Programdetaljer
| Programlængde | Start | Slut | Pris | Alder på afrejsetidspunkt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Halvårsprogram | 20.08.10 | 19.01.11 | 39500 | 18 - 30 år |
| Halvårsprogram | 25.02.11 | 20.07.11 | 39500 | 18 - 30 år |
| Halvårsprogram | 19.08.11 | 18.01.12 | 39500 | 18 - 30 år |
Focus on Community Service Program in Argentina
“The colour, vibrancy, music and Argentinian culture leave you breathless. My life completely changed while on a year-long exchange with AFS. The Argentinian people and lifestyle taught me about the kind of person I want to be, and the type of life I want to lead. It was an absolutely incredible experience, which will remain with me always.
“I gained patriotism for a country and love for a people that I never understood realistically existed before 1999. I experienced friendship so strong it surpasses all distance, and a sense of family, as if I was born to it. This is just a small part of why my exchange year in Argentina was absolutely by far the most special and memorable year of my life.
“I would highly recommend an AFS exchange to anybody who has a love for life, knowledge, beauty and humanity, or wishes to leap out of your comfort zone and truly live.”
Vanessa Evetts, sojourner from New Zealand, 1999-2000
Europe’s influence is strong in Argentina, from the Continental urbanity of Buenos Aires to the nation’s passion for soccer and the aspiration of many Argentines to educate their children in Europe. Yet Argentina has a vigorous identity of its own. Its schools foster an erudite and sophisticated citizenry, and its culture has nurtured such celebrated writers as Borges, Puig and Cortázar. Argentine music, too—-from tangos to “rock nacional”—-is world-class. As for natural wonders, the nation’s territorial sweep ranges from titanic Iguazú Falls in the steamy northeastern rainforest to glacier-topped mountains and penguin colonies in the south.
Community Service Program
AFS’s Community Service program gives you the opportunity to share in and contribute to the life of a community in Argentina by living and working alongside its members in a community-based service organization. At the organization, you will be asked to pitch in and offer assistance in whatever capacity might be needed and to share the knowledge and experience you have gained from your home culture in the process. No one expects you to be an expert with all the answers to local problems or the ability to change local conditions. Rather, you are expected to be a willing participant in a process of mutual discovery. This experience will present you with innumerable learning opportunities both personally and professionally.
Worldwide, AFS Community Service program participants contribute their talents and energies to a variety of social programs that range from protecting the environment to teaching children or adults, from assisting the elderly and the disabled to defending human rights, from enhancing public health to helping local businesses become established.
Past participants in Argentina have worked on environmental projects, with street children and with the disabled. However, all specifics—including assignments, orientations, logistics and activities—vary depending on the program cycle.
AFS & Your Experience
AFS Argentina has been in existence since 1955. AFS volunteers, divided into 43 chapters across the country, provide support to more than 180 AFS students and about 30 community service participants every year.
Arrival orientation
After arrival in Buenos Aires, you will be met by personnel from AFS Argentina and be driven by bus to a two-day orientation. This will cover Argentine culture, AFS Argentina, the participant support system and AFS rules. It will also include games, conferences, a talent show and a city tour.
Additional orientations
In addition to an orientation at your arrival, AFS Argentina will provide you with several others. AFS orientations offer participants a chance to meet for several days and talk about expectations for the future program and past experiences. Orientations involve participating in group activities and self-examination. Sessions also provide language training as well as new information and ways of looking at things, while also allowing participants to share points of view. AFS orientations are social, interactive and educational, bringing together people from many countries and helping them to better understand their own intercultural learning experiences while preparing them to handle their community service assignments.
Living in Argentina
Living arrangements
Participants in AFS Argentina Community Service programs live with local families, sharing their daily lives, their meals and perhaps a host sibling’s bedroom. Families are conservative and protective, and boys have more freedom than girls do. In addition, though one or more members of host families is typically a smoker, families usually prefer to host non-smokers.
Typical day
Activities vary according to responsibilities and community placements. You will probably be working in your CPO (Community Project Organization) five days a week possibly from Monday to Friday (though some organizations require time during weekends) and between 4 to 8 hours each time.
