XploreAsia

I've actually been home for a while now and I'm only just getting around to writing a review.

About the TEFL course:
It was scary leaving Scotland and hopping around the world solo to a new continent. I knew I wouldn't know anyone, the language or the area. I threw up my guts on the 2nd flight from Doha>Incheon (nerves or food poisoning idk). Then, I was picked up from the airport and brought to the guesthouse which was walking distance to our TEFL training area. I met all the new folks going through the same thing as me - we were a mix of different people. Canadian, Scot, American, Aussie, Kiwi, English, Indian etc. We became friends fast. Nights out in Hongdae.Itaewon to the early hours, many meals shared together, random walks and hikes, shopping and spa days... yeah it was memorable. Some of us have completed our teaching and moved home but we all still keep contact and send each other random memes sometimes (speaking about YOU Josh).

Orientation was fun. A full week of tours, classes and hanging out. The palace is VERY touristy but we had great weather to go view it and wore the hanbok rentals. Korean summer is no joke actually and I'm a redhead so I nearly died (kidding). My personal favourite area was Insadong in Seoul. It's more arty and has the traditional tea houses, artist shops and hand craft goods if you're into that kind of thing. We had a cooking lesson making some korean food and I'm gutted I burned my kimchi-jeon :(... this is why I don't cook. Shout out to Carla for putting up with us all, Eddie for showing us around Korea on days out and Enzo for putting it all together. We all had a taster to plan and prepare for our own classrooms. We all had different takes on being a teacher. We were together for 1 month doing all of this and then eventually it was time to leave our shared house and move to our destinations around the country. I was unlucky as I got my job in Ulsan which is South East of Korea. It's near Busan and is a short bus journey away. The others got jobs in or near Seoul so it was tough being so far from them that when we did meet, we had to plan in advance and book things like trains, activities etc.

Being in Ulsan :

I had just got used to Seoul and Incheon and then here I was moving again to a new place and having to re-orientate myself. I didn't have my accommodation immediately and had to live in a hotel for a week or so. Meeting my new colleagues and kids was also scary. But the kids I was in charge of already knew English and I just had to improve and build on their knowledge so far. My class was also the one's who were graduating at the end. We had many field trips for golf days, museums, kid's cafes etc. A highlight was our graduation trip to Gyeongju World. It's a bit like Lotte world but more low-key. We celebrated many birthdays and when mines happened in December, the kids surprised me with chocolate cake and LOADS of cola because I'm a soda fiend who drinks nothing but cola.

Trying out being a teacher showed me I could do it if I wanted to. Many people commented to me that I seemed most happy when I was doing like an art based lesson with the class or something where we were practical instead of sat at our desks, writing in textbooks. I liked to add variety to their lessons as the books became boring after a while. I had the kids watching David Attenborough's "Our Planet" and we learned out eco-systems and all the animals. Or we had to read Roald Dahl's "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" so I'd get up Youtube for them and show them clips from the movies. Then, I would get more videos up of real chocolate factories and how they worked. Whatever the lessons were, I would improvise a bit but make sure it was relatable to the content.

About being in Korea:

I really liked their transport options. If you don't drive, then you have choices for getting around and to be fair, metros are very easy to use (if your city has them). Ulsan didn't have metros and it took me like over 1hr to get from my home to downtown where the shopping mall was or decent hangout spots. I also liked the bus stops in general and how they had heated seats for colder weather. And automated voices that told you a bus was approaching. Then there was the service in restaurants. You go in and get seated fairly fast and they would bring over the side dishes or "ban-chan" (not sure I spelled that right). If you are a person who nibbles before the main food then this was so good having the side dishes. Mostly made up of pickled veggies, kimchi, and sauces. Service was mostly fast and efficient in most places and cheap to eat depending on where you went out. Coffee culture is a big thing in Korea too so MANY coffee shops scattered around and cheap enough to get one en route to work. Back home in the UK, I just wouldn't dream of getting a coffee before work unless I sold my kidney first.

I also liked their clinics if I got sick. It was rare I got ill but there was once where I got sent out of work cause I looked ill as hell and they sent me to a clinic to get an IV and check-up. I got a private room, IV for 1hr, medicine prescription afterwards all for like 55,000krw. My colleague wrote my symptoms down for me in korean and I handed it over to the lady at reception which made it easier. I was in and out of this clinic very fast and back in to work the rest of my shift because the IV made me feel a tad better.

The temples are a big must to see if you want to check any out. I saw many in my time in Korea but the temples just give a sense of like peace? You walk around the grounds taking it all in and admiring the views and architecture. Many have animals carved into the walls, statues etc as they were viewed as protectors from demons.

Some lesser known places to visit instead of the "tourist" cities - Gyeongju, Gangneung, Sokcho, Paju, Gangwhado Island.

I think I'll leave this now as it's a lot to read.

I taught in Thailand with the help from this company in 2021–2022 during the COVID pandemic. I discovered them through the company Greenheart Travel. That year was an incredibly uncertain time to relocate internationally, but considering the global chaos, they handled the process well. Communication was consistent and clear, and I always understood the steps required to secure the proper visa and prepare for departure.

