Program Reviews

With TravelBud I knew that the most important thing I was getting was security. Obviously, there's a lot of uncertainty going around these days, and there were several moments where I seriously considered turning my future plans in another direction. But, the guarantee and job offer safety that I found with TravelBud eased that uncertainty, and now I'm in Korea and having an amazing time.

Doing research on which agency or program is right for you is a nightmare. People's experiences on the Internet are always going to vary widely. What I can say is that for TravelBud, if you're looking for a secure way to guarantee yourself a job, and future security for any other placement you might be looking for later, TravelBud does it best.

Additionally, the people who you talk to and who help you sort everything out to get to Korea are helpful, responsive and real with you, keeping you well-updated on anything that happens. The person who was assigned to me still talks to me and reaches out, even after my job has commenced. It's a very reassuring presence to have.

I would choose TravelBud again for the support and security alone. Those were my two biggest requirements, and those are the two things they do best, in my view.

I decided to teach in South Korea in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021. Naturally, the logistics of such a big move were a nightmare, and I was glad that I had experienced coordinators that were able to help me figure out the application and moving processes. Everyone helped me with interviews, finding my preferences, collecting documents, and everything I needed to prepare. I really appreciated all of the guidance and support that received prior to and during my journey to South Korea.

Not only am I happy with my placement, I am very happy with travel bud especially with my coordinator Kim who has made everything so easy. I was hesitant to come to my placement at first as I never heard of the city but I became ver happy as time went on. As for travel bud, from getting my acceptance to packing my bags and moving to Korea, the experience with travel bud has been nothing but amazing, even through a pandemic. As soon as I was in the country I still was getting a lot of support from everyone to make sure my quarantine was going well.

I have had such an amazing experience in Thailand and met such incredible people and travelled to beautiful places. I would definitely recommend anyone to go teach aboard, it will be one of the best things you do in your life. I am so sad to have left!

Have an agency to support and guide you through the steps was invaluable, especially during COVID where there's lots of steps to do to just get into the country. Everyone was there ready to help with any questions.

One downside was my first placement, I feel like I was sent to a rather remote area and not necessarily told the truth about where I was going to, which was the case for several people. It was quite a lonely experience and I was so happy after requesting to be moved to go somewhere else.

Nevertheless, Travel Bud, particularly Saskia, were great in keeping in touch and offering to help and share experiences throughout my time.

My experience as an English teacher in Thailand is amazing because of the new space I am in. The culture is very warm and the people are always kind. It really encourages you to challenge yourself and see life in a different perspective. The ability to travel and experience a new culture while working is a huge bonus. I highly recommend this program to people who are outgoing and not afraid to take risk. It is also for people who are eager to learn new cultures and spaces. It give you a reason to stay motivated in life

Travelbud has honestly been the best company to come overseas with. They have been so supportive and helpful. always checking in and emailing me to see if I need anything. Just such a great company to go through. They help me through the paperwork process so amazingly! They’re just so great! Just enjoyed the agency they placed me with and everything. They are great. They have a great media presence and care about their teachers. We’re like a big family! The people are so friendly and kind and just want to help

I know the program costs a lot of money. But consider it an investment. Not only do you get a TESOL qualification taught in person (better than an online TEFL) which you can use anywhere, but you will also grow as a person. The teaching work in Vietnam is very rewarding, with 80 hours a week teaching paying over £1000 a month (after tax). It's incredibly easy to save, and still live in great accommodation. I've met many amazing people and picked up a second language and several hobbies thanks to all my free time. I feel 10x more confident in myself, and I love living in Vietnam. The people are so friendly, especially if you learn a little Vietnamese.

I found the program to be very beneficial. Originally I was going to do everything myself, but decided to go through the program to have extra support and guidance. I found that it was a very worthy investment, as the support team was well-organized and helpful in getting me acclimated and prepared for my experience.

The support with logistics, paperwork, bank accounts etc. is facilitated and also the cultural orientation was valuable. Meeting so many other people was a great way to start my time abroad, as I made friends and developed a network from the start.

While there is room for improvement, I found overall the experience to be smooth and helpful. My teaching placement worked out for me and I am happy where I was placed. It was a pretty seamless process and I have been enjoying and learning much in my time here.

Originally I wanted to be in a bigger city with a lot of ex-pats, but my placement turned out to be in a small area. I decided to just trust in the process and it turned out that I had a great experience. I still made friends and had a life-changing experience. I think that you might grow and learn more being outside your comfort zone.

If you're new to teaching abroad and you want a strong support network to help with all the logistics and also as a way to meet others, I think this program is a strong option.

I would highly recommend Travelbud to anyone wanting to teach abroad. I have been teaching in the United States the past 4+ years and I decided to teach abroad to learn more about how I could support my students who are English Language Learners (ELL) or learning English as a Second Language (ESL). I have very little experience working outside the US so I was looking for an agency that could support me throughout the whole process. I reached out to Travelbud in January of 2019 and for the next year they worked closely with me to make sure I was supported every step of the way. From understanding the Thailand school year to TESOL questions to all of my Visa questions and the long process of getting my teaching degree notarized, authenticated, and legalized, Travelbud was with me every step of the way. Travelbud also helped me connect with an in-country program that allowed me to get my TESOL degree before actually teaching in a school. Every question I had throughout my year of preparing to go abroad was answered quickly and accurately. It felt like I had a friend holding my hand throughout the process and I LOVED that.

TravelBud has been extremely supportive since the very start. I originally wanted to come to Thailand at the end of March (in a few weeks), but I changed my mind last minute a few months ago and wanted to come in December instead. TravelBud was super quick to getting me all the information I needed to be in Thailand faster than originally planned. TravelBud has constantly reached out to me to make sure I have all the help I need.

Being in Thailand for 2.5 months now has already been life changing. The TESOL course brought me some amazing friends who I still speak to every day. Going to my placement school was really scary because it was entering this unfamiliar territory to do a job I had never done before. I didn’t think culture shock would get me, but it definitely did! It was something I was quickly able to overcome with constant support and the community I was quickly able to build in my new city. I can’t express enough how special this program is and how everyone should really have an experience like this!