Adelante Abroad

Why did you choose this program?

I have heritage in Scotland and I absolutely love golf. I was looking for a program that I could do without missing a whole semester of school. I looked all of those things up and was able to find Adelante Abroad. It checked all of my boxes and it seemed too good to be true. I was nervous knowing it was the pilot year of the program but I took the risk. Best decision I could have made.

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

Adelante did a good job of communicating with me and my university to work out how I would transfer the credits I received from this program to my university. My university did not do much heavy lifting but Adelante was able to help me out a lot with figuring out how to make everything work. I did have to organize my flights and such but once I was there they took care of mostly everything.

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Do not take it for granted. You can be on your phone when you get back, while you are there use it for documenting the experiences you have and communication purposes but not to waste time. Definitely fully embrace the culture in Scotland and interact with the locals when you can. They were all very polite for the most part and had a great culture to be a part of. Even if it was only for a month.

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

An average day from when i was there was wake up. Eat breakfast around 8:30-9:00 then have class until around 11:00. Have lunch. And then head to elmwood for lessons and practice. If it wasn’t elmwood it would be one of the many prestigious courses that Scotland has to offer. Along with a tour of the course with the director of golf at said course. We had the weekends free to explore what the country has to offer and I suggest using that opportunity to the fullest extent.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was mostly afraid of if I would like the people I was going with. If the people in Scotland would like the Americans being there. As well as the weather being an issue. All of those fears were wrong. You are with these people a month and grow to love them as the trip goes on. Everyone in Scotland was super hospitable and eager to meet us. The weather was fantastic almost the whole month but even when it wasn’t. I found out that Scotland is a place that is very well equipped to handle that kind of situation.

What I loved so much about the program was that it didn’t take itself too seriously. I mean that in the best way possible. The instructors were laid back and the courses seemed easy because we were all learning about what we were passionate about. We were able to be flexible on scheduling for certain days and got to give our own input on activities to do. Which made the experience extremely enjoyable. There just seemed like there was magic in the air for that whole month and everyone seemed to have a smile on their face the whole time. I got so much better and more knowledgeable about golf and my game but apart from that the trip just made me hold Scotland close to my heart and that is Invaluable to me.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favorite travel memory is actually going abroad with Adelante Abroad in 2018. When I was was going into my senior year in college, I decided to take the leap to travel to Barcelona, Spain for 2 months and intern with a social media marketing company. In college, I was very soft spoken and had a hard time meeting people because I was shy. I completely broke out of my shell during this trip. The internship I was placed in allowed me to be creative and I was also able to travel on the weekends. I visited a couple other countries during this trip abroad. Because of Adelante Abroad, I was able to learn new skills in marketing, met some incredible friends that I still talk to today, and eventually started my own social media marketing business.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

This company has completely helped me grow as a marketer. I have expanded my skills from not just social media but to website development, creating marketing systems, email marketing, and blog creation. I now have an intern of my own at this company allowing me to grow as a leader. I also feel like this company allows me to present new ideas and run with them. Adelante Abroad is ever evolving so if feedback is given, change is made.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Over the time I've worked here, I have heard countless lifechanging stories. One of the best stories that I have recently heard is from one of our students that went abroad to Oaxaca, Mexico in fall 2024. This person was placed at a restaurant for her internship where she helped design new menus, created murals, designed packaging for food, and also met new friends along the way. During her 3 month internship, she had other businesses in Mexico reach out to her for her work where she made other murals and package designs allowing her to expand her portfolio and resume. I think the best part about this story is she was able to create new business just by doing what she loved.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

Okay this is a hard question. There are a few programs that I would want to be a part of. If I had to choose one, I think I would go with the Summer Study Abroad Golf in Scotland Program. This program is one month long and our candidates get to golf at/ visit world renowned golf courses in the place where the sport originated. Because this is a study abroad program, these students can get college credit for 2 classes in just one month while playing the sport they love. They also learn skills like coaching golf to students during their time abroad. I would love to travel with other students who love golf as well and play on some breathtaking courses.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Adelante Abroad is unique because our programs are very independent. There is not much hand holding so you are able to truly get a sense of independence by the end of the program. Students do not have scheduled excursions during the whole program that they are forced to attend (there are some but they are not mandatory) which I love because it gives students the freedom to explore what they want. Additionally, our programs are some of the most cost effective study and intern abroad programs on the market and we have internships in almost any sector. I was especially proud of my team when we got feedback from multiple students who went abroad with us saying that this was one of the best experiences of their life.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think the biggest factor in being a successful company is listening and evolving. If a company stays the same, they are not keeping up with the changing world. At Adelante Abroad, we are constantly adding new programs, we listen to feedback given by students who are on or have been on our trips, and we make changes and adjustments where needed. We keep in mind new applicants and think about how our programs can be altered to benefit people applying.