Free Short-stay TEFL Placement (Colombia, Bali, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Europe)

I particularly enjoyed having a week of acclimatisation in a foreign city (Hanoi) with other participants, experiencing the country as many tourists do before being transferred into a predominantly local, non-touristy setting. Living in a city I would never visit, in a solid community of Vietnamese teachers with the comfort of other interns, was impactful. I could experience the culture and people more than I would ever on my own, forming routines and relationships, insights and experiences so different to my day-to-day life at home. This for me, was the highlight of the trip; surprisingly, the 'travel' felt much less real and rewarding than this.

My placement was to a fantastic school which exceeded my expectations; the resources, food, teaching and accommodation were superior to anything I could have imagined. The friends I made with local teachers were smile-inducing, and the generosity, kindness and hospitality were surreal (like nothing I've experienced before). I could not have been treated better if I were to own all the money in the world; our interactions with the staff and students were real and genuine and really thought-provoking in making me question my way of life back at home.

My experience with the GoToCo program in Bali, where I taught English as a second language, was truly remarkable and left an indelible mark on my life. Bali's picturesque landscapes and vibrant culture provided an enchanting backdrop for this teaching adventure.

One of the most striking aspects of the program was the warmth and hospitality of the local community. Balinese people are incredibly friendly and welcoming, making it easy to connect with students and their families. This created a conducive learning environment where students felt comfortable and motivated to improve their English skills.

This was an incredible experience that I will never forget. I have made life-long friends, developed as a person, and travelled to a new part of the world. The teaching part of the program helped me become more patient and develop my communication skills, all while gaining a new qualification. I also had the opportunity to visit other parts of Thailand on long weekends - allowing me to experience the country as both a local and tourist. This is such a unique and incredible experience, I would recommend it to anyone.

I was with Gotoco this year on their Bali program which was from June till August!
The group comprised of around 70 of us and I was impressed by how well-organized the program was. We had 2 weeks of teaching introduction where we had classes and games about how to teach (how to lesson plan, methodologies for different age groups, etc.) plus 2 lessons a week of Balinese classes (Bahasa). In addition to that, we also had our TEFL online course for which we got plenty of support. It sounds hard but it really wasn't- there was plenty of time for all. Note that most of the people, including myself, were doing it for the first time so the program curriculum was taking that into account!
After those 2 weeks of introduction, we got our classes allocated (on a random basis) and I got to teach grade 3(8-9 year olds). In Bali, students start English at that age so I was their first Engish teacher (how adorable, right). We had 2 hours per day teaching classes (5 days a week) plus lesson planning that wouldn't take longer than an hour.. so 3 hours in total :)) So as you can see, there was plenty of free time to explore the island! We also got one week off without teaching to explore Bali.

Logistics: We stayed in a village close to Ubud that was lovely, and the cost of the stay was fully covered. Flights plus travel to and back from the school, and 3 meals per day were covered too! Everything is funded by the UK gov though, so you would need a British citizenship/ student visa/settlement or pre-settlement status!

Gotoco's Short Term Thailand Summer Programme was an incredible journey. Going from just graduating from University to living in Thailand for nearly two months as a teacher is perhaps the most rewarding experience of my life. Without the free funding provided for it, this is something that I could only have dreamed of doing. Exploring a new culture, new industry and new way of life all funded was just a must do.

Any challenges, struggles or strife during the trip only aided me to grow and become a better version of myself, for that I will forever be grateful.

I did the program in Vietnam for a month and a half which I found to be very rewarding. We got to teach English while also being able to travel and experience Vietnamese culture for a month and a half. I absolutely reccommend this to any university students who do not know what to do for a summer.

While it is true that there can be some organisational issues at times, these never presented any crtitical issues, and going to another continent it is expected that not everything will happen perfectly. As long as you are ready to step outside your comfort zone a bit, you are going to have an excellent time.

Overall, you are getting a half-work half-holiday experience in another country which is almost entirely funded, and it is possible to continue travelling even after the programme is finished.

some of your most enjoyable moments of the trip:
-Being around young playful children and teaching them.
-The school's Thai teachers were extremely supportive and held a positive attitude towards me.
- Having to participate in various cultural activities

the best things about my time in Thailand?
My favourite moment was:
- The cooking class
- Temple visits mainly of the Buddha
- Trip to Chiangmai with the friends I made in the orientation week (on a long weekend)
- Language class and Mau Tai training sessions!

I loved my time teaching in Thailand with Gotoco, I felt this was an invaluable experience which taught me a huge amount. Gotoco provided the ideal welcome to Thailand, giving us incredible cultural immersion courses and preparing us well for the upcoming placement ahead. This was a highly rewarding experience, and I believe work done by Gotoco really makes a difference in this country. Gotoco made my trip very affordable, due to the fully-funded nature of the program, and were always at hand to help. I am so grateful for my time in Thailand and I would recommend this program to anyone looking to broaden their horizons and make a good contribution to the world.