Program Reviews

If any place in your heart has a desire to teach overseas, then my advice is to just go for it. With the help of Sara at Greenheart Travel, my transition into life abroad was seamless. She is a viable wealth of information, kindness, and support. Although there are several agencies who offer similar services, I HIGHLY recommend going through Greenheart Travel because every member is an alumni of teaching abroad, so who better to know the unforeseen challenges and obstacles one will face.
Speaking of my experience thus far, I did get culture shock and I did miss home, it will happen. However, in doing the TEFL certification course I met some of the most tremendous individuals who helped me through these times of uncertainty. Not to mention the spectacular orientation week which afforded me the chance to meditate at Umong Temple with a monk, climb Doi Suthep, Thai kickbox and plant rice with local Thais.
After the TEFL course, I got placed just outside Bangkok teaching grade 7-9 mathematics which has proven to be quite challenging and stressful on certain days. Some of the students won’t be obidient and will disobey, just be prepared and be consistent. However, when I can get past the language and knowledge barrier of my students, I feel such a sense of success. I mean I did come to Thailand to shake myself out of a stagnant lifestyle.
Some words of advice: bring more than enough money to survive on for two months because most Thai schools pay teachers at the end of each month (sidebar - my agency luckily paid me for training so I was able to help pay for the deposit on my lease which is typically three months rent, 22,500 baht, around Bangkok). Also, pack light! Thailand has a plethora of malls and markets with anything one might need. Learn and use the Thai language even just saying Hello and Thank You get me so far. Finally, don’t expect ANYTHING. I could’ve scoured the web for days on end trying to prepare myself, but nothing would’ve compared to me actually being in this beautiful country. As I mentioned previously, if you have any desire in your (green)heart to teach overseas, then jump in and go for it!

I personally feel that Greenheart Travel did a great job communicating what I should expect and what I needed to bring with me to Thailand. I also messaged them directly with any questions or concerns I had and always got a quick response. In Thailand, Xplore Asia took care of us during our TESOL course and the placement. They were extremely helpful. I felt well prepared and taken care of through out my experiences with both companies. I also feel that I can reach out to either company while I am at my placement incase I needed any support.

Thailand is an adventure. Things can be very confusing and frustrating, especially if this is your first time in the country. Don't be afraid to ask questions and remember to not be quick to anger. And last but not least, try not to have any grand, rigid expectations. That's probably the most useful advice.

This has been a wonderful experience! Greenheart Travel, in particular Sara Thacker, have provided incredible assistance and support during the whole experience. They checked in regularly and provided wonderful guidance. My school is in Phibun Mangashan, and it has been a phenomenal journey. I would recommend it to anyone seeking this type of experience. There is not a lot of multimedia access in my school, so my recommendation would be to have teachers prepare to not utilize a lot of technology. Overall it has been wonderful!

My husband and I travelled to Thailand and had an amazing experience! We regularly consider going back because we miss teaching! Greenheart did an excellent job preparing us for the adventure. They were very enthusiastic and kind with every time we called with a new question. The company they partnered with in Thailand also did a phenomenal job! I felt like I was in good hands from the moment I submitted my initial application. Thank you!!

One thing that stood out was that I had my Non-B visa prior to arriving; it made things so much more easy compared to my counterparts who had to do visa runs out of the country within the first few weeks of teaching. I, instead, just went to the immigration office in my province to extend my stay and received my work permit easily. Greenheart helped get that Non-B so I'm very thankful! Also, I was a bit envious of those who came without a TEFL/TESOL certification because they spent an additional month getting to know each other while getting certified. They also learned what teaching in Thailand was really like because they did teaching hours at a local partner school. But, for those who came certified, it was an additional 3-4 weeks of traveling prior to starting school, so think about that and come prepared with enough money to travel. So think about what is better for you--whether to get your certification prior to coming to teach, or getting certified here in Thailand--either way is internationally accredited. Overall, I am super comfortable in Thailand; you can find everything you'd need. You may also be pleasantly surprised to find things you wouldn't expect. Come with an open mind--and you will be filled with great experiences.

