Reviews

Real stories from real participants, parents and university partners who share their experiences as well as their advice. Learn more about the benefits Connect-123 interns and volunteers receive on our programs around the world!

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Destination

Opportunity

Andrew Kirkwood

Environment Intern | Buenos Aires
Prem Tinsulanonda International School, Thailand
29 June 2017

Three months in Buenos Aires was definitely not how I was expecting to end my gap year, however I can without a doubt say it was worth it. Looking for an internship through Connect-123 made the process a great deal easier and helped me find a place with much more ease than if I was on my own. The help with finding not only the internship but a place to stay made the process much more smooth. Through Connect-123 I was given an extremely convenient package of information on the sights to see, rules for safety and much more this saved me a ton unnecessary trouble on more than one occasion. Being new to a Spanish-speaking country and really the language this really was a completely new experience for me. Thanks to C-123 I was able to meet new people interning with the group and many more from their social circles and create a wide net of new friends. Not only this but the events held by Connect-123 let me experience Buenos Aires completely differently than a tourist would. This allowed me to gain a much greater insight to the culture within Argentina, especially through social events like having a Parrilla (grilling) every other day with my dorm mates. Those looking to learn a language, gain experience, and enjoy themselves while doing so, you’re in the right place.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Anthony Perez

Human Rights Intern | Buenos Aires
Drexel University
22 June 2017

Ever since becoming a Global Studies major, I knew that I wanted to work for a non-profit organization outside of the United States. Furthermore, coming from a Latin American background and not picking up the language that well when I was younger, I wanted to improve my Spanish and learn how to communicate efficiently. With the help of Connect-123, I got to do just that in the span of 3 months in the beautiful city of Buenos Aires. Though I did not get to do that much traveling outside of the province of Buenos Aires, I learned so much about the country’s culture, history, politics and society. Evenmore, I got to live in the area of Palermo which was full of foreigners. This allowed me to meet so many fascinating people who I will truly remember for a long time. At my internship, I got to understand why things are the way they are in Argentina, especially Buenos Aires. I got to learn about everything from the Argentine Dictatorship and the law of 2x1, the financial issues troubling the various Villas in the provinces of Buenos Aires, the Armenian Genocide and Diaspora which led to a large migration of Armenians to Argentina as well as other parts of the world, and also the really important Trial for the Right to the Truth which was done so that Argentina could recognize what was done to the Armenians by the Ottoman Empire (Turkey) was indeed a genocide. Although there is still so much more for me to learn about the complex country that is Argentina, with all of this information I can truly say that my mind has expanded and I have left Buenos Aires with more knowledge and wisdom than before.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Diya Khullar

Health Care Intern | Buenos Aires
Northeastern University
8 May 2017

My fear was that Connect Buenos Aires might be underwhelming after my Connect Cape Town quickly diminished! As usual, the other program participants, my supervisor, and hospital staff were as welcoming as possible. My internship at the hospital in Buenos Aires allowed me to explore every department I desired, from traumatology to dermatology to urology to emergency medicine. Furthermore, the proximity of the operating rooms made viewing surgeries of all different organs super accessible; I watched surgeries of the eye, uterus, kidney, brain, spine, hip, and so much more! Just like in South Africa, the doctors, scrub nurses, and pretty much everyone at the hospital not only educated us as students, but cared about us as human beings as well. This made forming relationships with the hospital staff and connections across the departments effortless. The culture in Buenos Aires is also extremely warm and inclusive of everyone, making it easy to venture out and make friends with porteños. There are so many beautiful shows and sights to see around the city that getting bored is simply not an option. Overall, I would recommend the Connect-123 experience in Buenos Aires to anyone keen on expanding their knowledge of Spanish while interning in his/her desired field!

