A partnership built on trust, connection, and shared purpose
As Putney Student Travel celebrates 75 years, we’re also celebrating the partnerships that make these programs possible. Behind every itinerary is a network of local collaborators who bring deep knowledge, meaningful relationships, and a sense of place that students could not experience otherwise.
For more than two decades, Pablo Monteverde and Esteban Iglesias have been part of that network in Argentina.
“Throughout these 20 years of collaboration, we have done a lot of programs in Argentina and also in neighboring countries,” Esteban shares. From language learning and homestays to community service, their work has helped shape programs across the region, from the north of Argentina to Córdoba, Patagonia, and even into Chile.
Over the years, their collaboration has extended across a range of partnerships, supporting programs developed through Putney with institutions like Columbia University and National Geographic. But for Pablo and Esteban, the impact of the work goes beyond logistics or itinerary design.
“We bring not only local knowledge, but also our network of contacts,” Pablo explains. “Real human connections with people from different parts of Argentina, and an in-depth familiarity with the kinds of unique experiences that Putney looks for.”
Those relationships, built across communities, are what allow students to move beyond observation and into genuine cultural exchange.
For Pablo, the partnership has also become something personal.
“I feel a fondness,” he says. “I feel like I’m part of Putney. I feel that we are part of Putney.”
That sense of shared ownership reflects the way the partnership has grown over time. As Putney programs have expanded across South America, Pablo and Esteban have contributed not only their expertise, but their perspective: helping shape experiences that are rooted in place and community.
For Esteban, what stands out most is how the partnership continues to evolve.
“I love how we both improve through this partnership,” he says. “I love meeting the people who come to us through Putney, from the program leaders to the directors who design the programs.”
Even as Putney has grown over the years, that sense of connection has remained.
“With Putney coordinating so many groups on such a large scale, there is something warm and familiar in the way they develop this network,” Esteban reflects. “It’s really wonderful to work in that way.”
After more than 20 years, their collaboration is not just about running programs. It’s about building something lasting: rooted in trust, shared values, and a commitment to meaningful exchange.
