“I chose Uruguay for its safety and security, but quickly fell in love with the ‘tranqui’ way of life, the Rioplatense dialect and the hospitality between the people. My expectations were to put my head down for four months and work at the office doing my internship in translation, then return home. That couldn’t be further from the truth. I met some amazing people from all over the world, who were fascinated about me and my country (the UK) and eager to exchange cultures. It was my first time visiting a country whose people didn’t know much about the UK, and I learned so much about how it is viewed on the other side of the world. Simultaneously I learnt so much about Uruguayan culture from almost constant interaction with natives both in the office at my internship and also at the home where I was staying. I found that Uruguayans are lovely people and will always do the most to ensure you are doing okay- in a way that is so different from the customary and empty English “how are you doing?” to which you will always answer “fine”. My experience with Adelante was amazing. Communication was always swift, I always found myself informed about the logistics of my placement and it was a big reassurance to have the programme coordinator in the country- especially as a young solo female traveller. I would heavily recommend Uruguay to anyone, but especially to any traveller who is concerned about safety. My experience here has been wonderful and I definitely see myself coming back.”