Program Reviews

I volunteered with Green Heart Travel over the summer of 2017. Initially I was hesitant to go to Vietnam alone for 5 weeks as I had never been to Asia and didn't speak any Vietnamese. However, as soon as I arrived in Hanoi I began having an amazing time. The volunteer coordinators were amazing. Most of them were young in their late teens or early twenties and so were most of the volunteers so we all got along really well. They showed me how to take the bus to my volunteer location and after riding with them a few times I had no problems going by myself (but I usually took an Uber motorbike because it was a lot more fun ;) ). I volunteered with autistic 2 year-olds at a private preschool on Mondays through Fridays from 8:30 to 4:00 with a long lunch/nap break in the middle of the day. On the weekends most of the volunteers would group together and travel to some other part of Vietnam. Some of the things we did on the weekends were hiking, sightseeing, and even a cruise! The volunteer helpers (not their officially title, I'm just not really sure what to call them) told us about a great travel agency that we usually went through. The volunteer helpers were super helpful when we wanted to book bus, train and plane tickets. Lots of people would ask for a couple days off and visit Cambodia or Laos on the weekend too (I would seriously recommend getting a multiple entry visa!).
Overall, I loved Hanoi! It has probably been the best travel experience I have ever had (I've been to over thirty countries). There was so much to do every weekend and every night we were never bored! I loved Hanoi so much that when I graduate I want to move there and spend a year teaching English. Since doing this program I have been to several other Asian countries and Vietnam is definitely my favorite. If you have never been to Asia, or even if you have, this is the place to go!

I came to Thailand through Greenheart Travel in October 2016. What was initially a vague 6 month plan has since turned into living in Thailand for more than a year, with no intentions of leaving any time soon.

From the beginning, Sara Thacker and Greenheart Travel as a whole were very accommodating in answering the million and five questions I had once I signed on for the program. She was there to offer assistance about everything from visas to whether or not it was worth packing jeans. A short while before I was scheduled to leave for Thailand, myself and other participants were asked to join an interactive webinar where Sara broke down everything we could expect for ou first couple weeks in Thailand, and beyond.

In Thailand Greenheart works in partnership with XploreAsia, who are the ones who deliver the orientation week, TESOL course and find your placement. Both XploreAsia and Greenheart are available for assistance throughout your time in Thailand, and even a year later I am still part o the large teacher groups provided on Facebook which are fantastic for advice in terms of teaching and everything else.

Coming to Thailand has turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life, and I highly reccomend Greenheart Travel’s program for the support they provide.

I had only traveled out of the country twice before making the move to Thailand. I wanted an adventure but I also wanted a support group I could go to if I ever felt lost. Greenheart was a great program that allowed me to make the move overseas with peace of mind. Sara Thacker is awesome and answered all of my questions promptly. Although it's a bit pricey, it's a great way to start your journey overseas.

Kara Menini at Greenheart Travel helped me through the entire application process for teaching English in South Korea. There was an enormous amount of paperwork, so I'm glad I had the help. She was available to answer any of my questions (I had lots) and did so in a timely manner. I am so happy I came to Korea and hope to spend more than one year here. I'm finally settled in my new home, it took a couple of months to truly adjust. Don't be afraid. You can do it! My biggest tip is to learn as much Korean as you possibly can.

I have only been here two months but teaching in Korea has already been an amazing experience. I am developing my teaching skills, experiencing an entire new culture, and making amazing connections with Korean co-workers and other teachers in the area.

I found the program through Greenheart travel and they were extremely positive and supportive through the process. The staff clearly care about their applicants and work hard to help them be successful getting into the program.

