Reviews

Alexandra Stano

Once I knew I'd be studying and working abroad in Buenos Aires, I began to envision my time there. I pictured a relaxing summer vacation of sight-seeing and having fun. After three months of living here I can say that my experience has been completely different than what I had imagined. Living 'on my own' in a different country was challenging. I had to worry about buying groceries, cooking, protecting myself, navigating a huge city, taking my laundry down the street, budgeting my expenses and being successful at my internship. Managing all these responsibilities was tiring, but definitely doable. After a while, my daily routine became second nature. Whether it was going to a live drawing/jazz event, staying up until 7 am at a "boliche", "charlando" with my colleagues at work, or eating some of the best steak of my life, I began to experience all the great things Buenos Aires had to offer. My time abroad was not always relaxing and "tranquil" like I had expected it to be. Instead, it was better because I actually lived in Buenos Aires. I experienced the day-to-day ups and downs- something that would go unnoticed if I was just a tourist. I got to know the sounds, smells, and people of this beautiful city, which allowed me to make the most of this experience.

Camille Falezan

As I drove away from the airport and as my gaze fell on the city of Buenos Aires, I immediately knew that this experience would be eye-opening and unique but I was far from imagining to what extent it would be! Buenos Aires is a dynamic and fascinating city, beautiful during the day and frantic during the night. There is so much to do that you cannot possibly get bored and you will never have enough time to get to fully know it; from museums to parcs, cemeteries to “ferias" and from your office to the “boliches”, be ready to have an amazing time. And this experience could not have been smoother and as well orchestrated as with Connect 123! The team is fantastic, responding really quickly to emails and questions, helping me find the best and most suited internships, and helping find an accommodation As soon as I landed in Buenos Aires, I had the confirmation I had made the right decision: a ride had been organized to my accommodation, the next day I had an invaluable orientation during which my amazing (I cannot stress it enough!) program coordinator, told me about the DOs and DON'Ts of the city, and finally, during my entire time in Argentina, there were weekly events (wine tasting, shows, tours and so many more) to get to know other Connect-123 interns! I really enjoyed the city and the experience as a whole. I had two internships, one with the Province of Buenos Aires and the other one in a NGO giving business classes to small entrepreneurs and supporting them with microcredits. I really enjoyed both of them as they allowed me to explore and have firsthand experiences in fields I was interested in. My work at the NGO, in underprivileged neighborhoods, led me to see another facet of Buenos Aires that usually gets ignored by tourists and even by locals living in the “microcentro”, giving me a better picture of the diversity and complexity of this city. I got the chance, on top of exploring potential future careers, to discover directly the Argentinian culture, history and people. Actually, what I loved the most about Buenos Aires, about my internship and about my travels, was the people I met. The team I worked with, the entrepreneurs I met through my NGO and the soon-to-be friends I lived with made this experience a life-changing one. I learnt about their stories, their passions and their aspirations, their fears and their political positions. They inspired me, shocked me, challenged me. They made me grow. Encountering diverse people from another world, confronting yourself with another culture and emerging yourself in a different language are amazing way to learn more not only about that country in particular but also about yourself!

Luciana Lima

I’ve always had a strong desire to have a professional experience abroad. Traveling is one of my passions, and I wanted to add to my career. So I searched a lot and had studied all the available options that could offer me this “travel + work” experience. I discovered Connect-123 and I have found it the best choice for me among all I looked. I decided to come to Buenos Aires, Argentina, for 4 months. I chose to work at a startup. I was part of the marketing team and I have helped them to launch their product in Brazil, adapting the communication to brazilian market and assisting their go-to-market strategies. The company has a great and friendly working environment with several foreign people, which is very good to make friends and exchange knowledge. All these months have been extremely valuable to have a multicultural professional development, improving also my interpersonal skills. Buenos Aires, such a beautiful city, could provide me a rich experience of cultural exchange, besides quality of life, full of leisure and entertainment activities (sometimes even free!), art, history and everything. I surely recommend this program!