I also completed their online TEFL course, which I found genuinely helpful. The instructor did a great job preparing us for the realities of teaching large classrooms in Thailand. We discussed classroom management, lesson planning, and how to handle situations where students simply don’t understand you no matter how clearly you explain. Because of school closures, we couldn’t complete in-person teaching demos. Instead, we presented lessons to other trainees once we arrived in Thailand. It was awkward at first, but it built confidence and helped reduce the nerves of speaking in front of a classroom.

Orientation week included cultural workshops and group activities. Some of the language and culture sessions felt basic to me, though many participants found them useful and engaging. The social outings were well intentioned, but I noticed that people who arrived with friends or partners tended to stick together. As an introvert who arrived alone, that made bonding a bit challenging. The company also created Line and Facebook groups to encourage connection and support between teachers, but they were mostly inactive. Still, I appreciated having a gradual introduction to the company and the country rather than being thrown directly into full-time teaching.

Accommodation during orientation was simple and somewhat run-down. There were hotel and hostel options, and many participants complained about outdated facilities, firm mattresses, and older air-conditioning units. While it wasn’t luxurious, I later realized it reflected the reality of how many locals live. That said, given the cost of these programs, slightly more comfortable housing during such a major life transition would improve the overall experience.

Job placement was initially confusing. I specifically requested placement in a major city but was repeatedly offered rural towns. Meanwhile, some participants who wanted rural placements were offered larger cities. I’m not sure how those decisions were made. In the end, I was placed in Lampang and signed a contract with a local agency, which turned out to be one of the best teaching experiences of my life.

The main reason I eventually left my school was salary transparency. The difference between what schools pay agencies and what teachers ultimately receive can be significant. While adults are responsible for managing their own finances, I believe the program could better prepare teachers for the financial realities of living in Thailand — including rent, food, transportation, and classroom materials. A more open discussion about budgeting and agency structures would help teachers make informed decisions.

When my contract ended and I was transitioning to a new school, I faced visa complications between cancellation and transfer. A staff member eventually reached out privately to offer guidance, which I appreciated. However, I hadn’t realized I could still seek support after placement, so clearer communication about post-contract assistance would be helpful.

Overall, I had a positive experience and left with some of my most meaningful teaching memories. While there is room for improvement — particularly regarding accommodation comfort, placement transparency, and financial guidance — the company provided solid preparation and support during a very challenging global period. I would still recommend them to others considering teaching in Thailand.

I enrolled due to advertised “100% placement guarantee,” vetted schools, and lifetime support.

My placement involved unpaid wages, late payments and safety issues for months, including flood travel expectations and a visa-related trip to the special economic zone Golden Triangle region which that raised serious safety and security concerns and is known for human trafficking and criminal activity where I was nearly robbed and was not briefed on scam operations and was almost stranded in Laos while being blamed for following their partner agents instructions. After the placement due to late payments and non payments and being asked to work in dangerous conditions and circumstances, I requested support under their Future Placement policy but received prolonged delays as long as 11 months which is an unreasonable amount of time to wait for an actionable placement guarantee as advertised.

Many teachers in Thailand work without a TEFL or any agency involvement, which raises questions about the necessity and value of the expensive certification totaling over 2 thousand USD.

The public marketing and review profile does not reflect my documented experience. Additionally, the company’s online review experience profile appears disproportionately positive compared to documented consumer complaints and feedback on other websites which cannot be astroturfed by them or their partner agencies who recruit via their online ads, which warrants scrutiny.

I really enjoyed the people I was roomed with and got to know more about them and where they came from. I enjoyed learning about the teachers, Jaime and Tam, and they gave us on top of the purely academic slides of what they are supposed to teach, their own experiences and advice. It was like one of my classmates said, “we can read the slides at home or even overseas, we’re here and paying for their experience in the field.” The staff were all friendly and helpful. I arrived earliest at my apartment and had no wifi. I was running out of my plan and had texted staff to ask what to do. They were at my apartment within an hour and within 2 I had wifi again. They were always quick to respond to questions and understanding about being sick or unable to do something. We also did a lot of fun stuff in the first week with excursions and what not. Plus we got to teach at two actual schools to actual kids to get hands on experience teaching. The literal ONLY complaint I have is that we did essentially all the excursions and culture stuff within the first week. So the next three weeks we did all the coursework and all the deadlines were essentially right on top of each other. I think if we did course work in the first week as well and moved some excursions to the following weeks it would’ve felt more balanced. But I do understand they likely have little choice as they have to juggle the deadlines of multiple places to ensure it runs smoothly. All in all the program was worth it, I got my TESOL and made new friends I can contact while there and learned a lot from the teachers. If you have the money and the will it’s a great opportunity!

This was my first time going to Europe and I made a big leap moving and doing this program. I felt so grateful to have taken this tesol course. It is quite an intensive course and moves very quickly! I recall there were a few teary eyed crash outs as I was doing my lesson plans. Looking back now I laugh because I was just in the pressures of moving abroad, navigating metro systems, and having to ensure I kept up with the program. However with the support of the program I was able to finish and become a certified English teacher. The program then set up my interviews. I would say the time of year you do the program does matter. I recommend doing it at the start of the school year. However, there are plenty part time jobs you can pick up throughout the year. I was able to secure two job offers a week after graduating the program. I also substitute at an academy. Finding a flat was a bit of a tricky task but not impossible! I was most afraid I would come here and be completely alone. Which is so far from the truth I bonded with everyone from the program and some have become very good friends.