Mission Statement

The Instituto Cultural de los Andes was founded with the mission of expanding two notions of international cultural immersion:

1) Learning Through Culture: The amount of face to face time a student receives in their target language will not only allow for a quicker acquisition of both vocabulary and grammar, but provide a live context for usage. A student will need his/her vocabulary in day to day living in Mendoza, from his/her home stay family and new Argentine friends, to his/her volunteer project. Each step in our ICLA Immersion is designed to increase contact with Argentine living and therefore aid the educational process.

2) The Independent Traveler: Tourism of the 20th century, especially the latter half, has left its mark on many nations. Defunct mega resorts across the globe sit empty alongside what were once pristine beaches and small historic towns. The independent traveler today is not a "tourist" in the traditional sense. He/She is neither interested in the exotic nor bizarre, which most "tourists" seek, but views traveling as also a way to learn about his or herself in a global context. The ICLA student’s travels are opportunities to involve themselves in both the beauty and the needs of Argentina, through ICLA’s unique long-term volunteer programs.

Learning another language can be a life changing experience, as the world opens in a way that one could never have guessed. To learn the codes and culture of a nation other than our own is to invite brilliant new arts, histories, literature, and most importantly people into our lives. Immersion can make what was once a sterile academic process into an intimate and valuable chapter of one's life.