Internships in Buenos Aires

Chris Lawson

Health Care Intern | Buenos Aires
Northeastern University
18 April 2017

I am a pre-med student at Northeastern University who traveled to Buenos Aires and worked at a hospital for three months. My time in Buenos Aires was amazing. I got to see and do so much at the hospital. All of the doctors were extremely friendly and taught me a ton. Argentina in general was great. I got to travel to many other great places. Overall, I had a great time.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Alessia Gisi

Health Care Intern | Buenos Aires
University of Basel, Switzerland
12 April 2017

During the last six months I had the huge pleasure of living and interning in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Connect-123 gave me the opportunity to do a pre-med internship in a public hospital. I will never forget this unique experience. Every day on my way to the hospital I felt so excited because I knew that I would learn something new and see incredible things that I would never have the chance to see in my home country. I was able to observe over thirty surgeries, and the doctors always explained me what they were doing and how they were approaching it. The anesthesiologists taught me each step of the narcotizing and after the operations they showed me how they made the patients wake up again. I got to shadow doctors on their rounds, assist doctors and nurses during patient’s appointments, and came to have a great “behind the scenes of a hospital” insight. All of those experiences made my dream of becoming a doctor even clearer and I am so eager and committed to start med school after this internship. Also, I perfected my Spanish skills by talking to all the hospital staff and patients in “Castellano” all day. By working in a local surrounding I also was infiltrated into the culture of Argentina, which I loved because I did not feel like a tourist while working in the hospital. Everyone made me feel very welcome from my first day onwards and I bonded with the doctors and all the staff quickly. Not only have I learnt so much for my future studies and have had a once in a lifetime experience, but also I bonded with many doctors and left Argentina with new, profound friendships. The amount of incredible doctors I met is unbelievable and I am very thankful for having experienced this unforgettable stay in Buenos Aires. Connect-123 made it very easy and helped me a lot to feel at home and feel supported in a new country. I would recommend Connect-123 to anyone who is looking for an “out of their comfort zone” working experience abroad. Because even if I was getting out of my comfort zone, they always made me feel understood and backed up.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Yaritza Burgos

Physical Therapy Intern | Buenos Aires
Mercy College
10 April 2017

Interning abroad has always been one of the many things I wanted to do ever since my last year in college. I came across Connect-123’s program through my school and after months of communication with the coordinator and doing research about Buenos Aires, Argentina, I was sold! My stay in Argentina was short only two months, but in those two months I was able to learn about Argentina’s culture, make lifelong friends, and, most importantly, learn all about physical therapy while getting the hands on experience. I was also able to expand my Spanish language skills and perfect it! Buenos Aires is such an amazing city, so beautiful and the people are super friendly! If you love to travel and are dying to start interning or volunteering, then Connect-123 is just right for you! I love to travel and have been meaning to start interning, so why not do both at the same time? I never regretted my decision to come to Buenos Aires and I do plan to come back and visit one day! It’s a once in a lifetime experience and I honestly recommend those who are looking into Connect-123, look no further!

Internships in Buenos Aires

Xizi Yu

Healthcare Intern | Buenos Aires
Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology
6 March 2017

Thanks to connect, I had the opportunity to spend my 50 day winter break working and living in a city I’ve always wanted to get to know. I know it’s a short time, but I was able to reach a deeper understanding of the culture, the country, and its people, also to have a fresh start of my Spanish learning. I worked as a medical intern in a hospital in Buenos Aires. Everyday we joined different doctors to observe and learn from their daily work. The experience was more than rewarding. Other than working, one of my objects of this visit was to experience the culture of tango. I started dancing Argentine tango in Fall 2016 and fell in love with it. Coming to BA after learning for 4 months, I found myself surrounded by amazing dancers, maestros and milongas. It was quite new and fresh to hear that there were some excellent ideas about tango from the young generations. I learned so much from this stay, not only academically and culturally, but also in terms of personal growth.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Jack Churchill

