For people looking for an atypical, rewarding experience abroad, look no further than Adelante.

I feel like most people love their time abroad, but wish they had been able to do away with classes that really didn't contribute too much to their academic growth. With Adelante's internship placement, I had the wonderful chance to immerse yourself in the day-to-day of Madrid interning under a renowned psychiatrist as well as helping out with an LGBT/human rights organization. Both the these internships gave me real world experience in sectors that I am thinking about for post-grad, but, at the same time, forced my Spanish to improve immensely.

Then, while most people would be tied up with doing classwork, I had time to explore Madrid and other places as much as I wanted to. I ended up having time to read (which is never possible during semesters for me) and finished four books in Spanish, also contributing hugely to my learning. The school that Adelante bases out of in Madrid was also wonderful about having activities and always being welcoming when I stopped in to say hi and see what was going on.

One major disclaimer for this program: I've seen this posted before and I was told by the Adelante staff as well (they were very upfront about this), but I want to reiterate that, in order for this program to work for you, you need to be quite independent and ready to take initiative in your time abroad. Since there is no structured abroad group or program, you need to fill your own time. Now, this freedom can be absolutely fantastic. Case and point: I became friends with my co-workers and made life-long friends from Spain. However, none of that would have happened if I hadn't gone out of my comfort zone a lot (and I'm already a pretty outgoing guy) and motivated myself every day to take advantage of my time. So, if you pick this program (which you should), just remind yourself to give it all you've got and to not waste time being lazy or nervous about trying new things. No one will be nudging you along, so you need to take advantage of the many opportunities while abroad on your own terms.

Quick Summary:
I just finished an amazing two-month "shadow a surgeon" internship program with Adelante Abroad in Madrid (September-October 2013). For this particular program, the first two weeks are spent taking intensive Spanish classes in a language school called Eureka. The following six weeks are spent doing an internship with a local hospital or clinic, where the student shadows an assigned surgeon. Honestly, it was an experience of a lifetime & I would definitely recommend this program!!

Program Administration:
In the few months prior to my trip, the California-based office of Adelante Abroad communicated with me via phone and email, explaining the program and answering any questions I had. They were all very nice and encouraging. The part that got a little messy was when I was actually leaving for Madrid. The program is run by both the California-based office and their Madrid-based contacts. The California office talks to the students that would like to go abroad, performs the screening process, etc., while the Madrid contacts figure out the internship details (they have major connections in Madrid). I was expecting to know who I would be shadowing at least 1 month prior to my trip. I found out 2 weeks prior to my trip that my internship assignment wasn't confirmed yet, although they told me who I might possibly be shadowing (not too great for reassuring panicky parents). In their defense, my internship was a unique one--I am a bioengineer searching a medical shadowing position. PLUS, Spain is on vacation for August and many of the businesses/offices are closed, making it really difficult to make the arrangements for my internship. But still, I would have liked to be reassured that there was something concrete for me to come to before leaving.

Living, Spanish Classes & Getting Situated:
I arrived in Madrid, where I was welcomed and taken to my centrally-located apartment by Angel, the main Adelante Abroad contact in Spain. I absolutely loved my apartment--close to everything, safe, and cool apartment mates from Adelante and Eureka. During the first two weeks I took Spanish classes at Eureka, and my experience there was perfect! The staff and instructors were incredibly nice and welcoming, and I really felt encouraged to speak Spanish. The internship coordinator, Antonio, met with me throughout the first two weeks to talk to me about my internship assignment. My assignment changed twice before I actually started. Yes, it was a bit frustrating and confusing at first, BUT once I started my internship, I felt much more relieved.

Internship:
I shadowed a surgical team in the orthopedics, sports medicine, and trauma department. It was a bit difficult to adapt because my lacking Spanish skills (this will happen with ANY internship abroad program), but it was an absolutely amazing experience. I felt like I was immersed in real Spanish life--culture, food, work. I came into the clinic and literally sat in the operating rooms while I watched back-to-back surgeries. I saw total knee replacements, rotator cuff repair surgeries, ACL reconstructions, meniscectomies, and much more. Whenever I had questions, the surgeon was willing and ready to answer. The surgeons really made me feel welcome, even including me for a team dinner during my first week!

Overall, I would definitely recommend this program.. I mean, how often are you able to do it all in one program--learn Spanish, live in central Madrid, AND watch cool surgeries!

I had an amazing time in Madrid. My internship was teaching English in a community organization. I loved working with the kids and had a great time. My Spanish improved immensely by having Spanish co-workers. I lived in housing with two friends that was just south of the Palacio Real. It was nice accommodations (aside from trying to figure out the washing machine!). I also appreciated having my own place, rather than in the language school's housing, which had to worry about noise complaints and unfriendly housekeeping.

I got placed in the law firm of my dreams (immigration law) with international coworkers and was living with 3 native Spanish university students my age. There is no bad time to go to Madrid; however, the summer months of July and August have the best sales and also the most flexible working hours, so you can slip away for a long weekend to travel wherever your heart desires (Madrid is central like that).

You won't find a cheaper and easier way to visit Madrid. Everything is included in the fee; housing, Spanish classes, the internship, and various outings to the city’s landmarks. The outings consist of guided trips to the various museums and sights. The internship was also great and gave me excellent insight into what it is like to work as an engineer in Spain. Throughout the whole experience Adelante staff was there to answer any question and help with any problem. My only complaint is the lack of activities or opportunities to meet and interact with native Spaniards apart from the nightlife.