Jessica Christopherson

I spent four incredible months in Buenos Aires as an intern with Connect-123. During this time I had the opportunity to study Spanish, intern at a public hospital in Buenos Aires, and of course, travel to different regions of Argentina. What stood out the most for me were the people I met and the experiences I had while working as an intern at the hospital. I have worked as a nurse in the US for the past 10 years and I can honestly say that I gained more insight and knowledge in these past months than I could have ever hoped for. The doctors, residents and hospital staff not only went out of their way to educate and answer any questions I had (which were a lot), but they did it with the most positive attitude and a smile on their face, despite my less than perfect Spanish. This experience has been eye-opening and enlightening, to say the least! I will be forever grateful to have had this experience, and for Connect-123 for being so professional and assisting with everything I needed to ensure that I had the best experience possible. Thanks again to the local program coordinator and the rest of the staff at Connect-123!

Katie Vause

My 2 months in Buenos Aires were some of the most rewarding, challenging but most fun I have ever had.I’m bias but it is such a cool city to spend time in. It has a vibrant culture, and so many things to do every night of the week, but also great opportunities to relax and get to the countryside or further afield for the weekend. I loved improving my Spanish and took lessons as well whilst I was out there (which I would highly recommend to anyone, as the Spanish is different than in other countries and you can learn about some specific customs in Buenos Aires). Connect-123 gave me amazing support in Buenos Aires, which made all the difference being in a new and different environment. From the word go, they gave me all the information to make me feel comfortable, and lots of little tips on living in Buenos Aires. Along with all the events they ran for other interns, helping set up my internship and find housing, they made my experience over there smooth and enjoyable. I worked as a marketer for a small but growing 3D printing company. I didn’t have any experience in marketing but my colleagues were patient and kind in teaching me everything I needed to know and made me feel like a valued member of the team.I would recommend this internship to anyone who wants to become immersed in a different country and dip their toes into a completely new industry or further their existing knowledge by gaining experiences in a new environment. But the internship is about so much more than simply working. It’s about making new friends across the globe, being challenged by practicing a different language, developing and enhancing skills in an industry, and most importantly learning about a unique and vibrant culture, in which you can have so much fun!

Tasha Heller

By the time my two months is Argentina came to an end I did not want to leave, and ever since I left Buenos Aires I’ve been aching to return. Connect-123 helped provide me with one of the most incredible, life-changing opportunities that I could have ever imagined. At the beginning I was a bit overwhelmed. Buenos Aires is a large, bustling city that is full of passion and tons of life. During my stay, my coordinator arranged my housing to be with local Argentine students, per my request, and they were extremely welcoming. I loved rooming with people outside of the Connect program because not only was I able to hang out with people from Connect-123 via the weekly programs, socials, and events but I also got the unique taste of the native lifestyle. I went to Argentina wanting to immerse myself within the culture of the people, and I certainly did. Argentina is so diverse and I wish I could have stayed longer than two months. During that time I explored all the cafés nestled within the city, learned how to Tango, visited one of the Wonders of the World, ate an unlimited number of empanadas, and spent afternoons with friends and mate. Of course, I went to Argentina for an internship experience. My internship was one of the greatest parts of my stay. It exposed me to a new level within the career that I hope to pursue and certainly deepened my passion to reach my future goals. I am extremely thankful for the Connect-123 family and this experience that it provided me. I cannot wait to return to Buenos Aires and to meet up with all the amazing people I’ve met!

Sarah Crockett

Having the opportunity to be living and working halfway around the world is indescribable. Everything is different, but it somehow still feels so normal. I work in Spanish all week. We share cultural “mate” (an Argentine “tea experience” if you will – Google it!!). I’ve made friends with the family that owns the local fruit and veggie stand down the street. That said, I still complain about the weather with my co-workers every day at lunch. I still pop popcorn and sit back and watch a movie some Saturday nights. And the parts that seemed so different and foreign when I arrived have become my favorite parts of the day. I’ve gotten used to the relaxed rhythm of life, where being late is not shamed. I’ve learned that, like most foreigners and local Argentines, I love talking about language and linguistics – how do we learn languages, how are expressions different in each language, etc. The best part about my experience in Buenos Aires is that I’m living a normal life in an extraordinary place. I work with an NGO that focuses on providing business development aid and financial support (in the form of micro-credit loans) to women living just North of Buenos Aires. These women take what they have learned from our NGO and start up their own small businesses, selling baked goods, homemade jewelry or finding and selling fashion pieces. Every Saturday, I go to the “neighborhoods” (which is what we call them) with a mountain of local Argentine volunteers to assist these women in their economic and personal development. Not only do the entrepreneurial women impress me every day, but the commitment and love of the volunteers that show up every morning at 8am inspire me. Connect-123 allows me to feel and be independent. I have the strength and the freedom to be on my own, experiencing my own journey that has never before been lived. At the same time, Connect offers me the support when I need it: someone to bounce my reflections off of, someone to call when I need to go to the hospital. I feel safe and supported, but I am independent. That is the best gift anyone can ask for when living and working abroad.