Marketing Intern | Buenos Aires
High School Graduate
28 February 2017

Connect-123 proved every bit as helpful and enjoyable as I could have hoped. During my two months in Buenos Aires, every day was an adventure as I adjusted to living in a city unlike any I had ever experienced. Along with the lessons I learned as an intern, I feel that I really got to take part in the city's culture, as if I were a resident rather than just a tourist. Looking back on my time, I can definitively say that it has been a unique and enriching experience––made possible by the guidance of the program and the friends I made along the way. From trips I went on to the typical day with my roommates, I am sure these are memories that will remain with me for the rest of my life

Internships in Buenos Aires

Sarah Banks

Physical Therapy Intern | Buenos Aires
University of Colorado at Boulder
25 January 2017

Connect-123 was one of my favorite experiences in my life. When I was first inquiring about the program, I was skeptical because of all the high reviews and the fact that there was not one low review. But this program is real and it is what it appears to be. After I graduated college I wanted to get some real world experience in a physical therapy setting where I was able to also practice Spanish. C-123's program coordinators were able to help me get that experience and so much more. Besides what I learned in my internship, I made life long friends, was able to travel, and spend 7 months living in Buenos Aires, Argentina! I am so grateful to have been able to have this experience that exceeded my expectations!

Internships in Buenos Aires

Isabel Symancyk

Arts Intern | Buenos Aires
Warren Wilson College
10 November 2016

Planning my time in Buenos Aires months beforehand up until I arrived at the airport felt like a dream. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like, what challenges I would face, what emotions I would experience. My goal in travelling to a country abroad was to learn about the culture, learn the language, and learn more about myself. Although I knew it would be challenging, living on my own in a new country provided many new learning experiences. I had to buy groceries, cook, navigate a large city, as well as speak a language that is fairly new to me, while also staying on top of my work as an intern, and budgeting my expenses. Although it is easy to understand that there are other cultures in this world besides your own, living and experiencing another culture is completely different. As soon as I arrived, there was something about the unpredictability, the architectural beauty, the prevalence of art and activism that I found solace in. At first, the differences between Buenos Aires and my home town were overwhelming, but since my arrival it has become more routine given the housing and work Connect-123 found for me. I feel very at home here even though this city is so large that it is hard to know all of it. Between the museums, ferias, parques, two months in Buenos Aires is definitely not enough, and I hope to return as soon as I am able to continue admiring this beautiful country.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Krista Rodriguez

Animal Science Intern | Buenos Aires
Michigan State University
24 October 2016

I had the opportunity to travel to Buenos Aires for my summer in 2016. Although I had prepared for most of the year until then, I wasn't quite sure what to expect before I got off the plane. This was the longest that I had spent away from home, and certainly the longest time I had spent in a foreign country that didn't speak my native language. Thankfully I did not have to worry long. I was set up with a wonderful housing and internship placement. I was able to make connections with my boss and coworkers that I still keep to this day, and my Spanish improved in leaps and bounds to where it was before. Thanks to the connections that I made in country, I had experiences I would have never gotten as a tourist. It was amazing being able to really be a part of the Argentinian community, which is full of incredibly helpful and kind people.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Helen Bonnyman

Education Intern | Buenos Aires
Rice University
20 October 2016

During my gap year before starting as a freshman at Rice University, I interned for 3 months as a teacher’s assistant at a preschool in Buenos Aires. It was a super great experience: my Spanish skills improved tremendously, I gained valuable experience working with children, and I immersed myself in the porteño culture. My internship was certainly hard at times, mostly because of the language barrier between myself and the other teachers, I was enriched so much by getting to spend time with such adorable children. Outside my internship, I loved taking classes at the language school Connect-123 referred me too. The teachers there were excellent and I made friends with several of the other students there from Europe and the US. This was my first time living on my own, which presented some of the biggest challenges of my trip, but our program coordinator was always there if I needed help. I like the way being a Connect-123 intern provided me with a network of new friends to explore Buenos Aires and Argentina with. There were many planned activities us interns could join in on, but C-123 was appropriately hands-off so that our experiences could be as unstructured as we wanted. We were in charge of shaping our own experiences. The highlight of my 3-month time in Argentina was the trip I took to Patagonia with some friends from Connect-123. I would certainly recommend a Connect-123 internship to anyone looking for an educational and fun experience that can be as structured or as free as you wish.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Katherine Mooney