I absolutely love my job and where and I live and I couldn’t have done it without greenheart. I live in an amazing apartment just north of Bangkok and teach science to a group of 70 middles schoolers and have amazing benefits and pay. Coming through them I couldn’t have felt more prepared with the proper visa, a great Tesol training, Thai culture and language lessons and a group of great new friends to support me in Thailand. 10/10 would recommend to anyone interested in teaching abroad!

I liked the idea of this program, but once I got there I realized that it lacks organization. I met a girl that was an Au Pair in the same city as me and I think that program is more structured. I would've liked a contract with my family about the rules, as they changed throughout my stay and I was eventually given curfews that made it hard for me to spend time with friends during the week and on the weekend. My family was nice, but there was another woman for house help and I felt that having four adults in the house was overwhelming for the kids as we all had different rules for them. Other than one email in the first few days, I didn't receive any check-in from the program about my stay. By the end, I felt like I was there more to work for the family than to be part of it. Although they were welcoming, I would've loved more facilitated conversation from Greenheart about potential issues and how those could be resolved. The cost of the program doesn't feel like a fair exchange knowing the cost of being an Au Pair. Ultimately, I had to pay for activities to do when I wasn't teaching for the 3 or 4 hours a day and without an income that became difficult, something I didn't think of ahead of time. I learned a lot from the program, but I would've like a review from the first girl that stayed with the family because I think she had a similar experience. I learned a lot from this experience. Just consider the situation you'd be in by doing this program and if it's for you, go for it!

I just got back from spending 3 months in Lyon living with a family and helping them with English. It was an amazing experience and I would highly recommend it. I absolutely loved the family I stayed with. They really made me feel apart of their family.
Teaching English there was hard but really fun. It was hard because my family knew English very well and it was difficult to come up with lessons where they learned something new but it was very rewarding when I could teach them new things.
I think one of my favorite memories was having Thanksgiving with them. I made the whole dinner by myself. I got to share with them different dishes they have never tried before and I got to explain to them the story of the First Thanksgiving.
I think it was difficult at first because I spent a lot of time at home alone because my family was at school or working but I put myself out there and met new people that I would never get the opportunity to meet.
I think knowing French is important. My family and I spoke in French and in English. I took French in high school for 4 years but your dont reallyknow your proficiency level until you're there trying to communicate. I struggled with French when I first arrived but it is amazing to see how much I improved over the 3 months.

If you are looking for a comfortable and fun experience making an extreme impact easily, this one is not for you. If you are looking to go out of your comfort zone, struggle but learn from it, change your perspective on many things, and put in a ton of work to make small impacts then this is a great program. You need to be very flexible as several important factors (dates and times for important events, daily schedule, placement city, school, etc.) are not revealed until the last minute and often change. This is a co-teaching program which presents a whole new set of necessary skills. You need to put cultural differences aside and work with Colombian co-teachers to find the best way to teach your students as much as possible without stepping on any toes. I have found in speaking with others that your satisfaction with the program is highly dependent on things that are out of your control (ex. school, co teachers, placement city). In my personal experience, I had a lot of challenges in adjusting to the new living situation (not having several things that I once considered necessities such as hot water) and the school environment which lacked resources and comfort. However, I have grown so much as a person and learned a great deal that will help me throughout the rest of my life. Therefore, I have no regrets. I recommend going into this program with an extremely open mind and always trying to see other perspectives. Be aware that "different" isn't always bad.

I moved to Thailand over a year ago to take my TESOL course and begin teaching and I'm still here! When researching different ways I could complete a TESOL and find job placement in Asia, there were seemingly endless options. A friend recommended me to the Greenheart Travel website, which immediately showed me the most comprehensive package yet. The fact that I was able to take the course IN the country I would be teaching, and that it included a cultural certificate specific to my new home away from home, quickly sealed the deal for me. Throughout my research, application process, and all the way until I got on the airplane, Sara Dorsey Thacker of Greenheart Travel provided ample information and support. It was this comprehensive support that led me to choose Greenheart Travel over other programs, including: obtaining a visa, advice on packing and preparations, access to an online community of peer support, assistance in preparing my credentials and paperwork, navigating flights, airports, customs, and arranging a pick-up on the other side. This support continued with my TESOL course, and onto my job placement. Sara and her team at Greenheart Travel have the experience and understanding to help you through your transition abroad, navigating culture shock, and making the most of your experience.