Kin yi (Celine) Tsui

Before going to Buenos Aires, I had two main goals: to do well at my placement and improve my Spanish. After 3.5 months in Buenos Aires, I was able to accomplish those two goals and a whole lot more. My placement in a rehabilitation clinic allowed me to work along with occupational therapists and physical therapists. While being fairly proficient in Spanish, Argentina's Castellano surely challenged me throughout my time there. Nevertheless, I quickly learned the many slang words that the porteños (locals) use and build many new relationships inside and outside of my internship. I still keep in contact via email with one of the lovely patient I met there! Buenos Aires is truly a beautiful city filled with wonderful food, parks, artisan and food markets, museums, endless cafes to linger around, and let me mention, more FOOD! Be careful of how much empanadas, dulce de leche or medialunas you eat because I surely gained a few pounds leaving BA. You'll meet people from all over the world, but do your best to meet the locals! One of my favorite experience there was joining a dance studio and being able to perform at one of the theaters with the locals. They surely made a difference during my time there. Connect-123 provides you with all the information and help for your internship and your life abroad. You have everything you need at hand and it's surely up to you to make your time abroad unforgettable!

Alicia Harris

It felt like it was just yesterday I was getting off of the plane, going through immigrations/customs and feasting my eyes on the beautiful Buenos Aires, Argentina for the first time, but it was not just yesterday. Two months ago I took a chance in a city I knew nothing about and a language I could barely understand, but none of that bothered me at all. When I got here I had a fear of getting lost, not knowing where things would be or even getting robbed, but thanks to my Connect-123 coordinator, my host mother, my fellow Connect-123 housemates and my internship supervisors, I felt at ease and welcomed. It really did get easier once I learned the standard greetings and the names of streets. I became a pro at navigating my way through the city on the local buses and the subway. 

Aside from my fears, I wrote goals down with my Connect-123 coordinator before I actually started my internship. I wanted to set the standard and be the best intern my host organization would ever work with, make long lasting relationships with my internship supervisors, network, and have a long lasting relationship with my fellow Connect-123 colleagues. To be honest I can actually say I have demolished all of the goals I set. I learned a great deal working at this filming and photography location, where big and small companies come to do photoshoots, film or shoot commercials for upcoming projects. I witnessed world-famous brands shoot commercials here. I even networked within the city and got a chance to take pictures for a famous clothing line at the Malba Museum for Micaela Tinelli, daughter of Marcelo Tinelli. It was really cool being able to shadow my supervisors because they are two hardworking women in a male dominant industry. From watching them I learned how to talk to potential clients, prepare contracts, keep up with the books for the company accountant, cater to clients when productions were happening & I even learned how to stand firm and be bold with people. In the production or entertainment industry you have to be bold, if not people will walk all over you.

I can´t begin to explain everything I did otherwise I could write like 22 pages, but truth is I will never forget the memories, the people, the places & things I have experienced here. Buenos Aires is forever embedded into my heart and in my mind. I will take these moments with me wherever I go.

Levi Smith

Buenos Aires. Mi querido. I do not even know where to begin. Interning in the tango capital of the world was the best experience I have had in my entire life. The people, the culture, the food, the excursions, the ease of life – it was all perfect. I interned in an animal veterinary clinic in Santos Lugares, which is just a short train ride outside of Capital. My supervisor not only taught me an immeasurable amount of knowledge in regards to veterinary medicine (more than I had learned in the 7 years I had interned in the United States), but he took me on as if I were his host son. He took me to get helado with his family, helped me plan excursions, took me to la Universidad de Buenos Aires to observe classes at the veterinary college, took me to ride his horses, and helped me in any situation I stumbled upon.

