Greenheart Reviews

Prior to coming to Thailand, I had never traveled on my own, so I really had no idea how to approach the whole process of going abroad and searching for a job. I chose Greenheart largely because they seemed to offer a great deal of guidance in this regard, and they did not disappoint!

Their application and preparation process is simple, highly structured, and ensures that you'll have everything you need before getting on a plane (proper visas, required documents for obtaining a teaching license, newly formatted resume, arranged airport pickup, etc).

It's tough to comment on Greenheart's support once you're in-country, however, as they hand you off to their partner organization who are based in Thailand. The partner organization is the company that will be instructing you during your TESOL course, finding you a teaching placement, and providing you with in-country support. Greenheart is still available and willing to offer assistance via email, but my dealings with them were very limited after arriving in Thailand.

Despite being led by a separate company, I'll briefly comment on the TESOL course, as Greenheart assures their clients of its quality, and it is the key part of the package they are selling. The partner organization is a great company, and I had an awesome time during the TESOL course. The staff were friendly and helpful, I met some great friends, and I learned as much as I could have hoped to in only 4 weeks.

Even after the course and the English camp it was still pretty intimidating to go right into teaching my own classes only a few days later. But as I said, the course is only a month long, so don't expect to walk out as an expert teacher. The course will definitely introduce you to the fundamentals of teaching English and classroom management; but be prepared for what can be a pretty intense sort of "trial by fire" once you move onto your placement. Teaching in Thailand is truly a job that you can only learn through actual experience.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Greenheart, especially to 1st time travelers.

From the very beginning of my experience with Greenheart Travel, when I was simply reaching out for more information about their programs, to now when I am nearing the completion of my first semester teaching in Thailand -- they have gone above and beyond in terms of support and service. The team does an incredible job staying in touch and trying to make sure your time is going as smoothly as possible for the most part. They, also, do a fantastic job at making sure you're prepared and for the most part are fairly upfront with you about what to expect and not expect. I feel like the staff really does care about their program participants and it is comforting knowing that I do have a support and a connection if any issue should arise while living and working alone in Thailand.

I feel like the difficulties and challenges I have faced have been a result of the particular culture I am trying to adapt to, not necessarily connected to Greenheart Travel.

I would recommend Greenheart Travel and have.

Last year I had the opportunity to spend two months in France with a host family through Greenheart...and the experience I had in France (I lived in Andernos, on the Bassin d'Arcachon near Bordeaux) was overwhelmingly positive. I met so many people who have become dear friends (some of whom have come visit and all of whom offer me a room when I'm in the south-west again...because it will happen!), saw so much of the country, and learned so much about the how the French see themselves and the world and sharing the similarities and differences amongst ourselves was a joy. I even had the chance to give a small presentation about Canada at the elementary school of one of the kids I was tutoring. One of the highlights of the trip, for sure!

And don't get me started about the food and the wine... ;)

By studying abroad I have learned so much about myself and the world. I thank Greenheart Travel everyday not only for the amazing support and help they give me but ultimately for making my dreams come true. Greenheart Travel set me up with an amazing host family in a great town. They made the application process very easy and worked with me every step of the way making everything crystal clear. I HIGHLY recommend using Greenheart Travel for your study abroad experience. Whether it be tech abroad, highschool abroad, volunteering, you name it they have it. Choosing Greenheart Travel will be a choice I guarantee you won't regret.

My experience in Spain through this program was absolutely amazing! I made so many great friends and really noticed an improvement in my Spanish.
To participate in this program, you should probably already speak some Spanish. This helps with ordering food, the airport, etc. I had been taking Spanish for 4 years and felt very comfortable speaking Spanish. Although you attend classes everyday, you must make an effort to use Spanish as the majority of people speak English. It's also a great opportunity to practice any other languages you speak because there are people from all over Europe. I got to practice my Dutch as well as my Spanish.
The rooms aren't a five star hotel, but are spacious and have a bathroom. The residence felt very safe and at no point did I ever feel unsafe. The only thing I really have to complain about is the food. The food was pretty bad, but you have plenty off opportunities to buy other food if you'd like.
The best part about my trip was all the people I met. Everyone was SO friendly and sweet, both the students and the monitors (supervisors). I made lifelong friends from all over Europe and the US.
I COMPLETELY recommend this program to anyone that loves to travel and wants to explore a new language and country.

Salamanca is the most beautiful city you could possibly visit, and even more perfect to visit in your high school years. I highly recommend the program to anyone looking to improve their Spanish, have an amazing homestay experience, and make lasting friendships. The staff at the language institute genuinely care and are fun to be around, the planned activities are always a blast (example: playing soccer or touring a specific place in the city). Homestays are a great opportunity to improve your Spanish and see what it's like inside a Spanish home.

The amount of support and continuous contact with the staff at Greenheart Travel is a refreshing breath of much needed air. My contact, Sara, is not only very knowledgable and able to answer all my questions, but she also makes sure that everyone get the individual attention that they require to make sure that their transitions overseas are as smooth as possible.

A specific example that stands out would be our ventures into the visa process and not having papers that we did not know were required. A single call to Greenheart and their associates in Thailand had the papers in our hand within 24 hours. It is not every recruiter that takes the time after hours to make sure their teachers are well cared for.

I can only speak good things about this company and I most definitely recommend them to any teacher looking to travel and expand their horizons.

Summer of 2013 was the most memorable summer of all time! Greenheart Travel offered the bet experience. The trips, the morning classes and the overall experience was amazing. The day would start off in the morning, with breakfast, then going back upstairs to our rooms and grab our stuff to go to class! Class consisted of a small group of international French leathers, with a 20 minute break halfway through. We would walk back to the residence (which was like not even 2 city blocks) and have lunch. Afterwards, we would have like downtime to get ready for our daily escursion! We would wait her take lunch with us, or return on time for dinner. After dinner we would have nightly activities at the residence which you could participate in, or hang out with your new friends! Overall, great experience.

My trip with Greenheart Travel was amazing. The program manager, Jennifer, was always available to help me throughout my process. I remember the day of the trip, I called her while I was at the airport because I was nervous and we talked until I was ready to go. As a traveler, you definitely have the support of the members of the program.
Living in the volunteer house was a learning experience. I was learning about the Vietnamese culture from the local volunteers; I was also able to interact with volunteers from other countries such as South Africa, England, Estonia and Finland.
The couple who was in charge welcomed me as a member of the family. They were always checking on me. One of my favorite part of the day was meal time. One reason was the food; the other reason was the daily' stories/adventures that were shared during meal time.
In terms of work, the schedules were different. I taught in the morning and in the afternoon. However, I had the weekends off to explore and go sightseeing. Depending on your schedule, you might be able to visit a nearby town.
I went over the summer so it can get extremely hot. In addition, respect the culture. Despite the country you are visiting, it is good to take into consideration their dress code.
I loved my experience in Vietnam and with Greenheart Travel. I look forward to another program with them.

Sarah Dorsey at Greenheart Travel has been a tremendous help and very encouraging to my fellow teachers. It can be somewhat stressful gathering all necessary documents and logistics and Sarah pulled everything together to make my initial jet setting smooth and painless. Through Sarah's communication via email, skype or facebook, it was clear to me that she made a fantastic effort to create a positive community of teachers abroad to ensure culture shock and change was a more enjoyable experience.