Education Intern | Buenos Aires
SUNY New Paltz
21 September 2016

Through Connect-123, I had the very unique opportunity to be involved in multiple internships. I worked for a language institute that offers private classes, at a summer camp, as a camp counselor, and at a bilingual school, assisting the English teachers. The most lasting impression of these internships are the people that I met along the way and what they taught me. I love working with kids, so the summer camp was an amazing experience for me and a great way to practice my Spanish. The counselors were all very open and welcoming, and I made lasting friendships from working with them. Secondly, this was my first real professional experience teaching English. At first it was challenging for me, but after working with the professors at the institute and the teachers at the school, I was able to learn from their teaching strategies. Now, I have a much better idea how to teach English at varying levels and how to approach teaching difficult topics. All of my students were open to learning and very motivated, and listening to what was difficult for them made me understand how to be a more effective teacher. Using the skills I learned from my experiences with Connect-123, I am now teaching English in Chile.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Hubert Smith

Health Care Intern | Buenos Aires
Clemson University
6 September 2016

Last spring, I spent three months living in Buenos Aires, Argentina and interning at a local hospital through the program, Connect-123. Luckily, I had already been accepted to medical school so after I graduated from college, I decided to take a gap year to travel and work in international medical settings. During my time in Buenos Aires, I completed a twelve-week internship with the department of oncology. Although I was assigned to the oncology department, I was able to rotate through and observe clinicians in various hospital departments, including, intensive care, coronary care unit, traumatology, gynecology, dermatology and surgery. Additionally, I had the opportunity to assist technicians with operating a 12-lead EKG monitor, attend and observe patient consultations consisting of casting, Pap smears, pre/post-operation check-ups, and other basic services. This experience taught me a lot about the health care system in Argentina and was a great way for me to improve my Spanish. I arrived in Argentina with basic Spanish skills and left as an intermediate speaker. Most weeks, I would go to the hospital for four hours in the morning and then spend three afternoons a week at a Spanish school. I was able to live in a large, shared apartment in the beautiful and lively neighborhood of Palermo. I lived with five other foreign exchange students and one Argentine from Salta. My roommates and I spent most of our free time exploring all the amazing cultural and social aspects of Buenos Aires. The staff at the hospital was also very lenient about allowing me to take time off so I was able to do a lot of traveling around Argentina and Uruguay. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone interested in travel, learning Spanish, and medicine. The program is really well run and organized. The local Connect-123 representative is really friendly and always available to help. Overall, I had a wonderful experience with Connect-123 and I absolutely loved Argentina.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Ben Waters

Sports Intern | Buenos Aires
University of Colorado at Boulder
5 September 2016

Getting to live two months in the middle of Buenos Aires has been one of the most remarkable experiences in my life and I can’t imagine how it would have turned out without the guidance of Connect-123. I decided to take a gap year between my senior year of high school and freshman year of college. Initially I was overwhelmed by the amount of time I had just opened up for my year and was unsure how I would spend my year. After days of research and months of planning I had my year mapped out and had been fortunate enough to get accepted for an internship set up through Connect-123 in Buenos Aires for the last leg of my journey. When I arrived in Argentina I was greeted by a very friendly driver who took me from the airport to the apartment that I would be spending the next two months living in. When we reached the apartment, which was located in the beautiful neighborhood of Recoleta, I met the owner of the apartment and was shown around what was a very nice complex and had full accommodations, I couldn’t be happier. The next day I met the Connect-123 Program Coordinator, who is full of knowledge about the city and advice on how to adjust to the Argentinian lifestyle. We also discussed the internship I would be beginning shorty at a school about 20 minutes’ walk from the apartment. Connect-123 also does a great job of finding activates to help their members experience parts of the city and culture that one would normally not experience. My internship was the highlight of my time in Argentina. I had the opportunity to work with children ages 7-14 as a athletics assistant and I had a great time doing it. The kids all were enrolled in English classes and enjoyed practicing their English with me as I practiced my Spanish. The other members of the staff were all extremely friendly and made an effort to include me in their group and conversations. At the end of the internship I was sad to say goodbye to the many good friends I had made during my time in Argentina but still stay in contact with many of them, another perk of working with Connect-123 Connect-123 was also very helpful in helping me travel to other parts of the country. With their help I was able to travel to Patagonia and Salta both of which were amazing experiences.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Audrey Gozali