The best perk for me was being able to experience the city where one of my favorite people lived and worked – Eva Duarte de Perón. The Evita Museum was only 15 blocks from where I lived near Plaza Italia. Seeing the museum and visiting the tomb of Eva Perón was one of the highlights of my trip. Before coming to Argentina, I had known of Eva Perón and her amazing life for a long time, but actually being able to be where she lived and did all of those amazing things was completely surreal. My housing was perfect. I lived in a beautiful house right near Plaza Serrano in Palermo – the bar district. It was a safe and fun neighborhood where there was ALWAYS something to do: dinner at la parilla, dance classes at La Viruta, drinks near the plaza, or get on the Subte and go to Plaza de Mayo. Everyone in the city was super friendly, always eager to practice Spanish and/or English with me. While in Buenos Aires, I was able to travel to both Iguazú Falls and Mendoza. Both of these trips were magnificent! I went to Iguazú the second weekend

I was in Argentina and spent three days exploring Misiones and the beautiful falls of Iguazú. In June, my mom came to visit and we took that opportunity to go to Mendoza. It was much colder in Mendoza, but it was absolutely beautiful. We took a half-day wine and olive oil tour, saw the city of Mendoza, and took a day tour of the la Puente de Inca, ski slopes, Aconcagua, and had a great traditional lunch at the top of the mountains. I am dying to get back to Buenos Aires to reconnect with my awesome friends, relive my time spent there, and just embrace the beautiful culture of Argentina!

Anna Clapham

I will never forget my time in Buenos Aires or the people I met along the way that made those three months so special. Thanks to Connect-123 I was instantly introduced to a supportive and diverse group of young globetrotters each carrying their own stories. I had the pleasure of living and befriending people from Italy, France, Germany and all different parts of the US. The laugh filled friendships (and empanadas) are what I cherish and miss the most. Connect-123 also made my internship experience invaluable by linking my interests to a local NGO helping women with micro-credit services. They helped me attain my goal of improving my Spanish by being exposed to it everyday. I'm grateful to have had Connect-123 for establishing these everlasting friendships, affinity with the Argentine culture and unique experiences.

Abby Brazeal

My trip to Buenos Aires was one of the best experiences of my life. The Connect-123 program helped me meet some of my closest friends here. They were able to keep me updated on holidays and special events going on around the city that I would have never known about other wise. Connect-123 found me an internship exactly in my field of study, which was helpful for me to gain some work experience while also getting the opportunity to explore this beautiful city.

I was very pleased with the living arrangements I had. My house was full of younger students that were working and studying both from Buenos Aires and from the program, which was a great mix to have both groups. Going abroad with Connet-123 is a perfect mix of freedom and some guidance. They help you when you need it, but give you enough space to do your own thing and have your own experiences. I had the best trip of my life here!

Jose Veintimilla

My experience in Buenos Aires was both amazing and unforgettable. My only regret was not staying longer! Buenos Aires is a vibrant city with so much to do and it was great having Connect-123 help me enjoy the city with all it has to offer. When I told Connect-123 that I wanted an engineering internship in Buenos Aires, they found one in a timely manner and organized everything that I needed for my stay in Argentina. I interned with a 3D-printing company and gained valuable working experience there. I learned how to use the software that they use to design their models and got to print cool things for myself. After learning how to use their software a lot of doors opened up for me and I was able to help them with a few projects that they were working on. In the end, I felt like I helped them a lot. Aside from the internship, Connect-123 did a really good job in organizing the social component of my experience. They organized social events to meet other interns, which I really liked because all of the people I met through Connect-123 were truly amazing and I became very close to them during my trip. They also reached out a few times to let me and other interns know about the cool things going on in the city. I would highly recommend doing this type of experience no matter what field of work you plan to do.

Cody Amengual

Living abroad is certainly a challenge for someone who is not completely fluent in the language of that country. Working there is even more of a challenge. The Connect-123 program helped fill in the many gaps that were hard to fill for someone who has little information about a city across the world.

Finding the internship was a major help along with a place to stay in the city. Finding all of the connections and information on my own would have been very difficult and the experience would not have been so good. The food and attraction recommendations helped me have a really enjoyable time in Buenos Aires. I am pretty certain that I would not have made such solid connections and made such good memories without the help of Connect-123 and I am forever grateful. My internship in Buenos Aires was an amazing 2 months!

