Barcelona

• Adelante provided me with an exciting internship, a comfortable living area, and an international experience I will never forget. Interning at the gallery enabled me to understand the art world on an international level and helped me  decide how I want to manage my career in the future. But most of all, I value the irrevocable sense of independence I gained living and working abroad on my own.

   

  Amy M, Annadale, VA

• This experience was a great introduction to Spanish and to living in another culture.  For anyone who doesn't think their language skills will benefit from living in another culture because they haven't tried it - you will be surprised. The difference in my ability to communicate and my motivation to study the language improved immensely as a result of the experience provided by Adelante Abroad.  In addition, the cultural opportunity to make friends within the country I was visiting (Spain) as well as with other students from all over the world was invaluable.  The support and organization the staff at Adelante provided was exceptional.  Not overbearing, so that you have the opportunity to build independence and become self-sufficient, but always available and attentive so that you knew you had someone you could rely upon both in the United States and abroad.  In short, the staff was fantastic.  I now work as the director of an American School in a Spanish-speaking country and in many ways I can credit my later success with the initial support provided by the Adelante Abroad experience.  Besides, studying abroad was one of the most fun experiences of my life.

   

  Erik Y, New Milford, NJ

Chile

• Viña del Mar was suprisingly a very easy city to adjust to and a great city to spend a month in. I had traveled a lot around South America before, and was glad to settle down in a place that was big, walkable, and safe. And everyone was so so friendly!!! From the people I interned with to the bus drivers who helped me with directions, the Chilean attitude and friendliness was greatly appreciated. La Quinta Región de Chile, including Viña and Valpo and other suburbs were fun and easy to explore. Definitely a good experience overall!

   

  Kate E, San Francisco, CA

• Although there were a few personal complications throughout the program, I really enjoyed my time in Chile.  I would suggest a longer stay, as two months was nice, but only five weeks at my internship meant that I had very little responsibility there.  Sometimes the staff was slow to respond to certain needs or problems like the internet connection at the house, but overall I was happy with my decision to go through the program.  While Vina is a nice town to explore, my favorite experiences here were when I traveled out of town, especially Pucon.  The Spanish classes were great, and the teacher I had was very friendly and helpful.  I would recommend this program to anyone interested in doing something like this.

   

  Lauren O, Davis, CA

Costa Rica

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  My experience in Costa Rica was a little different from most other students in the program because I opted to live with my best friend's family rather than a host family. This turned out to be a great situation for me; however, they live in Moravia so commuting to Veritas for school/friends was more of a challenge.

  Some advice for future candidates: take advantage of all the excursions that the program offers. Even if they are not included in your package, cough-up the extra money, embrace the adventure; they were never too expensive and they turned out to be some of the best experiences I've ever had! I would especially recommend visiting the hot springs and La Fortuna waterfall at Volcan Arenal, visiting Manuel Antonio, and doing a canopy tour. In addition, I would recommend reaching out to the ticos to try to make friends outside the program. It's always easier to stick with the American kids in your program, but it is SO WORTH IT to befriend the Costa Rican kids. I have maintained many of my friendships there and I even plan to spend New Years with them! I am even considering moving to Costa Rica and working as a nurse after I graduate.

  Basically, this experience changed my life.  If you enjoy a challenge and love adventures, this program is right for you.

   

  Anna K, Raleigh, NC

Madrid

• So my internship:  It's really, really good.  It's also different than what I'd envisioned in a couple ways, most notably the amount of technical work I'm doing.  I remember Adelante warning me specifically about this during my phone interview when I mentioned that I was competent with building websites and computer-based graphic design.  I was warned, "If you let them know that you're good at web work, that's probably most of what you'll be doing," and that prophecy has come true.  They did ask what my web/design skills were, I told them, and now I've built a website from scratch for one of the firm's sister companies and am totally redesigning/reprogramming my intern company's existing website, as well as reworking the sister company's logo and drawing up company look-and-feel guides, color schemes, and master presentation templates in PowerPoint.  They seem thrilled with the work so far, so that's fun, and it should be great experience to talk about down the road.  It's also very useful for them, since they don't have anybody in their office who can do that kind of work (especially the web stuff, which they have had to contract out in the past).  I am being given lots of responsibility and trust and that's wonderful.

