About Argentina: Historically Argentina has presented many faces to the world: it is the mournful sound of a midnight tango, the sizzle of a red-hot parrilla (traditional grill), and the silhouette of a lone gaucho cowboy riding across the vast plains of the pampas. Based largely on its domination of the cattle trade and its wealth of natural resources, Argentina was, until the 1920s, considered one of the richest countries in the world; its cities and small towns were not only prosperous, but boasted of a vibrant civic, artistic, and cultural life. Today, while cities like Buenos Aires continue to form part of the global cultural vanguard, middle-class erosion and a widening gap between rich and poor loom large; the need for adequate housing and basic social services is real, especially in rural areas. Despite these challenges, a traveler is constantly struck by the open, friendly character of Argentines, and the country is an inviting place to live and work.

The Project: This program affords students a rare opportunity to experience Argentina while dedicating their time and energy to helping people in need. Based in a rural village in the country’s colorful northwestern Salta province, the group focuses on small-scale development, education, and community agriculture projects during the week, and on adventurous weekend excursions in the nearby towns, peaks, and high desert valleys of the Andes mountain range. The program begins with a brief orientation in Buenos Aires. The group then flies north and west to Salta, where the dominant geographical feature is the dramatic Andes mountain range. Here the population is more indigenous than in much of the rest of Argentina, and the economy is centered upon agriculture, and increasingly in recent years, tourism. In the rural areas there are numerous small villages that have been left out of these economic currents, where the population exists largely by subsistence agriculture supplemented by income from raising goats and growing desert crops, such as the characteristic hot red pimiento pepper. One of these communities serves as the group’s base for the month. Working alongside local people, students develop meaningful friendships and complete projects such as building community centers, repairing water systems, working with farmers, and teaching English to local school children.

Weekends: Weekend excursions include an overnight horseback trip into the altiplano with local gauchos for guides, a visit to the vibrant provincial capital of Salta with its lively central square and famous high mountain archaeology museum, a possible ascent to the Andean summit of the nearby Cachi Nevado, and a chance to explore the eerie rock formations reminiscent of the American Southwest. The program ends with three days to explore the thriving cultural and artistic center of Buenos Aires.