Adelante Abroad Thoughts on Travel during Coronavirus – It’s gonna get uncomfortable

Dear Adelante Abroad friends,

You may not be traveling now. But you will travel again.

For now, stay put: we recommend that you don’t board planes, trains or set sail. And that’s not an easy thing for us to say.

There are few things that bring us all together. Enter Covid-19. No one will exit this time period unchanged or unaffected. And we all will do our part in this pandemic to prioritize and value our fellow humans around the world.

We believe travel is an essential human experience. We believe travel is the ultimate education, with the power to open minds, change perspectives, and defeat ignorance, racism, and prejudice. But we also believe that traveling should be approached responsibly, and we can’t in good faith tell you to go out into the world at this moment.

What we can tell you is that the day to venture, explore, and wander will come. We are already hungry for the sights of far-flung destinations, the comforting sound of laughter contrasted by unfamiliar languages, and the weight of a passport in our pocket. Our Director of Programs has booked an October trip, and colleagues and students around the world are telling us they are looking forward to upcoming Fall trips that will be sweeter, more welcome and just not taken for granted one little bit.

So, this pandemic will pass, but we hope your appreciation for people will not. In real-time we are witnessing the resiliency and strength of the human spirit, from the clapping balconies of Spain to the healthcare workers putting the needs of others ahead of their own.

For the foreseeable future, we encourage you to do your part. That means distancing yourself from others as much as possible. And in the meantime, we will do our best to keep you as up to date as possible on our programming as well as travel in general. Our goal over the coming weeks is to keep the destinations outside your four walls in the forefront of your minds— because we want to get you back to doing what you love and exploring soon.

Travel will be waiting for you: and will welcome you back like the old friend it is.

Team Adelante Abroad