Program Reviews

The first time that I went through Greenheart was in Thailand, so Colombia was the second time that I used them. Although there was a delay in the announcement of the start date due to MEN, Sara Dorsey would send updates with the latest information provided. She's always organized and answers any questions quickly! If you're ever confused about the process, she's there for support. Getting a book about the country was also helpful to know what to expect upon arrival. Being part of the GH community and having the support from other participants and alumni is another bonus :)

I taught for a semester in Armenia, Colombia. There were a few challenges with co-teaching, but the students were great to teach. The people of Colombia are friendly, and the country is beautiful and naturally diverse. I never felt unsafe during my time there. Overall, I had a great experience. If you're looking to take the leap, I would recommend Greenheart!

Sara Dorsey and the Greenheart travel program are amazing resources if you're thinking about teaching English in Colombia.

This year may have been a special case, but the Colombian government and the SENA program had issues with funding this year and thus communication about our start dates and placements were extremely delayed. While it was very frustrating and made things very difficult for those of us in the program who were literally sitting and waiting for news on when we would leave for Colombia, Sara and Greenheart did their best to continue communicating with us every step of the way, and were very understanding about our frustrations.

As with most government institutions, the SENA program has had its fair share of disorganization. I don't know if I would have continued with it if it hadn't been for Sara's empathy and constant communication. She also followed up with us after we arrived to Colombia and even months later after we settled in, even though her job was already done.

I have loved my time in Colombia and highly recommend going through Greenheart to get here easily and with great support from Sara.

I had a great time teaching English in Colombia. I traveled all over the country and saw so many things but teaching the students was definitely the best part. I definitely recommend doing this and have no complaints about any of it. The question I was asked most about going or when I came back was whether or not it was safe. I am a very young looking female and I traveled all over alone and I never had any issues nor did I feel unsafe. I can also be paranoid too, so I always paid attention around me and didn't do any obvious touristy things.

A few weeks ago I returned from 6 weeks in the Teen Language Program in Salamanca, Spain and having been itching to go back since. This experience with Greenheart was beyond what I expected and couldn't have asked for a better time. I was chosen to be one of their Global Leadership Scholarship winners. I wrote blogs during my time there and never came up short for writing inspiration. The staff was all very kind, organized, and helpful with my questions and details of my program. There was never a moment that I questioned if I picked the right organization. Before my adventure abroad started, I visited their office in Chicago, IL and met all of the staff which I had been emailing endlessly in the months prior. They are all wonderful people! My time in Salamanca will always be looked back on with the best of memories and smiles. If you would like to read what a typical day is like, how to prepare for this experience, or anything of that sort, here is the link to my blogs that I wrote while there: https://greenhearttravel.org/blog/author/emmy-scott

The application process and communication from everyone involved with onboarding was excellent, from our first application we were sent heaps of information and given a lot of support along the way.

On arrival to Colombia the team and lessons during training were good. They were not particularly targeted to those who'd been through similar before or spent time in South America. More could be done to assist those that want to know with those that already do so that everyone gets more out of it.

Our small town was tiny but we made the most of our time working on our own projects and meeting the locals. Not a lot of social events were planned by our Regional Coordinators that we could attend so I did feel isolated. I feel the feeling of being disconnected is an ongoing feeling with other fellows who aren't in the cities. It's all about making the most of where you are so for us a lack of social events or contact with other gringos was ok, but more definitely would have been good.

The schools themselves were chaos from start to end. The kids are amazing fun and come with their own personalities and challenges to teach, especially being asked not to speak Spanish in a classroom of kids who just want to talk with you in Spanish!
There's definitely a lot of adjusting required and the lack of classrooms, boards, pens, paper and books was a daily challenge that made any sort of routine impossible. Our stipend definitely didn't cover as much as I wanted to buy so I could teach effectively. As it happened we were part of Carnival on the coast (incredible to travel to!) and then the 2 month strike at the end of term which meant our amount of time teaching was much shorter than some others experienced. With longer actual teaching time I hope others were able to make more of this part.

Not being able to leave the small town for fear of missing classes if the strike suddenly ended was a really strange move by the program, especially after it had been going on for several weeks. Without school or access to anyone else in the program (due to our isolation) we were happy when the term ended and definitely ready to leave.

Overall the organisation of the program itself is very good and within the country the experience of living a local life and teaching in Colombian conditions was a rewarding challenge. Would I do it again? I don't think so. Small towns without much contact to to the wider teaching community is fine for a short time, but after 6 months it was definitely enough.