A typical day at a Childcare center could begin at 7 or 8 am and finish at 3 or 4 pm. Activities could be, among others: welcoming the kids in the morning, preparing
breakfast. Playing, doing crafts, reading stories for them. Also, going for walks, taking them to playgrounds. Cooking lunch, washing dishes and helping to clean up.
You will receive a schedule of activities and more information about your duties once you choose the orientation of your community service.
Food
As Argentina is a great (and proud) cattle-raising country, meat—which means mainly beef to Argentines—is a base of the Argentine diet. Therefore vegetarians are sometimes difficult to place. Parillada (mixed grills of all parts and cuts of cow) are very popular, especially during social gatherings. Milanesas (breaded fried cutlet) or bife (grilled steak) are other popular dishes that reveal the strong influence of Italians, who are more likely to be considered part of the Argentine heritage rather than a minority. Other examples of Italian influence are the gnocchi (ñoquis), which will be eaten traditionally on the 29th of every month for good luck, or the highly popular Argentine gelato (helado.) Guiso (rice or pasta with vegetable and meat sauce) is a common winter meal.
In addition to their high consumption of beef and pastas, Argentines are also known to be great consumers of mate (local green tea). This is more a socializing element than a beverage served with a meal: mate is shared among people during any kind of gathering and the special gourd it comes in is offered from person to person.
Meals carry strong social significance, and whole families customarily eat together. It is considered inappropriate for participants placed with families to request special foods, to prepare separate food for themselves or to raid the refrigerator, although their appreciation of and request for some particular dishes will be happily received.
Clothing
Read the information in your hosting papers and contact your AFS office or host family if you have specific questions. If you need to bring special gear for your community service you will receive specifics about it along with your project description and host family papers.
If you arrive in February, mid summer, it will be hot. You will need casual clothing, sandals, cardigans, hats and a swimsuit.
In Winter ( from June to September) the weather is cold. It snows in most of the Patagonia (Tierra del Fuego, Santa Cruz, Chubut and Río Negro) and also in provinces close to the Andes mountains (Mendoza, San Juan). Most houses and schools do not have central heating, so you will need clothing to keep you warm indoors as well as outside.
Activities
Our programs exemplify the spirit and goals of AFS through the emphasis on volunteer service by the participant. The idea is to provide participants with a learning experience, in a needy environment, sharing life and learning with those around them rather than coming as experts with all the answers. As stated before, participants come not as outsiders to change the local situation but as participants in the process of mutual discovery.
Our programs are designed to provide you with the opportunity to lend a hand in whatever capacity is needed, as determined by the CPO (Community Project Organization). Volunteer work can be as tedious or rewarding as any job you might have back home. It may entail picking up litter if we are talking about an environmental project, coaching hearing impaired soccer players or painting a dormitory in a Childcare center for low-income families. You may find that in the end, the work that you do, while important, is not as valuable as the mutual respect, understanding and friendships that are gained as a result of your participation in the program.
Health
AFS suggests that you discuss the health recommendations for Argentina (which you can get from your government or find easily on the Internet) with your doctor at home, to determine what is best for you and your personal needs.
If you require any medical assistance during your stay, your host family or local volunteers will be ready to help find it. As an AFS participant, your medical expenses are covered for illness or injuries incurred while on the program, exclusive of pre-existing, dental or visual aid expenses.
Safety
During your stay, local AFS volunteers will be available to assist you as you learn to live as an Argentine. In the event of an emergency, AFS staff can be reached 24 hours a day by you in your host country and by your natural family at home.
Travel
AFS’s Community Service programs allow participants to travel on their own through their host countries, typically for a week or more, to explore and absorb each country’s cultural diversity.
