end of my placement I was no longer overwhelmed by doubt, but by a feeling of contentment that I had learned a lot, grown a lot, and even contributed to the lives of the people around me.

My first day at the hospital began in a relaxing manner. The Totally Argentina coordinator, two other volunteers and I met our supervising doctor in a coffee shop. He gave us an introduction of his work as a surgeon and the hospital we would be working in, and even though I could only understand a portion of what he said, he struck me as kind, intelligent and very energetic.

There were two other volunteers working at the hospital with me, and our diverse appearances sparked questions and excitement everywhere we went. On a typical day we would sit in on surgery classes in Spanish with the medical students at the hospital from 8am-10am. Then our supervisor would meet us at a cafe and we would talk about what we had just learned. Afterwards, he would conduct his rounds in the hospital and we would shadow him as he examined patients, charts, and chatted with his residents. Then, we would head off to a different hospital that specializes in infectious diseases, especially AIDS. The differences between the two hospitals we worked in were very stark, as the afternoon placement served a population that was much less fortunate. We usually spent the afternoon observing surgeries or consultations.

Initially the language barrier was very frustrating, but as our Spanish improved we were able to do more hands-on tasks like taking vitals and preparing and handing out tools. On select days, we would shadow other doctors with different specialties, including one who worked with AIDS patients and a breast cancer specialist. We were also able to spend time in the Intensive Care Unit and read many patient histories in detail. In the end, we shared both our language skills and new found knowledge and gave a presentation about AIDS in Spanish to a group of Argentinean doctors.

In our free time we enjoyed talking with our wonderful host parents and travelling around Argentina with the other volunteers, who had also become like family. We also got to know our supervising doctor very well, and we went with him on many trips filled with unforgettable conversations about everything from Che Guevara to his passionate opinions on social issues. Argentina was a beautiful country to explore, and the people were especially caring and welcoming. Despite the language barrier and being on the other side of the world, I always felt like I was at home.

After two months, I had heard the stories of many patients and talked to some of them personally. I will never forget one unruly patient who stole his neighbour's meal when he was only allowed liquids after just having his gall bladder removed! I had observed many unforgettable surgeries like the removal of a giant breast tumour, the removal of an intestinal tumour, and even a few plastic surgeries. Most importantly, I had met many caring and intelligent people and learned a lot about medicine, Argentina, the world and myself.

Waiting at the baggage carousel at Cordoba airport, I was wondering who would be waiting outside to meet me. Having traveled nearly twenty-four hours to Argentina, including three connecting flights, I was keen to reach my destination. I was pleased and surprised that not only had the Totally Argentina representative, Maria, come to meet me, but also my new host mother and sister, plus another volunteer with whom I'd be sharing a room for the next three months.

Such a warm welcome was contrasted with the freezing weather outside, but I was too busy testing out my Spanish on my new little sister to notice. On arrival at the house, I was told to go and unpack and freshen up as friends were coming over for a small welcome party. The celebrating kicked-off late, in true South-America style, and I was overwhelmed by the feisty Argentinean women shouting across the table, although was soon keen to join in. This friendly, festive welcome set the tone for the rest of my time in Cordoba.

On Monday, I was taken to El Hogar Bethel, the children's home where I would be working, and introduced to the girls and the nuns who lived there. I was also introduced to a twelve-year-old girl named Paola who I'd be giving one-on-one English lessons to. My work at the home mainly involved helping the girls with their homework and occasionally with their chores. The girls, ranging in age from six to thirteen, were lovely to work with, and I'd regularly receive letters and poems professing their love. Every day without fail the girls would beg me to stay for lunch, which I occasionally did - then feeling obliged to go home and eat the lunch my host mother had also prepared for me!

Twice a week I had private lessons with Paola, and we developed a close relationship. One day, she took me to school with her and begged her headmaster to allow me to join her English lesson, as apparently her friends all wanted to meet me!

I worked in the home until lunchtime, but my days were always full, as we soon developed other projects and did their activities outside of work. For example, one of the nuns at the home asked me to stay on in the afternoons to help with her English homework, as she was doing a course. Along with three other volunteers who joined me at the home in the first month, we started work on a vegetable garden for the girls, which involved much backbreaking work and a constant look-out for snakes!

Other activities were twice-weekly salsa classes, with visits to the show put on by the dance school every month, and teaching English in a night-school for adults.

Over the course of my time there, many other students came out to Cordoba to work on various projects, and we became a close group of friends. Weekends were filled with trips into the city center to visit the huge market, trips to the beach, hikes up to waterfalls and nights out with our Argentinean friends, fuelled by the local drink, Fernet with coke. Occasionally we organized weekend trips away, where the whole group piled into the super-luxury coaches for the overnight trips. We went to Mendoza, where we did breath-taking tours into the mountains, and Tucuman, were we stayed high up in the mountains and went horse riding.