Engineering Intern | Buenos Aires
Santa Clara University
1 September 2016

My time in Buenos Aires was one of the most rewarding experiences in my life. I had never travelled outside the country alone before coming to Buenos Aires, and Connect-123 gave me all the support I needed to thrive in this vibrant city. From setting me up at a home away from home to helping me navigate the busy streets, Connect-123 gave me the foundation for the incredible life I cultivated in Argentina for two months. Coming to Buenos Aires, there was definitely a steep learning curve in regards to the dialect spoken here, but within a couple weeks, I was able to communicate successfully with the porteños. As I have been studying Spanish for years and have continued my studies in college, learning to adapt to the speaking style of the Argentines felt like an unbelievable accomplishment. Moreover, the work I did at my internship was so rewarding. I worked on a joint project between two environmentally-focused NGOs, where I helped design and plan the construction of one of Argentina’s first natural swimming pools. While the majority of my research focused on the environment close to Buenos Aires, through my co-workers I learned a lot about the progress in the Green movement in various regions of Argentina and South America. From these two short months in Buenos Aires, I gained confidence in my Spanish-speaking abilities, enriched myself with the Argentine culture, and achieved more than I thought possible with my internship.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Darlene Washington

Health Care Intern | Buenos Aires
Michigan State University
19 August 2016

Connect-123 created an amazing opportunity for me. I had the opportunity to spend 3 months in Buenos Aires doing things that I love. I did an internship at a public hospital, shadowing doctors. I had the opportunity to work in pediatrics, neonatology, and obstetrics. I was able to sit in on surgeries and get hands on experience with certain patients. Connect-123 provided me with the opportunity to experience what my career will be like in the future. I also had the chance to build my Spanish vocabulary and fluency. I built friendships with amazing people and learned interesting things about their culture. Going to Buenos Aires was a blessing for me and it was an experience I will never forget.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Olivia Rogers

