Program Reviews

I moved to China in August of 2023 and I am currently teaching my first semester in Shanghai. This is my first time teaching, and I feel that the support and the quality of life that teaching brings in China have made it extremely accessible and rewarding.

While I anticipated Shanghai to be exciting, I was not prepared for how enjoyable the work-life balance would be. This is only enhanced by the support I receive from TFT in any issues I face.

I would recommend this experience to anyone. In respect to shanghai, the only downside appears to be that you are so busy doing things within the city you forget to travel outside it!

I dont think there's much to say aside from if like me you were looking to move abroad but not sure where to start, the fewer things is a perfect company. They assist with your teaching certificate, placements themselves as well as continued support when you arrive. I was nervous about leaving as I'm young and have never been away from home, but with the fewer things I've felt no nervousness since arriving and the security of having a team there to assist me at all times has made me so much more comfortable.

It all feels very personal and the company have lovely representatives, some of which I've had the privilege of meeting in real life. Would recommend ✅️

I am currently working as an ESL teacher in Shanghai and I have had an absolutely brilliant experience so far, especially working with TFT. Before my departure from the UK, Jaemi and the team gave me so much support and made sure I didn’t have to worry about the admin process such as getting an interview/placement and document legalisation. They also offered weekly call slots and generally got us set up with everything we could possibly need to get us to China! I would 100% recommend this programme to anyone interested in teaching abroad!

I have had a great experience working as an ESL teacher in China through TFT. The support from the program made the application and transition very comfortable; communication was clear throughout with regular phone calls and easy access to relevant information, and I went through the placement process smoothly. The legalisation of documents was made very simple by TFT, and the bulk of the admin was taken care of by them, which was very helpful. Living and working as a teacher in China has been an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it, especially for those looking to learn or improve their language skills and those interested in teaching. The long winter holiday makes for a great travel opportunity too! A word to the wise — make sure you have a Chinese payment method such as Alipay set up before your arrival, as physical cards or Apple Pay (including international cards, Visa, Mastercard etc) may not be accepted.

The initial steps in Korea were made quite simple with guidance from TFT and the ground agency here, my school now helps a lot with day to day stuff too which is nice. It was about a six-month period from application to arrival but there is a lot to do so I understood the lengthy process. The TEFL course was quite fun and interesting too. Overall would recommend.

This is an awesome opportunity! I wanted to teach English in China for the longest time, but didn’t know where to start. Jaemi and TFT helped me through the whole process! From pairing me with a school, visa and background check support and everything in between, I finally made it to China! I would not have been able to take on this process by myself without the help of The Fewer Things. I had countless questions throughout the process (moving abroad is a big step) but TFT was able to explain things to me and calm my fears about moving to China. I would definitely recommend this program!

I joined The Fewer Things August 2023 programme for Vietnam and I've found the support network excellent. No question was left ignored and as someone who didn't message Jaemi or the team particularly much, I was regularly met with messages checking up on me which I thought was a very personal and thoughtful touch. And from hearing my peers who contacted HQ far more regularly, Jaemi was very quick and efficient with responding to any qualms presented to him, both before and after departure.
I already had my TEFL certificate so cannot say anything on the course, but there was plenty of other aspects that the company excelled in to ensure I was prepared for my teaching programme. From an extremely comprehensive guide to the country to a video call with two experienced teachers right before leaving to regular events held afterwards to fit all lifestyles, there was something for everyone in those daunting first few weeks. The pacing for all the niggly things that needed to be done before departure was also very well thought out to minimise frustration and maximise excitement.
Accessibility to the social side of things was also done really well. A group chat was set up initially for all Vietnam programme members for the intake, and then specifically for the city of placement (I'm in Hanoi). The aforementioned events as well as this group chat made it easy for even my introverted self to feel very integrated within the group.
Overall, The Fewer Things has made me feel very welcome and prepared for teaching in Hanoi, and I have never found any member of the team unapproachable. I would definitely recommend TFT specifically for anyone ready to sink their teeth into teaching in Vietnam!

I had been planning on getting into teaching abroad for last few years but wasn't sure where to start.
I came across the fewer things programme through my girlfriend who knew of people already doing it. We started the process quite late (February 2023) but jaemi from the fewer things made life a lot easier for us. The 120 hour tefl course was very beneficial and well worth the time in getting it completed. I was in touch with jaemi about twice a week from when I started to discuss any doubts or queries I had and he took time to answer all whether through message or voice note. further more the fewer things set up interviews after completion of the course so you don't have to worry about blindly looking for a job in Vietnam. About a week before flying out to Hanoi we had a zooms chat with 2 experience teachers about life in Hanoi and what the teaching is like which settled any pre nerves. Myself and my girlfriend are both in Hanoi and enjoying life but when we have any questions jaemi is still responding to our messages.
Overall I think the fewer things is an excellent programme to go into as the constant support from Jaemi is second to none.

Coming to Vietnam with The Fewer Things, in my opinion, has felt like the best way to do it!

The Fewer Things team have been so helpful from the offset. They are always on the end of the phone to help with any queries. They created helpful budgeting guidelines and a 'survival guide' on Vietnam before we came out here which was really helpful to go through and made me feel set up to come out here from the off. They also hosted a webinar just before our departure so we could ask any questions which also really helped and made me feel a lot calmer in the week running up to travelling :)

I have been nicely surprised at how supportive The Fewer Things have been once we got out to Vietnam too. We are regularly checked on, which is nice to know we have that support system still. We have also had socials organised for us in the first couple of weeks which was good to meet the rest of the group who had come out to Vietnam, or who have already been out here.

The Fewer Things is a great way to start teaching abroad, especially in Vietnam, as some of the culture can be difficult to navigate on your own and so it feels good to have The Fewer Things support behind us :)

I was a bit nervous about moving to China and starting my career teaching. However, after doing lots of research, I decided on The Fewer Things. From my first interview with Jaemi, I knew this was the program I wanted to go with. The support I received before I left was great! The staff in China replied quickly to my questions and concerns. All the paperwork on the China side of things was done rapidly and efficiently. I cannot thank the staff enough. I also had the option to do monthly/weekly phone call check ups just to ease some stress and see how the progress was going. Before I knew it, I was boarding the plane!

Once I got here, the friendliness of the staff never stopped. Diane, Nancy, Lucia, and everyone has gone ABOVE AND BEYOND once I got here. It really soothed my heart and mind. As you might know, moving abroad is a big step that can pose many challenges. They have done so much for me and my other colleagues who came abroad. They also found me the best school as well. I feel welcomed by the staff and I am excited to teach!

China is a great place to travel solo or with friends. If you know a good bit of the language, or none at all, it is an amazing country that will provide you with a fun and exciting experience! Traveling around the city is extremely efficient, and before you know it, you will no longer need maps to help you get around!! Also... YUMMY FOOD! :)