Every aspect about my time in Cordoba was fantastic, but particularly the family I stayed with. I was made to feel completely as one of the family, and was always invited to parties, birthday celebrations and barbeques with family and neighbors. They, along with the Totally Argentina staff, ensured that my time in Cordoba was above all safe and enjoyable.

I went to Cordoba with Totally Argentina in January 2009, for what was meant to be a six month care placement in an Orphanage called “Bethel”. My first week was such a huge shock to the system, with so many new tastes, smells, sounds, sights, words, people, and experiences. I was thrown in the deep end at the orphanage, as I was the only volunteer there. And as if this in itself wasn’t hard enough, I then had to change a diaper on my first day!

But I soon got used to the way things worked, and fell deeply in love with everything about the children, the orphanage, and the city of Cordoba within a matter of days. “Bethel” Sedeges is a orphanage which houses just over 80 children, aged between 0 and 14 years old. During my time there I worked in the pre-school area which a previous volunteer had initiated, and worked with the different age groups of younger children. I taught them colors, numbers, writing, drawing…you name it, we did it!

The majority of my time was spend with the ‘bebes’, the littlest children, and this was one of the most distressing parts of everything that I had seen thus far. The kids who I was working with, who were all almost 3 years old, could not even talk, other than to say one or two words. As a social work student, I knew that this was nowhere near the level that they should have been at by then. Also the water system was a huge problem, as there was no running water in any of the houses that the children lived in, and they were constantly getting sick due to bathing in cold water, and also drinking unsafe water. It was at this point that I started wondering if there was something more I could do which would improve things for these kids.

I then visited another center where Totally Argentina send volunteers, a blind rehabilitation center called Manuela Gandarillas. I was lucky enough to spend some time with these inspiring and determined children, who won’t let something like their vision impairments get in their way. I met the director of this centre, Nico, and we spoke about the idea he had about a music program for the children that would provide them with skills that could lead to future employment and independence.

Before this point I had already been seriously considering finding a way to fundraise money for the orphanage which I had been working in, and after visiting the Manuela, I decided that on top of fundraising for the Bethel, I would also try to finance the music program which Nico had spoken about with such passion. So when I returned from my 6 months in South America, (4 of which I ended up spending in Cordoba), I took the steps to initiate a non profit organization.

So now, after 8 months of (very) hard work, I can proudly say that Tia International Aid (Tia means ‘auntie’ in Spanish – and is what the children at the orphanage call all the volunteers) is successfully funding the music program at Manuela Gandarillas, and is also funding the replacement of the water system at Bethel Sedeges, as well as providing much needed medicines to improve the health of the children. I have already been back once to Cordoba this year, and am hoping to go back again next year to develop the work I am doing further, and to make sure that there is a lasting and significant change for the good in the lives of my beautiful Argentinian babies.

When I told people that for my gap year I wanted to spend time working in a health clinic in Argentina I was faced by many different responses; ‘is that safe for an 18 year old girl on their own’? Or ‘how fun’! And pretty often ‘Ar-where’?

As I look back on how I ended up at the decision to venture to Argentina I know it took a lot of consideration. It started with my desire to have a year out of education before studying for a medical degree but also doing something different and challenging with my time. Totally Argentina had come to my college at a higher education fair and after hearing through a friend at how proficient the company were I decided to apply for a brochure and organize a visit to an open day. This really gave me the opportunity to find out about the different projects in all the different countries. Having decided prior to the visit that I was interested in volunteering in South America the open day gave me an opportunity to find out a lot more about the different placements and countries.

I found myself pretty interested in Argentina. Argentina offered one of the best medical placements I decided to go for it and to book my place. Initially I was a little daunted by the idea of living abroad and thought about only going for one month. However, after thinking a little more about what I wanted to achieve (to really understand how the medical system works and to learn Spanish) I decided to choose a two month placement.

All the pre-departure support was excellent and I was even phoned by one of the members of staff out in Argentina, this proved a great comfort to me. I have to admit that spending two months in Argentina out of my four and a half months traveling was the most daunting part of my trip… ‘what if I didn’t like it’ was the question that haunted me most!

I set off on the 6th March firstly traveling in Peru for ten days and completing the Inca trail. I arrived in Cordoba on Sunday 16th March at 8am and was taken to my host family. My first impressions were that Cordoba was quiet (wrong), calm (wrong) and beautiful (correct)! It didn’t take long to meet the other volunteers as my housemate offered to take me out to meet them for ice-cream. This helped me to settle pretty quickly as I realized there was a good volunteer social scene and that I probably wouldn’t be lonely.