Isabelle Jackson

My experience in Buenos Aires was inolvidable. With the support of Connect-123, I experienced the rhythms of the city, its diverse architecture and neighborhoods, the porteños, delicious food (medialunas, dulce de leche, empanadas, asados, mate, and more), and made amazing friends! I fell in love with Buenos Aires. I spent two months with Connect during my gap year, hoping to work abroad and to become fluent in Spanish. I had a meaningful and challenging internship at a non-profit combatting economic crime; I focused on studying and reducing the market of human trafficking and I published reports in both Spanish and English. I learned to navigate a new language, work culture, and field of study; this invaluable experience will absolutely shape what I choose to study in college. Connect-123 is a great organization that helped me with whatever I needed, especially when I first arrived to the city. Connect staff provided support but not hand holding. This gave me a chance to take risks and to grow in so many ways. I can recommend Argentina highly enough - come live, work, and travel in this incredible country filled with a passion for life, love, and fútbol. Thank you for everything! I know I'll be back to Buenos Aires.

Blake Cooper

Connect-123 offers a great fit for someone looking for an experience that goes beyond the traditional study abroad program. Regardless your level of experience with traveling, living or working abroad, Connect-123 can help you find your place, get acquainted with the local environment and culture and settle into an exciting new chapter in your life. I had been to Buenos Aires once before, and was looking for an experience that allowed me to use my previous knowledge of the place to live comfortably and authentically among the local population. 

Connect-123 was crucial in helping me find a placement, filling me in with vital information I didn't know from previous experience (information about things like hospitals and the city layout) and offering weekly events where I could meet up with fellow travelers in a social setting. But they were also excellent about giving me the space I needed to find my own way. It really was the best of all possibilities with Connect, and I couldn't recommend them highly enough for someone looking for a unique experience that will set you apart.

Rachelle Jacoby

After college, I always wanted to be able to live abroad and volunteer in a cause I really believed in. After searching through many programs, I came across Connect-123 and I couldn't have been happier. The program coordinator found me an awesome house in Buenos Aires, I ended up living with about 12 people, half Argentines and half foreigners, a perfect mix. She also found an amazing organization where I worked with children and hunger, exactly the type of organization I was looking for. The day I arrived, I had an introduction meeting with my coordinator where I was given a lot of helpful information and tips about the city. Connect offered a great support system during my 6 months in Argentina, every week, they had a different activity that you could participate in. I really liked the very "hands off" feel of the organization, you could be as involved with the Connect community as you wanted. I'm very happy with how my time turned out and I can't wait to go back!

Veikko Schepel

After finishing my bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences last Summer I decided to take a gap year to explore life outside of university. A few goals I had were to learn Spanish, visit and travel in South America and gain some work experience. By taking an internship via Connect-123 in Argentina I was able to combine all those goals. During my stay I helped in developing an ecological campus south of Buenos Aires. In my time there I learned a lot about the practice of creating a completely sustainable campus which was a great addition to my theoretical knowledge on sustainability. One of the highlights was building a bicycle driven laundry machine to wash our clothes in, which turned out really well! Connect-123 did a great job in connecting me with an internship and organization that not only suited me, but also challenged me and helped me grow on a personal level. Over the past months, I have not only vastly improved my Spanish, but also been able to experience and participate in the everyday life of locals in rural Argentina. The personal support given by Connect-123 after my arrival in Buenos Aires was helpful in getting to know the city, and finding my place in completely new surroundings. If you want to get to know another country and yourself better, this might be a good place to start!

Shanley Porter

I loved my experience in Buenos Aires with Connect-123! Connect made me feel welcomed right from the start and provided amazing and authentic cultural experiences the whole way through. While I made many local friends, it was fun to have a local connection right from the start and the support that you need when you're living away from home. 

Charles Lavin

Living and working in Buenos Aires over my summer break was certainly one of the best experiences of my university career. I had had the desire to travel within Latin America for some time, but I also wanted further internship experiences to include on my CV. Through Connect-123, I was given a place to work in a local environmental NGO in Buenos Aires, as well as a place to stay.

Honestly speaking, both of these accommodations were way beyond my expectations. While the research and work I did was challenging, the office where it took place was a perfect fit for me. Once the work day was over, I would walk home excited to find my friends eagerly awaiting me on the terrace or over the parrilla. The people I shared a house with will remain friends of mine as long as I live. By going out and exploring the city around us, as well as the country or even the continent, I was left with an outstanding impact of how colorful life in Latin America can be.

I would recommend Connect-123 and Buenos Aires to anyone interested in environmental and international development, where they will be able to experience first hand what it is like to work doing something they truly care about, while constantly being motivated by the beauty of nature and society all around you.