Argentina was quite the trip. I was only there for about 4 days, but it was jam-packed with things to do. After being greeted at the airport by Julio, the director of the Argentina volunteer program, I was driven to the volunteer house, where I met the volunteers, the local staff, and Dan and Katie from the IVHQ staff.
It’s been said that “it’s not where you are, but who you’re with that really matters”, and I think that holds true.
Although Argentina is of course a gorgeous country with much to offer, I think it was this small group of people that made my trip what it was.
On Day 1, we visited several different projects – Childcare, Elderly Care, Community Development, Special Needs, and Healthcare. Seeing the volunteers in action was beautiful – the connections they had with the people they were working with was inspiring. It was clear that they cared about what they were doing and that those at each placement appreciated them being there.
We kicked off the first night with a bonfire and some red wine. A great opportunity to settle in and get to know everyone.
Day 2 included more project visits, and then on our off time, we went out and explored the nearby city – Cordoba, and took in the sights of the cobblestone streets, statues, malls, and bowling, because why not? Ice cream was also a hit on this trip – so cheap, and so deliciously refreshing after long busy days.
On Day 3, the volunteer group collectively went on a 5 hour hike up and down Los Gigantes, a range of mountain peaks along the horizon of Cordoba. Parts of the hike were steep inclines, and difficult to manage with my backpack filled with heavy camera gear, but the views were worth it – quartz all over the ground, and sprawling landscapes with weaving miniature roads visible between the inclines.
The view at the top was breathtaking, and the perfect spot to sit down and relax and recharge before hiking back down (and sleeping in the bus the whole way back…admittedly with some unfortunate photo evidence!).
The last day was filled with a couple more project visits and volunteer interviews before packing up and heading to the airport for a 20 hour trip home. We said our goodbyes, and off I went.
It was a short time, but I had a lot of fun, and it’s got me excited for the next leg of the IVHQ Video Tour visiting Victoria Falls, Zambia, Madagascar, and Uganda! Here we go!
Watch the finished video below or learn how I landed this gig on the IVHQ Video Tour in my previous blog post.