  On the other hand, we've barely talked about the actual work of setting up wind farms and photovoltaic facilities, which I'm also curious about and was thinking we'd deal with more.  Their daily work isn't always full of this, to be fair, and the financial auditors have been around for the past few weeks, so there hasn't been that much talk about renewable energy projects.  I need to ask them more questions, overall, and I'm slowly gaining confidence in Spanish to be able to do that.  My Spanish level (especially when I arrived, and still somewhat now) is too low to be able to participate meaningfully in technical or policy discussions with native Spanish speakers, though I can converse pretty easily about the design work I'm doing at the moment and lighter topics of conversation.

  The bottom line is that I would like, in a way, to be doing more policy work, but also feel like my internship has worked out wonderfully exactly how it is.  My focus at the moment should be gaining enough Spanish experience so I can participate in the types of discussions I want to be a part of and ask the questions that will lead me there.

   

  Andy P, Golden Valley, MN

• This program is really geared towards those who are more independent, you are pretty much on your own entirely. I had 3 great roommates, so that really made a huge impact on my experience. Spanish culture has its pros and cons just like any other. When something goes wrong or isnt functioning (which will probably happen), dont expect someone to fix it or even get to it right away. Ask for references from Adelante so that you can speak to people who have actually been through their program. I really wish i would have done that before I came. Overall, I came to love Madrid. It is a beautiful, fun and lively city.

   

  Erica N, Downey, CA

• The Spanish language school has been great. The initial 2 weeks of intensive classes really help you get comfortable with the way Spanish is spoken in Madrid. I learned the Latin American breed of Spanish in the United States and it’s quite different from that in Spain and the professors were easily able to point out and explain the differences to my benefit. I continue to take night classes in order to further my Spanish. In addition, the director is always at your disposal to help you with any concerns or to answer any questions you may have.

  The location of my housing is fantastic. You are literally right in the heart of Madrid on one of the liveliest streets in the city. It is just down the street from Puerta del Sol, one of the biggest and most beautiful plazas in the city that was just renovated.

  The internship I’m doing has been the experience of a lifetime. I have been working at a soccer club in international business development. I’ve been doing some really cool stuff and I truly feel like I’ve become an asset to my department. Not to mention, I get great seats to every home game for free.

   

  Nate M, Seattle, WA

Marbella

• I was actually in Marbella this summer working at a hotel. My favorite part was forming friendships with my co-workers. They were very welcoming and made the transition easy.

   

  Meg S, Greenville, SC

Mexico

• The Adelante program is very put together and everything is explained in detail. I enjoyed the tour that I received on my first day to my surroundings and work area which made me feel very comfortable. I had a fun time at the language school and was able to meet people of all backgrounds. The excursions allowed me to truly appreciate and learn about the beauty around me and learn about the history of the country. There were also lots of fun group activities that were ongoing. Each day was a new experience at my internship. The staff took me in and taught me with patience what was required. This was a bumbling experience for me. Working in the community allowed me to be exposed and learn of the culture and to have an excellent experience. Working in the community also made me feel a sense of belonging in the community. Speaking the language helped to be able to meet and speak with the local people whom are beautiful people. I learned of the history and enjoyed the delicious food and had a  lot of fun. My housing was very comfortable and walking distance to everything. I highly recommend Adelante.

   

  Ivelisse P, New Haven, CT

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  Traveling to Oaxaca, Mexico definitely allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. My experience was fantastic.  My volunteer placement at the Cruz Roja Mexicana was a wonderful experience. The excursions were incredible, from Monte Alban to Hierve el Agua.  This was truly an unforgettable experience.

   

  Joann M, OAXACA

Seville

• The Adelante program was great. It requires a very independent person, because it lacks what other programs offer (group outings, cellphone, etc.) but the pro to that is you use your Spanish much more and learn very quickly how things work. My living situation was as promised, and the classes are different but good. Be prepared for hot weather in the fall. It's November, and I'm still able to wear shorts and a t-shirt.

   

  Carina M, San Francisco, CA

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  Explore as much as you can in Sevilla. Find Eme and Carboneria.
   
  They said not to bring a computer, but I'm glad I didn't listen because you need one!
   
  Reading books in Spanish and talking to native speakers such as intercambios or a host mother helps a lot to improve your Spanish!

   

  Shannon V, Lake Forest, IL

• Seville is an absolutely beautiful city backed by a rich culture and full of very nice people.  Just beware of the heat and the strong sun, especially if you are fair skinned like myself.  It may also be a very good idea to keep a record of the money you spend.  The dollar isn't very strong these days and with the conversion rate it is very easy to underestimate how much you are actually spending.

   

   

  Eric P, Newington, CT