Alliance Abroad | Hospitality & Culinary Internships in Spain

The staff was so unbelievably nice, supportive and encouraging! They really knew how to help you prepare for interviews. I would suggest entering the program as far in advance as possible so that you have a job upon arrival. I did not use the housing services but I am sure they would be great and safe!

I never made it the full year in Australia but I just want to say that Anita from Alliance Abroad was awesome! She was always quick to reply with answers in e-mails, and was full of knowledge. I am a little late in writing the review but please let her know how amazing of a job she is doing! Definitely will tell people about Alliance Abroad!

Everything was great. When I was being helped with selecting an apartment and which area of the Melbourne to choose the program coordinator was very helpful and helped make me aware of all the options I had and gave me excellent ideas about each area of Melbourne as well. So that was a great help right off the bat.

Work was awesome and I felt very taken care of with my practice interviews for the Grand Hyatt and making sure that I was well prepared for what everything would be like.

Day to day difficulties, I would say internet was the main one. For the first few months before buying a portable wifi modem I was relying on free wifi ports throughout the city (starbucks, the state library, etc) so I would say that was a main one.

Other than that I feel like everything was great, being linked up with someone to do my taxes for me after my leaving was also awesome! It just removes that one extra thing before I leave and made things much easier on me.

I love meeting people here from all over the world. Definitely an eye opening experience, the weather and beaches are also fabulous.. My co-workers are awesome I am so happy with where I was placed and I love the city, not anything like I expected. My program people are very good at responding to emails if I have any questions. I would recommend to anyone, best decision!!

This experience was absolutely amazing! The program gives a really good opportunity to go overseas and work. It is nice to know that once you get here you are not totally alone when you face either work issues or difficulties with the people you live with. Coming from Canada was quite a big thig and language was not a total issue, but sometimes it could be hard. Although everyone was bringing really good support, whether it was with talking over the phone, messages to give feedback or just to see that everything was okay or even postcard correspondence. It was absolutely great to feel like you are not just one random person that that you get personal support.

The negative point that I could see is related to prices of the program itself. No doubts that there is an incredible support from everyone with feedbacks, but once you get here you find out how easy it can be to find yourself a job around and that the agency does not find you a place to live, it is staff accommodation that are already in place with the workplace. Either it was a misunderstanding from my part, but I did feel like with the program they strange everything for it but it's not totally it. Same thing regarding the minimum hours of work that was outline in the "contract"... Even if mentioned to coordinators, I've never heard back from it and had few weeks with less than te minimum hours.

Even though I have few negative points, I do recommend the program,BUT not to people that have travelled before and that either organized everything themselves or either love unplanned adventure. The program is amazing for new travellers that might be afraid to leave or that need all the support that they can get.

It was truly once in a lifetime experience! Excellent! Every staff was helpful, and everything was perfect. The Taxback staff was very helpful, and professional. Everything was so perfect that I hope this standard lasts for forever. I think it might be difficult to keep this standard, because it is too perfect. Far beyond the expectation. Thank you so much for giving me this precious once in a lifetime experience!!!

I came to Australia as a sort of gap year while I applied for jobs in my own country.

I did my first placement in QLD up in Townsville. People rag on Townsville whenever I tell them I lived there for 6 months but I really loved my time there and I made some friends I know will be a part of my life for many years to come.

It was also really cool to be a positive representative for my country. I had a roommate that told me I totally changed his ideas of what an American was, haha.

After Townsville I travelled down the East coast (Amazing!) to find my second job in Melbourne.

I planned on just working, saving up money and making some new friends but I ended up getting so much more than I expected out of it. I came in to meet the AAI team in Melbourne and because my degree is in International Education I ended up interning for them for the rest of my time in Oz. I gained so much valuable experience and learned so many things that will benefit me in my career for years to come!

Coming to Australia with AAI was a great decision!

Hands down - the best experience of my life. I was fortunate enough to be placed in Coral Bay, Western Australia. A small tourist town remotely located in the northwest part of the state, boasting some of the best beaches and marine life interactions anywhere. The job I was selected for was reception at a caravan park, but there were times when I was asked to do housekeeping and other times where I was asked to be a deckie on a boat for a day. Swim with mantas? For a job?! Um, yes please!

The accommodation is basic.. .and by basic, I mean a box of a room with a bed and a wardrobe. Rusting showers and toilets and cockroaches living in the kitchen. Did I care? No. It was different than I expected, but knowing about remote locations before my travels here, I grew to really enjoy my accommodation and place of stay. No one in town lives fancy... if you're looking for city life - make sure you ask to be placed in a city. Otherwise, learn to love how the other half of the world lives and know that it's not forever.

I was able to save money, and even plan a trip to Bali! I have no idea where I will be heading after my 6 months is over here, but I know it was the best decision I ever made to interview with this location.