Meet Lauren Gandara, Adelante Abroad’s new Social Media and Marketing
Intern! Lauren joined our team in February 2016 and is enjoying working with us here in Seal Beach, California. Lauren is a full-time student who also travels, making her the perfect addition to Adelante Abroad. We recently asked her questions on life, traveling, and being a student. Here are some of her responses:
What is something you always pay attention to about a new culture/place when you travel?
A: When traveling I like to focus on the way different countries/cultures provide for their citizens. On a recent trip to Korea, I found it interesting the way they provided for the people of their country in transportation compared to here in my hometown of Long Beach. While Long Beach has a great bus & railway system it is still not as developed and easy to use as South Korea’s.
Where is your favorite place you’ve traveled to? What is next on your list?
A: So far my favorite place I have traveled to is South Korea. Korea has integrated technology into daily life, making every experience much more interesting. I found free photo booths, interactive maps, and moving walkways in multiple places. I was able to stay there for 4 weeks, which really helped me to experience their culture. Relying on their public transportation, eating authentic Korean cuisine (which is so much better than Korean BBQ in Westminster, CA), and going to popular locations really caused me to feel as though I had lived in Korea.
Germany is the next trip I have on my agenda. Having traveled much of the United States and South Korea, I am excited to explore Germany and European countries this summer.
Where do you see yourself career-wise in 5 years?
A: Currently I am an undergraduate student at Colorado State University-Global Campus working towards my Bachelors in Communications. In five years I hope to have finished my Master’s degree in Marketing and be working for a large company as either their communications director or their social media and marketing specialist. I hope to have built my resume working with marketing in international business as well as gain valuable experience through traveling.
Do you think traveling and seeing the world can benefit someone in their career path?
A: Of course! I think that traveling and seeing different cultures can greatly impact someone’s view of life as well as improve their independence. When traveling to new and unfamiliar places things are bound to happen that you weren’t expecting. Handling these situations causes a person to become more independent and experienced in confronting difficult circumstances. Being able to manage unexpected situations can greatly impact an individual’s career. Seeing the world helps experience new cultures and see the way other people live their normal daily life. Involving yourself in other ways of life can help you to understand that not everyone has grown up the same way you have. In my experience, this has helped me to work better with people from all different backgrounds.
If you had to pick one Adelante Abroad program to participate in, which one would you pick and why?
A: If I were to choose an Adelante Abroad program it would have to be Marketing in Barcelona, Spain. I would love to travel to Spain and become captivated by their culture. I also would like to improve my Spanish. While I have some experience speaking Spanish, needing to use the language would really help me learn faster. Also traveling solo to an unfamiliar place would really help me to enhance my independence. But honestly… who wouldn’t want to live in Spain for a few months?!
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