Program Reviews

Before going to Chile, I had studied abroad and lived with a host family; however, that experience did not compare to the complete cultural immersion of the greenheart program. Pre-departure, the greenheart staff were all very accommodating and informative, making me feel completely prepared for my time abroad. Upon arrival, I received more support from the in-country partner agency. I would definitely say the best party of my experience was my host family. They were just as excited to teach me about their culture and integrate me into their life with family and friends as they were about learning the english language. My host placement was located in a very small town which allowed me to feel part of their community and learn a lot about the Chilean culture. I was also able to take day and weekend trips during my time in Chile to see some of the larger, popular cities. Although my host family would sometimes treat me as actual family and be protective, I never had any concern regarding safety. I would highly recommend this program to any traveler hoping to gain an understanding of another country's culture, build a relationship while also getting the experience of teaching to a non-native english speaker.

I have been teaching English in South Korea for almost 2 months now. The experience so far with the program has been great. I started by applying to EPIK through Kara at Greenheart Travel. She made the process easy and smooth, and always kept me in the loop. I would highly recommend working with Kara if applying to go to South Korea! Once I got to Korea, it was nice to have someone take me to the orientation sight as I was overwhelmed as soon as I landed. The EPIK orientation was a week of very long days, most of what I learned was very insightful. However, a lot did not actually apply to me once starting this job. I did however, make friends with other English teachers in Daegu, this was the most important aspect I took away from orientation. My experience is unique because I experienced culture shock in a much different way than the "norm". When I arrived I immediately regretted my decision, when I moved to my city I wished that I had chosen somewhere else, or a different country all together. Since then, I am starting to see the beauty of the culture, people, and country of Korea. I enjoy exploring and being here. What I would want future EPIK teachers to know is the reality of Korea. There is a lot of pollution, trash, and fine dust. I had this very romantic view of Korea and although its great here, it's not what I expected. That in mind, I'm glad I have the opportunity to be here and have already made lifelong friends and memories.

I am currently in Fuzhou, China teaching English. My experience with GreenHeart travel has been wonderfully smooth. From step one, working with Kara at GreenHeart who was so helpful and kind. To landing in China and working with York English. I can still remember landing in Fuzhou, my name held up on a sign and a lift waiting to take me to my apartment.
My first day at York was such an experience. I instantly felt comfortable and at home with coworkers taking me under their wing and the admin going out of his way helpful.
The school takes their education very seriously.. It allows you to really take on becoming a good teacher, which was very important for me coming from very little experience.
Nearly every weekend here I have done something. I’ve met so many cool people and Fuzhou is a very green city by the mountains with a pretty good nightlife.

Xxxx

My experience with this program was amazing! I loved every second of my life in Chile! I loved getting to know my host family, and watch their English improve more and more each day! I loved learning about their culture, and teaching them about mine! I loved getting to see another culture in action (while being completely submersed in it). The bond I formed with my host family during this program is the one thing I will never forget about this experience!

My experience with this program changed my view on the world because it made me more aware of the world around me and how many things we take for granted each day (that other people barely even have access to).
This experience also helped me strengthen my Spanish skills and my teaching skills; which are two things I now know I definitely want to use in the future.

I would definitely recommend this program to anyone just looking to travel and make new friends abroad, while making a difference in such a simple, yet very important, way.
Teaching English abroad is one of the best decisions I've ever made!

I can honestly say that this program changed my life! Greenheart Travel was a wonderful organization to work with, and Sara was especially helpful before my departure and throughout my time in Thailand. She was quick to answer my million questions and always provided thorough details. Everything was well organized and Greenheart made me feel very comfortable making the initial leap to move abroad. Upon arrival, you are linked up with a partner organization, Xplore Asia, that is also very helpful and knowledgable. I attended orientation and took the TESOL course in October and then started teaching on November 1st. Orientation was so much fun - completely filled with activities and useful information - and the people I spent my time with there became like family.

I was placed in a rural area almost directly between Bangkok and Chiang Mai to teach for a full semester. It was not always easy - very challenging at times, but defintiely worth it and I received ample support all along the way. My placement was nothing like what I could have ever predicted - but I wouldn't change a thing. They say in Thailand you don't always get exactly what you want, but you'll always get exactly what you need :)

I would recommend the program to anyone looking for a new adventure!

Ever since I've moved to Thailand for this teaching/tesol opportunity, time has been flying by; I've just been having so much fun. I've met so many new people, learned so many new things and explored so much more of what this beautiful country has to offer. The key is to come here without any specific expectations and learn to live with the Thai mindset of going with the flow. If you come here with an open mind and heart, the possibilities and experiences are endless.

Greenheart Travel gave me the information/tools that I needed to explore a new country and new career, while providing me with ongoing support through the course of the program. Sara still keeps in touch with me now, she's awesome.

Partnered with XploreAsia, the excursions they've planned gives you a quick feel for what Thailand has to offer. The additional Greenheart-only trip where we got to visit an orphanage will be in my memories forever. Thank you Greenheart travel for providing opportunities like this for people like me who seek venues for new careers and adventures! It's truly been a blast!

I've been so inspired to look into ways that I can give back to this wonderful country and am definitely interested in other opportunities abroad.

I would recommend this program to anyone who is serious about going overseas but is a little nervous about the support they will get when transitioning. Sara was really helpful throughout the whole process, and the partners at Xploreasia made it relatively easy to setup work, especially in the short amount of time.

I got everything I asked for in my placement, to be by a beach and secondary school, but it still didn't exactly match what I was expecting, which keeps things interesting. Honestly what I learned from this program is that teaching in this kind of situation isn't really what I want to do with my life, but traveling on my own has been rewarding and will motivate to travel and experience new cultures in the future when I discover more about what I really enjoy doing.

My favorite memories were going to music festivals and live DJ sets, because I think it's really cool to see people across the world in a different culture vibing to the same music that I love. I've still got a few weeks left in my contract that are open to some freedom and traveling, which is what I've been looking forward to the most since I got here.

I did Greenheart's Placement-Only program and it was great. Sara was really supportive and made sure we were prepared with our non-B visa and travel insurance. When I had questions before the program started, she was quick and helpful with her answers. The orientation was really fun and gave me a community of other teachers to talk to, spend time with and bounce ideas off of. Thailand is a warm and welcoming culture and a great place to be an expat!

My pre- departure experience with Greenheart Travel was very thorough and informative. The staff was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly. Greenheart was able to make sure all of my materials and visas were squared away before ever stepping foot in Thailand, which made me feel secure. The staff continues to follow up and check in with their alumni, so you never feel alone. Greenheart is a great support network, and their placement team does a fantastic job! I am fully satisfied with my experiences with Greenheart!

Greenheart (Sara, specifically) was extremely helpful and prompt when answering my many questions. The organization made all the details of moving and working abroad so manageable. The visa process, connection with Xplore Asia, and packing/preparation for Thailand was invaluable. Also, I absolutely loved my TESOL course group. It was an amazing first month of preparation, fun, and friendship. I couldn’t have asked for a better introduction to the country.