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

• Loving life here in Barcelona! Time is unfortunately flying by, but I really feel lucky to work with my company. My company is creating a Spanish/English website similar to Flickr or Shutterfly.... basically a social networking site for photos and videos! My job is to decide on the domain name and to create a theme that works in Spanish and English! The company also creates memory books (for example for weddings photos) and year books, where every page is a year of a persons life... I take the photos for the pages, whether it be antiques, or games from the 80's they use them as elements on the pages.. I also take photos of textures from buildings, street signs and stuff you would see only in Barcelona for the background of the pages ... so about twice a week, i head out into the city to take photos (can't get any better than that huh?) I also spend a lot of time photoshopping the photos! ....so life is good. I'm really close with friends I entered the language school with and we have overcome many obstacles together! We are also really enjoying the newest group from Adelante! Great energy, great people, great times! We all went out for sangria last night for someone's birthday :)  

  Alison T, Fenton, MI

• 

  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

• 

  While the leaves are falling back home, spring is just picking up here in Viña. Time is soaring and I’m still flabbergasted that a whole month has passed since I stepped foot on Chilean soil. Lately, I’ve had the thrilling opportunity of spending more and more time in Valparaíso where I began my internship almost two weeks ago.  “Valpo” is Chile’s artistic and historical port city known for its winding hills and colorful murals. 

  At my internship I’m mostly working independently since my main responsibility has been translating the university website into English to increase international enrollment.  However, yesterday I was asked to interpret for the first time during an interview with a U.S. visiting professor on his new electronic software language—yes, you can laugh with me, because I barely knew half the words in English.  This afternoon should be even more interesting since I will supposedly be interpreting for the Ex-Minister of Economy of Scotland (?!).  Half of me is hoping this really isn’t as important as it sounds. I’m excited and definitely looking forward to whatever it is they decide to throw at me for the rest of my time here.

  Ivana F, East Taunton, MA

• 

  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

• 

  This experience has greatly impacted my future; I fulfilled my graduation requirement and graduated with a BA in International Business which is the first step to establishing a career in the real world. This internship is also something that stands out on my resume and may have given me that edge over my peers; I believe that it helped me land a job immediately after graduation and has opened the door for more opportunities down the line (I am currently working full-time as a manager trainee). I also can assure you that this experience has made the biggest impact on my personal life. I learned so much and grew so much as a person in those 3 months; I left behind a lot of things that were holding back and moved on to bigger and better things. It opened my mind tremendously and made me realize what my priorities in life should be. It also has given me the travel bug and the yearning to continue to travel; I have been to Europe, am currently planning a trip to Thailand, and will be searching for an MBA program that has a minimum of a year study abroad, so I can do it all over again. I made so many new friends (especially my host family and internship family whom I consider like relatives for life), and experienced so many amazing things, I cannot even begin to scratch the surface. If you are considering taking part in such an endeavor, keep an open mind and you will never regret your decision. PURA VIDA!!!!!!!

  Estevan F, San Diego, CA

• 

  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

• The best aspect of this program was becoming familiar with a new language in a place that is comfortable and where people are approachable.  Also, seeing the wildlife here has been such an amazing factor of my positive experience.

  The worst aspect of this experience was dealing with culture shock, which I think is worse if one is very uncomfortable with the language to begin with.  On the other hand, the students or locals know how to speak English so well that it´s easy to get away with not practicing (which, in itself, can also, be negative.

  San Jose really has become my home, and I am so thankful to Adelante for making it possible for me to come here.  I was honestly homesick for the first month last semester, but coming back to this familiar territory was better than I could have imagined. My Spanish has improved significantly and I finally feel comfortable living in Central America.  It´s a wonderful feeling.  I´ve made friends that I will keep for the rest of my life, and connections that are so valuable.

  Analicia F, Corpus Christi, TX

Madrid

• 

  Traveling the world is something I recommend everyone does at least once in their life. I know that money is an object, but honestly it is an investment. Plus there are opportunities for scholarships out there such as the one I won today. I read somewhere that money spent on objects are not as fulfilling as money spent on experiences. I believe that is completely true. A memory is something you can cherish, something that can last forever. It expands your mind and enhances your life. Being able to take yourself out of your situation and see things from a new perspective is amazing because you are also able to see how temporary your situation is, how much bigger the universe is than you, and how different your life can be if you change your situation. Sometimes, people get so caught up in their day to day activities that they forget to live.

  Charity P, Long Beach, CA

• 

  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 looking for something to occupy part of the summer after my first year at college, and I came across Adelante. Though I initially did not have any particular reason to intern with Adelante, other than the simplicity of their website, after speaking with representatives by telephone, I had a great feeling about what my internship experience could be. I interned in San Pedro, just a few minutes away from Marbella. I initially chose the Marbella/San Pedro option because it is on Spain's southern Mediterranean coast and appeared to be a relatively thorough immersion experience.

