#allegorization

 Working as a volunteer is always more than the actual time spent on the site. It is a way to share or to gain experience in a variety of areas and is of course a great way to give back to society. Volunteering abroad is all this and more. Coupling volunteer work with travel creates an incredible combination that provides increased knowledge of a foreign culture and provides an opportunity to learn more about yourself. Patagonia is a dream destination for hikers and nature lovers, famous for its natural beauty and wonderful scenery, but there is a site for Patagonia, which encompasses many travelers passing through the area quickly. For many small towns in Patagonia, poverty and underdevelopment is a serious problem that requires serious attention. Together with the alarmingly high statistics of alcoholism and suicide, becomes the utopian image of Patagonia more gloomy. About 25 years ago decided a group of young couples from Buenos Aires to go to Patagonia to start a foundation with the purpose of service to the community. These people all shared a common conviction: that helping the most needy, those realities are denied the opportunity to develop. The group chose Junín de los Andes as the location for its project and inaugurated the Integral Education Center (CEI in Spanish) San Ignacio in the 1980s. CEI San Ignacio is at its core a secondary school for students from this area of western Patagonia. Some students live as far as 500 miles away and have to travel very far just to get to school. They have an active volunteer program where people come from all over the world to lend their time to this unique institution. The school suffered a terrible setback when it burned to the ground in 2007. Despite the efforts of staff and firefighters in Junin, the building with all its facilities, including classrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and school lodge were completely destroyed. In the wake of this devastating disaster, the community banded together in an amazing way to help rebuild CEI San Ignacio. The Argentine army housed students who lost their beds. The gas company YPF won new pipelines and tanks of fuel. Local construction companies voluntarily their time and materials to help build safer, newer and better buildings. The new school building has literally risen from the ashes of the old foundations and school is back up and running at full capacity. This rapid reconstruction is a testament to the resolve of the founders, volunteers, students and community members who believe in the value of CEI San Ignacio. CEI San Ignacio is the perfect place to volunteer your time in Patagonia for a good cause. It lies at the foot of the Andes near Lanin Volcano and ready to receive volunteers almost year round. Volunteers live together in his own house at the school and perform a variety of important tasks that help the school. Many tasks are physical labor, but they cover a wide range of areas. The overall idea behind the CEI San Ignacio is to monitor and assist the integrated development of the neediest rural residents in western Patagonia. Studies include more than classroom time, students learn about responsible and sustainable farming techniques among other useful skills. The people who benefit directly from CEI San Ignacio is the students themselves, Mapuche families, teachers and pupils at schools in rural areas, rural community leaders and social developers, among others. Volunteering in Junín de los Andes is one way to experience Patagonia in a different light. Everyone knows that young people are our most valuable resource and these young students are no exception. CEI San Ignacio is an institution with a real purpose and it shows. Volunteers can experience the majesty of Patagonia while making a difference in your lives. Junín de los Andes is also one of the most famous fly-fishing destinations in South America and a great place for hiking. Volunteers can work for a period of two weeks or more and many choose to stay for about a month. Adding a trip to Junín de los Andes as part of your Argentina travel is a way to ensure that you have an unforgettable experience in Patagonia and also one that makes a real difference in the lives of young people.