Oh lordy, lordy where do I begin? Greenheart is the greatest organization for this sort of endeavor. I applied through them to teach English for a year in Thailand and they guided me through every step of the process in the most straightforward, professional, and pragmatic manner. Sara, my program manager, responded to every e-mail or question I had along the way and even while I was over there teaching at my school. There were even times when I called the office and she would walk me through anything I was having trouble with over the phone. I am now back in the United States after completing my year teaching at my school in Thailand and miss it every day. I'm not ruling out being a two time Greenheart alumni and doing it all over again. That's how much I loved the experience and the professionalism and dedication of this organization. They encourage you to chase your dreams. LOVE Greenheart!

My name is Tiffany and I am currently a teacher in Shenyang China. I began my process to teach by contacting GreenHeart because I knew they would be fast and reliable. My recruiter was Kara Menini, and she was awesome. She was super informative, and answered all of my questions accurately and in a timely matter. Being that she was a teacher in Thailand, I trusted her judgement and opinion as I was preparing to head overseas. Since I've been here, Kara has even come to visit us and witness the experience herself. It shows a lot about a company to send their employees out to witness the experience in person, and I really appreciated all of her input from her experiences. Now that I am well settled in, I am very happy with the job, my life here, and her role she played in helping me get here today.

Greenheart Travel is a great program for getting TESOL certified and teaching English in Thailand. Sarah, the program manager, is very responsive, helpful, and supportive. She enthusiastically answered all of my questions and concerns, despite the fact that she probably gets asked the same things all the time. She is also super friendly, approachable and knows what it's like to be in your shoes since she did a year teaching in South Korea with Greenheart. Greenheart's pre-departure support is extremely thorough. They provide everything from packing lists and webinars, to alumni interviews and informative blog posts from current teachers. Once you're in Thailand, you get passed off to another organization called Xplore Asia, which coordinates the orientation, TESOL course, and placements. Greenheart did a great job of explaining this pass-off and it seems like the two companies have solid communication with one another.
Overall, Greenheart is a solid program and it is very beneficial to spend a month in Thailand before diving into teaching. It is nice to have a network of people spread all over the country once you go off to your placement. I'm really glad I came here through Greenheart and my year in Thailand was probably the best year of my life!

I moved to Yangon, Myanmar in January 2017 to take my Teaching English to Speakers of a Other Languages (TESOL) course, and then to work for three months for George English Training Centres (GETC - Yes, there were a lot of acronyms...). I was 21, just graduated from university, and had absolutely no prior teaching experience, so I was quite nervous!

From the moment I arrived at the airport, everyone made me feel at home in a very foreign country and provided me with all the help that I asked for. The TESOL course was excellent and even though I had never taught before, by the time I graduated I felt prepared and confident to begin teaching for real!

Before I left the UK, Greenheart and their partner companies in Myanmar had organised my work contract and provided me with all the documents I needed to get started in my new life. The process in Myanmar was a seamless experience and I never felt let down by the companies that Greenheart partnered with in Myanmar.

Life itself in Myanmar was exciting, challenging, rewarding and never boring. The teaching experience was incredibly rewarding and the salary provided me with everything I needed to live in the country. I taught and lived in Yangon, the commercial capital, and quickly made a whole group of great friends, both Myanmar and foreign.

Living and working in Myanmar threw up its own range of challenges, to live in a country undergoing so much change so quickly would never have been any different! However the Myanmar people were so friendly and welcoming that the challenges never became overwhelming.

My time in Myanmar was a truly wonderful experience that I would recommend to anyone with an adventuring spirit. While not perhaps for the fainthearted, the program has helped me grow as a person and I think I grew more as a person in those four months than I had in the previous four years. I had so much fun, so many great moments, and made such great friends that I don't spend a day without thinking how good it would be to be back!

It was an experience full of fun and learning. Our employers and recruiters (Greenheart Travel) were very organized and supportive.

Apart from not choosing your own city, definitely you will meet smart and enthusiastic kids who are eager to learn.
You will teach and you will learn more from them. Regional Coordinators are always around to help and support. The orientation sessions in Bogota is essential and necessary.

Greenheart Travel is an amazing partner in facilitating the process.
Expect though a lot of paperwork, before, during, and after the program.

Happy teaching!