The next day I received a tour of the city and soon realized that the lack of hustle and bustle was only a Sunday thing! The main part of the city was rammed with taxis, pedestrians and street stalls. Living in London my whole life this didn’t really phase me but I was still a little surprised by just how busy it was. The day after I was shown how to get to my placement, this consisted of catching the 101 truffi a few blocks away from my house and riding it towards the south of town. I watched as slowly the streets became less tree lined, houses less well built and roads more rubble filled. Although the area surrounding the Centro de Salud Sucre wasn’t the poorest I had ever seen it was definitely a lot less well off than where my host family lived.

It didn’t take long to realize that the center is under-funded with the untidy outside appearance; many half built rooms (apparently the builders just stopped one day) and the crude and dated wall posters. The Totally Argentina member of stuff assisting me took me to meet Dr. Cagnani, the director of the center and as he spoke rapidly to me in Spanish I suddenly felt a worry creep into me, ‘how was I going to get by when I had no clue what people were saying’? After spending the first day observing an intern with two medical students it dawned on me that the two months I was to spend at the ‘Centro de Salud, Sucre’ was probably going to be very different to any of the work experience I had done back in England.

I spent the first week getting used to everything; my host family, working in the health clinic and the public transport system. I managed to catch the wrong truffi on my third day and ended up pretty far past work! Thankfully I was lucky and had a lovely driver who took his ‘truffi 112’ sign off and dropped me at a point where I could pick up the right truffi for work. I felt pretty stupid but I guess all is well that ends well and a piece of advice for future volunteers, pay attention to your route to work!

My second week started a lot more positively as I was summoned by Dr. Cagnani, for what I had no idea. He introduced me to a female doctor who I ended up shadowing for the next few weeks. Being just the two of us I found myself engaging a lot more and I even started writing the prescription forms. Lucy was really keen on me getting involved and I got to listen to a lot of lungs and hearts during this time! I also had the opportunity to carry out a PAP (smear test) but as I’d never even seen one being conducted before decided to watch. I spent some more time in the nurses section and got to take out some stitches and even clean a little boys burn wound.

After having spent 7 weeks at Sucre I definitely have a better understanding of the free Argentinian healthcare system. This free healthcare is only provided to children under 5, pregnant women and people over 65 (which you don’t see many of due to the Bolivian life expectancy being a mere 66 years old). Not only is this free treatment restricted by age but also in the drugs available and some days if the SUMI (the main desk where the free medication is supplied) has run out of something and the patient doesn’t have the money to buy the medicine then it simply isn’t available e.g. one day the paracetamol had run out meaning a toddler with a raging temperature couldn’t be treated.

When walking through the streets of Cordoba especially in the north, near where my host family live, it is easy to loose touch of the fact that ‘more than 60% of Argentina`s population live in poverty’. But working at Sucre has definitely helped me appreciate this point. A lot of the patients we see come complaining of everyday problems that wouldn’t be unusual back in England for example a cold, temperature or diarrhoea. And sometimes I would find myself forgetting quite where I was however this never lasted long as all it would take is one patient to suddenly make you realize that ‘this is Argentina’. For example late in the morning one Friday I was in a bit of a dream when a lady came in with a very high temperature and it was obvious that she wasn’t very well. Not being pregnant the doctor wrote a prescription where she could buy paracetamol. The nurse brought her back a few minutes later in tears as it turned out she couldn’t afford the 8 Argentino medicine. This translates to around 50p and the idea that she couldn’t afford the medicine along with the reality of Argentina´s poverty really hit home.

I think my most valued achievements during the time I’ve spent in Argentina have been my Spanish improving from a complete beginner to now being able to make basic conversation. This was aided a lot by the complimentary 20 hours of Spanish tutoring which I didn’t realize was part of the project, it was extremely helpful. I have also grown in confidence when working at Sucre, engaging with patients and filling in the prescription forms in Spanish. I have to admit that in the beginning I found it tough to be accepting of the cultural differences but as time went by I found myself understanding and appreciating Argentinian culture more with each day. I was very sad to leave and am definitely going back when I’m next in South America.

