During the month of April 2026, I had the opportunity to spend four weeks in Mendoza. This was my first visit to the country of Argentina and my first stop in South America. My only prior extended stay in Latin America was to Mérida, Mexico before this visit.

The first week in Mendoza provided ample opportunity to get accustomed to the everyday culture and pace that the Mendoza province possesses. Getting familiar with the coffee stop to grab in the morning, and also taking advantage of the park scene here occurred. The number of public workout equipment and jogging trails throughout the city was genuinely shocking.

My lodging quarters were right adjacent to the Mendoza Shopping Mall, in the Guaymallén area, so the immediate surroundings offered a strong location for shopping and corner store options to grab any items needed. Getting into the flow of walking to shops instead of by car was also exercised.

During this first week there was a significant shift in country pride that was noticeable from living in an Argentine barrio compared to a city in the states. You encounter flags being flown, merchandise being worn by locals, and soccer emblems pretty much everywhere. A stop to purchase a jersey for myself was a must.

This was also my first experience with having to grab cash from Western Union. The regular interactions with store workers and food orders helped with getting familiar with the Argentine currency conversion pretty quickly to assess cost. Common greeting and exit slang use was practiced during this time as well.

Mendoza, Argentina has its own dedicated international airport, abbreviated MDZ, located approximately a 20-minute drive by rideshare from the Guaymallén area. It’s also a major air travel hub for the whole Mendoza Province and the Andes corridor. To keep the price controlled, try to arrange airport travel before landing or order a car using rideshare.

For rideshare, you have the options of both Uber and Cabify, with the former being my preferred choice throughout the stay. You can expect a quick ride across to another barrio of Mendoza to cost around $7 USD. From the airport, expect the price to be inflated for both rideshare and private transportation coordination.

PedidosYa was the most reliable food delivery platform. A lunch order for one ranged from $8 USD to $15 USD. Anything more was rare if ordering a basic meal. Dinner later in the day increased that range by around $5 USD if ordering delivery. The app operates similarly to DoorDash, but is instead in Spanish. Take it as an opportunity to get familiar with common Spanish word usage. Both pesos and card are accepted at checkout.

Empanadas, milanesas, and the variety of dessert options showed out tremendously during the stay. Overall, the delivery options were greatly satisfying. The cuisine variations were plentiful within my delivery zone. Once a spot was discovered that met my likings, repeat orders took place.

Lodging options for tourists in Mendoza range from regular hotel bookings to short-term rental marketplaces such as Vrbo and Airbnb. You can also compare hotel and accommodation options through EconomyBookings using this booking link. For a solo traveler or studio option, you can find a modern unit within the range of $400 to $700 for a month’s stay.

During the month of April, Mendoza was shockingly chilly. This period of the year is the province’s mid-fall season and is characterized by minimal rainfall and a chillier climate. During midday it can heat up to the high 60s Fahrenheit or even low 70s, but expect it to drop back down near the 50s once midday ends. Have pants, long sleeves, and a jacket in your wardrobe for this destination.

Remote work ramped up during this period of my travels, and mental adjustments had to be made to keep up with everyday productivity. Mendoza, Argentina operates on UTC-3 year-round, as it does not observe daylight savings time, so work meetings that were scheduled with U.S. clients occurred slightly later in the day.

We spoke previously on tips and tricks for keeping yourself aligned during a workday. This time, we’ll go into some of the must-haves and routine adjustments that helped make working remotely from another country feel sustainable.

I’ve found that it was most useful to start the working day around normal business start hours, then have my first coffee and pastry around noon. This allowed the morning to remain focused on work while fasting and helped avoid feeling antsy too early in the day.

Once lunch was complete and digested, the afternoon became the best time to step away from the workstation. Mendoza’s public parks made this easy. A jog followed by a calisthenics workout created a natural break in the day without requiring much planning or transportation.

By the time this was done, there were usually a few more hours available to close out the workday online. This proved to be the best workflow during my time in Mendoza.

A few things made the routine easier to maintain:

The goal wasn’t to recreate the exact same workday that existed back home. It was to build one that still produced strong work while allowing Mendoza to remain part of the experience.

As of August 2026, Argentina has introduced an important healthcare change for foreign visitors and non-permanent residents. Under new national procedures implemented on August 11, non-permanent residents receiving routine care at hospitals administered by the national government must either present valid health insurance or pay for the service beforehand. Emergency care will continue to be provided regardless of immigration status.

For travelers entering Argentina as tourists, the standard authorized stay remains up to three months, with the possibility of extending it once for another similar period. Extension requests must be made before the original stay expires.

Global Country Reforms & Updates

Travelers to Chile holding a Transitory Stay permit can request one extension of up to 90 additional days. The application must be submitted before the original permit expires and carries a $100 USD fee for adults.

Source: Chile National Migration Service.

Beginning August 10, 2026, the Philippines expanded its electronic visa system to eligible applicants residing in the United States and several Caribbean jurisdictions. Applications can now be completed online, and approved visas may be presented digitally or printed. Travelers using the eVisa must also complete the country’s eTravel registration within 72 hours before departure.

Source: Embassy of the Philippines in Washington, D.C.

U.S. ordinary passport holders remain visa-exempt in Türkiye for tourism for stays of up to 90 days within any 180-day period. A separate visa remains required for activities such as employment, study, or research.

Source: Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

I've incorporated a visual side to this newsletter on the platforms below. They contain walking videos, city snapshots, article updates, and behind-the-scenes notes from life abroad.

Explore this week’s curated selection of partner newsletters and publications offering more insight into travel, remote work, global mobility, and location-independent living.

Mendoza introduced a slower rhythm, strong local culture, and a daily routine that made working and exploring feel easy to balance. Thanks for getting this far.

Until next dispatch,
Structured Nomad