Testimonials

I spent 2 months in Madrid working in a LGBT public health office. My experience living in this beautiful city was phenomenal being that I was immersed in Spanish culture. The nightlife is amazing, as you’d imagine, and I made great friends both inside and outside the program. We loved visiting other Spanish cities as well as Portugal whenever we got the chance. I really enjoyed my time at the Spanish school as everyone was extremely supportive and I learned a lot in a short period of time. All my coworkers were also lovely and helped me improve my Spanish skills throughout my time there. I do feel that it is important to mention though that you should take the Spanish language skill required by Adelante seriously. Some internships do require a higher level of speaking and if you are dishonest with Adelante about your ability there isn’t much they can do to help if your boss becomes dissatisfied. Adelante provided me with the opportunity to live and work in Madrid which was most definitely one of the best experiences of my life. I feel as if the internship placement could have been better, but being the most affordable program I found, I’m far from dissatisfied.

The months leading up to my high school graduation were very difficult because I felt like I couldn’t really decide where I wanted to go to school. I had always thought about taking a gap year and traveling. But the question was, how I could find a company that could fit my needs. I felt as though Adelante was a very fitting program for me. I was able to do an internship at a hospital. This gave me time to learn more about the medical field, learn Spanish, and get real-world experience. Being interactive with patients and being able to enjoy work, I was able to learn more about nursing and be apart of the practice before diving straight into college after high school. They also set you up with housing. I would absolutely recommend it.

I was in Madrid for nearly 2 months doing an internship in clinical psychology. My experience was very good in terms of professional and personal development. Throughout my internship, I was able to improve on employability skills and gain practical and in-depth knowledge that will for sure help me in the future. In addition, I was fortunate enough to enjoy my time in Madrid and share this experience with amazing people. It also helped to have Adelante staff’s support throughout the whole time. My internship also allowed me to gain practical experience and more in-depth knowledge of clinical psychology whilst working in a good professional environment.

I spent two months in Oaxaca de Juarez with the Adelante volunteering program for working with kids. My time there was amazing, being able to experience local life and history of the state. The housing location was in a great spot, and my landlord was unbelievably kind. My time at the language school was also great as I met and made wonderful friends from around the world and also received a one-on-one tutor which helped me immensely. I also met great people at my internship. The program truly opens you up to many differing walks of life and exposes you to so many new things – not just originating from Oaxaca. The trip being my first solo travel forced me to become independent and actually rely on myself instead of using others as a travel-buddy crutch. When Adelante says that the program is for independent travelers, they’re not kidding.

An amazing social experience over anything! Every connection I made was a branch to new things to do in the city! I’ve made amazing friends from all over the world, not just my country of stay, and it has given me new insights on culture, life, and so many other aspects! The activities provided by the program’s connections were also insanely fun! The program also taught me so much about my own self-sufficiency, and how truly competent I am. I now know that if I am able to survive and fend for myself in a foreign environment, I definitely can do it back in my own home country and city. I’ve frequently described this experience and one of if not the best experience of my life so far, and it definitely has molded me into a new, better, more responsible and ambitious person.

I shadowed a doctor in Madrid for four months, and it was the most amazing time of my life. Adelante made the setup process extremely easy, and it was very affordable as well. They were very flexible and accommodating in setting up the perfect internship for me. My doctor was also amazing, and I learned much about respiratory and cardiovascular health while there. I also got a unique look into Medicine in a different culture than my own. The first two weeks of Spanish classes that Adelante provides were very helpful in getting me started. Overall, it was a great experience thanks to Adelante, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants a different experience than just taking classes abroad.

I did the medical internship in Viña del Mar, Chile. First of all, it is a beautiful city to live in, with lots to do and with Valparaiso just a 20 minute metro/bus ride away. The location of the house is perfect and in a safe place, just a few blocks from the beach and about a 30 second walk from a supermarket. I lived with other Adelante candidates and got along with all of them exceptionally well. The staff at the language school are welcoming, and my classes really helped me get accustomed to living in my new city. I learned about the unique spanish spoken in Chile, and my professor also took me out of the classroom to explore Viña as well as Valparaíso and learn about their history and culture. In order to meet new people, I recommend going to language exchanges in Viña or Valparaíso – these can be found through MeetUp online, and it’s a great way to meet natives and practice spanish! Living in a new city with no familiar faces and a language barrier can be daunting, so these really helped me at first! When I started my internship at a local physical therapy (kinesiology) office, it was challenging of course due to the new environment and the language. Within a few weeks, however, I was effectively communicating with patients, leading several patient sessions, and carrying out physiotherapy. My spanish improved dramatically and I also learned technical vocabulary that will help me in my future career. The employees were great teachers and always made sure I understood what was happening, the patient’s affliction, and what techniques they were using and why. The last month of my stay, there was political unrest in Chile but Adelante staff made sure we stayed safe, and maintained communication with us. I would not change anything about my experience in Chile, as it helped me grow as a person and greatly increased my skills and confidence in Spanish. The people in Chile are very welcoming and kind, even though Chilean spanish can be hard to understand at first! I’ve come to love Chile so much and I will definitely be coming back! I could’t recommend this Adelante program more.

I had the opportunity to help out at [Hospital Perrier Rossell] to help tend to newborns that do not have parents to go home to. Before Friday, I had never even held a baby before. Quite honestly, I was slightly uncomfortable the entire time due to my lack of experience with newborns. Though pediatrics might not be my specialty of choice, I do believe that it is still necessary to feel comfortable in any specialty. All the nurses were there to answer my questions or concerns that I had. I felt very welcome and everyone was very ready to teach.

Adelante provided me with the resources to grow both personally and learn more about my field in a different country. Adelante staff prior to departure were quite helpful and answered all my questions as best as possible. The two week course at Eureka was great and very laid-back; the teachers are fun and helpful and all of them actually want to teach, so it is a great way to review your Spanish before working. As a pharmacy student, I was given a position at one of the many farmacias in Spain and helped patients find the best medication for their illness, rang out patients, processed orders, and completed paperwork for the pharmacy. I would suggest this program for those who are at least at a low intermediate level of Spanish because I was spoken to only in Spanish at my position and I know many positions at Adelante that are very similar. While there were no issues to report at my job, I would have felt comfortable reaching out to any of the Adelante staff if I did have any problems because they made it clear that they were there to help me. Adelante does a great job with housing because of its location in the center of Madrid and because they find a solution to problems or maintenance issues relatively quickly, especially if you physically speak to Angel who is the director of the Eureka language school.

I loved going to the (language) school and meeting the people, definitely going to miss going there every day. I am definitely enjoying my time out here! I love my internship, the people are nice and the location is very convenient. The people at the internship are giving me tips about Barcelona and different places to visit. I am enjoying my time here in Barcelona.