It is definitely an experience I will never forget - even if my memories are based more in Carnaval and the long strikes. I realise it was a lot different for us so I hope others have a more fulfilling teaching experience.

I have been teaching in Colombia for over six months and I love it. Sara and Greenheart have been present along the way, always checking in and wanting to know more about my experience abroad. The application process was not difficult and also very informative. Sara helped with any questions or concerns I had as well as reassuring that while moving abroad might seem a lot more difficult than it is there is an entire team in Colombia who will walk you through the first steps of getting acclimated to your new home.
Moving abroad not only has changed my perspective on traveling/home country/ideas but it also helped me figure out what is truly important to me and what career path I'd like to take in the near future. I have met wonderful people and made life-long friends while in Colombia. If you are thinking about moving abroad the only advise I have is to "JUST DO IT" you will not regret it and also take the experience for what it is and don't have any expectations.

Hello! I was the Global Explorer Scholarship winner for the France Teen Summer Language Camp and life as a student in Paris was everything I dreamed of yet nothing like I could've anticipated. My day typically consisted of taking language class in the morning, thinking about how to order gelato in French in the afternoon, and sleeping very well at night. The ability to experience the culture of France was thrilling, educational, beautiful, and even a bit overwhelming at moments. Classes took place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on weekdays. The group next would hop on the metro, follow through with the excursion on the itinerary, have a couple of hours to explore during free time, and then we went home to have dinner with our host family. In class, we were separated into groups of beginning, intermediate, and advanced language proficiency. However, we all remained in the same classroom so there didn't feel like a divide between levels, and we were able to interact with each other consistently. There are also some students from WEP (World Education Program) who are a part of our group. We went through lessons by using workbooks, speaking out loud, and conversing with each other. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner was provided by our host family and if you wanted anything else you could get them at the supermarket on the way home or out on excursions. My host mother and our group's director were absolutely wonderful. We were given free time to explore our host city, mine was Bondoufle, which was about an hour away from Paris on the metro. It is a very fast-paced, adventure packed program. Everyday was very exciting. From the Louvre to the Champs Elyseés to the Arc de Triomphe, I could look forward to taking the metro to a new adventure every day. I also must say that my entire experience with the Greenheart Travel group of teens was one huge favorite moment. From the moment the group met, we clicked and by approximately day three it was like we had known each other for years. It was truly special and made my Paris language camp experience even greater. It was awesome to learn about Belgium and Ecuador from girls who live there, and to meet other kids from all over the States. This trip has fostered in me an electric curiosity and the traveling bug has most definitely bit me. I can’t thank Greenheart Travel enough for making this trip even a possibility for me.

I came to Colombia for my first time to teach English for 9 months. I have loved my experience so far. The pay is enough for living and the people are super nice. Also it helps improve your second language as Spanish. The safety is great in this town. I feel comfortable waking around by myself during all days and also at night. I have found a great church that is fun to assist and spend time at. I have felt like a part of the family of many people that I have met here. The culture is super friendly, so it is normal that people invite you over and on vacation with them. People also really want to learn Wnhlish, so that's another great way to meet people. I was afraid that I was going to feel alone living in another country as a foreigner, but I have found that I do not feel alone because I have found so many great people willing to share friendships with me. I would definitely recommend this program and location for others.

My experience in Quebec City was so great and exciting. I was able to live comfortably in a host home, make friends from around the world, and become more confident in my french speaking skills. My experience was very unique because there was a music festival when I visited, so I was able to take part in all the events at the festival d'été de Quebec (Quebec summer festival). I also had a very supportive host mom and a roommate who I became very close with from another part of Canada. This program really opened up my eyes to other cultures from around the world, and it also broke a lot of stereotypes that I had about certain people. It was super enjoyable and educated me in so many ways. J'aime Québec!

I studied abroad through Greenheart Travel this past year. They found me the best host family who is now like an actual family to me who I will be in contact with forever. I made friends who really will last a life time and I learned so much. The staff was 100% always willing to help out and really helped prepare us at orientation. This experience actually changed me and impacted my life in ways I am still discovering. Its a growing experience, being away from everything familiar for an entire year. I went in not really having a deep understanding of Spanish but now I would consider myself a level of fluent. The most important part now that I'm home is to keep practicing Spanish. It feels funny to not be speaking Spanish constantly and not eating dinner at the normal Spanish hour 10:30 pm. All in all this was the experience of a life time and I can't wait to go back to Spain!