Greenheart Reviews

I must admit that so far my experience teaching english in South Korea has been amazing so far.I love the school that I teach at, the staff are very helpful and the students seem to love me and always greet when they see me in the hallways by saying, "Hello teacha, very handsome"! Which I obviously find cute.Through the Epik program in which Greenheart has sent me with, I get all weekends and evenings off, which provides me with ample opportunities to explore Korea and get to know the culture better.In terms of the service in which Greenheart has provided me throughout the application process, I must say that they have been very helpful and prompt.They respond to emails in a very timely manner and provided great advice to follow for the interview process.They are always avaliable whenever you need assistance which is very important given that the application process can seem daunting.In terms of and challenges, it would have to be homesickness.But such is to be expected when you travel to a different country.But it really helps that Greenheart sends its teachers through the EPIK program, because you then have instant access to a large network of english teachers all throughout Korea which serves as a good support system while adjusting to your new environment, all of whom you meet during orientation.Plus with a nation wide network, you always have a friend to stay by when travelling all over Korea.I do give Greenheart Travel my wholehearted endorsement!

Every since I have arrived in Korea I have received nothing but love! The EPIK orientation was so helpful and made so many friends (we now call each other family). When I arrived in my rural city, my coteachers just as well as locals have gone out of their way to make me feel at home. I never thought I could feel so at home and so loves in a country where I knew no one. Now I have so many friends. I am so happy here, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else.

The main problem I encounter is the language barrier but once you accept that constant struggle you learn to laugh at it and start picking up some new words. If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you. Living in a foreign country is life-changing and worth every struggle!

Oh man Salamanca was really fantastic. I'm not fluent in Spanish but my accent is much better and I did improve a lot. The city is gorgeous and the history of the area is pretty fantastic. Unfortunately it's not as immersive as you would think. My family didn't speak any english but all my roommates and EVERYONE at the school spoke english (except the teachers) SO all your friends will speak english and you'll end up speaking that with them.

I loved my host family though, I'd definitely recommend that rather than the residence, I had a really flexible family. We basically lived in an apartment my roommates and I and our host mom would come by for meals and say hello and talk with us about our families and our countries. Other people had a more conventional family, they'd live full time with them and always be around.

The classes were good, they are entirely in spanish, and so are the workbooks. If you are a beginner at spanish you probably won't get very much out of it, but the stronger your spanish already is the more you will learn. The teachers are mostly nice and the activities (though they are mandatory) are kinda cool if you can follow the explanations which are all in spanish. They are like tours of monuments and legends and things like that. If you go though don't go for only 1 week and go near the beginning of the summer there are more people there.

Overall it was great, I met a lot of people from all over the world (I think I counted 15 countries) and I did improve my Spanish a lot. It's not as serious as you think it might be (a lot of students go clubbing at night) but I think totally worth it.

My experience in Costa Rica was nothing but amazing. I was so nervous at first due to it being the first time I would be traveling alone to a different country. At first, it was almost impossible to speak to my host family due to my lack of spanish. It was scary at first, but my worries were quickly demolished as soon as I settled in around my second day. I began to use hand gestures and got the hang of things.

My second day I went to the project. I loved all the animals there. I was able to feed them, build cages, sweep leaves, clean their cages, and really do anything the project staff wanted me to. I fell in love with the animals as well as the other volunteers that were staying at different host families. I became such good friends with all of them. After the project we would go to each others host families and hang out. My first weekend there we all went to activities together like zip lining and a hanging bridges tour.

I truly believe everyone needs to experience this trip. We was definitely life changing. Staying with a host family made my trip so much better. I was able to experience the Costa Rican way of life. As well as helping animals.

Even though my son stayed a short time last summer, but he had a wonderful experience and the family he stayed with were very friendly and treated him really well. We will definitely do this next summer for a longer period of time.

Greenheart Travel has been a blessing and a half. They were so helpful in getting our paperwork together and in order. Any questions were answered within 24 hours, and they provided us with a TON of information. We really felt prepared when we left for Korea. Without Greenheart travel, this process would have been close to a nightmare. And best of all, they do not charge for their services.

I would highly recommend Greenheart travel to anybody looking at teaching abroad.

But time I ever had abroad. I was total brought into my family and community. The people are amazing and offer a whole new world to living and working in Georgia.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Georgia. I made lifelong friends and now have a second family in Georgia. The only complaints I have were the lack of teaching materials (I understand this is most likely a financial issue) and the perceived lack of awareness on TLG's behalf of the volunteers' difficulties accessing certain necessities (topping up a phone, cellular service and public transportation). Other than that, I thought the experience was invaluable and I would recommend it to anyone.

I sought more adventure in my life and wanted to also find a way to give back to others. I joined Green Heart Travel and embarked on a journey to the great unknown. Though Georgia may be a small country, the country had so much to offer. From the stunning
Caucasus mountains, to the lush forest mineral water springs in Borjomi, to the authentic breathtaking former cave communities of Vardzia, to the bright lights of the beach side of Batumi and the city
life of Tbilisi; As a travel destination, it is a hidden Gem of diversity. Georgia is literally known around the world for the people's heartwarming hospitality. Living in a village with a host family was a challenge that gratifyingly humbled me. Coming from California, U.S.A, I am so accustomed to focusing on what I DON'T have in life. My year in Georgia opened my eyes and taught me to focus on what I DO have in life. Teaching in a village school also has it's
challenges due to lack of supplies we may normally be accustomed to in the western world. Yet, it's the amazing children that makes it all worth while. You will never work with children as loving as the local
children of Georgia. Children who constantly want to learn just because you're here. Children who constantly volunteer to do board work, even if they have no idea what they are doing, just for the
chance to interact with you one on one. Children who are simply motivated to learn English just to be able to greet you in the morning and say farewell to you by the end of the day. If you're looking for a challenge and a program unlike any other, I highly recommend this program. It's an experience you will never forget.

P.S: An awesome bonus is the AMAZING fellow foreign teachers from all over the world you meet in the program who becomes part of your Georgian family <3

I was placed with a very good host family who were all enthusiastic about learning English. However, on the flip side, I didn't feel they put in too much effort to teach me French. So, I'm glad I had enrolled in French courses in Lyon.

Having traveled around the world for a very long time, I'm used to living on my own terms so I felt a lack of freedom with this program. I think this program is more suited for someone who has not traveled much and want a safe/cautious experience.

Also, I think this program is expensive, especially when I learned the host family is doing it on a volunteer basis and Greenheart Travel is supposed to be a non-profit organization.

I didn't get any support from the French coordinator - no email introduction or welcome when I arrived. However, my coordinator at GHT was very good.