I sat down on one of the many mattresses that covered the floor and instantly I was surrounded by kids, a mixture of our girls from Maria Cristina and boys from a neighboring orphanage, all vying to sit next to me. The distribution of popcorn and dimming of the lights brought a hush because tonight was a very special night! Tonight was the first and only performance of Caperucita Roja (Little Red Riding Hood) performed by our girls. Despite some forgotten lines and a few missed marks the play went well and I was brimming with pride and extremely happy for the girls. I was particularly proud of the performance of our hero, the woodcutter, played by a normally tough little eight year old named Soledad who had spent all morning crying because she didn't want to perform. However on the night she bounded onto the stage and delivered her lines perfectly and raised a lot of laughs with the over enthusiastic use of her axe! After the applause died down it was chow time, and a frantic hour ensued as the volunteers tried to maintain order while distributing pizza, juice and crisps to over one hundred very hungry and excited kids. This was a magical night and one of my favorites whilst I was in Argentina.

I came to Argentina as a career breaker in search of a new challenge between finishing my old job and starting a new career in teaching. I wanted the opportunity to live in a different country and culture, to learn a new language, to travel around the country and most importantly to work with the children in the orphanage. My placement was at the Hogar de Maria Cristina, a large government ran girls orphanage on the outskirts of Cordoba. The Hogar is home to about 50 girls of varying ages, with about a third of the girls suffering from mental handicap. The majority were between the ages of 7 and 10 who are taken into care for a variety of reasons - such as abandonment, domestic abuse or due to the death of a parent. I will be honest and say that work at the orphanage was tough - the children were brilliant and you couldn't help falling in love with them - however bureaucracy and the attitude of the local staff could be very frustrating. It was often very emotionally challenging working with the children who could one moment be testing your patience and then the next moment breaking your heart. But it was also a lot of fun too!

As a volunteer I worked for half the day and at the start of my placement my role was arranging activities and games for the girls to keep them entertained through the holidays, once the school term restarted my main job was to help them with their schoolwork. Although schooling is free and compulsory in Argentna many of the girls in the orphanage had never attended school. Those lucky ones that had been to school, prior to arriving at Maria Cristina, were often well behind their peers and were in lower classes for their age group and as a result reading and writing were poor. After working it was bath time, which consisted of stripping the girls outside then pouring buckets of freezing cold water over them whilst they washed themselves and their hair - often with only washing up liquid, as this is cheaper than soap. Because the water was cold, washing could only take place on warm sunny days and as a result the girls often had to go several days with out washing when the weather was bad. Despite the hardships the girls loved bath time and would run around splashing each other and ourselves at every opportunity. A favorite game consisted of pouring a little soap into the flooded concrete around the sink area, then sliding down the sink area on their stomachs - fantastic fun! Once they were all clean it was usually time to eat again and time for the volunteers to go home. However my role at Maria Cristina was much more than just playing games with the girls. I spent a lot of time with individual girls comforting them when they are upset, caring for them when they were sick and simply just talking with them. With so many girls and so few staff the girls never got much one to one attention and I believe that giving each girl some of my time was probably the most important thing I did at Maria Cristina.

Volunteering in Cordoba wasn't only confined to Maria Cristina and regularly opportunities arose to help out with other volunteer's projects. I was lucky enough to be involved in a child immunization scheme and the painting of another orphanage and a disabled centre. The strong team spirit amongst all the TAPA volunteers in Cordoba, regardless of which project they were working on, meant that there were always willing helpers when we needed extra hands to take the girls on trips to the funfair or ice cream parlor or when we needed supporters to cheer the girls to victory in the inter-orphanage soccer championship.

My host family were fantastically welcoming and I was immediately part of the family - with my host Mama describing me as her new hija (daughter). As a member of the family I was expected to do my turn even when it came to helping them complete an order of school books which they were copying for the local schools - my wrists still haven't recovered from twisting ring bindings! Family life centered very much on lunchtime, where the whole family got together over the meal to eat and chat about everything from the youngest sons' dubious taste in music to world news, creating a brilliant family atmosphere.

What really made the experience for me were the other volunteers. They were a mixed group from many different countries and age groups. We had a fantastic social life and would meet up most nights for a drink and chat. There were tons of things to do in Cordoba - bars, restaurants, night clubs, ten pin bowling, go-kart racing, cinemas, internet cafes, soccer matches, concerts, museums and the biggest most amazing market I have ever seen. You're never alone and should never be bored as a volunteer in Cordoba! There were also amazing opportunities to travel with the other volunteers and see the area surrounding Cordoba, the rest of Argentina and neighboring countries.

So what else can I say? Volunteering in Argentina was an amazing experience and I will never forget a moment of it!

I am a pre-med student at Cornell University and will be entering my 4th year come August. I have been studying Spanish for several years and wanted a placement abroad where I could gain medical experience and improve my Spanish. I searched online for such a programme and found Teaching & Totally Argentina´s medical programme. It seemed to have everything I wanted so I applied and four months later found myself working at Sanatorio Allende for seven weeks. Now at the end of my placement, I feel satisfied and rewarded with the experience I have had.