TONS OF POSITIVE COMMENTS!

I did my research before choosing this program, as I concluded this was the most personalized experience I could have. Adelante was extremely helpful in-country and abroad in accommodating my interests.
I decided to do this after graduating from college, as I wanted to have an experience abroad, more specifically in Spain, and get some experience prior to entering grad school in the fall. I was looking for a psychology internship that would guide my interests in graduate school, and I got it.
I worked with a non-profit organization that provides services for immigrants in Spain. Given that I am a native speaker, I was able to take on more responsibilities and co-coordinate a summer camp for children with the program director. I was placed in the same organization with a friend with a beginners level of spanish and her responsibilities were based on the service she provided teaching english. Together we volunteered to teach english to the summer camp children as a part of the program, and it worked very well given our respective language levels.
I was also looking for a place that would allow me to work hands-on with children, since I am considering working with them in the future. To design the camp, I worked with the social psychologist on site and was given a lot of freedom to design a curriculum to teach english and work on their developmental needs. It was a challenge because the group consisted of 47 kids ages 4-12, all together, but it was very rewarding and there was a lot of support from Spanish volunteers. In addition, I faced a lot of the cultural and socioeconomic issues that affected these children, which was important in understanding their needs as first or second generation immigrants. Overall, my internship experience was PHENOMENAL. There was a clinical psychologist on site as well, and he welcomed observation as well. He ran emotional intelligence workshops for adults. My supervisor and my co-workers were all very friendly and they really appreciated the work. This goes for my friend as well, and in her case they really appreciated the effort to communicate in spanish.
THE FUN PART
General feelings on culture
SPAIN IS A MUST! The culture is extremely welcoming, the nightlife is ongoing, the bars can be anything from a family friendly block bar to a dancing night club bar. The society is much more liberal than in America, which means you will either have a great experience soaking in their lifestyle and non-judgmental views, or you may find it a bit uncomfortable when you walk down the street and see couples openly displaying their affections, be it heterosexual or homosexual. That is up to you. I personally found it was a positive experience. For the most part it was very liberating to be in an environment where people really don't think twice about "awkward moments" or "outrageous clothing" or PDA. PS- I am not a "hipster"- whatever that means. Spanish people live their lives on their terms and no one else's, and that really come through in their culture.
Shopping:
If you go over the summer, wait until july or august to shop. Their summer sale is amazing and you will save some money
Traveling:
Summer traveling is a bit more expensive due to the season, but if you are in Madrid there are plenty of nearby cities you can visit on day trips that'll cost anywhere from 10-20 euros roundtrip.
Food:
TRY EVERYTHING even if you don't know what it is. Chances are you will get something strange every now and then, but most of it will be delicious.

Final word: GOOOOO!

Through Adelante Abroad I was able to spend three fantastic months in Madrid! While I had been to the city once before, I missed out on a study abroad experience in college so I wasn't exactly sure what an extended stay in a foreign country would be like. Thankfully Adelante helped immensely with the lead-up - with an involved pre-departure orientation - and with the transition once there. They had me picked up at the airport, transported to the front door of my lodgings, and immediately plugged into two weeks of language classes at Academia Eureka. My apartment was incredibly well located; practically in Puerta del Sol (the city hub of activity and transportation). The language institute director, my internship advisor, and the Adelante coordinators/directors back home in the US were friendly, helpful, and attentive throughout the entire process. I never once felt that if I needed assistance their support would not be there. After my classes at the language institute, I move on to my internship at a Spanish film company. Notably, this is not a usual area of focus that is requested of Adelante, but they worked with me to customize a more than suitable internship. My bosses (an independent director and his business partner) and my coworkers were very nice and patient with me. Through my internship I got a good look at how the business of cinema is handled in Spain, and I also gained a friend during my time in Madrid, as my most immediate coworker was around my age. Through him, my classmates, and flatmates, I stayed social and interacted with people from countries all over the world: Spain (of course), but also Germany, Korea, Italy, Japan, China, Russia, Brazil, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Panama, and others. I would do it all again in a heartbeat...

The program overall was amazing and worthwhile. I gained invaluable professional experience at a psychiatrist's office and met a lot of incredible and intelligent people. I enjoyed living in the apartment, and I would definitely recommend requesting to live WITH SPANISH roommates instead of with Adelante candidates. If you request to live with Spanish roommates you might not actually live with Spanish people but at least you won't have to deal with the horrific situation on Calle Arenal (the apartment where Adelante candidates live when they request to live with other Adelante people). They do random checks of the apartment whenever they feel like it, letting themselves in and snooping around making sure that nobody has any friends that are staying over. If you let a friend or two crash on the couch until morning after a night out, and they find out, they will take your deposit away. They claim that there is no need since Madrid is a very safe city, but both myself and my roommates (all female) have seen men masturbating on two separate occasions in broad daylight and early in the morning. It's easy to understand why a woman wouldn't feel safe walking home alone after a night out, no matter how safe Madrid is generally. It's ridiculous to me that you pay so much for accommodations in Madrid and are unable to help a friend out by letting them stay on your couch till morning (nobody is staying for days or weeks on end). The lack of understanding and empathy from the people who do the random checks and who own the apartments on Calle Arenal is embarrassing and unprofessional. DO NOT LIVE IN ADELANTE HOUSING, but definitely do the program because otherwise it is a fulfilling and incredible experience.