Health Care Intern | Buenos Aires
Drake University
15 August 2016

In five weeks Buenos Aires became the place in my dreams to the place of my dreams. Almost everyone asked me when I was here why I chose Buenos Aires, why I chose Argentina and I can't describe it, it just had this draw that made me want to go there so badly. Connect-123 allowed me to leave my bubble of Boulder, Colorado and experience one of the most stunning places I have ever been. It was also the fastest 5 weeks of my life and if I could do it over I would stay for as long as I could, many many months. I participated in a medical internship as an 18 year old who hadn’t even started college (so no medical training whatsoever). I worked at a public hospital which opened my eyes to a different type of medicine, more creative than what I was used to. I learned so much about the culture surrounding health and medicine from the doctors I worked with and it added to my want to pursue medicine. I was able to participate in gynecology, orthopedics, emergency, trauma, surgery, dermatology and oncology. I had the chance to bandage, remove bandages, cut off casts, help assist the patient after surgery, help put in catheters and interact with the patients in every other section. The surgeries I had the chance to observe were the removal of several tumors: colon and cervical, the implantation of a pacemaker, the amputation of toes and removal of parts of the colon. All the doctors were patient with me, always helping me to understand, practice my Spanish and engage with what was happening. My living situation was perfect, I couldn’t have asked for better and I became very close with many of my roommates. My house was unique in the way that I had people living with me from all over the world as well as people who were native to Argentina. There were people from Spain, Holland, France, Amsterdam, Scotland and the United States which was a very cool experience from the mix of cultures and backgrounds. I was taught how to play chess, had many delicious asados, had people constantly helping my Spanish, drank mate often and made many friends that I still talk with. My living situation was also incredible because of the location which made it easy to access the train, subway and bus system to get basically anywhere in Buenos Aires. Buenos Aires is also an incredible city and I was so lucky to have the time I did to barely graze what the city holds. Several of my highlights were my day trips to Tigre, visiting the Malba, eating empanadas and going to an amazing bar called Florería Atlántico. Connect-123 definitely helps out by providing activities to help you experience the best of the city. One experience that Connect-123 helped me participate in was Fuerza Bruta which I loved! In Buenos Aires, obviously the primary language is Spanish and if you want to become more fluent and more comfortable then it is an excellent place to do so! My Spanish improved so much and almost everyone in the city understands that you are learning and are appreciative that you are trying. (So if you are worried about the language barriers don’t be! Yes, it is hard and sometimes you will be frustrated but it gets easier). All in all I couldn’t have asked for a better experience: throughout all parts - my internship, my living situation, how Connect-123 assisted me throughout it all and the culture and city of Buenos Aires.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Karen Pontious

Public Policy Intern | Buenos Aires
University of British Columbia
9 August 2016

I fell in love with Buenos Aires at first sight. The city is charmingly beautiful and full of rich history and culture. My three and half months in Buenos Aires were spent exploring and living and working as a local. A year ago I gradated with and International Relations degree from the University of British Colombia in BC, Canada. I knew even before I graduate that I wanted to do an internship abroad that has to do with my field. I chose Connect-123 because it seemed like a reliable and credible organization to make job connections abroad as well as enjoy different cultures and adventures. I’m very glad I made this decision because I can now leave Argentina a year after I graduated and say I succeed exactly what I wanted to and gained more experiences than I could have even imagined. I worked at a nongovernmental organization that focuses on the prevention of economic crime. I really enjoyed working with the team. My supervisors were always laughing and joking around, which made coming to work always entertaining. They also taught me lost about Argentine culture, mostly the food and dessert that I HAD to eat before I left and I learnt how to prepare my first mate. I thoroughly enjoyed being apart of a local organization that focuses on economic crime and money laundering which are such crucial issues within Argentina today. Working abroad in a different language was definitely a challenge at times but was exactly what I wanted to accomplish and I feel like I can return to Canada fluent in Spanish and with a bunch of stories and experiences that I will always remember.

Internships in Buenos Aires

Will Tracy

Business Intern | Buenos Aires
Furman University
5 August 2016

I just finished my two-month internship in Buenos Aires. Looking back, these past two months have been the most exciting and most adventurous months of my life. I made friends from countries all around the world, had the chance to see three different countries, and found a second home in Buenos Aires. My two main goals arriving in Argentina was to further improve my Spanish and to gain working experience; but I honestly think I got a lot more out of this internship than just those two goals. My time in Buenos Aires opened my horizons by giving me the chance to work and live on my own in a foreign country. My internship was with a start-up and third-party logistics company that focused on E-commerce. Every day was a challenge but my co-workers were extremely friendly and willing to help with any problems or confusion I had. Through my internship, I learned many terms and practices in logistics that a class simply cannot teach. At the beginning of my trip I felt that two months would be plenty of time to experience Buenos Aires and want to come back. But by the end of my trip I was having so much fun I wish I had two more months! If you have any interest in Latin America, practicing Spanish, and gaining important work experience, then Buenos Aires is the place for you.

Internships in Buenos Aires
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