Country Information
Geography and Climate
Argentina is the eighth largest country in the world, after India. It is best known for its fertile prairies called pampas, which are found in the country’s central region. It occupies the majority of South America’s long southern tail. In the west, bordering Chile and running north-south along the spine of the continent are the Andes Mountains, whose foothills contain beautiful valleys and canyons. In the north, Argentina borders Bolivia and Paraguay. To the east are Brazil, Uruguay and the long coastline of the southern Atlantic Ocean. It also shares with Chile the islands of Tierra del Fuego in the south.
Argentina features four major areas: Las Pampas in the center; lowlands in the north (subtropical rainforest), the Andes in the west (vineyards at the base and glaciers at the top) and Patagonia (an ensemble of steppes and icy areas) in the south.
Seasons are those of the southern hemisphere with summer between November and April and winter from June through August. Although the climate is generally temperate, the great north-south sweep of the country means regional climates vary from subtropical in the northern regions to sub-arctic in southern Patagonia. Therefore, you should research the climate of your host community once it is assigned.
Population
Argentina’s population is 97% of European descent (mostly Spanish and Italian), with mestizo, Amerindian, and other Native American groups making up 3%. There is a substantial middle class. Buenos Aires, the capital city, has a population of 14 million and a particularly European atmosphere that differs deeply from the rest of the country, known as the interior.
Language
Spanish is the official language of Argentina. Reflecting the influence of its single largest immigrant group, Italian is widely understood. English, German and French are also spoken.
Government
Argentina is a federal republic made up of 24 provinces and the Federal Capital. There is an elected civilian president and a bicameral legislature, the Congreso Nacional (National Congress) and the Cámara de Diputados (House of Representatives).
Religion
Argentina is a major Roman Catholic country (92% nominally; less than 20% practicing) but is very accepting of other religious groups. Major minorities are Protestant 2% and Jewish 3.5%.
Before You Go
Looking Forward
Evaluations by previous participants support our belief that if you prepare prior to leaving, you will have the best experience.
Make every effort to improve your Spanish language skills before departure. Then, to familiarize yourself with life in Argentina, visit your local library or search the Internet. AFS International’s website, AFS.org, provides links to websites for each participating country.
Although every participant’s experience is unique, we strongly suggest that you speak with a recent AFS participant to Argentina. This veteran will be an excellent resource regarding living and working there. If you do not know a veteran, please contact your local AFS volunteer or your country’s AFS office.
In addition, AFS will provide you with essential information about your host country to prepare you for immersion in a new and exciting culture.
Finally, Argentines will be curious about your home community. You may be surprised how much they already know about your country’s history and politics. Therefore, you will find it helpful to be informed about current events in your home community and country.
Community Service in Argentina
Europe’s influence is strong in Argentina, from the Continental urbanity of Buenos Aires to the nation’s passion for soccer and the aspiration of many Argentines to educate their children in Europe. Yet Argentina has a vigorous identity of its own. Its schools foster an erudite and sophisticated citizenry, and its culture has nurtured such celebrated writers as Borges, Puig and Cortázar. Argentine music, too—-from tangos to “rock nacional”—-is world-class. As for natural wonders, the nation’s territorial sweep ranges from titanic Iguazú Falls in the steamy northeastern rainforest to glacier-topped mountains and penguin colonies in the south.
Typical day
Activities vary according to responsibilities and community placements. You will probably be working in your CPO (Community Project Organization) five days a week possibly from Monday to Friday (though some organizations require time during weekends) and between 4 to 8 hours each time.
Living in Argentina
Living arrangements
Participants in AFS Argentina Community Service programs live with local families, sharing their daily lives, their meals and perhaps a host sibling’s bedroom. Families are conservative and protective, and boys have more freedom than girls do. In addition, though one or more members of host families is typically a smoker, families usually prefer to host non-smokers.
Food
As Argentina is a great (and proud) cattle-raising country, meat—which means mainly beef to Argentines—is a base of the Argentine diet.
Activities
Our programs exemplify the spirit and goals of AFS through the emphasis on volunteer service by the participant. The idea is to provide participants with a learning experience, in a needy environment, sharing life and learning with those around them rather than coming as experts with all the answers. As stated before, participants come not as outsiders to change the local situation but as participants in the process of mutual discovery.