  I had an internship teaching English at a highly respected language academy in San Pedro. I was placed in a very nice, spacious, two-story apartment with a girl from France who was doing an internship in a restaurant. I could easily walk from my apartment to work every day. At my internship, I assisted in teaching a theater workshop for young students of English, taught my own bi-weekly English classes to two students a couple years younger than I, and helped the teachers prepare for the coming school year. After work I usually had Spanish class for an hour at a different local language school, also within easy walking distance. The people in San Pedro were so friendly that I shortly had no trouble finding companions that could show me the best of Andalucía. On many occasions, I had an authentic Spanish lunch, the largest meal of the day, with a family I got to know while there. I also met some great tennis partners, relaxed on Mediterranean and Atlantic beaches, and enjoyed the nightlife of San Pedro and surrounding towns like Puerto Banús and Marbella. Everyone I met was amicable and eager to include me in activities.

  I feel lucky to have been able to have an experience abroad with Adelante. On a personal level, I challenged myself to live independently in Spain, and the benefits of the experience were many. I learned a great deal about another culture and made new friends. Academically, I improved my Spanish. While the path my professional development will take is largely undecided, the internship was an impactful experience. I learned many things about teaching and working in an academic environment with people of many ages. One thing of which I'm sure after doing the internship is that I want to return to southern Spain in the near future, because I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. The Adelante program gave me plenty of independence to make my trip to Spain whatever I wanted it to be, and I am grateful for that. The lack of restrictions and expectations allowed me to form a new lifestyle for myself, encouraged me to identify with the Spanish culture, and impelled me to define myself in a new setting. I feel like I was able to experience everything completely immersed in a different culture and gained confidence in my ability to live in diverse settings as a result.

  Kyle W, New Canaan, CT

• 

  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

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  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

• Seville is WONDERFUL! I was the only Adelante student sent to Seville and I only met 2 other students at the language school who were staying past 2-3 weeks, so it's been more of a solo-adventure than I originally assumed, but I still have loved it just as much. Lots of cafe con leche, vino tinto and that awesome laid-back Spanish lifestyle. I'm living in the center of the city with a young couple (he's Spanish, she's American) and words can't describe how welcoming, kinds and generous they have been with me. Time is flying by quickly! I'm writing a travel blog called "Sketches of Spain" for a boutique travel agency in Seville called Andalucia. I want to go into travel writing, so this time abroad has definitely given me many experiences and material to write about! 

  Lindsey O, Boston, MA

• 

  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

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  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

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  I arrived in Sevilla on a warm Sunday afternoon. Learning the previous morning that my mentor was not going to be around to meet or greet me at the airport; a small sense of home sickness began traveling all around my body. I knew full well before coming to Spain I was going to be in store for something that looked nothing like New York. Signaling for a taxi I was driven to my new home. As said before I arrived on a Sunday; the streets were covered in people drinking and eating at small tables on the streets. This was a different site for me considering we are not allowed to drink outside on the streets of NYC let alone have small tables outside on the streets. Arriving to my apartment I paid the man 20€, which I found out later is expensive for a cab. After meeting my landlord and neighbors I began walking around my new surroundings for the next 3 months. I learned a valuable lesson that day; everything is closed in Seville on Sunday aside from the restaurants. Without knowing where a supermarket was and not knowing what to order at a restaurant I resorted to sticking to my comfort zone and eating somewhere I was familiar with. That night I ate 4 pumpkin loafs at the local Starbucks for dinner and this was only the first day.
   
  In short Seville became home to me after a few short weeks. Its true what the experts say. You go through stages once you are traveling and studying abroad. You will have a sense of home sickness and a sense of loneliness once you arrive. You will get trapped in the small elevators, you will not know what to eat at the local tapa bar, you will at first be bored on Sundays, you will be sweating bullets due to the heat, you will not understand your roommates or housing parents the first few weeks, you will stop watching tv, you will begin cooking for yourself and you will enjoy the sights and have fun. After you get passed the homesick stage you will begin loving Seville and everything in it. You will post new facebook pictures every weekend and will meet more and more people. My advise to anyone who is starting this: keep yourslef busy with an internship, school and local events. Meet as many people as you can and constantly surround yourself by company and always try something new. The Seville experience was perhaps the best choice I have ever made. I made friends across the world, met my girlfriend, traveled all around Europe and came back to the states with stories to tell. Believe me do it, go for it and love it.
   
  PS: In the photos I am the handsome guy with the white tshirt in the middle of the crowd.

   

  Allan M, Huntington Station, NY

Uruguay

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  Estancia La Paz was a beautiful place to work and practice my Spanish. Everyone there was very warm and friendly, and there was a wide variety of work activities I could be involved in. I did a little bit of everything at the hotel: helping in the kitchen, waiting tables, translating for English speaking customers, arranging rooms, and maintaining the property. Life out in the Uruguayan countryside was both tranquil and exciting. It is an experience I´ll never forget.

  Trevor P, Ashland, OR