Reach to Teach: Teach English in Georgia
Teaching English in Georgia is a tremendous experience. Your students, the culture, exotic food, your Georgian peers, the language, and travel options all combine to make for an incredible volunteer opportunity in a stunning Eastern European country!
To learn more information about Reach To Teach and the many opportunities we offer please visit our friendly and informative Reach To Teach website.
Location: Volunteers are assigned a teaching location during their in-country orientation after arrival in Georgia. Your location preferences are taken into consideration.
Application Deadline: We accept applications year-round. Arrival dates for the Georgia program are on the 15th and 30th of each month.
Schools: Public schools (Elementary, Middle and High School)
Reviews
Alumni Interviews
Meet Duncan Hardock and Jennifer Gemmell, Reach to Teach teachers in Georgia
Duncan Hardock hails from Washington DC while Jennifer Gemmell is from pretty much all over the United States. They are both graduates of Colby College and just completed their contracts with Teach and Learn with Georgia. You can read more about their adventure at Mzad Var. Jennifer took all of the epic photos and Duncan wrote all of the poetical paragraphs. Both of them really miss the taste of guacamole.
GO: Why inspired you two to teach ESL?
Duncan & Jennifer: We're both pretty big nerds. We loved college and everything that came with it. We know we want to go back to school someday, but like many just-grads, we don't know exactly what we want to study. Sometimes, and we're being completely serious here, teaching ESL is the perfect way to buy yourself a couple of years to think about what comes next.
It's not always easy, but it's really a great deal. We're getting paid to travel to amazing places and teach something we're already good at. Most of the time, you don't even have to jump through too many hoops to do so. Our application process wasn't exactly painless, but we ended up in a great place.
GO: Why did you choose Reach to Teach?
Duncan & Jennifer:The biggest hurdle throughout our job search was the fact that we were applying as a couple. It made everything complicated and we needed a program that was willing to work with us.
Sometimes, all you're looking for is someone to make a genuine effort to get to know you. Everyone wants to be more than a number, and that's never more true than when you're looking for a job. A friend recommended Reach to Teach to us, and we sent an email outlining our situation. John Kellenberger, one of the Co-Presidents, called us personally and we talked on the phone for more than an hour that first night. This was after weeks of waiting on email after email from every other shadowy enterprise we were inquiring after. It was a breath of fresh air. By the end of the conversation, we knew we were working with the right people.
GO: Please describe the application process/obstacles for couples wanting to teach abroad?
Duncan & Jennifer:The fact of the matter is that dealing with couples is a headache for every program. Some programs are willing to put up with it, but others aren't, and pretty much every program that was even willing to look at our joint application had stipulations in their contract saying they would try to place couples together, but they weren't willing to promise anything.
If you're married, it becomes much easier, but we aren't married yet. I still remember laughing when John jokingly asked us to get married just because that would make everything a whole lot simpler. But we didn't want to rush a marriage for the sake of a job application.
Sometimes you just have to take a risk. We spent our first week in Georgia in Eastern Europe not knowing for sure whether we would be living in the same house or across the country from each other. That was scary, but at least we were ready for it.
Reach to Teach was with us every step of the way. They made sure we knew what we were getting ourselves into and worked with the program to make sure we had the best possible chances to be together. Everything worked out in the end!
GO: Describe your day to day activities as teachers in Georgia.
Duncan & Jennifer: We're kind of in the middle of nowhere, but not in a bad way. We live in a pretty small village in the wine-region in Eastern Georgia, and share a bedroom in our host-family's house. We work every weekday, but the hours aren't grueling. We have a total of 16 classes a week with 1stthrough 6th graders which we co-teach with a local teacher. The hardest thing about our experience has been not having our own place. Even when school is over for the day, we never really get a break from teaching. We have host-brothers and sisters to tutor and being foreigners in a small village like this is like being a celebrity; everyone wants a piece of us. But living with a host family comes with a lot of upside. It's the best way to really experience a foreign culture and there is so much we would have missed without it.
GO: How has this experience impacted your relationship?
Duncan & Jennifer: It's definitely a test, and not one to be taken lightly. Teaching abroad is an isolating experience; it really makes you appreciate your friendships. Living here as a couple definitely lessens that sting of loneliness, but you kind of end up having to be everything for your partner. You become each other's confidants, practice partners, shoulders to cry on when one is desperately needed, and nurses when disease inevitably strikes. All of these responsibilities add up. It's like being stuck in a canoe together; you have to be willing to work with each other, or the pressure can really start to break you apart.
But when it works, it's the best. We get to grow together, see the world, and share this absolutely amazing experience.
Christopher Manning Interview, Reach to Teach Alum

Christopher Manning is from Staten Island, New York. He went to Georgia on September 15 and will be staying until June. He is a musician, avid language learner and traveler, who operates under the pseudonym Fotgjengeren ("The Pedestrian") on Facebook and Twitter.
GO: What inspired you to teach ESL?
Christopher: I had friends doing it in Korea and Japan, and they inspired me to try it out. I also enjoy traveling and learning languages, so I thought it'd be fun to pass my language on.
GO: Why did you choose Reach to Teach?
Christopher: I googled "Teach English in Korea" and it was one of the results that came up. I read the website and decided to apply to Korea. Ironically, I ended up nowhere near there.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a teacher in Georgia.
Christopher: This varies as I don't usually have set plans most of the time. I like music a lot, so I keep up with that. I play basketball from time to time with my host brother. I speak a lot to my host in English and she teaches and speaks with me in Georgian. We have really good food, and I drink wine usually about once or twice a week. It's delicious.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Christopher: I think it's giving me momentum towards what I want to do, trying to figure out how to make all my passions work together.
GO: What is one piece of advice you would give to others thinking about teaching abroad?
Christopher: Don't be afraid to do it. Jump head-first into the culture. Get to know people and have fun learning the language.
Further Info
About Reach To Teach
As any ESL Teacher can tell you, finding a good teaching job abroad can be difficult. Similarly, a lot of ESL schools feel that finding a good teacher is equally difficult. This is where we at Reach To Teach come in. Our motto is matching great teachers with great schools.
There are a lot of ESL jobs available abroad, however it can be difficult to find one which matches your wants and needs. Reach To Teach is here to help. We carefully screen all our schools to ensure our teachers know as much as possible about their school and the contract they will be signing. You can feel comfortable and confident moving overseas knowing what your job will be like.


















Georgia is an amazing place to experience. There are many different regions to explore from mountains to beaches. The hospitality of the people is unbelievable! If you are lost someone will help you. This doesn't just mean pointing in the right direction. They will put you in the car and take you themselves. But not without a stop at their house first to fill you with food and wine. You will meet so many other teachers wherever you go, so you will never be alone if you don't want to be. People in your community will immediately adopt you as your own and love and care for you. The children are extremely excited to have a foreign teacher. Be prepared for plenty of gifts and fruit. Overall a wonderful time can be had if you're ready for the adventure.
Critical Feedback:
Host families should be required to have hot, running water or a means to get it. Maybe a lesson on sanitation and health practives should be given to host families.