The Paris of South America. The New York of South America. South America's most cosmopolitan city. We have all heard various names for the Latin American cultural centre. Buenos Aires is well-known around the world for its beautiful European-style architecture, legendary nightlife and trendy shopping. However, this is only one face of the city. The great restaurants, hip bars and expensive stores are reserved for rich porteños (Buenos Aires locals), expats and moneyed tourists. When you walk around the neighborhoods of Palermo and Recoleta you see fashion-conscious European and American tourists browsing fancy boutiques, businessmen having lunch in overpriced "fusion" restaurants and Argentinean women with botox faces carrying little dogs. Everyone who comes back from a trip to Buenos Aires raves about the city's fashion scene, diverse restaurants and cosmopolitan vibe. Those people do not get to see the other face of Buenos Aires- the villas (shantytowns). These areas are dominated by poverty and drugs and the police does not even enter. The inhabitants of the villas suffer from social exclusion and lack of opportunities.

On top of everything, the governor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri wants to eliminate the villas and expel their inhabitants out of the city. As a volunteer for Voluntario Global you get to see both sides of the city. It is a very strange feeling to visit one of the villas during the day and then go out to bars and clubs in Palermo at night. The contrast between rich and poor could hardly be more drastic and makes you think about social inequalities in the city. I am not saying that you should not enjoy the nightlife and the nice parts of the city. Do take advantage of the city's fantastic cultural life. However, keep in mind that behind the gorgeous cosmopolitan facade there is severe poverty. This is why it is so important to show solidarity with the poor and underprivileged communities. Voluntario Global works with exactly those groups of people that have been left out and suffer from social exclusion. With various educational projects the organization's goal is to encourage young people to do well in school and go to university. Seeing and working in the poor marginalized communities makes you understand the city in its entirety. So when you go back to your home country you will be able to tell people what Buenos Aires really is about and that apart from a kicking nightlife and awesome shopping there are shockingly poor communities that certainly cannot participate in the cosmopolitan lifestyle of Buenos Aires.